Alteredmindeath
Wasteland Survivor
Remeber too, Mikael did not start Opeth he took it over from some other guy and kept it rolling.
If he doesn't want to do growls anymore than he needs to fucking end Opeth and call his band something else. Opeth has been doing metal since the first record and if he does not want that anymore he should end Opeth and call it something like Camel 2.
First of all, Mike doesn't owe anyone anything. You supported his music, and you got the albums you presumably enjoy for your money. That's as far as that exchange goes, it doesn't make him your creative slave. As far as him not starting Opeth...sure, however he was the main drive of the band in its entirety, certainly involving any recorded material. He has every right to release what he wishes under the Opeth moniker.
He certainly didn't sell out. Heritage was amongst the most risky albums that could of been released for them especially under Roadrunner. If you don't like the record, that is of course fine, but I find it disheartening that so many have such strong feelings about it and later state that they have maybe listened to it a few times maximum. When was the last time you were able to get the full feel of an Opeth record on so few listens? Camel 2? Please. There is influence from so many different prog rock bands in there, influence is something every creative release draws on, don't whine just because it comes from places you don't tread frequently enough to fully grab.
This is especially funny coming from a guy who is polishing Borknagars knob for their release of Urd which is an extremely SAFE album for a group of 'advancing musicians' to release.
Subjectively if people don't like the album, this is fine. However if you're using it to fuel some sort of objective argument, you're missing points or suffering from some delusional sense of entitlement.
thats not it though, its not about opeth selling out, its not about them playing it safe, its that they put out a boring ass album . its less of an album than any of the others were.
im not saying give me still life or give me death, but putting out a simpler album is hardly progressive. and im looking at it objectively, if 70s prog + early swedish death metal = awesome and original, then taking one of those pieces of the "formula" away can only equal something less. damnation was something different, it wasnt opeth without metal, it was splitting their emotions into damnation and deliverance, opposing ideas and contrasting albums.
that being said, i am glad for once we are talking about music, even if it is all opinions. the most important thing for me that was wrong with heritage, was i listened to it, and didnt feel a fucking thing
He has ripped off Camel riffs, especially off the first 3 records. To me Heritage is not very Opethish that's probably why I don't like it much. I don't hear many different prog influences in there, I hear some Camel, Yes and some King Crimson and that's about it. I have 70's prog records, plenty of them. As for Borknagar I merely posted a thread and some reviews I never stated my personal opinion about the record anywhere on that forum.
Exactly Isolation. It's like an alternative music album to me. It does nothing for me at all. The songs are short, the ideas are mediocre at best. It just feels lazy, repetitive, and embarrassing to a certain Opeth fanbase.
It's ok to go off and do a album you want to do that's different, but to say you were just going through the motions the whole time to make fans happy makes me believe the guy is a fake poser. He rips off old Prog bands like Camel riffs, and even going as far as ripping off old song title names. He doesn't even practice the guitar so the guy is not evolving as a musician. He keeps putting out material that is consistently on the same level with no advance. Now what does he want to do? Fuck all his fans that gave his band money in the first place, and to turn his back on that crowd and say fuck you im not with you guys anymore. I might play an old death metal song for you, but otherwise I'd just throw these songs away because Im not a growler anymore. As if those old songs are just disposable memories of a time past.
I don't mind the fact he's moving the band in a different direction, and if this is to be the new Opeth...fine. He gave me nine prog-death albums to fawn over.
Neither do I mind that people don't like Heritage, I don't need other people to validate my appreciation for it. What I can't stand is the incessant whining about it. Comments about how the album is "embarrassing to the fanbase" are just ludicrous and the implication of this is that 1) He owes you a certain standard of work (He doesn't. Simply stated, it's his band. Your interaction is limited to monetary exchange, it doesn't extend to creative control) and 2) That the entire fanbase is embarrassed. Also false, there are plenty of fans who enjoyed Heritage. Again, I DO NOT CARE if you don't like it, that's your prerogative as a listener. I only ask that you keep criticisms within the realm of rational thought