Ok, I think those that are concerned with opeth's direction need to relax, yank off, and look on the bright side.
Sure, bwp is certainly no mayh, but then, what is? I admit this album ultimately disappointed me, but perhaps I was taking them from granted and needed a little disappointment to bring me back to reality (sound familiar?). I still think it's pretty cool though, I just can't be comparing to mayh like I did initially, it clouds the perception of the album too much, bwp must be enjoyed/viewed in its own context. Btw, it's a great "in the car album", easier to passively enjoy because of the (relative) simplicity of many of the tunes.
I think with bwp, the way it was kinda thrown together last minute in the studio such as it was, is pretty cool, considering.
I also think bwp is one of the weaker albums, but holy shit, have you actually gotten into Leper? And the funeral portrait, that's some really wicked/whacked shit. I have an affectation for the progressive, you see.
These 2 tunes are IMO as good or better than anything on SL. And that whole split vocal thing with wilson was just fucking beyond brilliant (and the lyrics to this, oh man, that's dark).
The vocals on bwp are simply beyond incredible. That scream in Leper, the one he holds for a long time, holy mother fuck, to me that's the coolest scream he's done since the madness at the end of black rose immortal. The texture is smoother and more polished on bwp and his clean vocals are also quite beyond cool.
It think that on bwp they've grown as musicians and mikael is as much of a bloody freak/lunatic as ever, it's just more laid back about it. I also feel, from reading the interviews, that mikael may have felt that he was falling into some sort of rut, that it wasn't as fresh as it was, and he tried to remedy that by doing a simpler and more adlib album that is more surreal and textured. I think he was successful in his efforts, bwp is certainly different, and so very dark, which I think is quite cool.
The production of bwp is by far the best of any opeth release. If you don't agree with this, then you are an idiot. hehe.
So anyway, I'm looking on the bright side here, as if that isn't apparent. Instead of whining about how it's not as cool as mayh, I look at it for what it is, and it's still a great album.
My predictions for the future: Opeth will go in many new directions all at once, drawing on more varied influences. I think we are yet to hear the most mellow/simple and the most harsh/complex stuff from them (think about it, he actually wrote leper without putting too much effort into it. what the fuck? wow). I think the next album will be fan-fucking-tastic and that they'll put much more effort into writing it. I think that with bwp, mikael has learned to look at his writing through new eyes, and now the possibilities are endless. I think they will work with wilson again (shit, can this guy engineer an album or what?!!).
I think the best of opeth is still ahead, so hang on, it's going to be a wild ride that will change the face of prog metal forever. The music is timeless. Mikael is a fucking GOD. Amen.
bastardly,
Satori
