Have to give a talk about Opeth

[Kn1bbl]

Ok, the first thing: i am german and my english suxx, so please excuse my english

So, and friend of mine and me (we both love Opeth) have to give a talk about a band in the music lesson next wednesday.

Our last topic in music education was impressionism (f.e. trying to express nature (storm, rain) with music. So I fought it would be great do link Opeth with impressionism. And i've read pretty often that opeth is so calles 'Forest Metal', what would really fit to impressionism.
But can anybody here explain, why they do forest metal? (please no discussion whether it really is forest metal, i dont really think so, but my teacher doesnt know anything about metal and i just want to link opeth with impressionism).
And if u know why, please try to explain it a bit more sophisticated (not just: ' if i here them, i think i am in a forest'). Would be great with some reasons (because they use that beat or that or that ...).


And then i want to show the different sides of Opeth. The mellow one (will play a damnation song from the dvd with a beamer) and the heavy one, which is very hard to explain to that course (a lot hear hip hop, black music (not metal ) and techno).


Ok, i am thankful for everything you'll say ... i just need something to start with! thx!

 

[Ermz]

Well for example at the start of the album My Arms, Your Hearse you have Prologue and in that opener you have consistent rain and a very dreary piano sound... if that doesn't evoke images of a forest to you, it would at least evoke some of a grey dreary day with the rain pouring outside. With the first two albums I think the reason it was called Forest metal is because alot of the lyrical themes had to do with nature, or events coming about in nature. It's hard to explain how the music itself connects to that, but in a sense since the music fits so well with the lyrical themes, one can't help but picture the scene portrayed by the imagery, and of course the band photo shoots always in nature and forest in particular helps that alot.

There is just something very 'raw' about the production elements in the first two albums, and I think that more natural and unadulterated sound really contributes to this impressionism of which you speak. They used pretty much minor scales and harmony for a good deal of the first two albums, but the thing that makes it sound the most 'foresty' is probably the sudden and unexpected acoustic interludes. Just the way the music progressed and you were brought to these almost medieval/folkish acoustic ditties, you could picture some guy in tights frollicking around the forest singing about his 'beloved lord, sighing deep under the water falls'.

I don't think there is much music theory-wise to connect Opeth to a forest theme... I mean hell I dont even know how you can draw a distinction like that. It's just the sum of all the parts that gives you the imagery that Opeth's music as a whole conveys.

 

[Nuk3m]

"you could picture some guy in tights frollicking around the forest singing about his 'beloved lord, sighing deep under the water falls'." < HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHA i do see ur point tho the folk does add a bit to the atmosphere

 

[Kn1bbl]

AAhh ... Moonlapse thank u very very much. That helped me very much! Great ...

And if u other guys still could add something, please do it

 

[Ermz]

Any time man, hope that helps with the presentation.

 

[Nico]

What Moonlapse said. Sometimes you just say it TOO well...

 

[mot-]

Id especially point out Opeth's metaphors of nature. I did some stuff about that some time ago, if you have interest, contact me over icq (107213282). Communication wont be a problem as im german myself

 

[Reign in Acai]

Why is everyone making opeth in to a classroom project? I've seen a half a dozen of these posts in the past month.

 

[Kn1bbl]

I think we do it, because our music teacher studies music, is able to play a lot instruments, but still thinks that those metal bands (especially black metal) are really able to play their instruments. She thinks it just noise and growling, but i think there is much more. And maybe these techno guys will accept that music a bit more as well.

 

[Kn1bbl]

Update

I just want to add, that i dont want to make a kind of advertisment of opeth. i dont want to make all these guys hearing opeth as many did before with linkin park and co. and that "get evil". I dont really care, whether somebody likes opeth or not, they just should understand, why people like me love that music and accept it (ok, to be honest, i dont accept them hearing techno ).

 

[opethpainter]

rain at the beginning of prologue? it's the sound of streamy water, not rain...

 

[unknown]

I'd say Ulver's album "Kveldssanger" is "forest metal"

but anyhow...also Agalloch's cds

but basically what Moonlapse said

*said nothing important*

 

[Kn1bbl]

Opethpainter, i dont think its streaming water though. Sound like rain to me...

 

[[KOTNO]Narrot]

Kn1bbl wo kommst du her?

 

[Demon of the Fall]

I think, that it could be the cover art of the albums... Cover art really adds something to the music, in my opinion. And Opeth has amazing cover art. I think that's why it could make me thing about forests.

 

[Kn1bbl]

Narrot, ich wohn ca. 10km nördlich von Berlin.