My Opeth story and how I became a fan.

[RjBeals]

Ziggy-
I hope you check back to this thread, and filter though some of this crap. Before I heard Opeth (back in 2001), I also never liked the death vocal growls. The most I could take was deftones, pantera or slipknot (*hiding face in shame*). One day I was browsing a users files in napster, and downloaded opeth just to check them out - I was blown away. Ever since, I've been a huge fan. Since then, I've been checking out black metal & such and have found some great underground bands.

If you like complex music - the most recent good thing I've heard is Ayreon - The Human Equation. Mikael sings on few tracks on that double cd as well. Very progressive & Queensryche / Dream Theater sounding.

Hope you hang around the board awhile - just prepared for a lot of crap. Every once in a while there is a decent topic or discussion.

Later.

 

[sweet majestic darkness]

I like the heavy growls, and the singing vocals. Opeth just uses them at just the right points in their songs. I have a friend who led me onto Opeth. My first album was Blackwater Park, jsut because it was the one that everyone talked about the most. Mys econd album was Orchid, because it was one that I never heard about. Also, I would like to add that it was only about three months ago when I purchased my first Opeth cd. I now own original copies of all of them, and the DVD. I wanted to really "explore" their music. I was so thrilled at the difference in music between my first two purchases, that it led me to "want more" and to check out what else this band had to offer. I wish someone would have told me about them earlier, but better late then never.

 

[Dreadful]

I like the heavy growls, and the singing vocals. Opeth just uses them at just the right points in their songs. I have a friend who led me onto Opeth. My first album was Blackwater Park, jsut because it was the one that everyone talked about the most. Mys econd album was Orchid, because it was one that I never heard about. Also, I would like to add that it was only about three months ago when I purchased my first Opeth cd. I now own original copies of all of them, and the DVD. I wanted to really "explore" their music. I was so thrilled at the difference in music between my first two purchases, that it led me to "want more" and to check out what else this band had to offer. I wish someone would have told me about them earlier, but better late then never.

I'm sure after that Orchid listen you were just dying for Morningrise

 

[deliverance]

i hope you spelled stupidity wrong on purpose shroud.

 

[sweet majestic darkness]

I'm sure after that Orchid listen you were just dying for Morningrise

Morningrise was the last album I purchased. And yeah, it is a great one. The vocals on Morningrise are totally different then any other album also. I had to edit in there that it was a bonus for the cd.

 

[deliverance]

^ how so?

 

[Mayh]

carry on...

You, my good sir, are right on! "Carry On" by Cosby, Stills, Nash & Young is a fantastic song. Deja vu is a fantastic album, check is out, man.

 

[TwilightRobe]

How can anybody question the vocals? An integral part in opeth's existance? The music wouldnt be the same... Mikael has got perfect vocals, yes. But you cant beat the atmosphere created by the death metal growl, it brings the experiences to whole new levels, levels that can be beaten by noboby else.

I often find the hardest part with liking opeth is getting others to share the same passion. Getting people to take the time to get into the music. But the main problem is getting past the 'growl' thing. Ive tried many a time to share the opeth experience, with little or no positive effect. But is it a good thing? Is it something that is best not shared to keep the sound fresh, to yourself and other opeth faithful? Keeping the band in the 'underground'...i think so....have i a good point?

Damnation is damn good, but am i the only one who thinks the mellotron gives the music, i dont know, an annoying taint?

 

[RavenousDaemon]

I almost think that. I think I might like it better without the mellotron. Yes, it adds to the atmosphere, but it just isn't Opeth-y to me.

 

[bmh]

I love heavy music! Just not growl vocals so much! Lol
Still, the band blows me away!

Don't worry about that. Opeth were my first exposure to death vocals, and my inital reaction was "I hope this grows on me". And it did. Now it is a favourite style of mine.

 

[some_kind_of_monster]

well, hello opeth fans!

i started listening to Opeth a few weeks ago and i must say that I am very impressed with this band. im not really into death metal, actually i don't like it 'coz of the "cookie-monster" vocals typical in most death metal bands nowadays.

but with Opeth, you get a mix of the death vocals as well as the melodic vocals. mikael akerfeldt (did i get the spelling right?) is an awesome vocalist/guitarist IMO.

band just gave me a newfound respect for Death metal.

btw, i got blackwater park & deliverance. im hoping to add more to my collection

 

[Detric]

Welcome.

 

[Nico]

well, hello opeth fans!

Oh no... not again...

im not really into death metal, actually i don't like it 'coz of the "cookie-monster" vocals typical in most death metal bands nowadays.

Growled vocals in death metal bands... nowdays?

i hope you spelled stupidity wrong on purpose shroud.

Hahaha, you got me there mate. My mistake.

I often find the hardest part with liking opeth is getting others to share the same passion. Getting people to take the time to get into the music. But the main problem is getting past the 'growl' thing. Ive tried many a time to share the opeth experience, with little or no positive effect. But is it a good thing? Is it something that is best not shared to keep the sound fresh, to yourself and other opeth faithful? Keeping the band in the 'underground'...i think so....have i a good point?

Everyone within the metal community knows of Opeth now. They're no secret. Getting someone 'into' them who isnt a metal fan will almost always end up in a typical response of "sounds like they're hitting their instruments randomly and that guy is strangling a cat"... I'd say it's best that way.

Growls are a very powerfull method of lyrical delivery. They're not meant to be understood, or humed or sung along to, which is why most mainstream music fans just don't like it.

 

[NFU]

Damnation is damn good, but am i the only one who thinks the mellotron gives the music, i dont know, an annoying taint?

Yes, youre the only one.



The mellotron is the greatest key instrument ever introduced into the rock genre.


But i will say that its a bit overused on damnation.

 

[some_kind_of_monster]

Growled vocals in death metal bands... nowdays?

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.

 

[Longinus]

mikael akerfeldt (did i get the spelling right?) is an awesome vocalist/guitarist IMO.

Wait till you hear Morningrise. His Bass playing is actually where he excels the most.

 

[Ermz]

mikael akerfeldt (did i get the spelling right?) is an awesome vocalist/guitarist IMO.

Wait till you hear Morningrise. His Bass playing is actually where he excels the most.

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

 

[JoeVice]

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

and also, the bass playing is pretty damn plain on mayh...it sound like a guitarist who picked up a bass when his band was without a bassist for an album....hmmm...non-the-less, he did the trick...but its nothing fancy.

 

[koolboee cdmo87]

I often find the hardest part with liking opeth is getting others to share the same passion. Getting people to take the time to get into the music. But the main problem is getting past the 'growl' thing. Ive tried many a time to share the opeth experience, with little or no positive effect. But is it a good thing? Is it something that is best not shared to keep the sound fresh, to yourself and other opeth faithful? Keeping the band in the 'underground'...i think so....have i a good point?

I think so.

Anyone who is familiar with death metal knows Opeth. Anyone who is into metal and goes on metal message boards and whatnot probably knows Opeth. But a lot of people still don't, and I'd say the vast majority of people don't.

I think that that's a good spot for them to be in. Well-known within the death metal community, and progressively (excuse the pun) being more well-known within the prog community too... but not commercial.

Damnation is damn good, but am i the only one who thinks the mellotron gives the music, i dont know, an annoying taint?

I LOVE the mellotron on there. They hadn't used it before, but it is still very Opeth. It definitely gives the album a taint, but I think it's fitting for the concept and Opeth always has a kind of "vintage" sound to them since the beginning where a lot of riffs sound medievil.

 

[koolboee cdmo87]

Oh, and I forgot to mention... I don't really like death metal in general... when I saw Opeth in Detroit, apparently there was a "death metal festival" and I thought that they were all fucking awful, although Moonspell was ok. But I LOVE Mikael's death vocals. Not so much the scream, particularly the really shrill ones on the first two albums... but the growl (think "Dirge for November") I can't get enough of.

I think they know when to implement the growl and when not to. They struggled with that a bit on Orchid (where he did basically no softer vocals), and it didn't really fit... especially on "The Apostle in Triumph." At least he did the end w/o the growl on that track.