My Re-Evaluation Of Opeth

MetalManCPA

Papa Opeth
May 19, 2001
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A little over two years ago, a song named Bleak introduced me to the world of Opeth. And shortly thereafter, in a contest which asked contestants to write about "What Opeth Means To Me", I was one of five people to win a signed copy of Blackwater Park. When I wrote my !contest !entry, I knew only two songs by Opeth - Bleak and Blackwater Park, but sometyhing was obviously there, enough to write with emotion. Since then, I have purchased the entire Opeth catalogue, and have seen them live twice (with the 3rd time coming next month).

I decided last week to truly re-evalute Opeth. I listened to every album in its entirety this week to/from work. I did not to listen to them cronologically, but randomly, so as not to get caught up in judging them by their progression over time. I wanted each album to stand on its own. But I also realized that albums are not the only judge of a good band, but individual songs are equally as important. So while listening to each album, I not only concentrated on the flow of the album, but judged each song individually on its own merit.

Well, the bottom line is this: at this stage of my 43 years in existance, Opeth is my favorite band of all time.

Since that is the most important thing, I can now break it down into judging albums and songs. I have a distinct order of my most to least favorite Opeth album, keeping in mind I really like my least favorite Opeth album, but I still needed a ranking, so here it is:

Blackwater Park
MAYH
Deliverance
Damnation
Orchid
Still Life
Morningrise

Here are my ten favorite Opeth tracks, in no particular order except for the #1 and #2 tracks, which are my favorite in the order. WHat is so difficult about this, is my next ten favorite tracks are right on the heels of the first ten. If 20 or so Opeth songs werre having a race for my favorite, it would be practically a photo finish for 3rd place with the other 18 tracks:

The Drapery Falls
Closure
The Funeral Portrait
The Apostle In Triumph
Deliverance
Bleak
Blackwater Park
Serenity Painted Death
Windowpane
The Demon of The Fall

Seeing that four BWP tracks are in my top ten, is why BWP is listed as my favorite album. Also, since I generally like heavy music, I find BWP to be their heaviest, even heavier than Deliverance. BUT, as an album, MAYH is probably the most amazing album of them all. It just flows from beginning to end. Which I guess says that BWP and MAYH are probably tied for #1.

What I found so great about listening to Opeth all week, was that I didn't get sick of them at all. I had no inclination to put some other songs in for a break. It was easy to hear all Opeth all week. They are truly an amazing band. It's easy to see why I consider them my personal #1 band of all time. They are a pleasure to my ear.
 
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Metalman, you're so awesome :)
Good thinking about the random playing order and stuff...

And I know what you mean about not being able to rank the albums...I can hardly rank songs, so I certainly can't rank albums. Although I think I can say Still Life is my least favorite. It's in 2nd place, so you know what that means....;)

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That was an interesting evaluation and I can tell you have given it a lot of thought. My list of favorite Opeth songs and albums always seems to change. MAYH for over a year was probably my least favorite Opeth cd but over the past few months it has grown on me considerably and is now my 2nd favorite behind Still Life. Anyway, I hope I'm still listening to Opeth by the time I'm 43 (I'm 22 right now).
 
@Papa'O: Hehe... I do exactly this at least ONCE every time a new Opeth release comes out! :D
 
It's always good to listen to individual song out of context, on a random mix, or on a whim, to really hear it a fresh. Sometimes I don't truly "hear" some tracks on an album until they're removed from the shadow of my favorites or rescued from being buried in the sequencing. For example, I didn't fully "get" "Nectar," "Weeping Moon," and "White Cluster" until recently when on a random play disc changer.

Enjoyed your post!
 
metalman, Bleak, 6:20-7:20, what would you say to a man who says that is Opeth's most beautiful moment? :)
 
Soul4Raziel said:
metalman, Bleak, 6:20-7:20, what would you say to a man who says that is Opeth's most beautiful moment? :)

First I'd say that's a fine choice. Can you go wrong picking any Opeth moment as your favorite?

Second, I'd say that after listening to every one of their tracks over a short period, that Opeth has produced music chock full of beautiful moments, and that each listener will probably find a different moment to call their most beautiful Opeth moment.And I don't say this as a cop out - it's really true. So many of their songs contain amazing parts - bridges, refrains, intros, outros - they, to me, are the most talented band in metal.

Third, I personally find the entire song of Closure their most moving.
 
Cool, I don't feel so old now. At 36 and hearing my first Opeth last november, I thought I was obsessed. The fact is Opeth is now my favorite metal band of all time. I have the pleasure of being able to listen to music at work all day and also during my comute of 3 hours a day. I am finding it harder and harder to reach for anything but Opeth, Im hooked.
 
Scourge of Malice said:
over evaluating/analyzing can ruin the whole meaning/feeling of the music.. but im glad they mean a lot to you, cause they do to me to, the music is just so special

I don't think I was over analysing. I wasn't considering song structure, or listening to each instrument or voice and analysing that. My analysis stopped at listening to a song - nothing more.

And yes - the music is VERY special. :)
 
Bleak just seems to get to me as my favourite section of Opeth (for the moment at least) are the clean vocals that just come soaring out.
I now temporarily am really appreciateing Orchid mainly due to the riffing style which sounds distinctly diffrent compared to later releases.
Closure an interesting choice but a great one.