Couple of questions

[XFactor42]

Being a relatively new Opeth fan (which I mentioned in both my reviews) I have a couple of questions I'd like to throw by those of you who've been listening a little longer-

1) Is it me or does 'Harvest' and 'The Drapery Falls' kind of come across as one long track? The first few times I listened to it in the car I wasn't paying attention to the track numbers or anything like that and I could've sworn it was one composition with a brief break in the middle- especially with the acoustic guitar being featured prominently both at the end of 'Harvest' and the beginning of 'The Drapery Falls'.

2) Now that I have BLACKWATER PARK, which album should I check out next (considering that I really like the progressive edge the band has)? I keep hearing good things about STILL LIFE.

BTW, thanks to Confessor for the tip on the shirts.


Later,

Chris L.

 

[Mikael is God]

get my arms your hearse

 

[benny]

Harvest and The Drapery Falls have always seemed like seperate songs to me. I would say get Still Life or MAYH, either way you can't go wrong. You will be buying them all anyway

 

[Silhouette]

As long as you get all of them in the end, doesn't really matter.
Still Life is the closest sounding to BWP ... but IMO I think u should start at the beginning ... Orchid

 

[HoserHellspawn]

Actually, I'll recommend you work your way backwards. If you have BWP, get Still Life next, then My Arms, then Morningrise, then Orchid. My personal opinion - Blackwater Park is Opeth's 5th best record... you'll never be disappointed (although, Morningrise will cause the biggest shock as it and Orchid were slightly different in style than the more recent three)

 

[Confessor]

Well youve heard good things about Still Life... and YES GO BUY IT NOW DUDE! haha like i said in another topic, Still life is my personnal favorite album of all time, so i would recommend you to get it as soon as possible. Because it just kiks some major ass

And i did notice that The Drapery Falls and Harvest do sound a bit the same, but eck its Opeth, its all good

 

[Protocol]

What you buy next doesn't matter that much as long as you make sure you listen to them all.

And no, it's not just you. I think it's a good thing. =)

 

[Demonspell]

Still Life songs that most closely parallel Drapery and Harvest: Benighted, Moonlapse Vertigo, Face Of Melinda

 

[XFactor42]

First of all, I'd like to thank everyone for their suggestions. I think I'm going to take Hoser's suggestion and work backwards through their catalog. I've done that before with other groups I've "discovered", and it's kind of interesting to see how the music has progressed from a backwards POV.

Also, I maybe should've worded my initial post a little differently. I wasn't bothered with the fact that that 'Drapery' and 'Harvest' sounded a bit similiar- it was just more curiosity on my part as to whether or not this was intentionally done by the band as a way to link the two songs (themeatically or otherwise) together. Then again, it could be one of those "different meanings for different people" things, which is pretty cool too.

I like it when bands/musicians make me think like this. It was just mentioned on the board yesterday (can't remember the guy who originally posted it now) that Opeth was "the thinking man's extreme metal band". Again, I can only agree.

Later!

Chris Lawless

 

[Kem]

Actually, the first album I got was MAYH and I always had trouble telling tracks apart. They all blended into each other.

 

[Satori]

Originally posted by XFactor42
which album should I check out next (considering that I really like the progressive edge the band has)? I keep hearing good things about STILL LIFE.

Ok man, as one prog freak to another, get My Arms, Your Hearse. Oh my fucking god, you have no idea what you're missing man! This album is super progressive and totally/completely FUCKED UP!

Still Life is great too, but not as great as mayh. You are fresh to opeth now, do this album while you are still fresh, you won't regret it, I guaran-fucking-tee it.

It's also the greatest concept album known to man. It's a ghost story, it's chilling, it has beauty, pain, love, hate and so much putrid horrible blissful anguish that you'll shit yourself in masochistic self-flaggelation. The lyrics are beyond cool and each song flows perfectly into the next. Pure genius.

Don't be daunted at first, this album is kinda hard to get into and it may take quite a long time to like evey second of every tune, but you will, and if you think that BWP is what opeth is then you are in for a shock, it's gets way uglier and way way better. BWP is not that progressive for Opeth, except for a few tunes, like Leper. You are going to shit yourself. Do it man, jump in head first and get my arms, your hearse, the greatest prog metal album ever. Ok, maybe I'm biased, but I'm allowed to be, hehe, but I'm sure you would agree.

happy/sorrowful listening,

Satori

 

[Vortex]

Yes, go backwards. Still, in fact I feel MAYH has more in common with BWP than SL - MAYH has the same haunting atmospheric feel of BWP and even more, while SL is more melodic in a traditional way... that's Opeth traditional though...
So you might even want to get MAYH first as Satori suggested, but it's up to you.

Morningrise is WAY different. They had a completely different approach to electric guitar back then, which you'll notice quite instantly, plus the strange yet intriguing sound which you have to accept as bass. This one's still short on Orchid...need to fix that ASAP.

Needless to mention every album will give you the same pleasure you first got from BWP. Cannot rank them, but I'm a bit partial to SL.

 

[XFactor42]

Originally posted by Satori


Ok man, as one prog freak to another, get My Arms, Your Hearse. Oh my fucking god, you have no idea what you're missing man! This album is super progressive and totally/completely FUCKED UP!

Still Life is great too, but not as great as mayh. You are fresh to opeth now, do this album while you are still fresh, you won't regret it, I guaran-fucking-tee it.

It's also the greatest concept album known to man. It's a ghost story, it's chilling, it has beauty, pain, love, hate and so much putrid horrible blissful anguish that you'll shit yourself in masochistic self-flaggelation. The lyrics are beyond cool and each song flows perfectly into the next. Pure genius.

Don't be daunted at first, this album is kinda hard to get into and it may take quite a long time to like evey second of every tune, but you will, and if you think that BWP is what opeth is then you are in for a shock, it's gets way uglier and way way better. BWP is not that progressive for Opeth, except for a few tunes, like Leper. You are going to shit yourself. Do it man, jump in head first and get my arms, your hearse, the greatest prog metal album ever. Ok, maybe I'm biased, but I'm allowed to be, hehe, but I'm sure you would agree.

happy/sorrowful listening,

Satori

So what you're saying is that this album is kind of OK?


Think I'm just going to have to pick both Still Life and My Arms at the same time. That way, there's no wondering if I should've picked up the other album first.

Again, thanks for the suggestions everyone. I hoist a cold one to the lot of ya!!


Later,

Chris

 

[Demonspell]

I agree, it is always great to buy two album so you get an indication of many facets of the band...by Opeth's whole damned catalog at once if you have to!

 

[Jo]

Demonspell: by Opeth's whole damned catalog at once if you have to!

I agree! (That is what I did once I heard 'Still Life'!) Woohoo for you if you have a music store with all of them in stock! If not, I agree with Hoserhellspawn, go forth and buy backwards! Phew, are YOU in for a surprise! he he he