Opeth vs Esoteric

[all_sins_undone]

They are different genres of music with largely the same instrumentation and I'd wager a couple of similar influences somewhere along the line. No matter how ignorant you or anyone else on this forum may be, people are going to want to compare bands and talk about the differences and what they like better or worse.

Man, it sounds awkward even writing out things that seem like such common sense.

So, why compare them? Why not? Why compare any two things beyond the reason that you might be interested in hearing the results.

what we have here is simply someone who wants to compare 2 UNcomparable things. period. two bands mutually (and solely) having "largely the same instrumentation" is not even close to being enough to have an intelligent and coherent debate or comparison between the bands.

heh, and YOU felt awkward typing up your response...

 

[Sadguru]

what we have here is simply someone who wants to compare 2 UNcomparable things. period. two bands mutually (and solely) having "largely the same instrumentation" is not even close to being enough to have an intelligent and coherent debate or comparison between the bands.

heh, and YOU felt awkward typing up your response...

Foolish boy. tse tse tse.

 

[all_sins_undone]

why don't you cumchokers take a look at the first few posts in this thread?
it's pretty obvious that the comparison between these two bands is utterly useless and fundementally retarded.

 

[Sadguru]

why don't you cumchokers take a look at the first few posts in this thread?
it's pretty obvious that the comparison between these two bands is utterly useless and fundementally retarded.

aha

Which band comparison wouldn't be retarded?

 

[Braighs]

Well played, Mr. Guru.
+rep
edit: even though I don't necessarily agree.

 

[Demilich]

what we have here is simply someone who wants to compare 2 UNcomparable things. period. two bands mutually (and solely) having "largely the same instrumentation" is not even close to being enough to have an intelligent and coherent debate or comparisolytn between the bands.

I'm sorry, but you're just not seeing it. No two things are uncomparable. You may say they lack features warranting comparisson, but if I say otherwise, who are you to judge that? I want to compare these things so I do. If you think they can't be compared based on some ridiculous ranking system you hold in your mind, you are wrong, not me.

I am not too familiar with Esoteric's music (I own one cd but haven't listened to it in a year or two), nor have I been spinning much Opeth lately, but I know that if I listened to an album by each band I could come back and write up a fairly adequate comparison of some of these qualities:

- atmosphere
- instrumentation
- musicianship
- songcraft/composition
- recording quality
- lyrics
- there are more but this is boring

So yeah, like I said, if you don't want to compare two things, fine, just don't do it! But if you come in here and try to call evericyone else an idiot for trying to compare two things, you're going to look like an ass more likely than not.

Seriously, how stupid do you have to be to only compare things that are pretty much the same anyways? What would you compare?


Suicidal, depressive, atmospheric black metal where the band members wear armbands with 3 inch spikes vs. only other 3-inch-spike bands! 2-inch spike bands aren't in the same league! Never mind differences in band logo, minute audible inconsistencies unfortunately mistaken for some semblance of individuality, deviation from the rigid black metal aesthetic, and all kinds of other stuff! I don't even know what I'm babbling about anymore here, but I'm done anyways!

 

[Manbient]

Interesting that you say that, Mumblefood. Opeth is a band that I haven't been able to enjoy beyond a casual listen to a song or two... I just cannot get into any of their albums enough to spin them anymore.

Could be that I'm still massively burnt out on the band by those years of constant listening, but I'd probably pull out Metamorphogenisis before Morningrise any day these days.

Disclaimer: I'm not bashing Opeth in this post.

It's simple for me. Esoteric's music has such a singular purpose, it's pointless to use it for another purpose not closely related. Opeth is melodic and much easier to "catch the hook" with. Opeth is anywhere music for me. I can listen to it with my girlfriend, when partying with friends over, on my way to school, when i'm studying, etc. Esoteric is not good for these things.

 

[Sadguru]

Well played, Mr. Guru.
+rep
edit: even though I don't necessarily agree.

+rep for your open minded attitude. By that I mean giving +rep to someone you don't necessarily agree with.

 

[Demilich]

You know what, I know exactly what you mean. Good explanation!

edit: @Mumblefood

 

[Sadguru]

It's simple for me. Esoteric's music has such a singular purpose, it's pointless to use it for another purpose not closely related. Opeth is melodic and much easier to "catch the hook" with. Opeth is anywhere music for me. I can listen to it with my girlfriend, when partying with friends over, on my way to school, when i'm studying, etc. Esoteric is not good for these things.

Same here.

 

[Sadguru]

Seriously, how stupid do you have to be to only compare things that are pretty much the same anyways? What would you compare?

Word.

 

[Manbient]

that said, i still think Esoteric has a higher "upper limit" of how strongly it can affect me than Opeth. Which is why i can't answer the thread. Unless of course it's obvious to anyone else which property has more underlying weight in the term "better", but it isn't really to me. I suppose i'm the type who give more weight to moments few and far between with huge intensity than to something which can ALWAYS somewhat satisfy me.

 

[Sadguru]

that said, i still think Esoteric has a higher "upper limit" of how strongly it can affect me than Opeth. Which is why i can't answer the thread. Unless of course it's obvious to anyone else which property has more underlying weight in the term "better", but it isn't really to me. I suppose i'm the type who give more weight to moments few and far between with huge intensity than to something which can ALWAYS somewhat satisfy me.

100% with this.

 

[Demilich]

Unless of course it's obvious to anyone else which property has more underlying weight in the term "better"

there is nothing to determine, simply a choice to make regarding preference


but I totally understand what you mean, and I agree. were I more familiar with Esoteric's catalogue, I'd probably have a hard time deciding between them. as it is, I just don't know Esoteric enough to even begin to compare

 

[all_sins_undone]

Seriously, how stupid do you have to be to only compare things that are pretty much the same anyways? What would you compare?

considering mostly everything else in that post is a pile of overanalytical bullshit, i thought i'd throw out my answer to the first decent question you've asked.

and the answer really is simple and (somewhat) subjective. first off, no two albums are EVER the same. there are always elements of music to compare, even if the comparison, such as the one in this thread, is fundementally retarded and is useless.

firstly, it's PROBABLY a good idea to compare bands or albums that are in the same genre. if they are in the same genre, because genres DO tend to be quite vast, we can look at the characteristics of both band's music. you mentionned a few good ones actually.

- atmosphere
- instrumentation
- musicianship
- songcraft/composition
- recording quality
- lyrics

this is really where the "subjectivity" comes in. if both bands tend to have similar characteristics, for example, two bands in the same genre with similar songcrafting/atmosphere/lyrical nature, i'd say they're prone to a coherent comparison, wouldn't you agree?

it's pretty obvious at this point that you haven't heard enough Esoteric or Opeth to come to an intelligent conclusion about this, so we'll leave that to the others. these guys:

This is stupid.

pretty retarded comparison

 

[Seance]

Seriously, how stupid do you have to be to only compare things that are pretty much the same anyways? What would you compare?

ya guys, next up Grateful Dead vs. Vital Remains

if things aren't similar enough to be able to compare specifics, then we just get a bunch of dorks sitting around basically going "oh, Opeth has 2 guitars, Esoteric has 3. :nerd:", as opposed to making interesting comparisons and contrasts as to how 2 bands might approach a certain something from different angles (making an Opeth vs Enslaved thread, as cliche and boring as that would be, would at least have made sense), as opposed to taking 2 bands that are completely different and do completely different things

 

[Triste]

Hm.
Difficult to compare the two.
Each instills audial experiences that are pretty uncomparable.
I think Esoteric's music is considerably more subversive emotionally. Listening to them stirs (in me) really primal feelings of fear, discomfort, isolation, destruction. It's like falling into an abyss.
Whereas when I listen to Opeth, I get more of a sense of longing, loss, love, nostalgia and at times power.
They each give me chills up my spine, but for completely different reasons.

 

[Sadguru]

Hm.
Difficult to compare the two.
Each instills audial experiences that are pretty uncomparable.
I think Esoteric's music is considerably more subversive emotionally. Listening to them stirs (in me) really primal feelings of fear, discomfort, isolation, destruction. It's like falling into an abyss.
Whereas when I listen to Opeth, I get more of a sense of longing, loss, love, nostalgia and at times power.
They each give me chills up my spine, but for completely different reasons.

You're from Montréal? Cool!

 

[Triste]

Actually I'm from California. But I moved to Montreal August '05 to go to university here.

 

[all_sins_undone]

McGill? Concordia?