Ghost Reveries Compared to the other albums

The crystal clear bit I know exactly what you mean man, I say it to every one and I mean it when I say i love the rawness of their early stuff like in To Bid you Farewell soudns like they recorded it in their back yard or something its just so real, but with there more produced stuff BWP and on wards (don't get me wrong great fucking albums I love each of them) Just seems like theres no feeling in it, it's hard to explain how I feel about it but im sure there is other people onm this forum that share the same views.

says the guy with the trivium sig. :erk:

edit: but i agree with you for the most part.
 
I happen to love crystal clear production. I don't understand how CCP = stale or "not real enough" or how a more muddy sound = "Feeling"... personally the opposite seems to be true but of course that's just my taste.

Also, since I have the tendency to over analyse most things in my life and therefore RUIN them :erk: ..... I think it's probably just as well that I don't have formal technical musical theory-esk knowlege and am just forced to either like certain music or not like it.
 
I happen to love crystal clear production. I don't understand how CCP = stale or "not real enough" or how a more muddy sound = "Feeling"... personally the opposite seems to be true but of course that's just my taste.

Also, since I have the tendency to over analyse most things in my life and therefore RUIN them :erk: ..... I think it's probably just as well that I don't have formal technical musical theory-esk knowlege and am just forced to either like certain music or not like it.

I thought the overall mix of GR was just too weak. To me, Blackwater Park has the perfect production, and i doubt they will ever achieve such a production ever again.
 
I happen to love crystal clear production. I don't understand how CCP = stale or "not real enough" or how a more muddy sound = "Feeling"... personally the opposite seems to be true but of course that's just my taste.
Ditto. Perhaps the quality of equipment used in recording of the earlier albums is the reason for the "muddy" production. I can't see why a band would want production to sound that way. I guess it does add a certain "feeling", but to me it just sounds inferior. Look at St. Anger for example...some of the songs are good, but the production sucks ass and to me that's a defect. JMHO
 
I happen to love crystal clear production. I don't understand how CCP = stale or "not real enough" or how a more muddy sound = "Feeling"... personally the opposite seems to be true but of course that's just my taste.

I happen to think you are entirely correct. I pay VERY close attention to the production of records. I like to differentiate between different productions and analyse them. I'm very fussy and not easily pleased.

GR's production slays their previous efforts. I'm very keen to hear more from Jens Borgen, actually. I think his job on 'The Great Cold Distance' is pretty much the best metal production I've ever heard. Anyone know if he has any projects lined up?
 
Haha he is the King of production. I agree with that, that's why In Absentia is one of my fave albums. In fact 2/3 of my fave albums are produced by him.

In Absentia= PT Magnum Opus? I have been a PT fan for a long time, and in my opinion i feel that In Absentia is PT's best. im not here to start a debate or anything, just thought i'd add this.
 
I think that Ghost Reveries gets a bad rep because it sounds less "metal" than previous albums !

On Blackwater Park and Deliverance, the rythms are just crushing.

I am sure this also has to do with the " we need to make room for the keyboards in the mix " which disminished the wall of guitar sound that you might expect from a band like Opeth.

In fact, the album has clearly a more classic prog feel to it.

And I found the drum sound bizarre but I just can't put a word to describe it, the kit doesn't sound oraganic and powerful enough to me.

That being said, I absolutely love the record but I wouldn't mind 4 more rhythm guitar tracks on the next one or a different mix or mastering ( I really don't know, maybe the sum of all this !) !!
 
GR's production slays their previous efforts. I'm very keen to hear more from Jens Borgen, actually. I think his job on 'The Great Cold Distance' is pretty much the best metal production I've ever heard. Anyone know if he has any projects lined up?

I disagree on the first point. My taste favours the warmer, slightly muddier production... not sure why but something as mechanic (wrong word probably) sounding as GR lacks a certain 'something'. To point two, I agree. I think Jens' production style really suits Katatonia and their music. He is no doubt a great producer but I think his success depends on the style of music he's producing as well.
 
Quite honestly i think GR is a bit overproduced. It took hearing baying of the hounds and tgc live to really get into them and even now id rather listen to bootleg versions of those songs than the album version.

But still this album is pure opeth, they claim to write music for themselfs and never bow down to what sells and how many fans they pissed off proves it. It just wouldnt be opeth if they just stuck to what they know.

I was pleasently suprised when i heard GR because i really was expecting deliverance pt 2 but what i got was something id never heard before, its fresh. Everyone claims opeth sold out with GR. I hardly see how releasing a metal album with major key singing and a couple of jazz songs on roadrunner records is selling out.

I like it :)
 
Someone mentioned that they thought GR was more "accessible". Well I'm relatively new to Opeth, but I was just listening to Blackwater Park, and thought it was just as "accessible" if not more.
 
I don't particularly care for GR as well. The first three songs are decent but the rest seem like filler. The hooks and melodies seem to be slipping. The melodic choruses like those we heard on MAYH and Still Life are there, but they seem forced, IMO. It's a good album, but I'll take any other Opeth album over GR.
 
Quote from Mikael - "A lot of people thought we sold out because we signed to RoadRunner, but those people are idiots"
I agree :)
 
Dont have time to read every post. just first and last page...

imo the production on GR is fuckin top notch except for one thing....

the drum kick...

great album... easily one of their best. and as a result one of the best albums ever... but that drum kick? wtf?

I know Mike said in the past he felt the drums on previous albums had too much 'verb or whatever. but still... the kick on GR is so fuckin flat sounding...

im not a drummer really so im not sure how that happened exactly. but if you listen to the big 3 opeth albums (MAYH,SL,BWP) the drums sound fucking HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE.. and here...the kick almost sounds fake or soemthing...

I think that the whole question of overproduction or poor production would never have come up if the drums were recorded a little different. The drum playing is phenomenal especially on the longer tracks. However, that kick sound is what gives the album a bit of that "artificial" vibe (for lack of a better explanation).