Opeth Progression - from Orchid to GR

[AFairJudgement0]

hey,

So I've got into the habit of listening to Opeth before I goto sleep and I decided to start from the beginning and go from each album up all the way to GR. I wanted to hear some of the progressions/additions Opeth has made since Orchid, and Ive come up with a few.

I know this has been talked about in a few different posts but maybe this thread could act as a place where some of the old fans could compare what they liked about the old stuff and wish was still present in new records. It might be beneficial for some of the new users that are popping up these days who haven't been exposed to Opeth's older stuff yet.

So some of the big differences I have noticed from earlier stuff (especially Orchid) is the way in which Mike and Peter have progressed as guitarists. In orchid a lot of the guitar work is separate from eachother almost like having two rhythms and no distinct lead. An example of this is in IMSWS where you kinda get the two guitars playing different rhythms that complement eachother. This is much different to their later stuff where Mikael tends to play more lead guitar which is much simpler sounding but, seems to fit well over the rhythm stuff of peter (ie. TDF, AFJ, etc.)

Another obvious thing that has changed has of course been the quality of production. Im a fan of the early band sound b/c it gives that live performance feel where not every thing is so tight all the time. I like how you can hear where some parts are a little sloppier than others and shows how teh band has progressed to eliminate these problems.

That's just a few things I have noticed b/w the old and new. Maybe you guys would like to explain some of the things you've noticed change over time, and whether you like that change or would prefer that sound/technique to be still used by the band in the newer records. Let me know what you think!

 

[LightningLixxx]

Yeah I noticed the thing where there are "harmonizing", I guess you could say, guitar parts. It's kind of frustrating to learn the earlier songs because it just doesn't sound as good with only one guitar.

 

[Korlich]

Well mikes vox has changed, the folk influence from Orc & MR is gone etc.

 

[biggsy]

Mike's voice has evolved mainly on the soft vocals. Didn't he take singing lessons?

 

[Sandrothecoolman]

Well the influences seem far rawer in the old albums. It's as though they hadn't developed their definite sound and were still more derivative. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but their influences definitely sound more obvious. I explained this rather poorly, but I think I got my point across, it's as though every influence kept a definite form rather than being truly blended. Orchid is more of a homogeneous mixture, while say... Deliverance or Blackwater Park are heterogeneous mixtures (sophmore biology FTW).

Plus, The Twilight is my Robe's little bass solo part is fucking funky, I doubt they'll EVER do anything like that again, too bad, it's pretty sweet.

 

[Yoda]

I think Mike's voice has developed in both aspects (clean and, er, not clean).
MAYH was definitely the turning point, losing the harmonies and all of that.

 

[Don Corleone]

my fave death vox by mike are the ones on orchid...kinda like black metal screams. but all are just fine with me

just a little digression, sorry

 

[Yoda]

Mike's vocals were the best on Brave Murder Day IMO.

 

[M.Lehto]

I remember when MAYH was released, all those great twin-guitars were gone what I mostly loved in old Opeth and altought I later enjoyed Still Life and Damnation, none of the later records achieved the feeling the first 2 had. Maybe things would differ if MAYH would be the first Opeth-album ever heard for me, but when you were used to the sound of the first 2 albums, instead of yelling Lopez, I'd ask where's the amazing atmosphere of the first recording line-up.

 

[L0bster]

Well mikes vox has changed, the folk influence from Orc & MR is gone etc.

There are very folkish-parts on GR. Not metal-guitarharmony-folkish though. For example the vocalmelody "It is all false pretension Harlequin forest´etc." is folkish.

 

[derbeder]

I remember when MAYH was released, all those great twin-guitars were gone what I mostly loved in old Opeth and altought I later enjoyed Still Life and Damnation, none of the later records achieved the feeling the first 2 had. Maybe things would differ if MAYH would be the first Opeth-album ever heard for me, but when you were used to the sound of the first 2 albums, instead of yelling Lopez, I'd ask where's the amazing atmosphere of the first recording line-up.

mayh was the first album for me, but things really clicked when i listened to morningrise. there is something really special about it.

 

[metal_wrath]

I think Opeth's has polished their sound alot more since the early albums but they have lost some of the "spontaniety" in their music so to speak.

 

[DirTh]

I think its funny how in Morningrise Advent, The Night And The Silent Water and Blackrose Immortal all sound the same at times how they use the same notes just in different orders. I miss the weird mood those "harmonized" notes gave on MR and how weird the two notes sound apart. But I still like every thing Opeth do and how they've changed and can't wait to hear their new material

 

[walkinbazooka]

I think not only the clean vocals are a lot better but the death growls are different. Lower in pitch, more gutteral, and less...'black metalish.'

I absolutely adore both styles of death vocals but Mikael has certainly changed.