Are Opeth a death metal band?
- Thread starter Slaydon
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Nasty-Fire
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aprilethereal251
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Opeth have so many elements that are all a large part of their sound. Death metal being one of those sounds, and a very important one at that, but they also contain elements of jazz, blues, thrash, black metal (especially in some of the chord choices/riffage on MAYH), classic rock, and a vast amount of other styles.
Progressive metal, I suppose, is the only common genre name that could really be used that would really suggest that they might be a band that contained all of those styles. People seem to tag them as "progressive death metal" more often however, probably because death metal tends to be the most obvious of the metal styles they incorporate into their music.
Regardless, try as you might, you'll never successfully be able to pin them down to one genre...and if you're a fan, chances are, that's probably why you like 'em as much as you do. anyways.
Progressive metal, I suppose, is the only common genre name that could really be used that would really suggest that they might be a band that contained all of those styles. People seem to tag them as "progressive death metal" more often however, probably because death metal tends to be the most obvious of the metal styles they incorporate into their music.
Regardless, try as you might, you'll never successfully be able to pin them down to one genre...and if you're a fan, chances are, that's probably why you like 'em as much as you do. anyways.
I'll go for "progressive metal" or just "progmetal".
I can hardly think of any other group that are as progressive as Opeth. They master every style within rock (except chickpop and stuff), but at the same time, they bring'm all together convincingly, it's not like they try out this and that.
Of course, most people can't connect to the "progressive" thingy in rock. With such people, I just say "heavy metal" or "metal" about Opeth.
I don't at all like the term "death metal". Maybe it's because I'm too old and too much in awe of the concept of death.
And in fact I don't like groups like Nile and Cannibal Corpse, not cause of their images, but simply cause I don't get gripped by their music.
Opeth of course rule. And Mike Å is one of the most exciting lyricists around too.
Nicky.
I can hardly think of any other group that are as progressive as Opeth. They master every style within rock (except chickpop and stuff), but at the same time, they bring'm all together convincingly, it's not like they try out this and that.
Of course, most people can't connect to the "progressive" thingy in rock. With such people, I just say "heavy metal" or "metal" about Opeth.
I don't at all like the term "death metal". Maybe it's because I'm too old and too much in awe of the concept of death.
And in fact I don't like groups like Nile and Cannibal Corpse, not cause of their images, but simply cause I don't get gripped by their music.
Opeth of course rule. And Mike Å is one of the most exciting lyricists around too.
Nicky.
Tom_Vou
coiled 'neath the tree
"Opeth exist in a genre of one.
The forward-thinking Swedish titans, who seamlessly and fluidly combine metal, classic rock, prog, folk and free form jazz, continue the time-honored Opeth tradition on" yata yata yata...
Its probably best not to try and label it, opeth is opeth, thats all there is to it.
The forward-thinking Swedish titans, who seamlessly and fluidly combine metal, classic rock, prog, folk and free form jazz, continue the time-honored Opeth tradition on" yata yata yata...
Its probably best not to try and label it, opeth is opeth, thats all there is to it.
Chinese Whispers
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I don't know where all these ideas of Opeth having jazz influences are coming from. I can't even hear any superficial jazz leanings (like a few metal bands incorperate pointlessly anyway) at all.
Vamos
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I would be interested in hearing what are these Jazz influences as well, I don't hear them either. Even tho, Opeth very much helped me appreciate Jazz/Fusion.
Yea I don't hear any jazz influences, the most innovative Opeth gets is some generic bluesish stuff in intros and solos on Watershed and Damnation, and occasional middle eastern-ish weirdness in Ghost Reveries. Beyond that, it's pretty standard acoustic to metal and back again. Sadly that's about as diverse as metal gets though.
I'd love if they did some quiet ambient passages instead of acoustic interludes sometimes like some black metal bands do. Sorta like take Under the Weeping Moon's midsection, make the leads a little more prevalent, drop the underlying acoustic, and add keys or something, idk.
I'd love if they did some quiet ambient passages instead of acoustic interludes sometimes like some black metal bands do. Sorta like take Under the Weeping Moon's midsection, make the leads a little more prevalent, drop the underlying acoustic, and add keys or something, idk.
Chinese Whispers
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I don't really mind what they do, I just wish people would stop saying there are jazz influences in their music (and someone even said there are free-form jazz influences at that!).
Biggest problem is, people thing that by having jazz influences they are somehow more 'progressive' than the next band, when that most metal bands that have 'jazz' inlfuences are superficial at best and show how little they actually understand about jazz. And why would I want to listen to a 'jazz metal' band when I can listen to a jazz group that do it 100% better anyway.
Biggest problem is, people thing that by having jazz influences they are somehow more 'progressive' than the next band, when that most metal bands that have 'jazz' inlfuences are superficial at best and show how little they actually understand about jazz. And why would I want to listen to a 'jazz metal' band when I can listen to a jazz group that do it 100% better anyway.
Vamos
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Well I actually love what they do with their music, but some see an influence that is just not there. That's all. Unlike the full blown "jazz metal" bands or those gothic metal bands that incorporate "classical music" (often leading to rather pretentious and superficial arrangements), I think Opeth are more subtle and efficient in incorporating their influences into metal (same can be said about Evoken).
The place I hear the jazz is not in the song structure but in the solos. Some of Mikael's solos during the slower parts of some songs sound a lot like the great Les Paul. As in Gibson Les Paul Custom guitar. Face of Melinda starts out jazzy. Slow jazz, but jazz still the same. The solo's, however brief at times, have a definite Les Paul jazz quality.
Do a Youtube search of Les Paul and maybe you'll see what I mean.
Nasty-Fire
Discursion
Chinese Whispers
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Like I said, superficial at best, if not a diluted influence. A few diminished chords and scales does not make jazz. People have been arguing that Opeth should be classed as death metal, how do you expect them to stomach an influence that in all likelyhood probably comes more from the jazzier moments of some progressive rock bands and is so minuscule. And in those solos I hear far more bluse-y licks than jazz.
I agreee. The jazz parts are very, very minimal. I'd rather hear blues-y licks, then jazzy licks anyway. Or better yet, in your face heavy fucking metal guitar solo!
Opeth, is without a doubt in my mind, a Progessive Metal band, with some death metal influences, which really comes to his growling vocals. Opeth is mt favorite band right now, and they are undoubtedly prog.
Yeah, Fred is a phenomenal guitarist.
Mutatis- you pretty much hit it on the head. Opeth is my #1 band right now too, but they just arn't full on death metal. Which is fine by me.
Mutatis- you pretty much hit it on the head. Opeth is my #1 band right now too, but they just arn't full on death metal. Which is fine by me.
TEH JAZZ INFLOOENCES!!!!111oneoneone
get a clue, there's absolutely zero "jazz influence" in opeth at all. I'd be more inclined to call mikael's soloing blues influenced. face of melinda does not have any sort of jazz influence in the intro whatsoever.
get a clue, there's absolutely zero "jazz influence" in opeth at all. I'd be more inclined to call mikael's soloing blues influenced. face of melinda does not have any sort of jazz influence in the intro whatsoever.
Tom_Vou
coiled 'neath the tree
Hox
Superiorly grim and kvlt
I have been pondering this very important question for a long time now, and I have come to the conclusion that Opeth is a Metal band.
