MAYH's lyrics/concept vs. Still Life lyrics/concept

[in limbow]

Which album do you think has better lyrics/overall concept?
I love MAYH, but Still Life's concept is clearer and just a better idea, MAYH's one is good but a little... eh... though i do love it dont get me wrong.

 

[apostle]

I like the music on still life better, but mayh has a better concept.

 

[A_Thoms]

I read somewhere that the concepts are related. Actually, it labled off albums that are supposed to be related.

According to what I read, it went Morningrise - Still Life - Orchid - MAYH.

No word on if it's true or not, but if you read the lyrics to all albums in succession, it's easy to see how that assumption could be made.

 

[in limbow]

I read somewhere that the concepts are related. Actually, it labled off albums that are supposed to be related.

According to what I read, it went Morningrise - Still Life - Orchid - MAYH.

No word on if it's true or not, but if you read the lyrics to all albums in succession, it's easy to see how that assumption could be made.

Where did you read this? Any links you can give me? I'm interested.

 

[A_Thoms]

http://www.progarchives.com/Progressive_rock_discography_CD.asp?cd_id=5797

It is done by a reviewer, which makes it purely word of mouth at this time. If you cant find it on the page...

The concept of Still Life is apparently a prequel to Orchid, in which a person, cast out by his society, wanders out into the forest, and there, for unknown reasons, the life slowly ebbs out of him until he dies. On Still Life, we get to see the events leading up to his final wanderings. Banished already by a mostly hateful society over what seems to be a difference in beliefs (he knows that they are behaving immorally), he returns for one reason only: his beloved Melinda, the one virtuous woman left in the place. When he finds her, however, he discovers one of the men of that corrupt society having his way with her. Still, he continues to love her and remains determined to get her out of that place. However, they are both captured and sentenced to death--we see Melinda's execution by hanging. His turn would have been next, but for (I am told by a friend) the mercy of a young man we see in life on Morningrise and also as the spirit on MAYH. From there, the outcast goes alone on his final voyage.

 

[in limbow]

Woah. That's crazy.... wow. I wonder what album comes after Orchid in the sequence of events... Blackwater Park?

 

[in limbow]

Wait, so the man on Morningrise and MAYH is a completely different person than the guy on Still Life and Orchid?

 

[king_chicken]

i never even made any link to it

 

[:Wreath:]

I think that reviewer should stop smoking the shit he smokes

 

[Kirkfjell]

I definately like My Arms, Your Hearse's concept better... probably because I adore anything ghost, occult or afterlife related...

 

[Reclusive Strike]

I think you guys are reading into the first four album connection a little too much. Then again, I could be wrong.

Edit: It is a cool suggestion though.

 

[opeth_353]

I think you guys are reading into the first four album connection a little too much. Then again, I could be wrong.

Edit: It is a cool suggestion though.

It is indeed, but i agree you're all reading into it way too much. The only concepts are Still Life and MAYH (GR is only partially a concept).

Still Life is meant to a reinterpretation of Homer's "The Illiad" or something. It's not linked to any of the other albums. Neither is MAYH, which is a more complex ghost story.

 

[prowlergrig]

lol n00bs

first, the search function is on. use it. this very poll has been posted some months ago.

...SL, MAYH, and partly GR, are the only concept albums, and none of the opeth albums are interconnected.

edit:
there , i did it for you: http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=199587&highlight=still&mayh&concept

 

[<wAr_neRVe>]

Back to the topic. I feel that MAYH has more pain and desperation in it's concept than SL's concept. For me, it brings about much better imagery and empathy. Plus the whole ghost thing is fuckin' cool.

 

[opeth_353]

MAYH's lyrics are easily Mikael's best lyrics. They're very descriptive and poetic, giving me vivid pictures of what he's writing about. I can imagine what's happening much more than on any of the other albums. Still Life's lyrics seem more conventional. I like that neither of the concepts are particularly happy either.

 

[Autumnal]

Still Life is meant to a reinterpretation of Homer's "The Illiad" or something.

Well if it was based on Homer it would be based on "The Odyssey" not the Iliad.

In any event, I see the similarity but I also feel a lot of difference between the two stories, specifically in their protagonists, and also the fact that the suitors would not have hurt Penelope to 'get at' Odyessues. Very different situations.

And that one reviewer is on some crazy shit. I always felt it was clear that the protagonist of Still Life (I'll call him Jack) is the one that slaughters everybody as an act of retribution against the killers of Melinda (I am Jack's Serenity Painted Death). This reviewer is suggesting that Jack was up their waiting to die (I am Jack's White Clusters shriveling up), except the fucker from Morningrise was nice and spared his life?! (I am Jack's complete lack of comprehension )

That is some crazy coked up shit. There is a godhead lamenting somewhere.

Anyway, I like Still Life's concept better. I think it is more fully realized and interacts/influences the music more. I do like the idea of MAYH though.

BTW, I hope at least one person gets the reference.

 

[Jude]

[I]The concept of Still Life is a... and ignore most of the lyrics on the albums.

 

[Reclusive Strike]

What the hell? This guy doesn't understand the concept of Still Life at all, much less have any grounds for connecting it to the other album. For one thing, the protagonist of Still Life obviously dies at the end ('plunging into anywhere but here').
The beliefs in Still Life are meant to be religious ones; it takes place in a medieval European village and the main character is a heretic/blasphemer/devil worshipper. He views the Christians of the village as evil and vice versa.
Melinda isn't being taken advantage of; she's married to someone else (she'd sworn her vows to another')
Melinda was killed BEFORE the protagonist was. Melinda is caught committing adultery > she is killed > protagonist kills a lot of villagers > protagonist is captured and hanged.
And Melinda was obviously not hanged but had her throat cut ('red line round her neck.')

So yeah, I guess you could say the albums are related, if you make connections where t here obviously are none and ignore most of the lyrics on the albums.

Your case is perfect except for the fact you overlooked that music is art and art can be interpreted in many different ways.

 

[Heresiarch]

Also, Melinda wasn't married to anybody else. She'd become a nun. Hence sworn her vows to another (God). Hence "harlot of God upon the earth".

 

[Tash]

MAYH for me.