Opeth - why labeled as black metal?

[Ermz]

Aside from the vocal style, I see hardly anything else that would link Opeth to Death Metal. The riffs are too intricate and too melodic in nature to be considered Death Metal... something one would pick up learning their songs on an instrument... the riffs themselves dont sound 'heavy' alone.. they usually need the full complement of 2nd guitar harmony and rhythm/bass to make them sound 'full'. I would consider Opeth Progressive Death Metal, but only 'death' because of the vocals and the tendency for the music to climax at times to the point that you feel you may be listening to blast beats (which is obviously a clever deception).

 

[segaszivos]

I'd say that Opeth is mostly Death Metal (rhythm guitar, vocals, and lyrics) with some Thrash (guitar solos), Doom (mood, some rhythm guitar), and Black Metal (mainly the theatrics), as well as Progressive elements. Opeth simply can't be as any one genre. If Opeth were any one genre then it would be Folk Metal... That basically sums up the majority of this sound in a single "new" genre*. Think about it; a new genre that combines the accoustics of folk music with the raw heaviness of metal. Music that would emphasize on the lyrics and mood over everything else. There are quite a few bands popping up that have a similar sound, including Asgaut and Novembre.

*As far as I know there aren't many Folk Metal bands, but the ones taht consider themselves to be folk metal don't sound like Opeth, but they don't sound like each other either. I only know of these few: Skyclad, Wayland, Elvenking, Menhir, Otyg, Suidakra, Tower, Vintersorg, and Tenacious D.

 

[Ermz]

Finntroll is pretty much the embodiment of Polka Death Metal, and yeah, they sound absolutely nothing like Opeth. The acoustic passages are from more of a singer/songwriter and progressive background than folk.. alot of people get it mixed up.

 

[Sullen Jester]

How about calling them Opeth? that seems like a pretty good genre for me.

 

[Bleak Eyes]

I have seen Mikael say that he thinks that Opeth is simply a metal band.

 

[ScorpionShard]

I'd say Opeth is a doom band, with a lot of progressive death into it. Every band is simply "itself" after all, but human mind likes to categorize things And of course Candlelight needed a genre simply for easier marketing purposes.

 

[solarfall_]

lol Funny pic, Katatonic. On the Damnation tour, in PA, Mikael spoke about how black metal bands used to think they were black metal a long time ago until they saw that Opeth didn't wear corpse paint. I think Mikael was mad over that..heh

 

[shivering corpse]

I think the term "extreme metal" is the best term to use if you're trying to decide between black, death, or doom.
It's not actually any of those three.
But they have characteristics of those, so it's basically "extreme metal"

 

[Shadowthrone]

I have seen Mikael say that he thinks that Opeth is simply a metal band.

Every concert I have been to of Opeth's, 3 to be exact, Mikael has referred to themselfs as a "death metal band" at least once.

In my opinion I see their first two albums as very much black/death metal, with their own variation on that theme of course. Yet after that, Damnation excluded, they have been progressive death metal. I just think you guys are only thinking of American death metal as the definition of death metal, it as actually a pretty broad genre.

 

[Bleak Eyes]

Well, when I saw them on the Damnation tour, he did say that they were a death metal band, but he said it like he was just joking. I saw an interview with him on a bootleg tape that I own and they asked what kind of band he would call Opeth and he just said that they were a metal band.

 

[FretsAflame]

Every concert I have been to of Opeth's, 3 to be exact, Mikael has referred to themselfs as a "death metal band" at least once.

In my opinion I see their first two albums as very much black/death metal, with their own variation on that theme of course. Yet after that, Damnation excluded, they have been progressive death metal. I just think you guys are only thinking of American death metal as the definition of death metal, it as actually a pretty broad genre.

Thank you.

 

[Mr. Shred-ididle]

i think of them as a progresive metal band. Not in the Dream Theater/Symphony X/ technical/odd-time sigs. but in the sense that they ACTUALLY progress and have a deep 70's prog feel.

One of the charateristics of prog metal is to have many genres in one....Opeth are just that; 70's prog, death vocals, occasinal thrashy riffs here and there, black metal occasionally, acoustic passages etc...

 

[Dan]

The only death metal things about Opeth are the growled vocals and the occasional Morbid Angel style riff on Deliverance.

 

[Dan]

Death Metal is usually characterized by the vocal styling, but has more to do with the lyrics than anything else. Whereas bands like Cannibal Corpse, Mortal Decay, and Carcass are Death Metal, they may also be classed as gore-grind because of the explicitly morbid nature of their lyrics. Opeth's lyrics and song/album ideas center heavily around death and dying, and have since the beginning. Songs that exemplify this lyrically from each album are; (I'll pull one from each that I view to be the most self explanatory) The Twilight is my Robe, The Night and The Silent Water, To Bid You Farewell, The Amen Corner, Serenity Painted Death, The Funeral Portrait, Deliverance, In My Time of Need.

That is honestly the worst definition of a metal genre I have ever heard of in my life. Death metal is basically an extreme version of thrash. Listen to the early death metal bands, Death and Possessed for example, those are more extreme versions of the thrash genre. Hardcore and punk started to mix in and that's how the brutal death metal bands started happening in the early 90's which continues to this day.

 

[Dan]

Heh..Opeth dont use synths...the usage of Mellotrons here and there is not a Black Metal influence...Thats a prog influence...
The idiots at Hot Topic said Opeth was a black metal band and i laughed at them...i said "you guys have obviously never heard Doom Metal.."

I don't think you've heard much doom metal then.

 

[Funeral Portrait]

yea, i remember last time i saw opeth, the first thing he said to the crowd was "are you guys ready for some.....DEATH metal?." of course he followed that statement saying we cant handle death metal because we (seattle) are the grunge city. haha, he was only messin with us of course

 

[Funeral Portrait]

I don't think you've heard much doom metal then.

yea, that got me wondering too..

 

[Celestial-Voyage]

not really black metal lyrically or musically. Slightly with the vocals on old releases some would say.

Simply Death Metal or just Metal, i would say as they are more than just a style of Death Metal.

Or "Progressive Death Metal" as the fit that category better than any other band.

they started out Death Metal, they still are Death Metal but with all the 70's prog,melodic,slightly doomy,atmospheric ect...

I hear some definite old death metal elements from mike, thrash elements from peter.

Why do some people refer to death metal as being only blood,gore to describe this genre and it's influences it has today?

It was more the music than the lyrics that had me listening to old school Florida Death Metal years back.

Anyways, when i talked to Mike after the damnation show, he said he wants the next album to be very heavy and Death Metallish, evil sounding but with the beautiful parts.

 

[Korlich]

I have always consideret Opeth Doom metal. The music they play aren´t fast and brutal, that means Black metal, is out of the question. As for why I think it´s not Death metal is probably due to their often very slow and haunting music with lots of clean vocals, as well as growling. Things that I combine with doom metal.

 

[Ermz]

Doom metal also has the characteristic of being able to drone one chord for an entire song. Opeth, I haven't seen do this.