I think Opeth has steadily declined since Still Life.

[oddentity]

I understand what the original poster is saying. However, it's not so much that Opeth have gone downhill since Still Life, but that they are victims of creating a genuine masterpiece in Still Life. The albums before and after Still Life are exceptional albums, and I love them all. But there is a unique magic in Still Life that eclipses all the others. For me, it is one of the best rock albums ever made, for the reasons the original poster touched upon - the atmosphere, the organic flow, the exceptional riffs, the story-telling, the lack of self-consciousness.

In many ways, the subsequent albums are self-conscious attempts to recreate the mastery and magic of Still Life, and while this drive has produced a lot of fantastic music which any band would be proud of, it still doesn't quite match the level that Still Life reached - in my humble opinion, of course. But really, rather than criticize Opeth for this, we should just be thankful that they have managed to create such a wonderful work of art that is Still Life, and be content to enjoy everything else they have to offer.

 

[Nibster18]

^ Good post.

 

[Mikael Åkerfeldt]

While I am very proud of Still life (and the other records) saying the any record we've done since has been an attempt to re-create the feeling of that record is completely wrong. Again, I think you should take your own personal relation with the record into consideration. It's never "fact" when it comes to music or any other art I believe, just personal taste.

With that said, Still life is a nice record, just not as good as Watershed (hihi!).

Oh, and someone talked about the complexity of our music, and the notion of us not delivering complex anough material these days. To be honest, I'd dismiss ideas such as good music equals complex music in a heartbeat, but I know it's quite important to some listeners, I know it used to be to me.

I'd say a single note is harder to play "right" than any widdly shit. A single 4X4 is hard to play "right". I think my personal hardest quest with the new record was to make the lonely solo in "Porcelain heart" sound as desolate as it needed to sound. I'm quite happy with the result, but is it considered a "complex" part to you? My guess is you'd say "no".

OK dudes...cheers!
Mike

 

[wandering_taco]

Nice to see you posting Mikael, I loved Watershed, you havent declined in the slightest. Go vote in the no growling poll and shut the fucker up who started it plz.

 

[Tyminator]

Nice to see him post occasionally.

 

[isolation_years]

i always enjoy his posts, fuck i laughed out loud (at work) when he said widdly shit

 

[SerenityNow!]

My experiences with each album are completely different for each. For me, there are points in every album that absolutely blow me away, dropped jaw and all!!

To the OP, I'm sorry but, I 100% disagree with you about how Opeth has "declined" over the years. Change of style/progression, yes, but decline? I don't think so. Plus, Dude, I must say that your initial post was just too damn long...and almost seems to contradict itself.

With Opeth, you gotta take it as it comes, and the appreciation sometimes takes longer to set in for some than others. To me, that's part of the beauty of their music. The time and patience it may sometimes take before it all just CLICKS and comes together!

 

[Xarthaz]

In a technical sense Opeth have definitely not declined, the problem with their newer stuff is that it just doesnt "tick" the subjective way people perceive music. Its about the harmonic progressions, how one riff changes into the next, how they are seperated by subtle acoustic parts. When done right(pun intended), it immerses the listener to the music, but its very tricky to do and on the last couple of albums it has seemed forced, doesnt flow as well and doesnt trigger quite the emotional response in the listener.

 

[Wander]

^It hasn't seemed forced at all for me.

I don't know if it tells anything about which album I prefer, but I have been listening to Watershed more than any other Opeth albums since it's release. It's difficult for me to compare albums as my opinion changes all the time, but I think WS has some of the strongest Opeth songs yet, but Still Life may be more coherent as a whole.

 

[Eternalnow]

meh

Artists change, music changes, emotions/likes/dislikes change constantly. I don't know one person who is exactly the same as they were two years ago. What you call a decline in skill/musicianship is just a differing of opinion. I'm sure to the folks in Opeth like what they are doing and never look back on the older material wishing that they still played like that.

Art is all about evolution and change.

 

[mexicola]

I haven't even heard the album!

 

[MetalManCPA]

It's all a matter of personal preference. I love Opeth - period. My three favorite songs by them are the Drapery Falls, Ghost of Perdition, and Heir Apparent. My favorite album is Blackwater Park.

So, in answer to the original poster I don't agree that Opeth has declined since Still Life (obviously since BWP is my favorite album). But my tastes differ from the next person, thus it's almost impossible that I would agree in the particulars of a favorite song/album/song passage, etc.

 

[Dammnare]

I agree with you.That feeling of "flowing well " is also very strong in MAYH.This might be because these two are concept albums but we were talking about the music style so no.....

To be honest,even though I like Watershed I think all the other albums ( ghost reveries included) are better than it.There is a big leap of sound change from Deliverance to Ghost Reveries, especially after keyboard was added.And from Ghost Reveries to Watershed I think I am a little disappointed.For me too much mellow parts,I mean making one bad ass heavy song is just not enough in my opinion.The use of growling is so sooo less....the entire heir apparent and here and there in the songs lotus eater and hessian peel....If I am not wrong theres some in hex omega but I am wrong I think....Now you can say that Still Life is much more mellow-ish then Watershed which I kinda agree but meh I think it is hard to explain this.....The album that drags you in with the melodies,riffs and clever use of growling....My favourite album is MAYH and will always be so....this is because of the imba balance between brutality and mellow parts.

What I am trying to say is that I think Opeth shouldn't go too much mellow stuff...one or two songs in an album as mellow is okay and songs also have mellow parts...but songs like porcelain heart,coil and hex omega is not really interesting for me.( I dont mean these are bad songs I think noone can say that ).Again I am not trying to bash Opeth but it is just like this..

EDIT: I will try to sum up..it doesnt seem like what I actually trying to say in this shape.

I think the reason why it is hard to get used to Watershed ( and Ghost Reveries ) is that the progressive sound-change has been too fast in my opinion...people were used to pre-GR stuff and GR has surprised them and it took time to understand how it was.

And if anyone wants to flame this post gl with your fanboism.We are talking about a band here and everyone is subject to criticism , if the criticism is not " flaming ".Opeth is made up of human beings not gods or something like that..yet they have a imba music skill which I appreciate.

 

[Jackehh]

^reading above post gave me an headache and also a strong urge to try whatever drugs that poster is possibly utilizing

ON topic:

I'd really like to see opeth write another concept album, MAYH is one of my favorites but I have to agree that still life is truly a magical record as well. But have they declined since? No, No NO!

 

[philno]

Art is all about evolution and change.

lol. what bodily orifice did you pull this gem from?

 

[Phlash]

Still life is a nice record, just not as good as Watershed (hihi!)

Watershed > Still Life

It's nice that we were able to settle that argument so easily.

 

[Twelveby5]

The 3rd last Opeth album is going to be their career defining album, methinks, and then Abbath (the Chief of Staff) stabs Mike (the Leader of the Free World) in the back in the year of our Lord 2037.

 

[philno]

Still Life >>>>>>>>> Watershed. by so fucking much.

 

[in_my_time_of_disease]

^There isn't enough > to emphasis that enough without crashing the servers.

 

[SerenityNow!]

The 3rd last Opeth album is going to be their career defining album, methinks, and then Abbath (the Chief of Staff) stabs Mike (the Leader of the Free World) in the back in the year of our Lord 2037.

So will Abbath be singing on the 2nd and 1st last albums?