New Opeth album cover.

[downandunder]

When that idiot says statements like "I've grown tired of growl metal", and "If the death metal fans don't like it, it's their problem" ... he's taking a piss at the very people who supported him into being who he is right now, and who are the reason why there's food on his table

source? 'cause I've never seen or heard about this.

 

[Blind Guardian]

Prog rock is what he should be writing, as that is something I actually think he still can do in a good way. To continue with the heavier stuff is pointless, if confused crap like Watershed is going to be the result.

 

[SkeletonWitch]

source? 'cause I've never seen or heard about this.

http://www.inferno.fi/blogi-opeth-heritage-ilm-20-9-4914/

Translation :

Even poor albums have a tendency to sound good when you get to hear them during a pre-listening session. With that being said, I have to say that the new Opeth album sounds damn good.

Facts:

The record was played in 5.1 surround sound. "I heard the album for the first time this way today and I didn't know that the record would be played this way for the label directors. I had a premonition that it would but in the end I got goosebumps from hearing it this way" said Mikael Åkerfeldt.

The 5.1 mix works well even though I'm usually against listening to rock in any other way than in stereo. Mikael seems to think so as well. The album is about 56 minutes long and during that time there is a lot going on. It feels complete. Things that spring to mind during my listen: Sabbath, Beatles, jazz, King Crimson, Cream, Rainbow, Floyd, funk, Purple, Piirpauke, classical music, My Dying Bride, folk, Love, Jethro Tull, Maiden…

The albums does not remind me of death metal or growling.
The sound reminds me of the 70's where modern guitars haven't become the focal point. Synth, piano and mellotron are big parts of the overall sound. In the intro, for example, you can hear contra-bass and clarinet.

"We don't care what other people think" says Åkerfeldt. "and if the death metal fans don't like it, it's their problem".
The frontman also says he grew tired of the "growl metal" as early as the 90's, but can't really explain why earlier Opeth album have had growls in the songs. The death metal days are over. At least for now.

"I've been wanting to do an album like this since I was in my twenties", explains a satisfied Åkerfeldt.

When the label management listened to it they didn't have anything bad to say at all. People can make up their own minds this fall if this is saying something about the critics or the album itself".

In any case, if you like older stuff from the 70's you will like this album, I can say that much having only heard the record once.

The first seven songs are awesome and the last three are average.

 

[Alteredmindeath]

I don't see Akerfeldt talking shit to death metalheads anywhere. He basically says he's making a prog record with no death vocals, and if the death metal fans dont like it then too bad. If the death metal fans can listen to Damnation then this album shouldn't bug them either.

 

[Stormwatch]

I don't see Akerfeldt talking shit to death metalheads anywhere. He basically says he's making a prog record with no death vocals, and if the death metal fans dont like it then too bad. If the death metal fans can listen to Damnation then this album shouldn't bug them either.

Damnation was supposed to be a one off experiment which wouldn't be repeated, so to suddenly announce, on the eve of a new album, that he's sick of death metal and isn't doing it any more is a bit of a kick in the nuts for fans of the band.
Honestly though, I thought the songwriting on Damnation was poor anyway. I don't understand why so many people seem to think Mikael is some prog genius - his prog stuff is boring, especially if you compare it to a band like Jethro Tull who were fucking masters of it.
Mikael's best abilities are his death metal vocals and his death metal riff writing.
He can keep his boring prog - I'll listen to A Passion Play or Thick As A Brick.

 

[Alteredmindeath]

He can't throw away death metal, it's stuck on him like superglue. Just about all the Opeth albums have growls...there's no escaping unless he throws away all of his songs. Opeth do there own thing they are only influenced by old music, they are surely no 70's prog band. I don't worship Opeth or think they are musical gods, I just like what they do and I do expect them to throw in suprises here and there. Death metal heads may not like it but you realise the best way to get away from something you don't like just ignore it because bitching at Opeth directly will probably just fuel Akerfeldt to hate death metal heads even more...if he even hates them at all..he could just be on one of his periods..lol

 

[SkeletonWitch]

I think you'll need a slightly deeper understanding of our music as a whole to be able to appreciate this record.

 

[Episteme]

Who cares? It's Opeth, they stopped being relevant for awhile now. The album cover is amazing because it's so bad.

 

[Alteredmindeath]

At least they didn't spend 10 years on a half assed industrial death metal album that blows.

 

[Episteme]

Morbid Angel have created a masterpiece of garbage, whatchu talkin' about fool?

 

[Seditious]

Furthermore, why is it released on Roadrunner ? It's because his shitty product is firstly and foremostly aimed at the metalhead market whom he keeps patronizing.

do you mean the teen metalhead market, or is he patronizing all metalheads? (if the latter, which are the good artists on Roadrunner? (obviously Doug Stanhope doesn't count))

 

[IntoPhagist]

Opeth Irrelevant? Hahaha You just proved that they aren't.

 

[Avigrus]

Can't see myself buying this. Watershed wasn't great and now there's no metal at all on the new album??

 

[TheInsane]

I seem to be one of few who thinks Opeth has a better second half rather than first half of their carreer. That said I was never a huge fan but judging from the early reports I think Im really going to dig the new album. More melodic, more old school 70's feel. Should be pretty cool I think.

 

[Hez]

i've always perceived aakerfeldt as a bit of a cunt, not that i've really got any great evidence to support that

 

[Stormwatch]

He's certainly coming across as a right pretentious twat in recent years. All the photoshopped Akerfeldt/Jesus pics have gone to his head.

 

[Draehl]

I'm inclined to agree that their death metal style was on the way out anyway. Deliverance was the last excellent album, Ghost Reveries was decent, and Watershed just barely tolerable. I welcome this change. I'd rather have good prog than uninspired death metal. Mikael seems to have his heart in prog, so more power to him.

 

[Stormwatch]

I'm inclined to agree that their death metal style was on the way out anyway. Deliverance was the last excellent album, Ghost Reveries was decent, and Watershed just barely tolerable. I welcome this change. I'd rather have good prog than uninspired death metal. Mikael seems to have his heart in prog, so more power to him.

I would agree, only Mikael's prog writing is shit. Like you noted, Deliverance was the last good album - as the prog rock elements crept in and the death metal crept out they've turned to pish.

I'd rather have good prog death than shit prog rock.

 

[crimsonfloyd]

I actually think this is a good thing. Opeth's songwriting had become stale. Still Life was their last great album. Blackwater Park was very good, but not up to the level of the first four albums. Since then its been a bunch of good to average albums. The heavy/soft growl/clean formula had wore out its welcome, the metal riffs had become predictable, and albums that were once full of surprises were now run of the mill. All of this climaxed in Watershed, which was Opeth's first mediocre album.

This might kick some life back into Opeth. Honestly I don't think it can hurt.

 

[The Emptier]

I never see Ghost Reveries love, I think that one by far mixed the prog elements the best with death metal, it's groovy as fuck yet impossibly heavy. Also the open d tuning is fantastic