Love it or Hate it, go stream Opeth's new album for free

[Craysh3]

http://www.npr.org/2011/09/11/140288664/first-listen-opeth-heritage#playlist

It's got a lot of Ghost Reveries and Watergay in it except without any growling or really outstanding climax. Mikael's vocal melodies save this one for me, because it tends to sound overachieving at times with its proggy elements. They tried to try something new, but at the end of the day its got Opeth written all over it. My personal favorites are the instrumental conclusion 'Marrow of the Earth' and any of the acoustic passages really, because that's where I always thought that Mikael and Fred really shine through with their romantic minimalism.

 

[Archelaos]

Hm...this will take some time. I think this album will be the part of Mikael that I don't like as much. It seems he's been focusing that way. His heavier stuff as well as the lighter stuff is more focused on the part of his style I don't really like. Meh. Respect, either way.

 

[Frosties]

But... why would I stream it if I hate it?

 

[theoden236]

listening right now. fuck the haters, i think this record's fuckin' great so far

 

[buzz21]

I like it for being "different" and I give them props for doing what they feel inspired to do instead of just rehashing the same thing over and over again. That being said, I feel that we have heard the last of the classic heavy Opeth with death growls and riffing and that does sadden me a bit. This cd will probably split the fanbase, and it will take some time to get used to it.

 

[Talking Backwards]

One-dimensional music just doesn't hold my attention for very long. This is the kind of album that I wouldn't argue against listening to if someone wanted to have it playing, but it's not something I would intentionally want to play. Soon you'll be hearing new Opeth playing in elevators.

 

[Altitudes]

I had great expectations for this album, but I cannot honestly convince myself this is even close to Opeth's greatest effort...

 

[Craysh3]

As gay as this sounds, this is one of those times where I wish there was a like button on these forums so that I could stick on Altitudes' reply. Spot on, sir!

 

[rebirth]

porocine tree ripoff.....

inthe verses and bridges of song structure

plain as day into night

 

[orbsonb]

I wanted to like this but I think it's very bland and undercooked. The 70's prog throwback thing sounded like a good idea to me but it seems like Akerfeldt just retreaded things he's already done and subtracted death metal while not adding anything new.

Damnation was good because it had so much depth, even without the metal elements of Opeth, but this just seems like it is missing pieces. The weird production doesn't help either - I get that they were going for an oldschool vibe, but it sounds thin and powerless with muted dynamics, none of which I ever thought I'd say about an Opeth album.

I do like some of the songs (Slither, The Devil's Orchard, Folklore) and Akerfeldt's "rock" voice is actually pretty impressive (he's become a much better singer over the band's career), but this is the first Opeth album in a long time I can seriously say I've been disappointed with. I loved Ghost Reveries and really liked Watershed, but this gets a big "meh" from me.

Maybe this is an album that should have been made when Lopez and Lindgren were still in the band. I liked Axe and Akesson on Watershed because it was a very metal-oriented album that allowed them to show off their strong suits, but they sound totally out of their element here, especially Axe. Lopez was a much groovier drummer and would have worked much better in this context, and I get the feeling that Lindgren's creative input would have improved the album as well.

 

[Brooks]

I still haven't heard it, as I have this dumb little tradition where I 'wait' for Opeth records (oh luddite me), but I let my more garage-rock / psych oriented co-worker have a listen to The Devil's Orchard when it leaked a few weeks ago.
Here was his response.

(1:20:59 PM) Jeff: nerdy
(1:20:59 PM) Jeff: it's missing that what makes music like this cool
(1:21:06 PM) Jeff: they don't get it
(1:21:08 PM) Jeff: fuck them

 

[CrackedKnäckebröd]

porocine tree ripoff.....

inthe verses and bridges of song structure

plain as day into night

I... understand what rebirth means...! And I agree... wow.

 

[Det Som Engang Var]

This should have been a Mikael solo album. It's like...instead of being progressive he opened up the book of 70s prog and plagiarized it.

There are some great moments but they're hidden among nonsense.

 

[Dreadful]

On the contrary I think Axe sounds great on this album. He shows what I loved about Lopez. you know...the "jazz drumming" feel. It's pretty prevalent...I love to listen to it. Plus, at the end of one song there's this loud, overbearing (in a good way) stoner heaviness that all the hipsters will just melt their dicks too when they hear it.

 

[Craysh3]

On the contrary I think Axe sounds great on this album. He shows what I loved about Lopez. you know...the "jazz drumming" feel. It's pretty prevalent...I love to listen to it. Plus, at the end of one song there's this loud, overbearing (in a good way) stoner heaviness that all the hipsters will just melt their dicks too when they hear it.

Famine, I presume? Cool track.

 

[Liverslapper]

Awesome. 1st track (heritage) was a rip off from this.

 

[Werckmeister Harmonies]

Why listen to Opeth when you can listen to Primordial and/or Anathema?
Anyway, my curiosity will probably get the best of me and I´ll download the album to hear how it compares to their other stuff, but my expectations are even lower for it than a certain infamous album released this year which has a title in latin and is made by one of the most beloved death metal bands of all times

 

[Dead Winter]

I dig it. Opeth hasn't been a metal band since 1999 so I really don't care that it's not heavy.

Why the fuck would you even compare it to bands like Genesis, PFM, Pink Floyd, Goblin, or Rush in the first place when you know it can't touch them?

 

[stefan86]

The lack of heaviness isn't the problem. It's the extreme sucking that's a problem

 

[Dead Winter]

The movie's overrated but not the soundtrack!