My Opeth story and how I became a fan.

[Ermz]

It's easy to see why Mike laid off the cleaner vocals on orchid - he was a tad shabby with them. If you note near the end of 'The Apostle in Triumph' he tends to mainly hold long easy notes, with no real vocal vibratos or anything, almost like a slight fluctuation in pitch would destroy that whole resonance and make you cringe.

Over time though it's become quite clear that Mike has improved alot and Damnation is probably the testament to that.

 

[Nico]

am i mistaken? anyway, i mean, what use is a song for anyone if they can't understand the lyrics? but for Opeth, i am willing to ignore this fact.

I don't think you can defend 'understanding lyrics' when you're obviously a Metallica fan, a band who've written some of the stupidest lyrics in metal.

And my point was that, Death metal = growls... its a necessary part of the music. It's not a modern invention in the death metal genre.

 

[koolboee cdmo87]

It's easy to see why Mike laid off the cleaner vocals on orchid - he was a tad shabby with them. If you note near the end of 'The Apostle in Triumph' he tends to mainly hold long easy notes, with no real vocal vibratos or anything, almost like a slight fluctuation in pitch would destroy that whole resonance and make you cringe.

I agree with you. I think his English may not have been the best either... the way he goes "as the rain keeps on fahhhhhyoooooh"

"To Bid You Farewell" was a good effort though, even if I think the effects put on his voice are kinda strange. "Credence" has really nice vocals though, because he has real emotion in his voice. Since then, he's done a great job. Personally, I think his aching vocals in "Hope Leaves" is partly why that song is so fucking heartbreaking.

 

[Man In Black]

am i mistaken? anyway, i mean, what use is a song for anyone if they can't understand the lyrics? but for Opeth, i am willing to ignore this fact.

For me, I don't listen to music for the lyrics, mostly I listen to it for the MUSIC. It's not really about understanding the vocals, but about how they flow with and fit into the rest of the instruments. Although, I can't listen to bands with crappy vocals.

 

[Longinus]

I think you've got your albums mixed up there, dude; Mikael played bass on MAYH, not Morningrise.

For the millionth time:
Akerfeldt played, regardless of what the booklets say, most bass on Orchid and Morningrise.

Thank you.

 

[ATARI]

Opeth needs some guest growls from another worthy vocalist, like Deftones or something, or perhaps a SiC hardcore breakdown. God, I amaze myself sometimes.

I seriously hope this is a joke.

 

[deliverance]

I think you've got your albums mixed up there, dude; Mikael played bass on MAYH, not Morningrise.

For the millionth time:
Akerfeldt played, regardless of what the booklets say, most bass on Orchid and Morningrise.

Thank you.

did mikael personally tell you this? or state it in an interview; if so, link please?

otherwise, you're breakin' my balls, chuck, breakin' my balls.

 

[some_kind_of_monster]

I don't think you can defend 'understanding lyrics' when you're obviously a Metallica fan, a band who've written some of the stupidest lyrics in metal.

And my point was that, Death metal = growls... its a necessary part of the music. It's not a modern invention in the death metal genre.

haha. it's really kinda funny & pathetic when people keep trying to bash Metallica every chance they have and get personal about it.

seriously, man. you're just another one of those countless people that don't really get it.

now, am i gonna argue with you on why Metallica does not suck? NAH.

but anyway... now that i've been listening to Opeth, i've certainly been able to appreciate those death growls more. i do understand that the subject "death" really does require some sort of powerful medium (e.g. growling vocals) to be conveyed properly.

 

[deliverance]

(this isn't directed toward shroud, i got no beef with shroud, it's just in general)

yeah, the bashing metallica thing is really fucking monotonous. it's not like half the world doesn't think that. but, the band also has half the world in it's hands, fanwise. i dunno if people just enjoy saying the words "metallica sucks," but, i mean i've probably seen those words in that order about 6 million times on the internet.

i used to be a huge tallica fan, then once i got into in flames, i liked them a lot less. and now, i don't even listen to them. once in a blue moon. i still appreciate their work though. (i rarely listen to IF anymore either, haha)

and yes, i too thing st.anger sucks. but, i don't need to announce it to every person i talk to and on every message board. i'm just really tired of fucking seeing it everywhere i go. oh well.

 

[sweet majestic darkness]

^ how so?

The vocal style you mean? I didn't care for the style on Morningrise at first, but I became to like it. His vocals aren't as "death metalish-evil" (<--the only way I can explain it...)as on like say Deliverance. I think they sound a bit more...scratchy...I guess I would say, and maybe not as deep? Help me out here, Iam not good with trying to expl;ain things, as you may be able to tell?

Not all death vocalists are completely ununderstandable, Mikael of Opeth has a pretty clear growl, if you ask me.

Absolutely agreed.

 

[Ermz]

Then you must like the vocals on Orchid too because, all-in-all they pretty much sound the same as on Morningrise.

 

[jaykeegan]

I think you've got your albums mixed up there, dude; Mikael played bass on MAYH, not Morningrise.

I think that Mikael and Johan both shared the roll of playing the bass guitar on the ''Morningrise'' album. The following photographs were taken from the ''Morningrise'' studio recording sessions and provide evidence towards this.

 

[Ermz]

mmm that is interesting. You'd think it'd be a bit inconsistent if they had two bassists on the album. Would it be a more likely scenario that Mikael was simply showing Johan what to play?

 

[jaykeegan]

mmm that is interesting. You'd think it'd be a bit inconsistent if they had two bassists on the album. Would it be a more likely scenario that Mikael was simply showing Johan what to play?

Yeah, You do happen to have a rather good point there.

 

[Nico]

(this isn't directed toward shroud, i got no beef with shroud, it's just in general)

Don't worry, I know what you mean, and I made damn sure that I didn't say anything along the lines of "Metallica sucks". It was just a comment, entirely in context, pointing out that Metallica's lyrics are total crap. I could do the exact same thing against any band with bad lyrics. It was not a cheap shot at Metallica.

 

[Longinus]

That's right moonlapse.... and Farfalla realized he can't do shit, that's why Akerfeldt played most of it.

Akerfeldt stated that in an interview after they've recorded MAYH. I have no idea where this interview is but it is linked on a fansite of Opeth's. It might have been the swiss one.

 

[some_kind_of_monster]

Don't worry, I know what you mean, and I made damn sure that I didn't say anything along the lines of "Metallica sucks". It was just a comment, entirely in context, pointing out that Metallica's lyrics are total crap. I could do the exact same thing against any band with bad lyrics. It was not a cheap shot at Metallica.

well, "bad lyrics" is subjective. you can comment anything you want about a band but please don't get personal.

 

[bmh]

well, "bad lyrics" is subjective. you can comment anything you want about a band but please don't get personal.

I fail to see how it's in any way "personal".

 

[Nico]

well, "bad lyrics" is subjective. you can comment anything you want about a band but please don't get personal.

Lyrical interperetation may be mostly subjective, but Metallica are an entirely objective affair. Not a single line of lyrics in St Anger makes any sense - what so ever.

 

[Risquit]

Growls can be very evocative. Like the catharsis of "Serenity Painted Death", or
the nightmarish quality of "Wreath". Or the pain of the whole MAYH album. Inner torment can sound very much like death metal.

Having said that, many bands misuse the style just to sound hard (i.e. Mortician, Cannibal Corpse) and without any other thought towards the effectiveness of the songs. Not to say they are bad bands, but the growl doesn't serve so much of an artistic purpose; its more of a stylistic choice.