Lopez' Greatest Moments

[The Seeker]

It's awesome to hear how Lopez has/had progressed over the years, from MAYH to Ghost Reveries. I had always thought that he was a good, expressive drummer that did a fine job for Opeth, but I was never really blown away by anything he did. That was until Ghost Reveries.

I think Lopez really showcased a refined and super expressive approach on Ghost Reveries. One my favorite Lopez moments of all time isn't an awesome double-bass flurry or one of his interesting fills, it's his very specific utilization of ghost notes in Baying of the Hounds, at 3:43. The decision to drop the ghost notes in at that very moment, without any preceding or proceeding is absolute genius in my opinion. The beat eventually changes to included the ghost notes throughout the entire beat, but the way they are initially dropped in and executed in that particular section just makes my day.

Another great moment in this song is the beat he utilizes at 7:20 > The interplay between the snare, hi-hat and ride cymbal is quite clever. As a drummer, this type of linear (jazz influenced) polyrhythmic beat is more interesting than your latest, run-of-the mill, hyper-speed blastbeat that every other metal band on the planet is doing right now.

Anyway, I didn't intend to get up on a soap box or anything. What are your favorite Lopez moments???

 

[MixGrafix]

It's awesome to hear how Lopez has/had progressed over the years, from MAYH to Ghost Reveries. I had always thought that he was a good, expressive drummer that did a fine job for Opeth, but I was never really blown away by anything he did. That was until Ghost Reveries.

I think Lopez really showcased a refined and super expressive approach on Ghost Reveries. One my favorite Lopez moments of all time isn't an awesome double-bass flurry or one of his interesting fills, it's his very specific utilization of ghost notes in Baying of the Hounds, at 3:43. The decision to drop the ghost notes in at that very moment, without any preceding or proceeding is absolute genius in my opinion. The beat eventually changes to included the ghost notes throughout the entire beat, but the way they are initially dropped in and executed in that particular section just makes my day.

Another great moment in this song is the beat he utilizes at 7:20 > The interplay between the snare, hi-hat and ride cymbal is quite clever. As a drummer, this type of linear (jazz influenced) polyrhythmic beat is more interesting than your latest, run-of-the mill, hyper-speed blastbeat that every other metal band on the planet is doing right now.

Anyway, I didn't intend to get up on a soap box or anything. What are your favorite Lopez moments???

Definately IMO an Akira Jimbo Wasabe technique. Akira is one of Lopez great influences... as well as mine.

Mix

 

[Carl Hungus]

I don't know jack #hit about drumming, and I know it's been discussed to death but I love the end of Deliverance. I don't care if it's hard or easy to play; to me it's mesmerizing. In fact I just finished listening to the song before checking the forum and I was in heaven.

I'll have to check out the parts you describe from Baying of the Hounds, it's not one of my favorite songs of theirs but I've learned from experience that I can change opinion of any given Opeth song at any time.

BTW, the lyrics on Deliverance are so creepy/dark. I have my music all on computer and it's all hooked up to my main system and my big screen tv, so with Winamp I can use minilyrics and watch/read the lyrics right along with the songs - it's pretty cool.

 

[Blind Guardian]

i think his drumming on blackwater park is pretty straight down monotone and boring. But his last three efforts D/D and GR are a fantastic showcase of a drummer that really knows how to accent the music.

 

[Blind Guardian]

I think Lopez really showcased a refined and super expressive approach on Ghost Reveries. One my favorite Lopez moments of all time isn't an awesome double-bass flurry or one of his interesting fills, it's his very specific utilization of ghost notes in Baying of the Hounds, at 3:43. The decision to drop the ghost notes in at that very moment, without any preceding or proceeding is absolute genius in my opinion. The beat eventually changes to included the ghost notes throughout the entire beat, but the way they are initially dropped in and executed in that particular section just makes my day.

i´m a drummer so i would probably know what you meant if you were speaking swedish,can you explain what you mean with ghost notes?

 

[Sheckles14]

Basically they are just quiet notes. Not meant to draw attention, but accent the music.

 

[Blind Guardian]

ok so he´s refering to the floortom thingy then? that´s pretty cool

 

[The Poona of Peshwa]

My favourite Lopez moment is when he sticks the bananas in his belt on the GR doc.

 

[The Seeker]

ok so he´s refering to the floortom thingy then? that´s pretty cool

If you listen to the section I mentioned in the original post, you'll hear that there are quiet, left-hand snare strokes placed in-between the normal (volume wise) snare hits. Those are ghost notes.

 

[Weakness]

I love it when Lopez used Hamster Style.

 

[Carta's]

I'm not a drummer, and I don't know what's hard and easy to play on drums, but the first riff of Ghost of Perdition and the ending of Reverie/Harlequin Forest are my favourite moments. And, of course, Deliverance outro.

 

[tchocky]

The bit right at the beginning of Raiders Of The Lost Ark when all the natives are chasing Indy, you can see Lopez for a brief second, he's playing one of the natives. He's the one that's screaming. In my opinion everything he's done concerning Opeth pales in comparison when he did in Raiders. Such raw emotion.

 

[Eugenics]

The clip in the GR dvd where he nails the GoP intro blew me away. I pick that.

 

[FRUGiHOYi]

He is awesome on Harlequin Forest.

 

[Towedwart]

Harlequin Forest definitely has some awesome sounding drumming.

 

[biggsy]

closure imporv ftw

 

[Don Corleone]

the oriental rhythm he did at the beginning of "bleak" is very simple, but plain awesome.

 

[L0bster]

I'd say Damnation and Delivarance actually!

 

[ViCyniC]

That awesome full rolling fill ending with the double bass in Ghost of Perdition...that was cool.

 

[KjeXXXer]

The entire GR album is just exquisite. At least drumwise, if nothing else.