Originality?

[etotheipiequalsminus1]

We all know that Opeth are heavily influenced by bands like camel and other 70s prog. For example, the entire start of benighted is apparantly exactly like a camel track, and he says on the DVD "you liked that song?" fans: "yeahhhh!!!!" "well it's totally ripped off a band called camel".
Do you think that they are so influenced as to not be original? IE, would you accuse opeth of (musical) plagiarism???

 

[suislidE]

to a certain degree, i would

 

[Ermz]

I'd like to think of Opeth more as a culmination of all singular parts. Their ingenuity is that they are able to assimilate all the influences into themselves then make it all flow cohesively. In a sense that is where their genuinity lies.

And no, the start of Benighted isn't exactly like the start of 'Never Let Go'.

 

[Leper_/-\ffinity]

Opeth are in no way unoriginal, and if anyone ever told me they plagiarised, I would have to dfefnintely hear it to believe it. Sure, Never Let Go/Benighted, but that's one little riff, and where Mike goes after it is completely different than where Andy does, making them completely different songs.

Im only now seeing all of the prog elements in Opeth's music, and it is mostly in the lyrics/concepts (very narrative style of songwriting, instead of writing about one emotion), and song structures, meaning interludes, weird transitions, especially on Still Life. But just the fact that they blend death metal into this style of music makes them completely original.

 

[JoeVice]

i don't think it is possible to be "completely" original...everyone is influenced by everyone. but besides that point...opeth is original.

 

[etotheipiequalsminus1]

True. However some band's influences seem far more.. hmm. transparent than others.

 

[Protected Witness]

We all know that Opeth are heavily influenced by bands like camel and other 70s prog. For example, the entire start of benighted is apparantly exactly like a camel track, and he says on the DVD "you liked that song?" fans: "yeahhhh!!!!" "well it's totally ripped off a band called camel".
Do you think that they are so influenced as to not be original? IE, would you accuse opeth of (musical) plagiarism???

One word: No.