Porcelain Heart

[Godhead59]

The new songs are definitely different, but very good. The vocals on Porcelain Heart are some of Mike's best so far. And those growls on The Lotus Eater give me the fucking shivers.

 

[hibernal_dream]

Um.. it's not that different? Not as different as Grand Conjuration, which was their most 'different' song.

 

[whenharlequinsfall]

I totally agree about the lack of a dynamic riff or anything really noteworthy. One thing I forgot to mention was that the only part of the song I actually enjoyed was the drum fill! Tori Akerfeldt lol it's really sad though listening to April Ethereal now and realizing your favorite metal band of the last 5 years is turning into a progressive outfit whose single is softer and more uninteresting than the new In Flames album. Well, I don't know that may be going too far. Either way, I've listened to The Lotus Eater more and I think it's a great track, but I expect the other 6 or 7 tracks on this CD to be much more death metal than either of these songs. Seriously and those falsettos sound like Mike trying to whimper something directly after he just got kicked in the balls for FINALLY making a bad song. Heir Apparent sounds pretty damn sick though even if it's a shitty video on YouTube. Guess we'll just have to wait and see.

sometimes i think ppl post shit like this just to get a reaction from mike.

 

[Iki-ilkkuja]

The Lotus Eater is awesome but I can't say wether PH is inferior to it. It's just more minimalistic.

 

[Ermz]

The Lotus Eater is awesome but I can't say wether PH is inferior to it. It's just more minimalistic.

I think that's the key to it. PH needs to be looked at in a different light to TLE, as there just isn't as much going on. They're two different tracks, and likely in the context of the full album, both will make sense.

 

[Eternalnow]

Meh, people are NEVER satisfied.


Brilliant songs...

 

[Hammurabb]

Don't know if it's because of the leak but look at this

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.co.uk/free/opeth/

 

[Death_To_False_Metal]

You Gotta love the dynamics of the Internet forums, between the Fanboys who would suck Mikael's ballls if he'd cover a Fegie song and the wanabee self proclamed music listener elite who sobs in their moma's dress because Mike sings in Falsetto during 20 seconds : this is going to be great no doubt.

Surprinsingly, the most criticized track is the song chosen by Monte Conner and his mignons who want to make Opeth a selling out Stadium act.

I laugh at interwebz dweebz who violently criticize some parts of Opeth songs to sound musically educated but those same underachievers would never dare to tell word for word those exact critics in front of the composer himself.

It s not okay to not like a thing but saying Porclean Heart is a the first Opeth bad song is downright pathetic.

But to everyone involved, please continue your act, it s really great fun.

And support Emo hair cut and music.

 

[Kalabalik]

Don't know if it's because of the leak but look at this

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.co.uk/free/opeth/

Thanks, listening to it now for the first time!

 

[The Seeker]

Both songs get a 9/10.

The Lotus Eater - I love the opening riff. I wasn't sure whether I'd appreciate a blast beat in an Opeth song, but the fact that Opeth put their unique stamp on it definitely gets my approval. The riff at 1:15 is so classic, glorious and epic. Per's accompaniment over that particular riff makes it probably 5x better than it would be without. Nice! The jazz fusion section sounds like getting clubbed over the head with a pimp cane, and I love it. The solos are great.

Porcelain Heart - I had a religious experience blasting this song in my car on the way home from work last Friday. The clean passage at 5:00 w/ Mike's falsetto vocals and the oboe is right up there with one of the most beautiful and great Opeth moments of all time. The opening riff is probably the best "groove" riff that Opeth has ever laid down.

Note: About Axe's drum solo. It's a traditionally inspired jazz fusion solo, ala Lenny White. I can totally see why people might not like it, but I personally think it's very effective in the tune (although, being a drummer myself, maybe I'm a bit biased). Danny Carey has done this in a similar style a few times in the past (e.g The Grudge). Obviously this type of decision isn't taken lightly in a compositional setting, unless you're a jazz fusion outlet... But the concept of having the guitars/bass switch their roll as "time keeper", maintaining the riffage whilst the drums have an opportunity to disassociate from time in a freeform manner, is pretty cool in my little world. I much prefer this laid back, freeform approach to a "wanker" style drum solo any day.

For those of you that haven't already done so, I highly recommend that you blast these songs through a good stereo system. I do most of my listening either through headphones on a PC (at work) or in my car during the drive. I had the opportunity to blast both tunes through my home stereo system yesterday morning, and I experienced the chills multiple times and had a blast listening to the songs. I also discovered that The Lotus Eater is great for doing some contemporary dance-foolery with my 10-month old daughter

I can't wait for the rest of this album! After experiencing two 9/10 ratings with just the first two songs, I'm anticipating that there will be at least one 10/10 on this album Also can't wait for the show here in Seattle! Whoot!

PS - Everyone should purchase the Porcelain Heart single when it's available and show support. Come one, it's only a buck!

 

[IntoPhagist]

The Grand Conjuration feel to Porcelain Heart Works well here....It's 100% better then TGC. And it's one of my favorite Opeth Moments ever right now.

 

[rrjii2000]

Meh, people are NEVER satisfied.


Brilliant songs...

That's because people build up a certian expectation in their mind of what the album will be like. Which is usually this great unattainable sonic masterpiece. The longer this goes on the more dissappointing it is in the end. The bottom line is no matter how good, it's never good enough.

BTW - I Love both songs!!

 

[ometh]

Why not?

"Opeth's new single THE LOTUS EATER from the ninth observation WATERSHED will be released only as a YouTube single"

Yes. I knew I'd seen it somewhere.

Lotus Eater is really growing on me - 6:27-6:31 (and when it's repeated) is such a nice moment.

 

[Kalabalik]

PS - Everyone should purchase the Porcelain Heart single when it's available and show support. Come one, it's only a buck!

I totally agree. It's already available on iTunes - bought it this morning!

 

[affinityband]

actually the reason people piss and moan about new opeth stuff is the fact that it never turns out the way each and every fan wants it too.

 

[Nightmare_Heaven]

Thanks, listening to it now for the first time!

Ditto, sounds really good!

 

[The Seeker]

I totally agree. It's already available on iTunes - bought it this morning!

Funky, I don't see it om iTunes yet! It also still shows "Not Available" on Amazon.com.

Hmmmm...

 

[PeeWee1473]

harlequin forest has a good beginning, a good ending, and a fucking awful middle, the suckitude of which is highlighted most clearly by akerfeldt's christina aguilera vocal masturbation in the 'it's all false pretension' part

Just realized this guy took like 3 posts from (other forum that won't show if I type it here) and pasted them together to create this post. Nice job, so now do we get to read YOUR opinion?

 

[i aint play this]

Maybe he is the guy from the other forum

 

[shgR]

Listening to Lotus Eater right now, YES YES AND YES! this is perfection.. its insane, seriously, so good, groovy riffs / psychedelic parts that remind me of Beatles, Sgt Pepper period.. can it get any better? mikes clean vocals are better then ever as well!!