Opeth.com Members' Opinions/Reviews of GR

[T-Rat]

Hi folks,

Glad to be back...

Mainly because I want to know what you guys think of the new album.
I don't actually have much to say right now other than that there's a lot that's "typical" Opeth and a lot that's new and I am happy about that. I especially like Per's keys and the mellower tracks of the album. For some reason the heavy tracks on GR feel a little too familiar, while some of the mellower tracks seem fresher and interest me more, esp. Atonement, even though I usually like Opeth songs that mix in more heavy sections.

Need more time with it at any rate.

Ok, your turn!

oh, I do concur w/ post below that MA's clean vocals sound really great here...best ever and I always loved his voice... and i like the bass stuff, especially that it's very clear and easy to hear which i've had trouble with on other albums...

 

[Maggot9]

It's very evil sounding.

 

[T-Rat]

^ok, so, could you define "evil" with an example from the album?

 

[Korlich]

I like it, I like it alot! It´s very different from anything else Opeth has released, but that is the strength of this album. Per´s keys adds a new dimension to Opeth´s sound. Mikael´s clean vocals have improved a lot I like when he sings during the heavy parts and how he have intergrated the clean vox so much better in the heavy songs, the growls are a little bit dissapointing too much like Bloodbath for me. The solos on this album are perfect they really fit the songs. I really like Isolation years and Atonement is also quite nice, though, Hours of wealth is a little hard for me to digest but at least it´s growing on me.

Overall I think this album is a masterpiece 10/10 from me.

It´s weird how Still Life where Opeth´s fourth release and the begining of a new era w/ Lopez and Mendez. And now GR is their 8th release and the begining of a new era w/ Wiberg. A coincedence? - I think not!

 

[FRUGiHOYi]

Good album. Beneath the Mire and Harlequin Forest are probably the best tracks.

 

[Rocky Raccoon]

contender for best album ever I reckon.. up there with still life & blackwater park

 

[Valtiel]

I think everyones pretty much gotten my side, but let repeat it for those who missed it...

It sucked, from their amazing musicanship we get this highly dumbed down garbage, while not nu-metal material it's still just as shitty...

 

[Chasing Time]

It's excellent, picked it up after work on 8/30 and have been listening to it since. I was a bit skeptical about Per joining the band as a full member but all worries are completely gone after hearing it. The keys are brilliant: often subtle and always fitting. Really, the best way to describe the album is a natural progression of Opeth's sound. While I hear some riffs reminescent of Still Life, some acoustic parts reminescent of Morningrise, and some proggy stuff reminescent of Damnation everything is fresh and updated... the perfect progression! I hear some more "major key" singing (and very confident singing at that), a different approach to the riffing (likely due to the open d minor tuning), the best solos yet, the best performance from the Martins yet, etc. If you expect to hear another [insert previous album title] here you'll be dissappointed but if you want to hear some really inspired and updated Opeth you'll be beyond satisfied.

 

[twilightsrobe]

I'll admit, the first time I heard this... I thought it was absolutely a step down from their previous stuff. The thing is though, it's not an easy album to immediately love.

They've thrown in so many different influences that every time I listen, I find something new. And that's exactly what Opeth intended I'm sure. After having the album for a bit... now I think this is easily their best release. Mikael's singing has improved so much!

 

[longroad]

I think the track Ghosts of Perdition is easily the best song on the album. but no one has mentioned that one..

 

[sweet majestic darkness]

I love the album. It was surprising, yet satisfying. I love everything about it. I knew Opeth wouldn't dissapoint. The music is everything I wanted and more. Thanks for making such a killer album for me to get addicted to \m/ Martin's drumming was different, but I like it. And I agree about Mikael's singing improving. He can do so much with his voice, it amazes me.

Oh, and about the keyboards. I never imagined them to be so prominent in the music, but they are definately an enjoyable addition!

 

[dreamingneonblack]

I think it is their best yet! It has elements of all of the stuff I like on this one cd. I am also a fan of his clean vocal work on this one. It is nice to get the mix of both. Definately a 10/10 for me.

 

[wankerness]

It's the best one besides MAYH imo, it took me a while to appreciate it but now I love it. It's great to hear the huge epic opeth-style riffs that have been missing since BWP on songs like the first.

 

[Hubster]

"Ghost Reveries: A bad METAL album, a good PROG album"

In general:

- song structures are repetitive (The Grand Conjuration, which I might add, is probably THE WORST song the band has ever released)
- metal/heavy sections of songs are BORING (where is the complexity and aggression of MAYH and SL?). See the weak intro on "Beneath The Mire"
- the (metal) riffing is just about the same in many songs and almost sounds non-metal to the point of being commercial rock
- some sections of heavy to acoustic are terribly written! See 02:39 in Ghost of Perdition: where is the transition here? - there isnt one! It sounds like it was simply "cut into the track"!

The most "metal" thing about Ghost Reveries is that the band has a vocalist utilising death vocals. That's really about it folks.

HOWEVER! (and from more of a prog perspective)
- clean vocals are done beautifully! Mike has really stepped up a level
- acoustic passage are really nicely done.
- dual harmonies on this record are a nice surprise return to Opeth's music
- progressive passages are really well done
- keys have been used really well on this record
- most guitar solos are really nicely done
- progessive passages back to heavy (see "Beneath The Mire" at 04:5 are fantastic!

Ghost Reveries is a good PROG album folks, the best the band have done. They've taken their skills to a new and higher level as far as the prog elements go.

It is however, a VERY WEAK metal album. There is barely any aggression or heaviness to this record in metal levels... as hard rock, yes maybe.

To me it appears that the band has put all their effort into the proggier sections and simply "filled in the blanks" with the metal elements to "quickly finish things off".

This album, for newer fans and people who dont take music too seriously, is a great album. But for those who are nuts about music and have sampled a LOT of metal over many many years, I think they will be crushed. From the perspective, this is the clear downfall of a band who has led the way for a long time, taking their music into uncharted territories of metal.

My personal feeling is this:
Opeth is no longer a metal band people!

In summary:
- prog wise, excellent work, probably groundbreaking work
- metal wise, very weak and disappointing

 

[Black Rain]

It's still metal, I don't see how it's not, Rock? Yeah I hear growls all the time when I listen to the beatles.

 

[dorian gray]

My personal feeling is this:
Opeth is no longer a metal band people!

In summary:
- prog wise, excellent work, probably groundbreaking work
- metal wise, very weak and disappointing

holy shit. i just said this exact thing in another thread.

a word on mikes clean vocals: ill let someone from royal carnage sum it up for me - i think he said, "mikes clean vocals used to be fragile and interesting. now he sounds like a pop singer." look, friends, just because mikes clean vocals are technically good, doesnt mean they are good for opeth's sound, which was, i thought, metal.

 

[dorian gray]

It's still metal, I don't see how it's not, Rock? Yeah I hear growls all the time when I listen to the beatles.

while theres nothing objective to any of this, ill put it this way: at the same time i bought GR, i picked up the new Nile album. now, i really really wanted to hear some metal. so, after listening to *both* albums once, which one did i play again? and again? nile. not opeth. havent listened to it since last tuesday. it's not metal.

 

[Draehl]

Great, but it doesn't stack up with any of their other albums.

 

[Hubster]

The only song on GR I listen to is GoP.

Actually I lie, I also like the second part of Atonement as well.

But for Metal I go to other bands now. And for pure musical genius? PECCATUM!

 

[Duvall]

Opeth have maintained their signature sound, while creating an album with new textures and sounds. May not be extreme brutal death or black metal, but Mikael never promised anything like that, just that the subject matter would be darker.

Good album, but will take some time to sink in, as all new Opeth albums do. I remember the first time I heard Still Life, and thought it was a major change for their sound, and that they'd never be the same, etc etc. 5 years later, still going strong. WTG Opeth. Stay alive. Stay unique.

and Peccatum is .. well, maybe I'll reserve judgement.