Does it take a particular frame of mind to enjoy Opeth?

[Cutter]

I think so. I've played Opeth to many people, who just can't understand it? Or they won't let themselves understand it. But other people absolutely fall in love with it..either straight away or in time. Do you have to be in a particular frame of mind? Do all Opeth fans share some mental state of being...? Is it only for those who are predispossed to dark and brooding thoughts?

or am I just talking shit?

 

[Lacent]

i dont think its really dark and brooding thoughts, thats more like cannible corpse and other shit like that, i think its more of an intelligence issue, we enjoy intelligent music, music that is not manufactured or produced, but rather felt and put into digital media ;0) anyway, i agree with you, at first my GF didnt like them so much, she was more of a pantera girl, now she is all about opeth, its all she listens to, its great, and pretty much everyone else that hears them kinda shrugs but i believe thats my geographical burdon,

but yea, i mean i have never been to a show where people were as friendly and as accepting (for the most part) as was the opeth show.

 

[Death Opeth]

It depends on what song you play to them,and as to what they are into.


Take a really heavy, fucking metal fan that likes the old school death metal like Corpse. If you play "A Fair Judgement" to them, they would not like it,and turn their nose up to it.


But, if you play a heavier song like "Demon of the fall" or "Wreath" they might lik eit. Depending on what their tastes are.....

 

[Death Opeth]

Also, to add to my statement. Some people judge music by heaviness,and not talent. I have a diverse taste in music. I like Cannibal Corpse, and then I like Nightingale..... I like Opeth, and then I like Bloodbath..... Heaviness has nothing to do with what you like. You can like the most brutal shit,and still love the slower, melodic sounds. .....

 

[Demonspell]

Opeth does require a greater degree of patience and tolerance, along with the ability to think progressively...

 

[frayededges]

I think you're right, Cutter. I think that it takes a VERY particular kind of person to like Opeth. First of all, you have to be someone who likes death metal, but yet someone who doesen't demand non-stop, brutal aggression...
You have to have very open-minded and eclectic taste in music to appreciate all the elements that Opeth blends in their music.

Secondly, yes, I think you have to be a generally "dark" sort of person in order to identify with Opeth's imagery and the subject matter that they deal with, for the most part. Opeth is death metal, it's dark, it's brooding, it's aggressive and melancholy and always straightforward and without regret. You have to be the sort of person who digs those qualities to really understand Opeth, I think.

Lastly, and most importantly... I think that we all have our own private worlds inside our minds... and I think the common thread with Opeth fans is that we all feel like the visions that Opeth conjures up through their music directly correlate with our own personal ideals. I know that I have my own little dark domain, and Opeth is the soundtrack.

 

[_]

A friend introduced me to Opeth, and at first I couldn't stand it (it was basically the first genuine metal I had listened to, and I thought it was horrible Black Metal or something). All I listened to was about the first 30 seconds of Black Rose Immortal. I finally just sat down one day and listened to the whole song, and from then on, I couldn't get enough of the band.

The problem was that I mainly listened to Classical Music, Jam Bands (like Phish, Disco Biscuits, Big Wu, etc.), and Indie Music (like Flaming Lips, gy!be, Dismemberment Plan), and I wasn't accustomed to the initial brutality. I didn't have the interest to listen past the opening part of Black Rose Immortal, and I thought the band was just another brutal shock metal band, all about screaming and gore. When I finally listened to the whole song, I realized that, as a whole, it was a beautiful, emotional juxtaposition of many different and diverse genres.

 

[murderedbysound]

getting used to te vox is the biggest issue for anyone who listens to them. i heard Black Rose and didnt like it at first...but i had it on replay and it grows on you, every song they have thorws you into a world unknown to man and....uhhh sorry im rambling on here...
the point is like what Death Opeth said if there tastes are waaaay off then there prolly not going to like them.

 

[_]

Originally posted by frayededges
Secondly, yes, I think you have to be a generally "dark" sort of person in order to identify with Opeth's imagery and the subject matter that they deal with, for the most part. Opeth is death metal, it's dark, it's brooding, it's aggressive and melancholy and always straightforward and without regret. You have to be the sort of person who digs those qualities to really understand Opeth, I think.

Lastly, and most importantly... I think that we all have our own private worlds inside our minds... and I think the common thread with Opeth fans is that we all feel like the visions that Opeth conjures up through their music directly correlate with our own personal ideals. I know that I have my own little dark domain, and Opeth is the soundtrack.

I disagree. I'm definitely not your "dark" sort and I love the music the band makes, and I love the imagery they conjure with their lyrics. Some people even think I'm a "hippie." I listen to plenty of upbeat, happy music.

 

[Cutter]

Originally posted by frayededges
I think you're right, Cutter. I think that it takes a VERY particular kind of person to like Opeth. First of all, you have to be someone who likes death metal, but yet someone who doesen't demand non-stop, brutal aggression...
You have to have very open-minded and eclectic taste in music to appreciate all the elements that Opeth blends in their music.

Secondly, yes, I think you have to be a generally "dark" sort of person in order to identify with Opeth's imagery and the subject matter that they deal with, for the most part. Opeth is death metal, it's dark, it's brooding, it's aggressive and melancholy and always straightforward and without regret. You have to be the sort of person who digs those qualities to really understand Opeth, I think.

Lastly, and most importantly... I think that we all have our own private worlds inside our minds... and I think the common thread with Opeth fans is that we all feel like the visions that Opeth conjures up through their music directly correlate with our own personal ideals. I know that I have my own little dark domain, and Opeth is the soundtrack.

Damn...this was the way I assumed it was...'cept you put it into words. I think your spot on.

 

[frayededges]

Originally posted by I am Ten Thousand and One
I disagree. I'm definitely not your "dark" sort and I love the music the band makes, and I love the imagery they conjure with their lyrics. Some people even think I'm a "hippie." I listen to plenty of upbeat, happy music.

Well, refer to the first part of my post, about needing eclectic taste in music to appreciate the different styles that Opeth blends together.

Obviously, you have diverse taste in music if you're willing to go outside the comfort zone of the sort of music you listen to normally and give a band like Opeth a try.

And you don't have to be COMPLETELY dark, but if you like what Opeth is about, you must have a dark side. That's all that's required.

 

[frayededges]

Thanks, Cutter.

 

[christcrusher]

Very Nicely Put there....I agree with all of this as well...Opeth is a band that you either like them or you don't, but in some cases Opeth may be an aquired taste....Their level of technicality and experience is incredible to actually witness live, and they have a very refined approach at Dark, Doomish Death Metal...Their performace was moving, and was not long enough

I will listen to Blackwater Park and My Arms.. when I am feeling shittier than usual...In sum, occasionaly it does take a particular mind frame, or more of a dark approach to life to completely understand Opeth and let them sink in.

 

[Beth]

Originally posted by Cutter
Do you have to be in a particular frame of mind?

I guess I interpreted this question differently than the rest of you, because I only focused on this main question (thread title), and I just thought, "no, but it definitely helps." I was thinking about people who are already fans. When I decide to listen to Opeth, yeah it's a really awesome and emotional experience if I just sit and focus solely on the music, but that's not to say that listening to Opeth isn't totally awesome in ANY situation
I can listen to it at any point, under any circumstances....well, almost.

 

[no country for old wainds]

Originally posted by Cutter
I think so. I've played Opeth to many people, who just can't understand it? Or they won't let themselves understand it. But other people absolutely fall in love with it..either straight away or in time. Do you have to be in a particular frame of mind? Do all Opeth fans share some mental state of being...? Is it only for those who are predispossed to dark and brooding thoughts?

or am I just talking shit?

It's an intelligence thing, surely. We appreciate Opeth's music because of the way they make every song sound great, and we don't take in everything the media feeds us, unlike most people. You have to be open-minded, and able to accept completely new ideas. The Opeth vocals tend to put many people off. That's closed-mindedness. And yes, their music can be very dark, and some people don't like that. I guess it's down to taste. Of course, I'm generalising a bit here, and there's bound to be plenty of exceptions, such as 'I am Ten Thousand and One'.

 

[Aecliptica]

from my experiences , they have to actually want to listen to it and try to enjoy it. not just shove it off.

 

[jester00]

think of two types of people.

1)this person thinks of music as simply another form of entertainment. like going to the movies, watching soccer, watching tv etc. these types of people dotn look deeply into music and simply want to get instant satisfaction (pop music is designed and manufactured to meet these peoples needs. lets face it.. the majority of people fit into this category as can be seen by record sales and profits.)

2) a perosn who sees music as an artform. more then just a form of entertainment, something much deeper. These people search deeper for music that is complex, interesting, different , something that satisfys a never ending craving to heard more excellent music.


i think you have to be a person 2 to even give opeth a listen, anyoen who considers music nothing more then entertainment will think opeth is a waste of time.

Opeth doesnt give you an instant hit, it requires patience, its not instantly as catchy as other bands, albums tend to grow on you after several listens.

For someone completely new to the death vox you need to be open minded in order for you to get through the inital bombadment, and state of confusion that i remember experiencing when i first listened to orchid.

I remember thinking the guitar melodies were awsome and the music was so emotional and melodic that i could maintain my interest even though i was totally confused as to where the songs were ehading and what all the massive growling was about.

The problem I often get with handing opeth to my friends is that i have hyped them up to be so awsome. They listen to it once and go WHAT THE HELL IS THE BIG DEAL. i forgot to remember that when i first listened to opeth it didn't instantly click. I found people enjoy them much more if i said nothing about their talent and simply say hey "take this cd home and listen to it".


anyway there is a few paragraphs of bullshit for you to read on the topic.

 

[Scourge of Malice]

You just need to be used to the kind of music.. give progressive technical death metal to a kid who has never listened to anything progressive in his life and he'll be confused at all the stops and changes... and it takes time to get used to the death vocals for people new to metal.. I rememebr I first heard a progressive death song by Thales and I thoguht it was really wierd with all the sudden stops to clean but now I'm so used to it and love it.

 

[Cutter]

Originally posted by Scourge of Malice
You just need to be used to the kind of music.. give progressive technical death metal to a kid who has never listened to anything progressive in his life and he'll be confused at all the stops and changes... and it takes time to get used to the death vocals for people new to metal.. I rememebr I first heard a progressive death song by Thales and I thoguht it was really wierd with all the sudden stops to clean but now I'm so used to it and love it.

Not sure about this, I guess everyones different, But before I heard Opeth, I was into the regular cut and dry jazz. Sepultura, Pantera...Metallica...all of that stuff, which is good mind you, yet fairly generic and not particularly progressive. Yet, when I first heard Orchid...I was instantly hooked, some of the other albums needed to grow on me...as mentioned above, but that first listen to Orchid hooked me in, and it was through Opeth that I grew an appreciation for alot of the other unorthodox, progressive music out there. The death vocals were not a problem.

 

[frayededges]

I was already into death metal when I discovered Opeth, so I thought the death vox were BADASS! I think the problem a lot of other people have with Opeth IS the death vox... their fanbase would probably be huge if Mikael just sang all the time like MJK from Tool... but Opeth IS DEATH METAL (albeit progressive), and some people can't deal with that fact. That's why I said originally, it's DARK, EERIE stuff. Not for the faint of heart. I think people who have already digested and learned to appreciate something like Morbid Angel or Nile will have a much better time understanding Opeth.