Opeth - Live, or studio band?

[Ermz]

I've always considered Opeth more of a studio band. They seem to take alot of time and layer their music to a degree where its hard to replicate that level of musical texture in a live situation.

Most notably there are the layers in their music, which they can't replicate without added guitarists. Also, they have the dynamics, which are hard to achieve fluently, even with the GT-6 pedalboards. Since they have the ability to give their music a 'polished' feel in the studio, and since the music is really about the instrumentation, I feel it comes off better in a studio situation.

There are of course bands like Bodom, who thrive off the energy of live gigs to sustain them, but Opeth aren't really that category of music. It's all about pacing... and Opeth are all over the place .

What do you think?

 

[ChrisEmerson]

i dunno. bit of both really. I like their studio stuff a lot but they are dam good live as well... there a bands that are obviously live bands eg maiden, and probably a few good examples of studio bands (cant think of any right now) but i think opeth are a bit of both. just as good at both.

 

[Moonstruck]

Opeth's sound is really good live. Some bands just suck at playing live and getting a good sound. Opeth does have this good sound. Still, I agree that Opeth is more of a studio band. The long, twisted songs are almost impossible to recreate perfectly in a live situation, although Opeth does a good job.

 

[Katatonic]

That's why I liked Deliverance so much, because it really was a live album. Pretty much every song on it rocks live (well, the ones I've seen: Masters Apprentices, Deliverance and Fair Judgement).

 

[Post_Scriptum]

Huh studio...

 

[deliverance]

although they are excellent in concert, my opinion is they are more of a studio band. as you said, lapse, with the texture and layering of their music it's hard to reproduce perfectly. but they definetly put on a good show, whereas bands like meshuggah and black dahlia murder have awesome albums, but aren't entertaining live, to me.

 

[Hulk Hogan]

definatley studio lol

 

[the_3_toed_sloth]

There are parts to their music which I agree, you cant perfectly replicate live. But I also think that Lamentations showed that theres a part of their music that cant perfectly be captured in studio. Take the end of A Fair Judgement. I never really like nor understood why they bothered with that on the cd version. It just seemed like a placeholder, making up some time. But live? Wow, thats a whole other story...it has a power that the studio recording doesn't match.

Besides, the studio recording of the first couple of cds sucked...you cant honestly talk about 'polish' when referring to them

 

[cthulufhtagn]

they're a very album-oriented band; each album really has its own feel. but they still fucking rule live! kinda like rush in that regard, those guys have all kinds of crazy stuff going on on the albums but they're still kickin ass onstage after 30 years

 

[FUBAR]

Studio

 

[nataservant]

I'll go with just OPETH.....they rule <period>

 

[Leper_/-\ffinity]

Well, with Deliverance and Damnation I think they're a live band, with older albums, particularly Still Life, they are a definite studio band. They do great in terms of trying to reproduce the songs live, but let's face it, it's just impossible to get it close enough for you to fall in love with their music by only listening to live tracks. Most of their magic is definitely in the studio, with the exception of Deliverance and Damnation.

 

[gatedropper]

One of the better bands out there Live and In The Studio.

 

[Jinn]

It's a known fact that Opeth got to where they are by touring. It's their live performances that spurred them onwards. I believe that Opeth did back to back to back tours a while back: The Fair Judgement Tour, The Damnation Tour, and the Lamentations Over America Tour... and that was just America!!

Opeth played over 200 gigs last year alone. They're a live band and will always be a live band.

 

[Ermz]

That's an interesting point. I think despite the fact that it's touring that gets bands like Opeth most of their fanbase, they can still be primarily geared towards the studio sound. Opeth are a great live band, but they are a better studio band (IMHO). In recent times though, I think the internet has been more of a friend to their publicity than any touring.

 

[AnTz0r]

doesnt Akerfeldt hate the recording process?

 

[SteigVargMarx]

a bit of both for sure...i havent seen them live yet...but after seeing their lametations DVD, they have a lot of epicness on stage.

 

[deliverance]

doesnt Akerfeldt hate the recording process?

i don't think he always hates it, but he definetly wanted to die will in the studio making D1/D2, i know that's for sure.

 

[SteigVargMarx]

i don't think he always hates it, but he definetly wanted to die will in the studio making D1/D2, i know that's for sure.

explain?

 

[NFU]

i think opeth does well in the live format, all things considered...however moonlapse is right in the sense that they lose some of the dynamic, and obviously the layers of the studio situation...but i think that holds true for most bands.

in any case, theyre a wonderful studio band, and do a good job of playing the material live given the circumstances.