Are there any bands out there that sound anything like Opeth?

Ok, here's my 2 cents.. No.

There are no other bands that even remotely resemble Opeth in all those magnificent characteristics that make Opeth what it is.

I was never into death metal at all before discovering Opeth and since then (about 2.5 years) I've looked and listened to more death metal bands than you can shake a stick at and I have met with nothing but disappointment in that venture. All the other bands that I've been told fall into the same 'catgory' as Opeth I've found quite lacking in the beauty/emotion/silky smoothness that I've come to love about Opeth and I've found much of it kinda or very amateur in comparison, particularly the vocals. I've even listened to death bands that Mikael himself likes and thought the same thing.

Opeth are truly in a class by themselves with vocals, musicianship, and ideas that are light years ahead of everything else I've heard, imo. Of course, it should be noted that I'm quite musically anal and it takes a hell of a lot to impress me, hehe. Groups that I've heard that didn't make me want to puke that I was able to appreciate for their chops and originality are Eventide, Cynic, and Arcturus, but still these are nothing compared to Opeth, imo (of course, who's opinion do you think I'm talking about, hehe).

Aside from this, I don't think it's very fair to the other bands to be compared to Opeth. It would be like saying, what bands are like Yes? What the hell could *possibly* be compared to Yes? (I'm assuming the reader is aware that Yes were the most proficient prog group ever).

Opeth is like an orchid that grew out of a pile of shit. I'm sure there are tonnes of great death metal bands out there but none I've heard can hold a candle to the eternal beauty and majesty that is Opeth and it's simply not fair to them to compare them to Opeth, they should be judged on their own merits cuz relative to Opeth just about everything is crappy. Opeth has substantially raised the bar for prog metal (and I don't mean that cheesy wanker dream theatre shit, I mean *real* metal).

Anyway, my advice to those who hope to find other bands like Opeth is: don't get your hopes up, and also, if you find one anywhere near as great, tell me about it! :)

Mikael is a fucking GOD. Hail Opeth!

Satori
 
I'm going to agree with Satori on this one. Opeth's sound is too much a combination of brilliant individual elements (such as instrumentation, vocals, lyrics, and yes, atmosphere) that it's difficult to pin down just ONE thing that can make a band like Opeth, ie, acoustic sections. I could throw a clean vocalled acoustic part into a Morbid Angel song, but it wouldn't make it like Opeth. There's a romanticism, a mystique. There are better guitarists, metal afficionados will claim there are better metal vocalists (read, Growlers), non-metal afficionados will claim there are better singers, better drummers, better bassists, better production. That may be so, but no one touches Opeth.

If you want good clean guitar, let me suggest the first Old Man's Child album, Born of the Flickering. They got some hotshot classical guitarist, and he's damn good. It fits in nicely, but you won't find clean vocals. In the metal world, it's HARD to find clean vocals that don't smack of Hair Metal, or reek of pretentious gothness. Meh, I'm rambling again. Search you may, find you may not. Content yourself with Opeth for something in Opeth's style. They do a better job than anyone else could. Look elsewhere for another fix, but you may find that you don't need anything else....

I apologize for any lack of cohesion. I get that way sometimes.
 
Whoa, that was kinda uncalled for, don't you think? (wars of winter)

In short... no. Nobody sounds anything like Opeth.

The closest I can recommend include Katatonia's Brave Murder Day, which is kinda similar to older Opeth, aided, of course, by the fact Mikael does vocals on that record. Also, although it's only vaguely similar (It does have some clean vocals - GOOD clean vocals by the god known as Dan Swano, and some acoustic guitar), I'd also recommend Edge of Sanity's Crimson. Again (oddly enough) Mike contributes some vocals to that record, and I'd say it's one of the few metal records that keeps up with Opeth in terms of epic scope. It's also one of my favourite records ever - check it out.
 
If you're interested in bands similar to OPETH, why don't you check out the band Mikael Akerfeldt himself claims to be the most influenced by; the band he has claimed is most similar to OPETH.




CAMEL.




(Or if you want something more metallic, NOVEMBRE.)
 
Well i'm a little late on this thread but I would have to say the closest thing I have heard that sounds like Opeth (even though it really doesn't resemble it to much) would have to be Katatonia-Brave Murder Day.
 
Not to make any comparisons to Opeth or anything like that, but I imagine people who like Opeth could also like the band Winds from Norway. (Hellhammer's new band if anyone has heard of it)

They have a very melodic sound with acoustic elements and metal too, kind of the same feel as Opeth (and even though they certainly don't sound anything like Opeth, they have a very unique sound as well) They have some things in common such as the way the songs are structured and also that the music is excellent.

These two are totally my favorite bands right now.
 
I agree that no one really sounds like Opeth. I generally prefer clean vocals and detest anything deathlike or growly, but the second I heard Mikael's voice I loved it. I don't know why; don't ask me to explain it, it just struck me.

I did the same thing after devouring Opeth. I went in search of bands that had that same sound. Well, unless Mikael is singing, writing and playing guitar in another band, there isn't one.

That said, I agree that you should check out Camel and Porcupine Tree to hear who influenced Mikael. You can really hear the influence.
 
well, they don't sound anything like opeth, and don't use clean vocals, but Emperor and Dissection are the only two bands who appear on the 'thanks' in both Still Life, BWP and Orchid, and they deserve it.
 
Originally posted by Metalmaster
If you're interested in bands similar to OPETH, why don't you check out the band Mikael Akerfeldt himself claims to be the most influenced by; the band he has claimed is most similar to OPETH.

CAMEL.

(Or if you want something more metallic, NOVEMBRE.)
Click to expand...

Cool, so you've heard some Camel? What's it like? Also, what's Novembre all about? thanks

Satori
 
Originally posted by imaginary
Not to make any comparisons to Opeth or anything like that, but I imagine people who like Opeth could also like the band Winds from Norway. (Hellhammer's new band if anyone has heard of it)
Click to expand...

Very cool. Is there is a site where we can hear this stuff? Your description of it is quite cool. Isn't hellhammer the drummer from arcturus, or is that a different hammer? I want to hear Winds!

cheers,

Satori
 
Originally posted by imaginary
Not to make any comparisons to Opeth or anything like that, but I imagine people who like Opeth could also like the band Winds from Norway.
Click to expand...
Hey, that's cool. I'd like to hear them. Is there anywhere online that you know of where I can hear their music? At www.hmv.com I found an album by a band called Winds but I'd have to buy it to find out if they're the ones from Norway! There was no info about the band at the site. So, is their album called Of Eternity & Mind? If so, that's them.

Either way, I'd like to hear some...see what you're talking about.
 
Seeing as noe one band encompasses all elements as fully as Opeth does, it is hard to chose a band that is similar to Opeth in a holistic sense.
I think it is unfair to compare other bands to Opeth. Brave Murder Day is good, but it still doesn't have the variation or dynamics of Opeth. Same with Crimson, excellent album, but the fluency during changes of some of the sections is a bit lacking. It does get my vote for being closest to Opeth though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

DirTh
Bands that sound like old Opeth
Replies
87
Views
11K
Opeth (Archived)
Thonolan
T
Mr. Black
bands like opeth
Replies
5
Views
627
Opeth (Archived)
Demonspell
D
vengeance
Are there any Laney Amp users in here?
Replies
2
Views
342
Opeth (Archived)
yourdeadgroom
Y
I
Bands similar to Opeth
Replies
21
Views
708
Opeth (Archived)
Parasite
P
Kushantaiidan
Complex Metal like Emperor's prometheus. Is there more?
Replies
32
Views
1K
Opeth (Archived)
ricochet
R
Top Bottom
Back