Deliverance Underrated?

[AndICried]

Didn't Mikael himself say that half the album was written during the month in the recording studio?

I feel that the final product reflects this. The music wasn't given the years that (I imagine) the earlier albums had to evolve. Production may give it a polished sound, but beneath that, I see little detail. I think also, that there's a stylistic shift, away from the more Romantic melodic black metal of earlier albums, to something that I can relate to death metal death metal. I quite like the percussion section, which is apparently thanks to Martin Lopez.

 

[The Invoking]

Ok, when was Opeth ever black metal...um.. no

 

[TehLeperAffinity]

I think maybe the production might have something to do with it. It sounds really clear and all, but there's something about the guitars that sounds different than the other releases. It's like they don't sound "warm" enough. Also, when it shows Mikael recording vocals for "Wreath", I think it sounds much better than on the album. I don't know, maybe it's just me.

 

[leprosy]

its definately not underrated.

 

[PoS]

definitely.

 

[FUBAR]

Deliverance is good

I think that about sums things up

 

[AndICried]

Ok, when was Opeth ever black metal...um.. no

I'd associate the recurring themes/feelings in a lot of Opeth's music (i.e. the focus on nature, the firm grounding in tonality, the melodrama in their form of expression, an almost garunteed minor or modal key) more with black metal than death metal. I find this particularly true in their earlier albums, and while neither black metal nor death metal are perfect fits, I relate Opeth's first releases more with the former movement.

(Not wanting to establish a flame war, simply justifying my opinion.)

 

[Inconium Guard]

The more I listen to deliverance, the more I like it...Songs like Deliverance, Wreath, and A Fair Judgement are played quite often on my computer...and recently I've been listening to By the pain i see in others alot...Master's Apprentices is the only track I find a bit boring...not bad, just not up to par with the others.

 

[coolsnow7]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned it, but I remember an interview where someone (pretty sure Mikael) mentioned they wanted a really heavy album after BWP but had great acoustic parts anyway, so they had Deliverance/Damnation. Anyway if you want melodies, I guess that's the idea: go to Damnation. Deliverance is if you want the shit crushed out of you...but as others said, subtely. Personally, I like it a lot, and while sometimes I find some of the stuff on BWP a bit hard to stomach for that long, I think Deliverance is a bit more diverse that way, between Wreath, and Deliverance, and A Fair Judgement, and Master's Apprentice...4 completely different tracks. BWP seems to all have a certain minor-key, signature Opeth quality that, while you find it on Deliverance, it's spread out, and put into different songs. BWP is like, same quality, diverse but similar songs.

Oh well, I didn't mean to ramble but I did anyway.

 

[Inconium Guard]

Deliverance is like getting beaten brutally with a baseball bat for minutes, then being helped to your feet, cleaned up, given some water, and proceeding to once again get the shit kicked out of you.


That's the best way I can think of describing that album.

 

[Nico]

^You should listen to some Morbid Angel.

 

[Elohim Meth]

If theres any albulm thats underrated it might be the first few.

 

[FUBAR]

^You should listen to some Morbid Angel.

Yea but with Morbid Angel you don't get any water, maybe blood if anything

 

[deliverance]

haha. yeah, MA rules.

 

[Nico]

I'm just saying that the stripped back, "heavier" style witnessed in Deliverance is something that Morbid Angel do a hell of a lot better than Opeth.

 

[Justin S.]

In general, and the response on the board reinforces this, I think it is actually highly overrated. Am i saying it is a "bad" release? Not at all. But it is simply nowhere near their previous albums in terms of creativity and scope.
One of my main criticisms of Deliverance is in the extreme repetition of octave "chords". While thay have great effect when used as color, relying on them for a whole album is a stretch! There simply isnt enough melody and chord variation on this release.
As its been said many times on this forum, Deliverance sounds like what it is; a rushed, simplfied "heavy" album, that was largely concieved and recorded during very poor conditions. This shows, and as time goes by, i think it sounds more and more like an Opeth "sampler" album that hints at and rehashes content already visited, with a few more "chugging" riffs thrown in and strung out for the songs to reach the 10 minute mark.

 

[Inconium Guard]

In general, and the response on the board reinforces this, I think it is actually highly overrated. Am i saying it is a "bad" release? Not at all. But it is simply nowhere near their previous albums in terms of creativity and scope.
One of my main criticisms of Deliverance is in the extreme repetition of octave "chords". While thay have great effect when used as color, relying on them for a whole album is a stretch! There simply isnt enough melody and chord variation on this release.
As its been said many times on this forum, Deliverance sounds like what it is; a rushed, simplfied "heavy" album, that was largely concieved and recorded during very poor conditions. This shows, and as time goes by, i think it sounds more and more like an Opeth "sampler" album that hints at and rehashes content already visited, with a few more "chugging" riffs thrown in and strung out for the songs to reach the 10 minute mark.

Ouch. That's sort of what Orchid sounds like to me. An Opeth sampler, complete with everything thrown in but the kitchen sink...

 

[Justin S.]

Ouch. That's sort of what Orchid sounds like to me. An Opeth sampler, complete with everything thrown in but the kitchen sink...

I was in no way ripping on the band. I think those guys are great and i enjoy all their work including Deliverance. Its just not their best, and i have a hard time imagining them claiming it is either.
In some ways I agree with you about Orchid. Its "flaws" (in my eyes) dont detract much from its quality because it is:
A) A stated experimental riff collage
B) Their first album
C) A taste of whats to come

Whats somewhat "disappointing" about Deliverance is that it is their 6th album(!), and it is a regression in terms of composition and complexity. Rather than continuing to build, they stripped it down for a more typical "heavy" feel. That doesnt bother me much- they dont write material for me, and i dont have any expectations; if i like it great, if not then there is plenty of other music out there. What confuses me is people thinking it is of the same caliber as the older material, when it is so clearly not on any level.

 

[Inconium Guard]

I was in no way ripping on the band. I think those guys are great and i enjoy all their work including Deliverance. Its just not their best, and i have a hard time imagining them claiming it is either.
In some ways I agree with you about Orchid. Its "flaws" (in my eyes) dont detract much from its quality because it is:
A) A stated experimental riff collage
B) Their first album
C) A taste of whats to come

Whats somewhat "disappointing" about Deliverance is that it is their 6th album(!), and it is a regression in terms of composition and complexity. Rather than continuing to build, they stripped it down for a more typical "heavy" feel. That doesnt bother me much- they dont write material for me, and i dont have any expectations; if i like it great, if not then there is plenty of other music out there. What confuses me is people thinking it is of the same caliber as the older material, when it is so clearly not on any level.

Yeah I mean I understand what you mean...I guess I'll never really be able to explain why Deliverance gets more plays from me. Maybe its the raw energy of it? The sheer heaviness? The lack of meandering around musically, and being more concise IMO...but whatever Opeth is Opeth, and Opeth is great...the end.

 

[Jon Snow]

For Absent Friends makes me cry