2 OPETH Albums??? Your Thoughts...

[Lora @ MFN]

Hi all,

This is Lora, Opeth's A&R person at Music For Nations. As many of you know, Mike and the band have been talking about recording 2 Opeth albums - one heavy & one mellow. So what do you think? We would usually shy away from an idea like this, but Opeth isn't your average band! If anybody can pull this off and come up with 2 classy, quality albums, it is Opeth - that's for sure. Your opinion is very important to us so I'd appreciate your feedback, please.

On a side note, can I just say that having the pleasure of dealing with Opeth on a regular basis means that I have the best job in the world!!!

Cheers

 

[The Wanderer]

First off. you might want to throw this post on the actual opeth board down the page under hosted forums as well. they aren't your average fans down there, they are fanatics.

As far as the idea goes, I think its intriguing. I have my doubts about how good it would be though. I like the direction they are taking with BWpark. Getting more brutal and more mellow and keeping it mixed. I would not listen to a whole album of harvests. a whole album of leper affinity's? probably. It sounds very ambitious and could be cool if they pull it off right. the talk of seperating the two sounds worries me. but its opeth and they should do what they want. the fan base will probably support no matter what. they buy anything with opeth on it.

by the way, its cool you are actually asking the public!

 

[MetalManCPA]

Tough to answer:

I love Opeth for the fact they can go soft/heavy/soft etc. within the confines of one song.

If this 2-CD concept means the hard album will be all heavy without any soft shifts within a song, and visa-versa on the soft album, would that in effect be a style change for the band?

The true Opeth fans like myself will be anxiously awaiting the album. I like both of their styles (although I am a "heavy" listener for the most part). I'm just afraid that an entire album of one style would take away from the pure talent Opeth has - that of an amazing ability for stylistic change in a single song, which incites an emotional rollercoaster to the listener.

 

[samoniac]

I'd have no problems with listening either of them. It wouldn't be a big problem for me if they won't include any acoustic parts in the heavier album as long as it's not thoroughly extremely brutal. No problems for me with an entirely acoustic album either. If the songs are the same quality as Harvest and To Bid You Farewell and are different enough (as those two are). Knowing what enormous creativity Åkerfeldt has, I'm sure it will be a success. And if Mikael wasn't sure about this, he wouldn't even suggest a double album. Let's all just enjoy the result! It's a pitty that we'll have to wait a year =(

 

[warsofwinter]

I think that it's gonna be a very good idea ,,,, it's something that I have always thought about for an album Idea sort of , The possibility's that this will open up will be amazing ,,, trust me ,,,you should fully support anything Opeth wants to do ,,, they are a very special band !!

 

[Nico16]

It's a great idea, in my opinion. Especially because Blackwater Park was a bit too mellow for my taste, I liked "Still Live" better - so I would be glad if I could buy a whole CD of the heavier Opeth together with a second one that I'd put on when I want to relax. (And Mike already said that even the mellow CD will have some heavier parts and vice versa, so it won't get boring at all).

I can't say anything about the financial issues, but to me a 2-CD Opeth album would be simply great and the best thing they could do. (it always seemed that they were limited by the 74-minutes of a standard-CD anyway...I guess they would have recorded more songs per album if CDs had a longer playing time.)

 

[Mayh]

I will follow Åkerfeldt and Opeth where ever go because these guys are great mucisians (spelling???) and can´t go wrong, at least not in my mind. With 5 masterpieces behind them I think the future of Opeth must be something spectacular (spelling again???) and this kind of a double cd album will surely be that.
But no matter how much feedback you´ll get from the fans I think that it won´t matter because (as you problaby know) Opeth make music they like not the fans, acording to mikael at least. So if the record label is going to set some kind of barriers for Opeth it will most likely make them and the fans very unhappy.

Will there be realsed two seperate CD´s or will it be two in one that will cost a bit more

 

[samoniac]

Originally posted by Mayh
Will there be realsed two seperate CD´s or will it be two in one that will cost a bit more

I wouldn't mind if they released two separate CDs. Over two hours of Opeth is definately worth c.a. 30$. In that case we'd also get two separate cuesheets, which'd be great I think.

 

[Russell]

Originally posted by Lora @ MFN
On a side note, can I just say that having the pleasure of dealing with Opeth on a regular basis means that I have the best job in the world!!!

Cheers

Ok, if you post on the Opeth forums don't say that. You would have to sleep with one eye open incase some of the more fanatical fans (than me) hunted you down, cut yor arms off and then sold them to the black market.... And u think I'm joking

Well I like the fact youare asking, I think that says a lot about MFN, nice one.

It has been discussed at some length here

My thoughts: I wouldn't want one entirely heavy album and one entirely acoustic (tho an entirely acoustic one would be good to get other people hooked to Opeth ) because I think part of the beauty of this wonderful band is the mixture between the styles.... but if there was a mix, just more acoustic on oneit's more Opeth so I'm very much in favour.

I also agree with MAYH, I have complete faith in Mikael, I'm sure however he does it it will rock!

I couldn't give a flying fuck really if it wasone or two albums, it would be worth it

 

[benny]

Well after having a while to think about it I don't completely like the idea of one soft and one hard. But I realize Opeth does have to make music for themselves and if they want to do this then I will back them 100% and will definatly be buying their new album(s) no matter what they are going to do. I am sure if Opeth thinks they can make a brilliant album doing this then put all your doubts aside and let them work at it because they will probably be right. I have faith that if they want to do something like this they can pull it off the way only Opeth can.

 

[_Transparent_]

this is something im really looking forward to. Mikael has a great voice both for clean and growling styles. its only fair he should use the clean vocals a bit more, i dont want a permanent change but this is something im really looking forward to. cant wait :hotjump: :hotjump:

 

[Slynt]

There is nothing we can do about it but embrace it anyway...



(But IMHO, if the mellow album is as little progressive as "Harvest", I might consider buying only the brutal disc...)

 

[discouraged1]

Everything that Opeth record is great.

 

[HoserHellspawn]

There is a solid core of fans that WILL purchase BOTH albums upon their release, because they are Opeth.

It's an ambitious undertaking to be sure, one that will drastically alter the course of the band's history. My personal opinion is that if the intent of the artist is held in high regard, the fans will follow. If the band really wants to do this, I would prefer not to see their vision cut short.

If the albums are successful, it's original and "gimmicy" enough to draw lots (relative to what Opeth usually gets) of media attention to the band, and the release of an all-mellow album may bring in a lot of listeners who would previously have never considered listening to Opeth.

Again, tho, I think I speak for the average "Opethian" when I say that we wish for the band to be able to do whatever their creative fancies would have them do, in this regard.

Thanks!
- Hoser

 

[Misanthrope]

There is a solid core of fans that WILL purchase BOTH albums upon their release, because they are Opeth.

I would venture to say either album can attrack new fans to Opeth's Music, so overall they will eventually generate more sales imho. There is no doubt its a riks and that its a big card on the table indeed, But those who dare win...

 

[Heliologue]

i would inevitably compare this to Maudlin Of The Well's double-but-separate releases this year, Bath/Leaving Your Body Map.

technically, one is mostly hard and the other mellow, respectively, but listening to them, you can't recognize them as either/or. they are simply two interconnected albums with lots of variations.

the truth is, Opeth has long held high status among fans of melodic death metal, but have always been struggling to expand their fan base. they have done this with blackwater park (i can now find opeth and Best Buy, Circuit City, etc!). it's only natural that they would want to spread their musical wings, so to speak.

of course, it might be not the most cost-effective thing in the world, but i'm sure MFN has already figured that out. you asked for my opinion: to me, the fan, it's worth whatever extra money i'd have to pay for two discs. maybe that means something.

 

[Xtokalon]

Good call saturnix!

I don't care about the doodads of getting the music distributed. Opeth fans are such that if Opeth puts it out (and if it's good) they will buy those albums. That's just more for Opethians to love and buy; and that's just more for Opethians-to-be to discover and explore. These are just technicalities.

The artistic content is my concern.

Quite frankly, I'd be repulsed by the idea of an all heavy album and an all-mellow album. Somehow as metalmancpa, i think, hinted at, the band would be different artistically.

My very strong recommendation is that Opeth follow the path of Maudlin of the Well's double release Bath/Leaving Your Body Map.

One is overall more mellow than the other, but on both there are both heavy and mellow songs and sections. And they are not just two albums. They melded in with each other and the end result is something much more rich than the sum of the parts.

Opeth are too dynamic to be imprisoned by rigid categories. So why should their albums, ad hoc, segregate all the elements and 'styles' that make Opeth so great in the first place? Such would almost be unpardonable in my mind.

Once again, I hope Opeth do as Maudlin of the Well has done. I hope, Lora, you convey this to Opeth if indeed they are willing to be swayed by the opinion of their greatest fans.


(wooohhooooo, my first post outside the opeth board!!! But I digress for Opeth!!!! )

 

[Mark]

Personally I can't wait!

 

[Wolff]

I think it's a big risk, but I for one would give the benefit of the doubt to OPETH. I hope it's not so clear-cut... i.e. mellow + heavy ONLY, as I enjoy the complexities and transitions... but keep the faith.

I also want OPETH to HEADLINE the US as supposed to open for some other band. Most of the fans that went to the AngelDust/Opeth/Nevermore tour were there to listen to Opeth. I can personally vouch for at least the San Francisco and San Jose shows.

 

[yourdeadgroom]

Have to back Hoser Hellspawn up, I think the potential for attracting new fans is huge- those that like complex music but hate death metal (I used to be one, I forced myself to like growling). The mellower album may be the doorway into other Opeth stuff, and then other 'underground' (read: with harsh vocals) stuff, so from a business point of view (me with all my years of business experiance ) it seems a good idea (speaking in terms of CM, not Opeth).
This is to say nothing of my desire to hear the damn things

Neurosis kind of do a similar thing, don't they? Put out a second album that complements the first, under the banner of Tribes of Neurot- that seems to work for them (well, they still manage to find record companies to back them......).

And having 2 CDs still gives everyone a choice- if you don't want mellow, you don't have to get it. I really can't see the albums being wildy different from the way things are now- let's face it, the heavy one isn't going to be grindcore, and the mellow one isn't going to be elevator music. Probably more like they are now, but in reverse- instead of having soft parts in the middle of heavy songs, the mellow album would possibly have heavy parts in the middle of soft songs.

Go for it! (please? )