Least Favorite Album...and WHY?

[Ermz]

It's disappointing to see how many people said Orchid. In my opinion Orchid supersedes Morningrise in almost every way. They're both riff-patched albums, with a wandering structure, but the individual parts on Orchid are so much stronger than those on Morningrise. Morningrise is way more drawn-out than Orchid and you actually have some fairly boring parts on there (ie parts of Nectar and all of The Night and The Silent Water).

 

[Korlich]

Well my least fav. Opeth album is still "Deliverance" even though I kindda like BTPISIO now. The reasons hereto are mainly that the album is too monotone, and only consist of 5 songs. Furthermore the lyrics are nothing special and it lacks atmosphere. This still doesn´t mean it´s a bad record just not as good as other Opeth records!

 

[[KOTNO]Narrot]

does everyone else have experiences where their love for a band just dries up and their musical styles become bland and boring (for the listeners perception)?
>> more than once actually. and my it always died when i expected a new amazing album and it couldnt satisfy me.

btw: anyone else here learned much about guitar playing while watching the DVD, especially the damnation material? personally it opened for me the door to slightly distorted, crunchy guitarsoli

 

[Korlich]

BTW why are people bashing Orchid? for a 1 album it´s pretty damn good. Way better than Morningrise TBYF = uke:

 

[frycus]

Orchid by far. The quality of the songwriting is poor compared to the other albums. I'm not the biggest fan of Still Life either even though I really enjoy
The Moor and some of the jazzy elements.
Wow ! Deliverance is really underrated on this site. I find the album really solid although the outro to A Fair Judgement is quite annoying.

 

[Land Of Grey And Pink]

I think a big point here that a lot of you are missing is the bigger picture. A big defense in this thread and forum seems to be the thought that Opeth has gone stagnant because of damnation and deliverance. I dont feel this is true at all. I think deliverance and damnation were more simplistic and far more structured than the rest of the Opeth material...but for them, to create these albums was keeping them from BEING stagnant. does anyone see the difference?

Many progressive bands have had pop and structured leanings in their career, and then returned to their roots or old songwriting style. Its just part of the musician's creative process and frankly...necessary in order for anymore of the really good stuff to be written again. I wouldnt worry too much, for the issue at hand seems to be the drawn out riffs, and structuring...not that the riffs are necessarily bad themselves...as well as damnation being a one off album anyway. Im pretty sure nobody has anything to worry about...Mikael seems pretty inspired and excited about this new album.

Not to mention, those of you who are sweating the Steven Wilson presence...this next album is supposedly going to be extreme and crazy...not exactly Steven's primary interest or forte...so perhaps his input on this new album will be minimal.

 

[Demoke]

My least favourite Opeth album is Damnation. As this is apart from the other six, I will pick up another, and this is Blackwater Park. In my opinion, the first four albums are fantastic each of them in a different way, and, admiting Deliverance can be the most boring one for many, still I find myself listening to it more often than to Blackwater Park. Don't get me wrong, it can be my mood, but I just don't feel like listening to some songs from Blackwater Park at the moment.

 

[Demoke]

I agree with someone who said Deliverance was underrated. In fact, in order to get some more appreciation for this album I picked up the opening song "Wreath" and did some review-analysis on it, since I find this song particularly good. I love other songs on this CD, them being "Deliverance" and "A Fair Judgement." The thing is, as I was thinking so much about it, the idea came to my head that the band said explicitly much of "Deliverance" was just done in the studio on the spot, half improvised and under a lot of time pressure. I asked myself, "why the hell am I going into depth with something that hasn't been really thought of?"

The thing is, I'm surprised myself that the final result was so good for these constrains. On the other hand, I don't like the fact that the lyrics got more simple, that the riffs are kind of overused -probably to make songs just longer-, I just hate "By the Pain I See in Others," which is like a vegetable salad, I don't like the fact that Damnation is so short, and that even songs like "Ending Credits" and "Weakness" are there, and what I hate most is to see the band members saying something like "sorry, we didn't do our homework, this will never happen again, we'll be prepared and this will be the most obscure dark concept ever and it will be a super-thing." I don't know, guys, I'm afraid I get my expectations then too high and am finally a bit disappointed. I don't know, I hope Mike is inspired, takes his time and makes an awesome work...

 

[Knappen]

I completely agree with frycus! Deliverance and MAYH are my favourite albums. I don't like Orchid and Morningrise because of the production.
And it seems like Mikael has just come up with some good riffs and put them together into "songs". Even though I know that's the way he works. Definitely the songs should have been much shorter. But he still had lots of good ideas on those albums. Still life in my opinion somehow lacks the power of for instance Deliverance. Deliverance by the way is definitely my fav. song. I really enjoy the drumwork on Deliverance and Damnation.

 

[Nico]

Demoke - you're the man. Brilliant analysis.

Knappen - again, another fan of good production. Quite frankly, the production on Mornignrise and Orchid are great. Everything is clear and audible, and I assure you there's much worse out there. Besides, the production adds atmosphere to an album incredible full of ideas and creativity. Your loss I guess.

 

[ZeDzEdZeD]

damanation and bwp are least favourites, both have bad variety of songs, too simple and monotonous...comparing them to other Opeth albums. But definately they are not bad albums at all.
fav album is Deliverance

 

[frycus]

Seriously, I don't understand why everyone is being so hard on Deliverance. I'm sure the band didn't expect such a reaction.
Despite what many of you think, this album is far from being simple. And how is it predictable ?
You edit out the outro of A Fair Judgement and you certainly have an album without any dull moments.

 

[[KOTNO]Narrot]

i LOVE the outro riff to a fair judgement, it is so heavy and doomy!

 

[Rejvk]

Blackwater Park definately, I don't understand the people who slag Deliverance off so much, Moonlapse raised some valid and well constructed points though I do believe as he claimed, that they were exaggerrated.

I think that out of all the albums Blackwater Park is the monotonous one, some of those riffs seem like they go forever. Though there are a few fantastic songs, I have a soft spot for TDF.

I actaully highly enjoyed Deliverance, it was really very different to rest of their catalogue, and it grows on you like hell. Master's apprentice is Genius though it took me quite a few good listens to realise it. By the pain I see, is really cool aswell, I totally love the circus music, that's the kind of weird shit that makes me love Opeth.

I'm going to state my Favourite album as Morningrise with Still life and My arms joint second, depending on what mood I'm on. In case anyone thinks that I'm just "one of those people who love Deliverance because it's the first album I heard" as so many people on this board seem to judge people to.

I do very slightly believe that Opeth have become stagnant over their last few records, though you can easily see why. Time Restraints + Not rehearsing.
Orchid + Morningrise where great albums because they were written during a period where they rehearsed everyday. Still Life was excellent beacuse Mikael had already prior written all the material before he went into the studio. Recently they've only been going into the studio with hardly anything written and doing it on the spot. It's no wonder why it doesn't match their early work. Despite the fact they are all amazing.

 

[Korlich]

I don´t understand why everyone slag off BWP all of the sudden, sure it doesn´t compare to SL or Orchid, but it´s still not a bad album.

 

[mot-]

In fact im not able to say which Opeth album is my fav. and which is my least fav. because it kinda depends on my mood which changes quite... often.

 

[T-Rat]

good lord... i love them all, but probably damnation least since it isn't really the same genre as the others... and that's all taste. at the moment, i am way into the early stuff... love orchid, morningrise, and have been listeneing to them all the time. addicted, you could say.

 

[frycus]

Blackwater Park the worst ?
Orchid the best ?

 

[opethlord]

The worst... as tough as it is, I'd say BWP... it changes from time to time... sometimes it's Orchid, sometimes Deliverance... but they all rule to me... And I agree... Deliverance is a grower... took me quite a few listens to absorb everything from that album... But in fact I listen to it more now than even Still Life, which is my personal fave!