Do you think any Opeth band member is the best at what they do?

[NicholasDWolfwood]

I think Mike might be one of the better metal vocalists today, as he has a very good clean voice (for a death metal vocalist) and he can switch back and forth very easily, from what I've seen. Other than that, I don't really think that they're the best at what they do. I might seem biased in the next few paragraphs, but I'm an Opeth fanboy.

I don't think Per can really compare to some keyboard players, like Rudess, who somebody mentioned earlier. Some of his additions to songs (like Deliverance, for example) I absolutely love, but some of them I don't really like at all (When or White Cluster, for example); however, Per might be the most technically adept in Opeth, but he's not one of the most technically adept as far as metal keyboardists go (I think even he would admit that)

Same with Mike and Peter. I think that they're both great guitarists in their own rights, but comparing them to other guitarists (Muhammad from Necrophagist, or Chuck Schuldiner from Death/Control Denied) I don't think they really come close to technical prowlness. In terms of emotion, Muhammad definitely hasn't written many emotional solos, neither has Chuck. I think that's what Mike and Peter hold over a lot of metal guitarists...they have emotion, but they don't really have that "technical prowlness", which, on one hand is great, but on the other hand it can hold them down. Like somebody said, it's harder to improv without really knowing much technical stuff.

 

[Sulu]

It's their creativity that sets Mike and Peter above other guitarists. They may not be able to shred a guitar as quickly as others, but I prefer unique rythem and feeling over speed. What's great is at times they can combine both, which makes my dick move.

 

[Forest-of-October]

This thread has NOTHING to do with the ability of Opeth, the band. I asked a musical question about the individual abilities of the band members. How a band sounds may not be directly correlated to the individual abilities of the members. I never insinuated that if none of the Opeth band members were the best at their craft would mean the band doesn't measure up. I think by being in this forum, it's obvious what most think about Opeth.

Why is it so hard to just discuss a question as asked without going on tangents?

A forum is for stating opinions, my opinion is JUST that. Yes, the guys are great indivudually as musicians. Mike has some of the best melodic vocals and guttural roars I have ever come across, both he and Peter are amazing guitarists, bass has a great warm sound and is definetley overlooked as a bassplayer, Martin has some of the most unbelievable drumming I've ever heard thrown inro a song etc etc. The introductions in the Lamentations documentry is perfect proof of that. But the fact of the matter is, I dont care about your original question, I feel over all, together, regardless of what you said, the overall sound of the band depends completley on the indivuals playing.

 

[all_sins_undone]

Just for all these people saying Mike is best... well not realyl

Dan Swano
Peter Tatgren (is that how you spell it? Bloodbath, Hypocrisy)

Those guys have awesome death vocals, but Peter doesn't sing clan.

 

[Oxyn]

Åkerfeldt definately has the best growl I've ever heard. His clean solos are very emotional. his metal solos aren't as emotional, just damn good A great guitarist, but he isn't the best. That place belongs to Jimmy Page.

Lindgren has great solos. A great guitarist, but he's left behind by the aforementioned Jimmy Page. It's hard to decide which one is better, maybe Åkerfeldt by a tad.

Lopez is certainly my favourite metal drummer. But it's undecided who's the best drummer of all time, John Bonham or Lopez.

Mendez is a great bassist. Unfortunately I really have to concentrate to hear the bass in the heavy parts, so I don't hear his playing in those parts. He's left far behind by John Paul Jones. Just listen to The Lemon Song by Led Zeppelin.

 

[Forest-of-October]

Åkerfeldt definately has the best growl I've ever heard. His clean solos are very emotional. his metal solos aren't as emotional, just damn good A great guitarist, but he isn't the best. That place belongs to Jimmy Page.

Lindgren has great solos. A great guitarist, but he's left behind by the aforementioned Jimmy Page. It's hard to decide which one is better, maybe Åkerfeldt by a tad.

Lopez is certainly my favourite metal drummer. But it's undecided who's the best drummer of all time, John Bonham or Lopez.

Mendez is a great bassist. Unfortunately I really have to concentrate to hear the bass in the heavy parts, so I don't hear his playing in those parts. He's left far behind by John Paul Jones. Just listen to The Lemon Song by Led Zeppelin.

Imo, Jimmy Page isnt really all that great, I mean sure he isnt bad, but his solos are really sloppy, and over all I just dont enjoy his sound too much.

 

[all_sins_undone]

Åkerfeldt definately has the best growl I've ever heard. His clean solos are very emotional. his metal solos aren't as emotional, just damn good A great guitarist, but he isn't the best. That place belongs to Jimmy Page.

Lindgren has great solos. A great guitarist, but he's left behind by the aforementioned Jimmy Page. It's hard to decide which one is better, maybe Åkerfeldt by a tad.

No. Yngwie Malsteem blows all guitarists out of the water.

And Jimmy Page is overrated. Lindgren and Akerfeldt are both better.

 

[Deadlift]

Just for all these people saying Mike is best... well not realyl

Dan Swano
Peter Tatgren (is that how you spell it? Bloodbath, Hypocrisy)

Those guys have awesome death vocals, but Peter doesn't sing clan.

Oh yes, he do sing with clean voice in Pain.

 

[Forest-of-October]

No. Yngwie Malsteem blows all guitarists out of the water.

And Jimmy Page is overrated. Lindgren and Akerfeldt are both better.

Yngwie, Vai, Petrucci... all those guys, totally slay Page. But it all goes back to musical preference I suppose.

 

[Sulu]

Sometimes I think Lopez is better at the jazzy stuff then the metal stuff.

 

[Oxyn]

Hey, it's Rock N' Roll! Who cares if it's a bit sloppy?

Jimmy Page has the feeling. And the touch.

With those two he just owns all the others. He's probably the best improviser ever. Shares the 1st place in that section with Albert Järvinen from Hurriganes.

Petrucci is good too, and Vai.

But Yngwie....? Nah. Yngwie is a big fat swede with an attitude problem. His solos are booooring. Useless guitar wanking. Paul Gilbert owns his ass.

Another good shredder is Herman Li of Dragonforce. It's honest guitar wanking, but damn it sounds good! His bandmate Sam Totman is great too.

 

[NicholasDWolfwood]

Jimmy Page...feeling...touch? Yes, because he did write the most over-rated solo to ever grace this earth.

And he did write most of Led Zeppelin's riffs.

 

[MetalManCPA]

..... But the fact of the matter is, I dont care about your original question, I feel over all, together, regardless of what you said, the overall sound of the band depends completley on the indivuals playing.

My obvious repsonse to this is: then don't participate in a thread where you could care less about the content.

And to your other comments........duh. Of course the bands sound depends on the individuals making it. Of course music is about the feeling it gives you. I asked an analytical question, which I fear is something you are unable to respond to.

Ahh, forget it.

 

[benz925]

they all belong to eachother and are fucking awesome parts

 

[Tubbs]

I don't know why, but this thread has seemed boring to me and that's why I haven't posted. I will answer the question though. I think Mike is the best death metal vocalist, hands down. His singing is incredible, but I can think of better (but not at the moment). Lopez is great, but since I love Morbid Angel so much, I enjoy Pete Sandoval's stuff more (he's my favorite drummer EVA). Umm... that's it. Not much!

 

[Pitiless Wanderer]

Actually I change my mind. I think Devin Townsend's vocals are the best and I prefer his voice. He might not get as low or deep with his growling, but his power is overwhelming. He once screamed so hard at an SYL concert he therew up on everyone in the first row, and while screaming hard in the studio recording a Priest cover he passed out. Listen to Underneath the Waves for some unbelievably powerful metal screaming.

 

[JoeVice]

yah, devin's screams are fucking sweet...they are very smooth, and he can do them on tune without making them sound cheesy.

 

[Liquid Diamonds]

I like a lot of different styles. This will surely get me flamed for liking "fag vocals" or something, but I think Jeff Buckley and Daniel Gildenlow are the best two singers I've heard in the rock world...they have such an incredible range at their disposal and such control over vibrato and other techniques that they can convey nearly any emotion without even singing any lyrics. I don't like them cause they wail (I HATE 99% of prog vocalists and 100% of power metal ones)

I like your answer, I was really afraid you were gonna list a whole bunch of power metal vocalists as your faves (HATE power metal vocals).
Nat familiar with Daniel Gildenlow, but Jeff Buckley has a marvellous voice. Good choice

 

[Oxyn]

I just heard Kingston Wall's cover of Jimi Hendrix's Fire. Sami Kuoppamäki definately rose up to challenge Lopez and Bonham after hearing this song. I recommend you'd give it a listen. An excellent band with a great drummer. The guitarist/singer Pete Walli (R.I.P.) is a great guitarist too.

 

[OpethNZ]

Per wins, fuck the rest of the band, i want the next Opeth album to be 60 mins of Per playing Nintendo themes on the keyboard