What kind of person listens to Opeth?

I REALLY enjoy Orchid through Still Life a lot. The main criticism thrown at them is that they tend to meander a bit, and yea, I do see that a bit, but damned if they don't write engaging music.

Blackwater Park left me completely bored, however, and I didn't get the two albums that followed.

Here's one thing I noticed, though. Their popularity seemed to be marginal for a while, and around the time Still Life came out, it grew tremendously. A large wave of anti-Opeth backlash came along with it, and it became trendy to hate them.

Now I'm not one of those people who goes THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO HATE OPETH ARE JEALOUS...that's ridiculous of course, plenty of people hate them for valid reasons.

But I think their rise in popularity really caused two vehement camps--pro and con--to form, which is why there seems to be no middle ground when you ask anybody about them.

To what degree does Opeth rule?

the anti-Opeth backlash seemed to be the typical kneejerkers who got tired of hearing about one band over and over again, because before then, I heard very little negative about them. I got into them on My Arms, Your Hearse.

They're not really one of my favorite bands, but I do like them a lot. Unfortunately, since I have a bazillion cds, they rarely get spun anymore. and the fact that I didn't take care of the cds very well :/

on the topic of Katatonia, I don't see the hype. Tonight's Decision bored me to no end. Discouraged Ones I found decent, but even then I can't spin it much. I like it, but don't love it.

My problem with Opeth is that it's like BAD prog. They've got lots and lots of great riffs and ideas, but once they're in the studio,
everything seems to get patched together into a big mess. I recall I read somewhere in an Opeth review a while back that they rarely
rehearse together. It shows - someone please find them a decent songwriter. They don't even have to leave Sweden, they just have to wander
into one of those big forests and locate Shamaatae of Arckanum near some rock/tree/cave, there's a guy who can write long 'atmospheric'
metal songs that actually go somewhere. And they really should stop using that "quiet acoustic part - suddenly heavy distortion and harsh
vocals - and back to a completely different quiet bit" trick.

-- Siegbran (siegbra...), April 18th, 2003.

from this thread:

Most overrated band ever?

I still think Orchid/Morningrise/My Arms is their holy trinity though

I see the "patchwork" argument, and admit it's true to an extent, but ultimately, I find enough interesting passages/textures/riffs in the music to ignore that. and, where I'll depart from Sieg's camp is that I think their ability to write a song did improve dramatically over time.

Opeth is certainly not without fault.

Otep, on the other hand, rule (when she's not rapping - although it is SO cute when she does). Wifey and I want to proposition her for a threesome.

I bought The Silent Enigma a while ago and I just downright love that album. It's gorgeous and yet haunting at the same time.

As far as Ulver goes, my opinions have changed on them dramatically. Bergtatt kicks ass, and so does Nattens Madrigal (haven't heard Kveldssanger yet), but I grew from a enjoyment of Themes from William Blake into "eh" status. There's too much filler/pointless ambience on that album that takes away from the real good bits (and the GOOD ambience).

Plus Garm doesn't know how to pronounce the name "Job". :) Not a bad album, tho.

I haven't heard the shit they did on Perdition city and beyond either. Just haven't gotten around to it.

I'm just a crazy collectionist at times though. I love one album by a group and BOOM, I've bought their discography within a month. (there are bands I have done that with..)

Simply put, ARCKANUM is not for everyone...it is only for those who live in the darkest forests, and wish to be amongst the Trolls!!!

AAAAAHHHHHH! I, also, have said everything about that band that will ever need saying by me on ILM. My lips are sealed.

Meanwhile, this is Roger's thread, and we all know that HE is the biggest SP fan.

Oh, and I got that Katatonia 2-CD compilation, and it bored me to sleep. I have no plans to investigate further.

I love that an Opeth thread inspires 75% non-Opeth posts. That says a lot.

I really like As the flower Withers and Turn Loose the Swans is godly.

I have the Trinity thing on cassette, too, and I haven't played it in years. seemed pretty neat though.

Angel and the Dark River, though, is not my cup of tea. First, I liked the contrast on the previous album between screamed and clean vocals, and his clean vocals were rather atmospheric. on Angel and the Dark River they're more up front and sound rather whiny and get really grating. The material doesn't seem to be as dense or captivating as TLTS, either...I love "The Cry of Mankind", but very little else gets my recommendation on that album.

i really like 'two winters only' from 'the cry of mankind'. it's just impossibly pretty. so relaxing too, but it's definitely one of those cases where you wonder what the hell aaron is singing about...

back to the topic at hand (even though there's a few opeth threads floating around), opeth is music for those who like to indulge, perhaps over-indulge. there's moments in some of their songs where they just get it bang-on right, and it equates to a pretty blissful listening experience.

i dunno, with opeth something just compells you to keep listening to the tracks till they're ingrained in your consciousness. it's an easy and predictable criticism to say that the songs are discordant and lack focus, but wild journeys, constantly shifting dynamics, and complete overhauls within songs are at the very essence of the character of the songs themselves.

listening to 'orchid' now. vocals aren't great, but these songs are a treat for those who devour twin-leads. mazes and mazes of beautiful melodic riffs and tasteful solos. fantastic opening track and stunning closer.

i just cannot get into this band, but i've already done a thread about it

I Can't Get Into Opeth...Is Something Wrong With Me?

yeah, i saw that thread! it's the only opeth thread i haven't posted in, i think.

hard to say how to approach this band if you're looking for a way to get into them. i guess it all starts by noticing a really nice passage in one of the songs, being floored by it, and not really looking back.

i remember back in the day when i first heard 'morningrise' i was underwhelmed. yet with repeat listens (possibly forced, i can't recall), i was drawn in by some of the more hypnotic, inspired sections of the songs. and then i learned to appreciate the songs as complete compositions; as total constructs. never looked back from then.

'still life' always had instant, sure-fire-classic status written all over it for me, i should add

To answer the original question: Porcupine Tree fans who have decided to convert to satanism.

People who think that going back and forth between rote metal and bad-sounding strummy acoustic guitar equals "complexity."

^^ very harsh :/

harsh but true!

well, i understand how people interpret the band that way. but personally feel there's a lot more to it :)

Look, anybody who turned as many people back toward reading as she has is OK by me.

IM NOT INTO DEM BAND

"as she has"?? actually, what does that whole sentence mean?

"as many . . . as she has"

DO YOU SEE?

no

"the devil's orchard" bites as effectively from "heart of the sunrise" as motorpsycho's "mutiny" does from "changes". the two of them touring the states would not be the worst idea ever. still go back and forth about whether i'm more into this, damnation, or pale communion. curious if and when they return to metaller stuff how the yesisms might factor

Opeth's Damnation and Deliverance are being reissued as a four-disc set (each album is remixed and remastered and you get a CD and 5.1 audio DVD version of each, in a little hardback book with new liner notes and archival photos). I've sampled a track from each album, and the difference is amazing. The drums on Deliverance (the loud one) are bigger; the guitars are clearer; Mikael's vocals are more forceful; everything has its own space in the mix. Damnation (the quiet one) sounds even more proggy and '70s than before (no surprise, since that one was remixed by Steven Wilson). When I first heard that these albums were going to be paired and sold this way, I thought it was a pure cash grab. Now that I've heard the results...well, it looks like they're gonna get my money again.

Looks like I'm going to the 25th anniversary show (they're playing Ghost Reveries in its entirety, plus a selection of tunes from all the other albums) on Thursday night. Woo-hoo!