An Opeth album with clean vocals only

[Ecto]

It would be great I guess...After listening to "A Fair Judgement" many times (It's the first Opeth heavy song with clean vocals...not a balad in my opinion) I can say that if next album comes this way I'll enjoy it a lot...well, if they can make an acoustic album, why not a heavy one with clean vox only? What do you think?

 

[Manbient]

but i like the growls...


and you're forgetting Face Of Melinda

it would work fine... but i think they get more dynamic range with the growls in.

 

[AndICried]

This is a joke, right?

 

[Ecto]

That's for sure man!

 

[Ecto]

I like growls as well...I just thought about that wondering what Opeth could do next in a different way.

 

[AndICried]

Basically, I think the vocal variety in Opeth's music is brilliant, and there's no need to change it.

This is true for all their albums, (Deliverance and Damnation being counted as one).

Some songs are great with predominantly clean vocals:

- Moonlapse Vertigo
- To bid you Farewell

Whereas others work best with a combination, or even purely death metal vocals:

- Wreath
- Demon of the Fall

I also wonder what Opeth do next. My main hope is that the band return to a democracy, with many different influences added by all of the members.

 

[AfAiRJudgEmenT]

Clean vocals = Damnation.

I think if they get rid of the death vocals in their harder songs that it just wouldn't really be Opeth. I used to hate death vocals, but they grow on you, and you become curious on just how he still has a voice.

 

[Katatonic]

youll be disappointed then that they want to do a blackish album next

 

[AfAiRJudgEmenT]

Yeah I heard about that. Hey, who knows, It's just I think Mikael is so vestile that he wants to prove people wrong all the time. Although nobody can growl like him...

 

[Eirik]

a lot of the growled vocals wouldn't really work if they were sung cleanly.. or they'd have to reorchestrate the songs a lot to make it sound good...

 

[Alcapoth]

I don't care what direction Opeth are taking in their music...I am just totally convinced now that no matter what Opeth due musically, I will embrace it with open arms.

Seriously, Damnation is incredible. Far better than I expected it to be. & albums and not ONE I consider to be lacking in any kind of way.

 

[mbarys]

I was never really fond of death growls until Opeth came around. I'm really into it now. It's even better to follow along to the lyrics to actually understand what's he's saying. It changes the perspective of the song after doing that.

Matt

 

[inopethflames]

the death metal vocals are one of the best parts, and plus if they get rid of that, you know everyone will be saying they sold out, but in all the interviews ive read they all say that they like singin the death style and thats what makes opeth what it is, so hoepfully they never stop that! and hopefully they just add more! also i think that damnation will be my least favorite album, and probably most peoples, because its good of course but not as good as a normal opeth cd

 

[Lugie]

Yay for demonic screamyness!

 

[narcisco]

This point about death metal bands with amazing songwriting skills, technical proficiency and "those vocals" is perhaps the longest running argument in death metal history. Why do they, or more specifically does Opeth present us with beauty yet seemingly unlistenable (for most ears) vocals. This is a question that has been skirted around discussed agonised over and yet has never been solved.
Look metal needs extremity no matter how beautiful some parts sound.
On the other tact I find the vocalist from Dream Theater actually destroys the bands overall sound with his operatic vision. Man, be a rock singer rather than going for all those notes. I find that just as tiresome as listening to grunts all the way through a mind boggling technical metal release as in Suffocation's Pierced From Within. Just maybe an occaisonal decipherable lyric would have added to the insane mix. Not that you can imagine Suffocation any other way.
The point is Opeth has made their mark with what the critics-and there are many-a predictable formula of light and shade. I agree. And many rabid Opeth fans should admit the formula that Opeth has, rather than see them as some amazing paradigm shifting gods.
Now the point is again no-one does it any better than Opeth.
Do we want to lose that light and shade. I don't honestly. I listen to metal to be shocked out of my middle class existance and escape into this world where there are rules but a band like Opeth breaks them.
Sure I can play Damnation to my girlfriend and she goes wow. That is brilliant.
But I also like to play Deliverance, Still Life, and Orchid.

Death vocals are the defining part of extremity for most plebians who are just absolutely horrified that such music exists. Belive me I have conducted experiments. I think as a metal community we are at our peril if we lose that.
However in the case of Opeth we would probaly buy it anyway. Its not as if commercial radio or the 16-25 demographic of mucic video would play it anyway.
Give your thoughts. And i mean thoughts mot just metal cliches.

 

[Thorns of Sorrow]

youll be disappointed then that they want to do a blackish album next

rrrrreaalllllly?!

This i GOTTA hear.

 

[The Shape]

I don't see the point in trying to figure how non-metals view the many aspects of metal music. Its not really something that can be solved.

Non-metals just don't matter at all in the grand scheme of things as far as how we as metalheads listen to our music. We have no reason to explain things to them. If metal is in them, they will enjoy it, if not, they'll just be blinded by all the things they can't get past because of thier preconceived notions.

'Tis not something that needs to be worried about by us.

 

[narcisco]

What is a non metal. Surely there are listeners who are partly metal. Who maybe listen to metal sometimes, but listen to other stuff. Man I don't know if those people exist on mass but I am one of them. I love metal much to the amusement of everyone I know. I would argue this is the normal rather then the exceptional experience of most metalheads. We are a minority, unless you live on planet metal.
Is this simple fact not the defining moment of a metalhead. We are all not Manowar warriors but rather men or women making a living doing wwhat we do and loving this music. I tried as a musician and it did not work out for me. I am not bitter but rather exultant that the scene carries on with my small and microscopic support thru CD sales and websites.
That is the best I can do.

 

[Lugie]

It doesn't matter what other people think of our beloved Opeth, for Opeth are superior to everything.

They'll regret not liking Opeth when they're lying in a pool of their own blood!

 

[Alex78]

I don't see the point in trying to figure how non-metals view the many aspects of metal music. Its not really something that can be solved.

Non-metals just don't matter at all in the grand scheme of things as far as how we as metalheads listen to our music. We have no reason to explain things to them. If metal is in them, they will enjoy it, if not, they'll just be blinded by all the things they can't get past because of thier preconceived notions.

'Tis not something that needs to be worried about by us.

it's not about principles when people don't like heavy music. if you don't appreciate the overall guitar sound and the aggressive vocals, then there is nothing you "can do", I guess. the other point is if you're really interested in music or you're just looking for some background noise. in the first case you'll want something that has more substance than the mainstream music. now, if you like heavy guitars, you'll probably find all those great more underground(yeah not exactly) bands like Opeth.
for me personally, it took much time to get comfortable with death vocals. I couldn't stand them at all when I first listened to Still Life, my first Cd with death vocals. so I think you'll have to make the experience that great music can be found also in extreme metal, although you didn't expect that. this needs some effort, though