New Opeth song from upcoming album

[Avigrus]

I loathed Heritage, but the new track sounds fucking great.

I prefer Opeth with some growls, but as long as they are making original quality music and not trying to be a 70s prog rock band then i'm fucking in... really love Cusp of Eternity..

 

[Hubster]

There won't be any growling, that period is over - for the time being.

Expect the new record to be a prog record. Not metal. However, his ideas are now more cohesive and actually work.

 

[Draehl]

I don't get the hate on Heritage. It was a change of direction, but a quality change. If we're going to be criticizing anything it should be GR and Watershed which were largely trying to give fans what they wanted but delivering a rather poor product. Sure, they had a couple of good tracks each, but chock full of filler trash. I'd much rather have quality prog than half hearted and clearly forced prog-death.

 

[uhhhhmmmm4]

It really doesnt bother me that Mike has moved away from growling. What bothers me is that they have also moved away from their earlier stuff as well. When was the last time Opeth played Nectar, or The Apostle in Triumph, Forest of October, etc? I like their new stuff, but I still want to hear material that came pre-last three albums.

 

[matt schrauben]

Opeth busts out the old songs quite regularly live. When I seen them last, they went back to "My Arms Your Hearse". And on both of the live DVDs they have, they play songs from the first two albums.

 

[matt schrauben]

I don't get the hate on Heritage. It was a change of direction, but a quality change. If we're going to be criticizing anything it should be GR and Watershed which were largely trying to give fans what they wanted but delivering a rather poor product. Sure, they had a couple of good tracks each, but chock full of filler trash. I'd much rather have quality prog than half hearted and clearly forced prog-death.

I don't get the hate on any of their albums, honestly. It definitely takes dedicated listens to really dig into their albums for the most part, but I haven't heard an Opeth album and said, "yeah this sounds bad..."

If it's not your deal, that's fine. But they have never put out any material that would qualify being anywhere NEAR bad.

 

[The Butt]

I disagree. Their music is haphazardly constructed and appears to be simply contrasting sections slapped together to appear "progressive".

 

[matt schrauben]

I disagree. Their music is haphazardly constructed and appears to be simply contrasting sections slapped together to appear "progressive".

And I disagree with that. I find their compositions to be cohesive and I don't think they've ever done anything to appear to be anything other than what they've wanted to do.

 

[uhhhhmmmm4]

This^
Just because the songs are not ABAB doesnt mean they are poorly constructed. They almost always flow without wandering aimlessly.

 

[The Butt]

I didn't say that ABAB = great composition. But Opeths songs are for the most part, basically "hey let's throw a 6/8 heavy section next to this 5/4 acoustic section, then bookend that with another soft section with leads in 7/8. Great!"

 

[Westsiyeed]

And I disagree with that. I find their compositions to be cohesive and I don't think they've ever done anything to appear to be anything other than what they've wanted to do.

Agreed. I haven't found anything to be thrown together or haphazard at all, they have a knack for making compositions flow so well. Which is probably why they're such a rated and respected band.

 

[uhhhhmmmm4]

I didn't say that ABAB = great composition. But Opeths songs are for the most part, basically "hey let's throw a 6/8 heavy section next to this 5/4 acoustic section, then bookend that with another soft section with leads in 7/8. Great!"

Okay, well then I guess I take back what I said- the first part. I still think the songs flow well. In fairness, I doubt the odd time signature changes are on purpose. Its probably is just how they happen. But we all have different ears!

 

[Hubster]

I don't get the hate on Heritage. It was a change of direction, but a quality change. If we're going to be criticizing anything it should be GR and Watershed which were largely trying to give fans what they wanted but delivering a rather poor product. Sure, they had a couple of good tracks each, but chock full of filler trash. I'd much rather have quality prog than half hearted and clearly forced prog-death.

This.

 

[wandering_taco]

I didn't say that ABAB = great composition. But Opeths songs are for the most part, basically "hey let's throw a 6/8 heavy section next to this 5/4 acoustic section, then bookend that with another soft section with leads in 7/8. Great!"

From what I understand, Mikael doesn't know jack shit about music theory, so I highly doubt that's how he goes about it.

 

[MasterOLightning]

Cusp of Eternity is not good. Singles are rarely the highlight, but nothing here gave me hope. I didn't like Heritage at all either.

I feel like the best outcome would have been to record albums in the style of Damnation and/or retire the Opeth name after Watershed. (Watershed really stinks compared to all previous Opeth albums, but that's another discussion.) Obviously no record label will allow that, so these remain Opeth albums in name only.

I think for a lot of us, it's been 10+ years since they've recorded something of real merit, and active fandom for much longer will look silly.

 

[Summerian]

Twisted Sister is pop. Not heavy metal or even hard rock.
- pop music -

 

[Pitiless Wanderer]

^ your signature is a fucking joke.



New Opeth sounds weird. I conveniently missed their material after they stopped making death metal. I'm listening to them now for the first time in almost 8 years or so. It (Pale Communion) isn't bad music, it just doesn't sound like the Opeth I remember and used to enjoy. For any other band it would be good - the playing is solid - but it's hard wrapping my head around the fact that this is the same band that wrote Still Life and Blackwater Park...

 

[KafkaX]

People hardly ever discuss Peter Lindgren, or Martin Lopez when it comes to Opeth. I believe those two names were just as responsible for the great Opeth albums we grew up on and/or came to love as Åkerfeldt was, and their absence is the reason the albums to follow have gone to shit.

Whoever mentioned Åkerfeldt go solo has it right on the money. I personally like the music that they are producing now, but its hard for me to listen to because its tied to a name thats practically untouchable and set a standard for me that they are constantly falling away from.

It will always keep me from seeing them live and supporting them because I dont want to hear this shit, when Im seeing OPETH. I want shit from Orchid to D&D. Thats it. I would however, go support Åkerfeldt if he toured solo, where I could expect to hear his new sound, and only his new sound. That way I know what Im in store for. One of the most disappointing events of my life was when I saw Opeth last. It was right after Heritage was out, and their setlist made me want to shit in my hand and throw it at Åkerfeldt. I vowed never to see them live again.

Kudos to Mikael for the new material. Its good and hes producing music that he wants, not what the fans want. I just wish he would keep them seperate, thats my only main gripe. And for the amount of shit Im sure this guy gets for this, and keeps going against the grain, doing what he loves, more power to him. Thats metal as fuck if you ask me.

 

[Pitiless Wanderer]

I felt the same way after In Flames turned to shit. Some bands just need to keep things separate. Pre and Post Clayman in their case.

 

[Hubster]

The new record is not bad. Quite good in fact.

Imo the best thing since 2004. But that's not to say it doesn't have it's issues. There is absolutely NO METAL on this record in ANY way. It gets as heavy as say, classic/hard rock, and that's not a bad thing. Anything heavier wouldn't have worked.

Standouts: "Eternal Rains Will Come", "Goblin".