Blackwater Park

[FuSiOn420]

I see this message board has gotten to a bit of a slow start! Here's a topic... what does everyone think of Blackwater Park? As an Opeth fan of a few years now... since before My Arms, I love it! The first Opeth CD I ever heard was Morningrise, and I was hooked!
Blackwater Park is certainly no disappointment. I think it's safe to say I enjoy it more than I did Still Life when that one came out, even though that is a great fucking album.
Where is everybody on this list from? And who is seeing Opeth on tour soon?
I live in Long Island, New York. I'm seeing Opeth on the Nevermore US tour on Saturday! Boy am I fucking psyched! I've never seen Opeth before and I have been looking forward to seeing them for a good 4 years!

Billy

 

[Mark]

I love Blackwater Park. Obviously, it will take its time to become as loved as "My Arms..." is (one of my fave records ever), but it's getting there.

 

[Ishiegg689]

I never absolutely loved MAYH, always like the 'lesser' Opeth album to me, although all Opeth albums get a 5/5 from me. Still Life is probably my favorite, and Blackwater Park is absolutely brilliant!

 

[666]

I just saw Opeth in St. Louis last week and they were great. They only had 45 minutes to play but they laid down some serious music while they could. I didn't think they would be able to pull their shit off live but it was flawless. I've just bought Blackwater Park on Friday and I've been giving it a lot of time in the player. It's hard for me to pick a favorite song, since the whole album is like one big song to me. Same with My Arms, Your Hearse. I wish I could find Still Life around here.

 

[Stephen]

I love Blackwater Park. It's becoming my favorite.

I'm from Michigan, near Detroit.

 

[666]

I haven't had the chance to sit down and try to figure out they lyrics yet. Is there a general story to it?

 

[*{Madrigal}*]

I love B.W.P!!! A great album, it took a few spins to get really into (as all opeth albums do), but it's fucking awsome!!! I have been listening since Morningrise and Opeth never dissapoint, they are the best!! I still don't think it's as good as Still Life though, that will always be my fave. I heard they are going right back into the studio after the US tour too, that's great, I need more Opeth now!!!

 

[Brainworm]

All of them are great... Blackwater is great too... but i think Morningrise is their best album. And one of the best albums ever. And "The Night And The Silent Water" is their best song i think.

 

[jesse]

Well obviously I love Opeth or I wouldn't be here, but as far as specific albums go - I see Opeth in two "phases". The first phase was of course "Orchid" & "Morningrise", and the second phase began with "My Arms, Your Hearse" and continues up till "Blackwater Park". It is extremely difficult to pick favorites with Opeth considering every album is extremely strong and, depending on mood, my opinion changes. Blackwater Park may be my favorite of the "phase two", because they have toned down the technicality a bit and it's resulted in a 'smoother' emotional feel, which I really like. As incredible as Orchid is, I'd have to say that Morningrise is my favorite from "phase one".. probably the sadest and most 'dreamy' Opeth record in my opinion.

By the way, I recommend everyone here check out October Tide over at mp3.com (mp3.com/octobertide) which featured Jonas & Fred of Katatonia - some songs have some undeniable Opeth influence (mostly earlier Opeth feeling..) -- such as "Into deep Sleep" - as well as sections of other songs. Not saying they are like Opeth, but fans here may enjoy them... they are an incredible band on their own too..

 

[Kem]

I havent got Orchid yet, but Morningrise definitely sounds different to the other 3 later albums... more technical and the songs sorta flow better in the later albums too. But blimey it's all good

 

[fearofthedark]

I've only just got into Opeth, I've downloaded, Harvest, Blackwater park and Bleak from the new LP. I think they're absoloulty brill. It sounds as though they're slightly similar to Nevermore, well in the ballady type ones anyway, definetly not the singing/screaming!!!

Anyway I should be buying hte album tomorrow morning!

 

[jesse]

Originally posted by fearofthedark
I've only just got into Opeth, I've downloaded, Harvest, Blackwater park and Bleak from the new LP. I think they're absoloulty brill. It sounds as though they're slightly similar to Nevermore, well in the ballady type ones anyway, definetly not the singing/screaming!!!

Anyway I should be buying hte album tomorrow morning!

Honestly, Opeth are really nothing like Nevermore. Completely differnet world in my opinion. Another thing is that downloading songs doesn't give their albums justice.. so it's good yoru buying the albums tomorrow, because you're in for a whole other experience..

 

[fearofthedark]

Well I've got it and yeah its really good
But they're still similar to Nevermore, in that they both use acoustic guitars buliding up a song, and then letting hell unleash with some blistering riffs off the electric guitar

 

[Rodrigo]

Blackwater Park is definitely my favorite Opeth album.

 

[Nevyn]

Well, BWP is fantastic, who thought diffrently? ;-) I saw Opeth live in Borås, Sweden when they played a gig together with british progrockers Porcupine Tree. It was an awesome concert and I rank it as one of the best concerts I've ever been to. I'm looking forward to see Opeth again on Wacken Open Air in August (anybody else going?).

...now I just have to lay my hands on the vinyl version of BWP...

 

[FuSiOn420]

"Well I've got it and yeah its really good
But they're still similar to Nevermore, in that they both use acoustic guitars buliding up a song, and then letting hell unleash with some blistering riffs off the electric guitar"

I think I speak for most of the people on this list when I say that Opeth is nothing like Nevermore! What you describe as similar is a very superficial quality... sure they both use acoustic guitars, etc but in very different ways! Maybe from only being exposed to Blackwater Park, it's possible to see similarities in the two groups, but I don't see it at all! I'd compare them more to a band like Amorphis before I compare them to Nevermore. (Of course Opeth sounds nothing like Amorphis... that was just the best example I could think of). Opeth's influences are rooted mostly in 70s progressive rock, which I'd suspect is very different from Nevermore's influences.

But enough of my rant... I just had to comment on that.

Can't wait to see Opeth and Nevermore on Saturday!!!!
Candiria and Shadows Fall on Friday too! This is gonna be the weekend of metal!

 

[General Zod]

While I consider myself an Opeth fan, Nevermore is my favorite band. These two bands couldn't be more dissimilar. Aside from the fact that both bands are exceptionally gifted, they sound nothing alike. I would be curious to learn:

1 - What Nevermore CDs you own
2 - What Opeth CDs you own
3 - How much music you listen to

GZ

 

[Ishiegg689]

1. Dead Heart in a Dead World
2. All
3. All day long, anything from classical, to pink floyd, to dismember

 

[HoserHellspawn]

To my knowledge, no, no videos have been done. The edit version of "The Drapery Falls" might be a good candidate for the first one, though, since BWP seems to be getting really good publicity, with the high record sales, larger distribution, touring and all.

My two cents - Opeth sounds very little like Nevermore. I mean, they're both good, and metal, but...

forlorn soul's "two phases" look at Opeth's history is dead on, by the way. Very well put.

 

[Druardim]

The only band Opeth can be compared to is, Maiden(ofcourse maybe a few more but this is the most obvious). Infact most of the melodic Swedish bands can be compared to maiden; In Flames, Dark Tranquility. They all use that trademark double harmony riffage but adding their own original twists. In flames are like the new "maiden" , Dark Tranquility were very much early on but have developed into more original style of melodic death metal. Opeth, being my favorite, take the Maiden aspect and bring it to a new level of great music. It's like they were listening to songs "To Tame a Land..." and "Rime of The Ancient Mariner" and just wanted to form a band consistant on epic music. Rather than their forefathers limiting the epic song the end of the album they chose to have many epic songs encompassing the entire album(ex. Morningrise). Now, Opeth in it's newest expansion, are really utilizing great acoustic depth into thier song writing. Which brings me to ,yes, Blackwater PArk is an awesome album and I find it amazing that they haven't done a band song yet!

To Fushion 420: Trust me, seeing Opeth live is going to be an awesome experience for you.
I have already seen them twice and am very pleased to of had the opportunity. They sound, "live", just like the album. I was even impressed to see him pull off the clean vocals live.