What do people think Opeth's legacy will be? They're definitely one of the best bands I've ever heard as far as consistency and originality go. Unfortunately, because of their musical niche, they don't get lots of press, but whatever press they do get seems to be overwhelmingly positive. I know a lot of magazines refer to them as metal geniuses and such. I'm curious what people will make of them 15 to 20 years from now. Will they be a sort of metal Led Zeppelin, extending the barriers of what can be classified as metal? I just want Mikael to get the credit he deserves for putting out quality album after album and inspiring as many budding musicians as I'm sure he does.
Opeth's Legacy
- Thread starter BurningSky
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funeralportrait91
Member
- Jun 23, 2007
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Of all things to talk about, you bring up that. Obviously he's not the only person in the band, but he's the principal song writer. I want the whole band to get credit, but I think its fairly obvious taht when Mikael leaves, Opeth ends. As is not the case with all the other musicians who have left the band.
Lothlorien
Towards the Great Sky
- Jan 28, 2006
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correct!! but he has been the songwriter for every album, and kind of the only thing that has been consistent in opeth since the very beginning.
funeralportrait91
Member
- Jun 23, 2007
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Hmm, I get what you mean. Sorry I kinda took that the wrong way.
On topic though I don't think they'll have as big an impact as Led Zeppelin did but they did greatly popularise the progressive death genre, so no doubt there'll be a bigger increase of bands "imitating" their style.
On topic though I don't think they'll have as big an impact as Led Zeppelin did but they did greatly popularise the progressive death genre, so no doubt there'll be a bigger increase of bands "imitating" their style.
Nichtsicher
Member
I think they will get 'legendary' status in a few years. But that also probably depends wether or not new and up coming bands say that they are a major influence. But id like them to get it, they sure do deserve it.
Kenneth R.
Cináed
They're not and never really were groundbreaking but were and still are quite exemplary of excellent metal and should be remembered for it among the greats.
MasterOLightning
Optimator
There was a discussion in another forum where we placed Opeth in the 25 most important metal bands ever. The criteria was mostly originality, influence, popularity, quality, and overall impact/significance. The list was pretty balanced between traditional, thrash, death, black, doom, and power metal.
Opeth really hasn't done anything to push the boundaries of metal though. Their importance lies in the mass number of people they have brought into extreme metal, while still maintaining a high level of quality over many albums. They are pretty much the best of the entry-level extreme metal bands, and they have had a pretty unique sound on many releases. Just about the only bands that sound like Opeth are the ones directly ripping them off.
Opeth really hasn't done anything to push the boundaries of metal though. Their importance lies in the mass number of people they have brought into extreme metal, while still maintaining a high level of quality over many albums. They are pretty much the best of the entry-level extreme metal bands, and they have had a pretty unique sound on many releases. Just about the only bands that sound like Opeth are the ones directly ripping them off.
Kenneth R.
Cináed
IamReptar
Yar be pirating
I don't care if Opeth is around or not 25 years from now.
I'll still feel the same way that I feel today; they are the greatest fucking band ever. Period.
The songs that I have listened too a bijillion times will sound just as wonderful two decades from now as they do today.
Fuck public recognition.
I'll still feel the same way that I feel today; they are the greatest fucking band ever. Period.
The songs that I have listened too a bijillion times will sound just as wonderful two decades from now as they do today.
Fuck public recognition.
^ I agree , to me they are my most favorite band, and I have listened to the songs a billion times too 
Sometimes I wish more people at least knew of Opeth, because I feel there is great music that people are missing out on just because progressive death metal is an 'underground' type of music.
One of my friends hated death metal until I gave him an Opeth CD to listen to. A few months later he has bought all their albums and says they are one of his favorite bands ever.
Sometimes I wish more people at least knew of Opeth, because I feel there is great music that people are missing out on just because progressive death metal is an 'underground' type of music.
One of my friends hated death metal until I gave him an Opeth CD to listen to. A few months later he has bought all their albums and says they are one of his favorite bands ever.
chrisdoig24k
Boom King
Nichtsicher
Member
Just curious to know how it was concluded that they wernt groundbreaking?
Black Session
Heretic Misanthrope
had the exact same question ... before Opeth there was no other band like this, and there still isn't ...
no other band in metal combines these kind of influences to the same degree (although about the same time with Opeth some other bands were).
how much more does one have to do to be groundbreaking??? invent new instruments, invent new notes, invent whatever ...?
together with some other bands, Opeth have brought a new vibe to metal and have made a bridge between progressive rock and extreme metal, which is something no one could have imagined early nineties. look at websites and forums of progressive rock lovers, they embrace Opeth, whereas they used to despise death metal.
Mixing heavy with soft was around before Opeth, ant that is what they have always done, so I really would not think of them as particulary groundbreaking. I think the more progressive moments are to be found on their newer releases, as I can't hear much progressive elements in the early albums.
Ermz
¯\(°_o)/¯
I think they'll likely achieve revered cult status, much like 'Death'. They're probably the closest thing the metal realm currently has to bands like 'Metallica', 'Sabbath', 'Priest' or whatnot. The current 'core' trends are overshadowing what's happening in the underground communities too much to really bring Opeth the sort of popularity they may have achieved under different circumstances.
They break ground not on account of being a band that started fusing the mellow with the harsh, but more so for being the band that (arguably) does it best. As said earlier, nobody else sounds like Opeth unless they intend to be an outright clone.
They break ground not on account of being a band that started fusing the mellow with the harsh, but more so for being the band that (arguably) does it best. As said earlier, nobody else sounds like Opeth unless they intend to be an outright clone.
isolation_years
Member
its true opeth started without mikael, but they didnt make any albums so if you count since orchid, every single album has been mikaels vision, and thats why hes seen as the figurehead, your just being picky with details
and as for their early albums, i think its more progressive on their older albums then their newer ones, well maybe not, id say its on par at least, orchid is a real showcase of their progressive elements imo, and so is morningrise, my arms your hearse is their first concept album and then comes still life, and the damnation/deleverance stuff comes after so i really cant see a break in the technical genius anywhere along there
If you don't think Opeth will be a legendary band, it begs the question: which recent bands do you think will be instead? Opeth have been around for a while now, only within the last few years getting quite popular. I forsee they will only gain more popularity, unless they completely change their sound. It stands to reason that with more popularity and the back catelogue they've developed, legendary status is inevitable.
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