I often wonder if there's a chance that a band with such radical (from mainstream/midstream perspective) sound as Opeth will ever get well deserved recognition and be anthologized as one of the best bands ever. So far it is not the case, obviously. Bands like Opeth do get recognized in critic circles (just read the closing sentence of Ghost reveries AMG review, awesome), they're not utterly misunderstood, BUT these praises go to strictly limited borders. Pretty much nobody dares to explicitly call any of O's albums a "master-piece", or "one of the best albums ever". And while this critical cautiousness might be professional and generally recommended, it may also prove to be conformist and restricting; in any case, i think it is not sufficient, and there has to be more to being a great critic - there has to be some courage to challenge the established system of values. I just think narrowing it all down to some "classic" 60's-70s bands, and relegating the rest of the rock to footnote status or describing it as "decadence" would be incorrect and terribly unjust.
Of course, i'm not talking about some weekly "top 100" top list, one of those lists that flood the industry magazines and can serve as a sort of promotion at best, but about an important critical selection which will have decisive impact on musical taste and aesthetic evaluations of the future. In a long run this thing with institutions and "judges of taste" proves to be crucially important when it comes to forming a canon of any period. Being "underground" and "alternative" is very cool and recommended right now, but being on the list is what makes the band "eternal". I am sure all of us here agree that any future rock (wtf, not just "metal") anthology without Opeth would be very lacking, and even misleading, so long as you wish to hear a selection of highest and finest art-music achievements in rock history.
So, could it be, will injustice happen, and a band like Opeth get lost, forgotten, in favor of ... well, whichever band. Or will the internet era perhaps put it all to halt and open multiple possibilities where nothing can be lost or overlooked nor set in stone and thus the whole "canon" concept needs to be revised or even completely abandoned?
Of course, i'm not talking about some weekly "top 100" top list, one of those lists that flood the industry magazines and can serve as a sort of promotion at best, but about an important critical selection which will have decisive impact on musical taste and aesthetic evaluations of the future. In a long run this thing with institutions and "judges of taste" proves to be crucially important when it comes to forming a canon of any period. Being "underground" and "alternative" is very cool and recommended right now, but being on the list is what makes the band "eternal". I am sure all of us here agree that any future rock (wtf, not just "metal") anthology without Opeth would be very lacking, and even misleading, so long as you wish to hear a selection of highest and finest art-music achievements in rock history.
So, could it be, will injustice happen, and a band like Opeth get lost, forgotten, in favor of ... well, whichever band. Or will the internet era perhaps put it all to halt and open multiple possibilities where nothing can be lost or overlooked nor set in stone and thus the whole "canon" concept needs to be revised or even completely abandoned?