A little bumed about Watershed's Lead Work

I thought there would be more soloing on this record. I think it's just right. Although I think they could've made them standout more. Maybe it's the mix. They're kinda hidden underneath all the stuff going on in the more heavier songs.
 
I really like the solos on this album, Mike's playing better than ever and that must have something to do with Fred being there I would say..
 
I mean, at parts Freddy nails it. He fits the band. But some times he'll speed up and it's like he's trying to john petrucci it and just doesn't work man. I'll elaborate, He nails it on Heir Apperant but then towards the end, he gets a little to shreddy. I don't know, I hold Opeth in the highest regard so I'm probably being over sensitive but the new album is so fucking good dudes. I've listened to it like 6 or 7 times already, I've only had it 2 days b/c I didn't want to spoil the wait by illegally hacksoring it early like I know all you guys did.

Yeh I pretty much agree with this, Fred is obviously a very good guitarist, but it didn't really seem to fit in with the Opeth sound. By the end of that solo what he's play is very shreddy and doesn't really have anything to do with what's going on underneath. I don't think there are any other solos like that on the album as far as I remember so it feels a little out of place. It's almost like he was trying to prove himself as the new guitarist. The thing is that there's lots of bands at the moment that have shred solos, I always thought it was cool that Opeth had simpler but more soulful solos.
 
Peter's solos were amazing. Less shred, way more feeling and they seemed to fit more with the feel of the songs. Funeral Portrait and When come to mind.

That's because Peter was on the previous 8 albums. It is interesting to think how Watershed would've sounded with Peter instead of Fred, though. I bet the songs would be completely different, however. I like the new sound, it's different. Opeth is always full of surprises with every album, and that is just one of the many things that keeps my interest in the band. I think Fred is a fine replacement, as long as he knows when and when not to play. A little shredding here and there is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as it's not over-used (preferably if it's juuuust slightly under-used).

Hey, imagine someone like Zakk Wyld taking Peter's place??:puke:

squeal~squeal~squeal~squeal~squeal~squeal for a 10 minute song...
 
I personally like fast soloing because that's what I tend to do quite a lot. And I don't think Fredrik overplayed Watershed. If there's a blues guitarist, it's always okay for him to play the same blues scale over and over, but when there's a shredder... he should like quit playing.
 
Well if you guys remember Mike on the Ghost Reveries DvD, He mentions that opeth members can't just be metalheads. They have to be a metalhead but well rounded. I just don't like Fred's work on the Burden. You have Mike making these beautiful movements and then Freddy who's like, watch me put 8 notes between beats and it's just not fitting. I will mention that more freddy means less mike and I don't think that's a trade. Mike is one of my favorite lead guitarists, I put him up there with like Ritchie Blackmore.
 
I thought his work on Burden was great. the rest of his solos did make me miss Peter a bit, but I can't say I found any of them to be too over-indulgent or anything.
 
After my first listen I thought the same thing. The shredding solo on Heir Apparent was the only one that stuck with me.
I enjoyed the different approach & that solo ushered in a new era of Opeth.

Since then I've found more that I enjoy, but I get your point.
There's no amazing Bleek or Leper Affinity solo's on this album.
The guitar work as a whole is not as weak as it seemed to me at first.
 
fred played tasteful leads on this album that display both speed and emotion
it's not like he was sweeping argpeggios for 3 straight minutes on any of the songs.
 
I think Heir Apparent makes up for the "lack of metal" in this album. That song is absolutely crushing and I think it's probably the heaviest song they've written to date. That song has really grown on me. When I first heard the Melloboat recording, I really didn't know what to think. Probably the recording itself was what ruined it for me. Even the "good" recording wasn't that good. But after putting in the album...WOW!!:OMG: Coil > Heir Apparent is an amazing album opener. Beautiful, moody calm (before the storm) > the storm (or a sledge hammer to the skull)!!:headbang:
 
I think i know what you're feeling (threadstarter). Fred is an awesome guitarist and does a fine job for the most part, its just so many guitarists shred so its hard to stand out amongst all of them. So with the loss of Peter and the gain of Fred its almost like trading off uniqueness for technicality. On a side note, it's kinda the same with Axe and the blastbeats.
 
Was I the only one who got annoyed when Fredrik just constantly shreds on the DVD while Mike is talking? I was pleased to hear however that Fredrik is playing Peter's solos note for note, that's something Mike can't even do.