Annoyed at Damnation

[General Zod]

I too am a bit surprised at the reaction "Damnation" has received. First off, I'm surprised it's not what people expected. It's exactly what I expected. Second, I'm surprised that folks feel the songwriting is weaker than on previous releases. I'm currently listening to it for the second time through and already I think it's the best thing they've done since "Still Life".

"Somewhere is miles and miles away..." Sorry, got distracted. F**k I love that line. OK. Where was I? Oh yeah, third, I'm surprised that people feel anything but bliss when listening to this CD. What other Death Metal band could have pulled this off? None. This is why Opeth is on their own level.

I think when you follow a great band, over the course of a long career, you should expect to be drawn down a winding path. A journey that leads in straight line isn't one worth taking. I'm sure some here would have prefered, that at this stage in their career, Opeth release "Morningrise Part VI".

GZ

 

[skyshock1]

Eh, it's alright man. I came on the board and thrashed Deliverance. EVERYONE disagreed with me. It's okay, I still don't like Deliverance. Deliverance =

I LOVE Damnation, and I think it makes up for that utter failure called Deliverance. But I can totally see how an old skool Opeth fan would have mixed feelings about it.

As for me, chalk up another talley in the "good-save" column for Opeth.

 

[Conservatory Resonance]

If anyone Thinks they dont like damnation listen to it like another 5 times and ull start to luv it. Its not instant.

I love windowpane

 

[skyshock1]

w00t ?

Thank God that they did not become an evil band.

If now Opeth suddenly had turned "evil" I would have lost all the respect I have for them. One of the things i appreciate the most with Opeth is their non-satanic, non-bloody slaughterhouse music. I can't believe people want to listen to stuff like Dimmu Borgir (unless ther satanic themeselves). I mean, their lyrics are sickening.

I like Dimmu Borgir as well as Opeth. I'm not satanic. Dimmu's last album had some INCREDIBLE arrangements. I don't care what kinda labels a band wants to put on themselves, so long as they make incredible music. Opeth do. Same goes for Dimmu IMHO.

 

[skyshock1]

If anyone Thinks they dont like damnation listen to it like another 5 times and ull start to luv it. Its not instant.

I love windowpane

Nah, that's what everyone told me to do with Delieverance. Didn't work. If you don't like something, you don't like it.

Damnation is a great album. I think I still like Still Life and BP better, but nevertheless, Damnation is outstanding.

I'll be buying Damnation when it comes out. Deliverance on the other hand, will have to stay on the shelf when I go to buy Damnation.

 

[Ermz]

Uh...the title is "Death Whispered A Lullaby"...do you really think if death whispered a lullaby, it would be anything less than evil and chaotic? It works.

Any how, Damnation is a complete dissappointment.

First of all, there are (nearly) no dynamics whatsoever. Opeth's completely accoustic/clean guitar pieces worked in the context of their mostly death metal albums in the sense that they break the pace of the album, and diversify the overall package, but a whole album of these songs is almost a snoozefest. I think the fact that this albums lacks any of those incredibly dynamic epic songs, like The Moor, White Cluster, The Lepper Affinity, or Bleak, shows just how weak Opeth's songwriting becomes when they try to be too straight forward.

Had they kept distorted guitars (yet not used them for any sort of metal riffing whatsoever), it would have certainly added much a more interesting musical interaction than what's on this album. More solos wouldn't have hurt, either. In fact, the only attempt at adding anything new and dynamic was the fact that they used a mellotron, which doesn't coming off as anything near creative...in fact, it very well sounds like third rate Led Zeppelin.

That's not to say that I find the whole idea of a soft album disappointing before conception. These songs are nearly all too soft, and all too somber. There's nothing upbeat, like...say...Harvest. About the only mood change this album is capable of is going from sombre, to dark and sombre, which, given their previous work, I find completely unacceptable. I'm not expecting them to express all the emotions they were able to convey in previous albums in the same exact way either (which would be death growls and such), because there are infact plenty of ways they could express those emotions using some of the elements they limited themselves to using.

I was certainly hoping this album would rectify Deliverance, but all this has confirmed is a double disappointment.

I'm in total agreement with this. However I'm alot more focused at the positive view of things as opposed to being so objective. I like to listen to Deliverance and Damnation for what they ARE, not while thinking about what they COULD have been.

Compared to Opeth's older work, musically, D&D are alot more simple... Opeth took a more mainstream approach to both albums and sacrificed those layers of sound they had for one constant 'theme' which is very prominent on Damnation, as the whole album sounds like one piece... there are hardly any of those Opethian dynamics, which you spoke of, to keep a person that's easily distracted into the music.

But as always *shrug* it's one of the better albums I've seen released this year... its hardly up to par with Opeth's older stuff, but it's easily up to par with most other stuff I've heard released these days.

 

[Static]

"why i was disappointed with damnation"
that is the relevance... not too hard to see i thought? Since this album was hyped as being a smattering of opeth's 70s influences (a la camel), I expected something like that rather than more wilson-worship.

Not liking the album because of what 'style' it turned out as is completely stupid. Judge it for what the music is like...

Its more rock than prog, so? Its style is and should be irrelevant.

 

[Alientheater]

I'm going buy it and judge for myself.

 

[Id]

I've only listened to three songs, and I think they're amazing.

 

[Schism]

I've only listened to three songs, and I think they're amazing.

Yeah me too, only heard two tracks, don't want to spoil it, for when I buy it, WINDOWPANE is arguably the best song I have ever heard, whilst CLOSURE is pure Opeth with some Tea Party thrown in for mine, magic!!!

Can't wait for April 7th!!

 

[blueskytheory]

Its more rock than prog, so? Its style is and should be irrelevant.

not when i prefer one style over the other

 

[Static]

The only genre I think that this doesn't really apply for is Pop...its pretty much all shit by definition.

Anyways, what we have is a solid 'proggy' rock album and I'm satisfied with it. I expected more of a 'prog' album as well, but I'm just as happy with proggy rock...for thats a fine genre too.

You don't have to agree but I stand by what I said.

 

[dArignac]

I really like Damnation. It's something to relax. Easy to listen, good to dream...
Actually I'm more the guy for the harder things but diversification is always good.
And yes, it's totally what I had expected, it's Opeth!

 

[Cynical Bastard]

Uh...the title is "Death Whispered A Lullaby"...do you really think if death whispered a lullaby, it would be anything less than evil and chaotic? It works.

Any how, Damnation is a complete dissappointment.

First of all, there are (nearly) no dynamics whatsoever. Opeth's completely accoustic/clean guitar pieces worked in the context of their mostly death metal albums in the sense that they break the pace of the album, and diversify the overall package, but a whole album of these songs is almost a snoozefest. I think the fact that this albums lacks any of those incredibly dynamic epic songs, like The Moor, White Cluster, The Lepper Affinity, or Bleak, shows just how weak Opeth's songwriting becomes when they try to be too straight forward.

Had they kept distorted guitars (yet not used them for any sort of metal riffing whatsoever), it would have certainly added much a more interesting musical interaction than what's on this album. More solos wouldn't have hurt, either. In fact, the only attempt at adding anything new and dynamic was the fact that they used a mellotron, which doesn't coming off as anything near creative...in fact, it very well sounds like third rate Led Zeppelin.

That's not to say that I find the whole idea of a soft album disappointing before conception. These songs are nearly all too soft, and all too somber. There's nothing upbeat, like...say...Harvest. About the only mood change this album is capable of is going from sombre, to dark and sombre, which, given their previous work, I find completely unacceptable. I'm not expecting them to express all the emotions they were able to convey in previous albums in the same exact way either (which would be death growls and such), because there are infact plenty of ways they could express those emotions using some of the elements they limited themselves to using.

I was certainly hoping this album would rectify Deliverance, but all this has confirmed is a double disappointment.

I think what you and quite a few others were looking for in this album isn't anything like what the band intended or set out to produce. Obviously it's not as exciting or initially captivating as most of their previous music, but to me, they're trying to bring across a totally different vibe this time. And I mean that in the sense of the album as a whole...

Of course there aren't any dramatic, "epic" songs on here. They weren't trying to make a record full of twists and turns, mind-blowing dynamics, tempo changes, and take you on any kind of rollercoaster of emotions, like on previous albums. Ever think maybe they weren't even trying to express the same or even a variety of emotions on this album?... Now I can see how that might disappoint you personally as far as your musical taste is concerned, but it's in no way unacceptable for the band to want to make an album with the same generally slow, mellow, sad feeling throughout. Maybe it's not your cup of tea, but I've had days where just about everything feels that way all day long... so I don't see it as being out of line for them to make less than 45 minutes of music to match those feelings. Sometimes variation isn't what fits the feel of the song as it's meant to be expressed.

I doubt the album is meant to amaze anyone with it's musical prowess and brilliant arrangements... instead, think of it as something to lull you into the kind of world the lyrics and mood of the songs create. What Opeth have crafted is an album full of nearly completely soft and somber songs that all take you down the same bleak road, just with different stops along the way, if you get what I mean. Now where you see that as a problem, I see it as a breath of fresh air. Having a switch to electric guitars to make things feel more epic and dramatic, even like in Face of Melinda, would've upset the general flow and feeling of this album. I really don't think it's meant to come across that way at all.

There's obviously nothing wrong with you or anyone else not liking it if it's not your thing - I just think it's funny that you complain that there's nothing upbeat, when this is, at least in my opinion, intended to be mood music.... not complex, not overwhelming intricate... just subtle, emotional, laid-back dreary music. In my opinion, and I'm not saying it's musical perfection by any means, but I think Opeth have succeeded in what they were trying to do (as far as I can tell). It's just that it's not your style, or method I should say, of taking someone on a musical journey. Yeah, it doesn't make you want to run to your guitar to learn how to play a cool section of a song; it's more like something you take in on a quiet night while reflecting upon your personal sorrows. In that respect, I think it's very successful. It's not groundbreaking. It's just good solid mood music.

 

[Static]

I fully agree with the above post. Telegram: this is not a standard Opeth album.

I think that its a fine fine break from all the metal epic-ness.

AMAZING album.

 

[Protected Witness]

I wanna learn these on guitar...

 

[Dvoters]

Well, I wouldnt know because I am one of those under privaelleged people who yet havent heard Damnation

Sorskogen is great, I wish they did more stuff with that.

\m/

 

[osse87]

I know I would get flamed for my post. I just think it's nice to see bands make quality energic metal without having a Satanic image.

 

[Duvall]

I'm still a little ashamed (and getting flak from my girlfriend and her brother and everyone else) for downloading a leaked copy of D2.. but enough of that.

My musical tastes are pretty diverse to begin with (as most people's here are ), so it's not much of a stretch to listen D2. I can tell you what I was expecting though.. definitely more floydish (floydian?), more stoner:Smokin:, longer songs, and fewer verse-chorus structures.

Perhaps I feel that way because of my Opethian expectations (never been disappointed - always surprised!). D2 definitely has the Opeth feel. It has all the emotion, artistry, talent and integrity of any other Opeth album. It was created out of purity and will remain pure. I don't think anything can taint that image in my mind.

Although I've only listened to the tracks a few times each, I'm already picking out portions lyrics passages solos that strike me the way Opeth's greatest moments always have.

I fully expected to hear all the negative comments and more, the same with BWP and Deliverance. You can't please everybody all of the time - but Opeth do a pretty damn good job.

I can't wait to hit the store and get my real copy of Damnation.. Too bad it'll be more than a month. I might give in a burn myself a copy for bus rides - though 45 minutes flies by pretty quickly.

Who else is up for a D3?

I think a heartfelt THANK YOU and CONGRATULATIONS should go out to the Opeth boys for another resounding success. Many more!

np: ending credits

 

[Sfarog]

After Damnation I can only hope for a MAYH - type revolution in their songwriting and recording process...


I want more texture, I want more controled chaos... d1 and D2 is too simple, too straight forward. Where are the guitar harmonies, dual leads etc????

D2 sounds like one of those guys down in the 14th St subway station in new york city, playing guitar, kicking the bucket and singing all by himself. Where is the complexity???!!

I've listened to Damnation for 2 days non stop, and I am sick of it by now. This is a first when it comes to Opeth.