Hex Omega appreciation thread

[Jackehh]

You are definitely not alone, I agree.

In reguards to Hex Omega, it is as fragmented and incoherent as Mikael has ever written. Don't get me wrong, it does quite follow the "intro-verse 1-chorus-verse 2-chorus-interlude-outro" structure, but there are few transitions (and even fewer that work). It seems like a conglomerate of riffs put together. In addition, I don't feel it really GOES anywhere. What emotion am I supposed to feel? Anger? Sadness? Rage? Desolation? Not really feeling anything...

Oh, and the outro riff, IMO, is horrible--probably the worst way (IMO) that any Opeth album has ever closed. First of all, there is scarsely a transition into it...it just happens. Second, it's ugly, slow-moving, and quite frankly anti-climatic. Really doesn't fit the song at all. Not a fan.

Isolation Years...now THAT was a closer. Not that all Opeth albums have to end on a soft note, but something that really leaves you with a feeling of conclusion or sadness or loss. Hex Omega really doesn't do that for me. Oh, and the organ use was soooooooooooooooooooooooo overhyped! Wow, one-long, drawn-out chord...good job. I wanted to hear a super evil riff that was truly capable of destroying a church organ.

Meh.

I pity you that you dont enjoy Hex Omega, I love the outro, it reminds me of face of melinda (tapes verision in particular) and deliverance. Know that I do respect your dislike for it, especially since you motivated it. Personally I think the church organ usage was perfect, it wasn't some over-ambitious thing (big chance opeth would do that, heh. :SARCASM

Overall the church organ usage didnt play a big part, it just melted in perfectly, imo, and I think a lot of people that listen to hex omega really enjoys it even if they have no idea there is a church organ used in the outro.

Also you mention isolation years, which I wholeheartely agree with you being a perfect closer to ghost reveries. But you mention the sort of "conclusive" feeling it gives you, well, this is exactly what I felt about the hex omega outro since they play the same note through the outro and then in finishing with the church organ alone. I think it couldn't be more period that that.

 

[Violens]

To me it's the weakest song on WS (the only one, to tell the truth)..not a bad tune certainly, but I would have more liked Derelict herds in its place..maybe using it as bonus

 

[Lothlorien]

Hex is a great song and a solid end to watershed.

 

[Risquit]

Its actually the best crafted song on the album. The way the intro kind of sounds like inhaling and slowly exhaling. Like the song itself is breathing. Mike's vocals come in sounding...sweet, really, though he's telling of lives torn apart. And then Per's keys (he's the star of Opeth this time around). A sound definitely not of 2008, but then not quite of the prog past either. He's found tones that one struggles to find reference to (folk meets horror film soundtrack maybe?). Yet they are right. They are so right. Good job gentlemen!

 

[Lothlorien]

Its actually the best crafted song on the album. The way the intro kind of sounds like inhaling and slowly exhaling. Like the song itself is breathing. Mike's vocals come in sounding...sweet, really, though he's telling of lives torn apart. And then Per's keys (he's the star of Opeth this time around). A sound definitely not of 2008, but then not quite of the prog past either. He's found tones that one struggles to find reference to (folk meets horror film soundtrack maybe?). Yet they are right. They are so right. Good job gentlemen!

folk meets horror. i love it. i couldnt agree more!

 

[SeViMeTaL]

Hessian Peel is better.

+1

but i like hex omega too and it's too difficult to pick any song as the best on watershed

 

[duncang]

It's VERY infectious, but leaves you sort of unsatisfied and the whole time it feels like it's building up to something, yet it never comes. I mean the big riff at the end is obviously heavy but the rest of the song really didn't build up to it, it was just sort of put on the end.

 

[Freewalker]

I can't say I like it. The lyrics are far from memorable, there are few noticable guitar lines, and the ending organ thing makes me feel like I'm at a baseball game. Baseball is NOT metal.

There were some cool riffs but it didn't fit together or really take over your attention like an Opeth song usually does.

 

[bahadur]

Baseball? WTF? LOL! ГЫГЫ

 

[BwA Ethereal]

+1

but i like hex omega too and it's too difficult to pick any song as the best on watershed

I would have to pick Heir Apparent as the best. I do like Hex Omega however. I think it's an under rated song that people either really like or really hate. The first time I listened to it felt like a tease because I kept expecting Mikael's growls towards the end. The song just felt like it was going that way but it fooled me. Maybe that's why I like it?

 

[Godhead59]

While I disagree about it being the best song on Watershed (that title goes to Hessian Peel for me), I do agree that it's a marvelous song that's very unique and atmospheric, and also very groovy. I love it. It would also be a nice live song.