Favorite Akerfeldt Lead/Riff/Song/Moment?

[The Don]

I've been trying to digest Watershed for what it is for a while now, and I love/hate the whole disc. After listening to it tonight, quite drunk, I've noticed there are certain moments of absolute brilliance. While the direction doesn't exactly suit my style, there are some sections that are remarkable.

So I ask everyone: What is your absolute favorite Opeth lead or riff or moment off of any cd? Surely there is one section of a song that just grabs you or relates to you in ungodly bliss. What is it and why? I'm interested to hear all opinions, but if you have a favorite part off of GR or WS please describe in detail exactly why that particular part is significant and glorious.

For me it's 2:56 - 5:52 of "Godhead's Lament". I am an American, and at the time when I fell in love with this CD I was 18 and on a trip to French Canadia (So exotic, I know ) with a couple good friends and a whole mess of strangers. I met this girl on the trip and she was smokin hot, funny, loved metal, intelligent, etc. Imagine just sitting on a tour bus with mountains around you, listening to this section, imagining (in your adolescent immortality) getting away from everything you know and running away with this girl to an island and living in bliss with this part as your life's soundtrack! While that was a great thought, my reality is fantastic as it is. But it's those moments that bands on the Opeth level can only bring out.

So what part of an Opeth song gives you those shivers, or that sense of realization that sometimes music connects on a different level than anything else? (Before anyone thinks this is a deep topic, I am very drunk, though very interested in everyone's opinion, since this board seems levels above most others on UM) Let me know!

 

[Slynt]

I wish I was drunk. Instead I am sitting in an office [luckily it has a Watershed poster and an external harddrive crammed with metal] with the flu. Yee-ha.

While I think most Opethian moments are great there are those parts and bits that are absolutely astoundingly teh best. For various reasons.

"Serenity Painted Death" [01:30 - 02:45]
An obvious choice, but the part where Mikael gurgles "Melinda reflected in shafts..." followed up by the "White face, haggard grin" part is just brutally cool.

"Burden" [00:47 - 01:02]
I love it when the song gets into the first verse, and Mikael comes up with what is arguably one of his best clean vocal lines - "I was once upon a time..." Beautiful.

"Black Rose Immortal" [03:10 - 03:55]
That break, that howl...energetic, desperate, awesome. Then the break reappears in a completely different form with the clean "aaaah"... before he howls "In the name!!" So fucking cool.

"The Twilight is my Robe" [05:43 - 06:27]
I love this melody. A bit Iron Maidenish, but melancholy. Always liked it.
'
Nah this is useless. I'd have to add a part from almost every song! Blackwater Park songs excepted!

 

[The Don]

^^ I counldn't agree more! Excellent moments indeed. I only touched on one part, but another is 3:50 - 5:28 of "A Fair Judgement". Incredible! Love the ambience and vocal harmonies!

 

[Still Life 1891]

"Bleak" [6.40 - 7.20]
The first time I heard this section I was walking through a forest footpath on the way to my girlfriend's house, it gave me the shivers and goosebumps, and still does, everythime. Everything seemed to fit, for some reason. The whole song is godly, one of my faves.

I've got loads more, but I really can't be bothered to type them up. That was the one that popped into my head first, anyway

Oh and a mention must go to the whole of "Still Life", that record is perfect, in my opinion.

 

[Defluo]

April Ethereal's "I don't know how or why, and I'll never know when"

It's an enormously powerful musical moment. Every time it gets to that point in the song the world around me dissolves. It strikes something in me and evokes a feeling of extreme freedom and oneness with all.

That's the best I can do at putting it into words.

 

[Reelo]

For me it's 2:56 - 5:52 of "Godhead's Lament".

Eaxactly the same for me, mate! SL was the first CD from Opeth that I bought (back when it was released) and while I found "The Moor" and the beginning of "Godhead's Lament" intriguing (to say the least!), when this killerpart kicked in (and especially when he starts singing clean over strummed acoustic guitar) it felt just so uplifting. I had been listening mostly to Black Metal at those times and this part of the song had something so powerful that even the most grim, evil and brutal music I had listened to couldn't compete. I had been listening to Dream Theater since wayyyy before that, but it was more of a technical thing I had with them (as a musician)

Still Life is still my favourite CD from all Opeth's catalogue, because it has so many brilliant moments...

 

[Mantraschism]

Alright, going in order:

In Mist She Was Standing - 'IN MIST, ENROBED THE TWILIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT... she was standing....' I think that's one of Opeth's most powerful and awesome transitions, and the build-up to it is fantastic.

The first scream in The Twilight Is My Robe is amazing.

The build to the climax in The Night and the Silent Water always makes me shut up and pay attention. It's almost religious.

I LOVE the melodies - actually, forget that, everything - in the 'I have kept it....' section of Black Rose Immortal. Just breathtaking.

April Ethereal - 'She, laughing and weeping at once: "Take me away...."' @_@ Holy crap, what an incredible merging of vocals and lyrics. Perfect delivery, and such heartbreaking emotion.

'Eerie circles upon the water.... AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!' This part in The Amen Corner kicks my ass so hard.

Karma in its entirety nearly destroys me, but mostly the big transition at the beginning, when the music stops and it's just Mike's harmonized voice singing. And then the heaviness comes back in with crushing sorrow. Wow.

The melody at the end of Epilogue is pure heavenly sadness.

(Yes, MAYH is my favorite Opeth album)

The first solo in Godhead's Lament is one of Opeth's finest, and the way it introduces the subsequent clean vocal melody is astounding. Such soul!

Pretty much everything starting with the first clean vocal section in Bleak is spectacular. It's so haunting.

The way the song 'comes back in' after the ambient section in Blackwater Park is godly. This gave me such goosebumps when they played it live in Atlanta.

Sadly, 'Deliverance' doesn't really have any moments that make me freak out. I do love the ending of Wreath, though.

The second solo in Windowpane is one of my all-time favorites. God, that guitar weeps.

The ending to The Baying of the Hounds is fucking awesome, starting when he growls that 'Oooohhh...' over that heavy yet oddly happy sounding riff. It sounds so sinister, somehow.

Isolation Years is musical bliss the whole way through.

The endings to Heir Apparent and The Lotus Eaters are amazing. In the first instance, it's such a sudden smack of melancholy heaviness, it's awesome. In the second instance, it sounds so doom-laden, and I love the lyrics in that part. 'Overheard us talking....'

And, though it's not my favorite on the album, Hessian Peel has one of Opeth's best structures ever, I think. It flows so well.

 

[anarchy420]

face of melinda: the soft/heavy transition
serenity painted death: the "ripped from my embrace" riff, starting with the guitar over the hi-hat.. fucking awesome
i love the riff starting around 6:00 in april ethereal, that whole lil instrumental section there, as well as the ending parts to deliverance, a fair judgement, reverie/harlequin forest, heir apparent and hex omega, those are just some of the most killer fucking riffs ever
black rose immortal: starting with the line "it's getting dark again"
the night and the silent water: the build-up to "you sleep in the light"
the ending part of in mist she was standing
burden

that's all i can think of for now

 

[Vega Skater]

Lately it has to be the final solo in Serenity Painted Death. Absolutely mesmorising.

GR: The brutality at the end of Baying of the Hounds, when you think it's going to end and Mike growls, 'I AM'
WS: Hessian Peel following the backwards vocal

 

[pyr0rrzzz]

"The Twilight is my Robe", 03:36 - 05:36

This is easily my favourite Opeth moment.

 

[nadavnaz]

Opeth: 1991:00 - today:00

 

[anarchy420]

Opeth: 1991:00 - today:00

right on

 

[Fragon]

Alright, going in order:

In Mist She Was Standing - 'IN MIST, ENROBED THE TWILIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT... she was standing....' I think that's one of Opeth's most powerful and awesome transitions, and the build-up to it is fantastic.

The first scream in The Twilight Is My Robe is amazing.

The build to the climax in The Night and the Silent Water always makes me shut up and pay attention. It's almost religious.

I LOVE the melodies - actually, forget that, everything - in the 'I have kept it....' section of Black Rose Immortal. Just breathtaking.

April Ethereal - 'She, laughing and weeping at once: "Take me away...."' @_@ Holy crap, what an incredible merging of vocals and lyrics. Perfect delivery, and such heartbreaking emotion.

'Eerie circles upon the water.... AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!' This part in The Amen Corner kicks my ass so hard.

Karma in its entirety nearly destroys me, but mostly the big transition at the beginning, when the music stops and it's just Mike's harmonized voice singing. And then the heaviness comes back in with crushing sorrow. Wow.

The melody at the end of Epilogue is pure heavenly sadness.

(Yes, MAYH is my favorite Opeth album)

The first solo in Godhead's Lament is one of Opeth's finest, and the way it introduces the subsequent clean vocal melody is astounding. Such soul!

Pretty much everything starting with the first clean vocal section in Bleak is spectacular. It's so haunting.

The way the song 'comes back in' after the ambient section in Blackwater Park is godly. This gave me such goosebumps when they played it live in Atlanta.

Sadly, 'Deliverance' doesn't really have any moments that make me freak out. I do love the ending of Wreath, though.

The second solo in Windowpane is one of my all-time favorites. God, that guitar weeps.

The ending to The Baying of the Hounds is fucking awesome, starting when he growls that 'Oooohhh...' over that heavy yet oddly happy sounding riff. It sounds so sinister, somehow.

Isolation Years is musical bliss the whole way through.

The endings to Heir Apparent and The Lotus Eaters are amazing. In the first instance, it's such a sudden smack of melancholy heaviness, it's awesome. In the second instance, it sounds so doom-laden, and I love the lyrics in that part. 'Overheard us talking....'

And, though it's not my favorite on the album, Hessian Peel has one of Opeth's best structures ever, I think. It flows so well.

+86749867967409 to everything written here

+

The Moor, 5:00 to around 8:30 is ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!

The Lepper Affinity ( "iz gaan ar teyl of spring..." and all)

Wreath , it has kickass riffs... and the second solo -_-

 

[foodforthegods]

April Ethereal: «The Rain is waving goodbye» part
When:«When I will scream instead of whisper» part
Godheads Lament: «What would they care if I did Stay» part
Advent: all acoustic breaks
To Bid You Farewell: The ending
Under The weeping moon : The clean section
Blackwater Park: the evil ending
Demon Of The Fall: The clean singing ending
Ghost Of Perdition: «Ghost of Perdition!!!» part
etc...

 

[Risquit]

The jump to the last patch of brutal singing in "Baying of the Hounds".
The "ooooohhhhhhhh" low, long, steady growl in "Blackwater Park".
The second solo in "Wreath".
The apeshit screaming that kicks in on "Demon of the Fall".

 

[Sad Madrigal]

the intro and the acoustic parts in "In Mist She Was Standing"
the acoustic parts in "Under the Weeping Moon"
the whole "Silhouette"
the whole "Forest of October"
the acoustic parts in "The Twilight is my Robe"
the whole "Requiem" and the intro of "The Apostle in Triumph"
the intro of "Advent" and the main riff
the acoustic parts of "The Night and the Silent Water"
the main riff of "Nectar"
the whole "Black Rose Immortal"
the lyrics and the ending of "To Bid You Farewell"
the whole "Prologue" and the segueing in "April Ethereal"
the riff and the clean parts of "April Ethereal"
the whole "When", especially the clean part at the end (my fav Opeth moment)
the whole "Madrigal"
the intro, clean vocals, acoustic parts and "Eerie circles upon the waters" part of "The Amen Corner"
the whole "Demon of the Fall"
the melody of "Credence" and the riff in the outro
the "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!" in "Karma"
the whole "Epilogue"
the whole "The Moor", especially the intro and the first little acoustic break (my second fav Opeth moment)
the solo at 3:10 of "Godhead's Lament"
the vocals in "Benighted"
the outro of "Moonlapse Vertigo"
the whole "Face of Melinda"
the solo of at 4:00 in "Serenity Painted Death" and the solo at 6:14
the clean parts in "White Cluster"
the intro of "The Leper Affinity" and the piano outro
the whole "Bleak"
the whole "Harvest"
the whole "The Drapery Falls"
the intro, the solo and the outro of "Dirge for November"
the solos in "The Funeral Portrait"
the whole "Patterns in the Ivy"
of course, the whole "Blackwater Park"
the brutallity of "Wreath"
the whole "Deliverance"
the solo in "A Fair Judgement"
the whole "For Absent Friends"
the clean part in "Master's Apprentices"
the solo and the "circus-like" interlude of "By the Pain I see in Others"
the whole "Damnation" album
the intro of "Ghost of Perdition", the "Devil cracked the earthy shell...." part, pretty much everything
same with "The Baying of the Hounds", especially the solo
the intro of "Beneath the Mire", the piano break and the solo
call me crazy, but I like the whole "Atonement"
the whole "Reverie/Harlequin Forest"
the whole "Hours of Wealth"
the main riff of "The Grand Conjuration" (sounds like a horror movie) and especially the solo at 3:28
of course, the whole "Isolation Years"
the whole "Coil" especially the choruses
the wall of sounds in "Heir Apparent"
same with "The Lotus Eater"
the whole "Burden"
the acoustic parts and the outro of "Porcelain Heart"
the first half of "Hessian Peel"
the solo in "Hex Omega"

As you can see, every Opeth song has its blistering moments.

 

[GT2000]

I absolutely LOVE the last two minutes of Dirge for November, from BWP...

This is the echoey arpeggio that sounds like it's emanating from a deep well. All the echoes feed back into the sound and make it for me one of the best Opeth moments out there.

Literally there are hundreds for me - but today, this is my choice

 

[Lothlorien]

dirge for november: all

deliverance (song): all

 

[Nailed Reaper]

Maybe verse in "The Leper Affinity" where Mike sings about night time consolation.
I wondered how the fuck he plays it live, 'cuse riff is pretty hard.

 

[anarchy420]

I absolutely LOVE the last two minutes of Dirge for November, from BWP...

This is the echoey arpeggio that sounds like it's emanating from a deep well. All the echoes feed back into the sound and make it for me one of the best Opeth moments out there.

Literally there are hundreds for me - but today, this is my choice

omg, i can't believe i forgot that song, ultimately one of my top 3 fave opeth songs ever recorded. i remem ber seeing in the bios that one of them, i think mendez, put this his least fave opeth songs? i agree it may be slightly boring compared to most songs, especially on bwp, to play anyway, but it will always be one of my faves ever.