For Fans of Opeth Who Started back in the Orchid/Morningrise days, before MYAH

[Autumnal]

I first heard Opeth with Still Life, at the time around the BWP release. When I had amassed their entire catalogue (I went Still Life, then Damnation, then BWP and MAYH simultaneously, then Orchid, then Lamentations, then Deliverance, then Morningrise. Oh, and now GR) it amazed me the shift from Morningrise (which I feel is quite different from Orchid) to My Arms, Your Hearse.

I am not asking about which style you prefer cause that has been beaten to death. I am asking though what your thoughts were. I can't imagine getting all geared up for the release listening to Morningrise and then hearing April Ethereal come blasting out of the speakers. It has always seemed to me like it would be such a confusing moment, maybe because when I first heard the first two albums after hearing the newer sound(s) first it was such an huge shock and almost alienation.

Now to some maybe this seems like a shit thread, but I have wondered this for a long time now, and it's better than a "what is your favorite footwear of any Opeth member thread".
So, fans who got into Opeth before MAYH was ever even recorded, what were your initial thoughts/reactions when you first heard MAYH after following them through Orchid and Morningrise?

 

[Black Session]

I was wondering the exact same thing yesterday! It kind of puts the whole discussion that returns here frequently about the evolution of opeth in another perspective since they have done it before, several times.
I wonder if their even are fans of the first days here?

 

[BRI]

I had Orchid and Morningrise first, then I bought BWP and thought what the hell is up with his voice.

 

[Stilgar]

I wonder if their even are fans of the first days here?

Yes, there are. I've been a fan of Opeth since they released Orchid. I got hooked instantly. I also loved Morningrise when it came out, and kept listening to both albums a lot. When MAYH came out, I was like "Hmmm...", and after listening for it a few times I set it aside and didn't listen to it for quite a while. After a couple of months, I tried it out again, and liked it more and more and kept listening to it.

So my first impression of MAYH wasn't a positive one when comparing it to the older albums, but since then it's grown on me and now I think it's a great album.

 

[Olllie]

MYAH

MAYH

 

[Autumnal]

When MAYH came out, I was like "Hmmm...", and after listening for it a few times I set it aside and didn't listen to it for quite a while. After a couple of months, I tried it out again, and liked it more and more and kept listening to it.

So my first impression of MAYH wasn't a positive one when comparing it to the older albums, but since then it's grown on me and now I think it's a great album.

That sounds like my reaction when I heard Morningrise and Orchid both, although Orchid prepared me more for Morningrise of course. However, I also knew there was a big difference and to soem extent what that diff. was before I heard Orchid. I can't imagine what I would have thought if I had been blindsided by the diff. styles. Thanks for the posts guys, let's keep 'em coming.

 

[Deadlift]

I still remember buying "Orchid" a few days after its realease.
I never forget the first time i heard the first song on it. Back than it was a very diffrent band. You couldn`t describe their style...they were uniqe and i could not relate Opeths music to any other band.

I really liked them....i never knew they would still be active about 10 years later. I had big expectations on Morningsrise and MAYH and when you got the new album you always knew you had a great musichour ahead of you.

MAYH was just an album like the 2 previous for me. Opeth Developed and i was happy about Lopez joining. I remember that.....finally a good drummer with good double kicks.

 

[Autumnal]

MAYH

Yeah, I noticed that after I posted. Apparently when I type fast my acronymning goes to shit.

 

[aestusmaris@hotmail.com]

I was lucky enough to have listened through the Opeth back catalogue in chronological order thanks to my good mate who gave me Orchid back in 1999, so after listening to Orchid and Morningrise to death and absolutely loving them both (Morningrise is still my all time fave) I bought My Arms Your Hearse not knowing what the hell to expect...I wasn't really impressed at first and didn't really give it a chance (like some guys above me said when they heard it when it actually was first released). So I jumped an album and went to Still Life which had just been released and the rest when they came out.
I went back to mayh after 2 months of leaving it and it just clicked it all made sense, its now my second fave album.

 

[shark22]

I guess you would have to be living in Europe to know of opeth when they first came out. Orchid was not available over here (USA) until 1997 with morningrise simultaneously.

 

[virul]

My starting point was with Deliverance, then BWP. I then bought Morningrise and MAYH together on the same day, which is what really changed all my views on them. Went from being great to fuckin' brilliant. MAYH seems to have more of a melodic approach towards alot of the songs. e.g, Karma. THat was the first time I had heard him use his clean vocals and hold a note for so long.

 

[winters epilogue]

Well, I did not get into them until 8th grade, which was already their release of Blackwater Park. I went out and purchased all of their albums...except Morningrise because I did not have enough money.
When I listened to Orchid, I loved it. I was amazed at the progression from that point. Opeth were finding their way around long songs (some of the transistions are not that great), but a fantastic debut.
While my first reaction disappointment was topped with Deliverance (my face when I first heard Wreath...I wish I could have seen it. I was pretty pissed. Then the album got better, but then came the end of By the Pain I See in Others...which threw me off), my second worst reaction was with Morningrise.
It was not really the material, it was more the sound itself. I still am not the biggest fan of Mike's death vocals on that album, I thought they sounded better on the Orchid album, and on every album afterwards (minus Deliverance...where they went down a bit, only to be picked up insanely well with Ghost Reveries).
But oh well, Morningrise still has some incredible material, and I have learned to live with the death vocals.

...I know this thread was not really for me, felt the need to post anyways, sorry