Porcelain Heart

[Dammnare]

Not bad,but I cant say that it impresses me as MAYH or Still Life.I dont know but songs feel like they are done hastily and in my opinion there are too many riffs in songs and you cant focus on one of them.I feel I am lost while listening to porcelain and lotus.

Btw what the hell is axe doing at 2:00 in porcelain heart ?

Better wait for the whole album but I dont feel like buying it I just dont like the song composition.

 

[Slynt]

Here's my two cents, and this is my first post on the Opeth forum...

I bought Blackwater Park when I was about 15 years old, I'm 21 now so I've been into Opeth for quite a while. Blackwater Park blew me away with the intricacy of the musicianship, and the atmosphere the music created (good production I feel). All the songs were excellent!

When Deliverance came out, the songs were really well written, but I felt they were a bit more simplistic in terms of composition than the songs on BWP. And also the production on Deliverance didn't have as much atmosphere to it as BWP (it did in some parts but overall I felt it was lacking). In a way I felt the Deliverance production was slightly too clean... I think some of the guitar effects were done in pro-tools etc, this might have been different to the recording techniques for BWP. Damnation came out, and it really was brilliant, the production was spot on and the songs were great.

When Ghost Reveries came out, I did enjoy the experimental side of it, but I felt that like Deliverance, the composition in some songs was simpler than usual for Opeth, and the production felt kind of similar to Deliverance (but with more atmosphere). Baying of the Hounds was an excellent track, but apart from the addition of keys (which sound very effective), I don't think that Opeth had progressed their sound forward (I mean they had definitely shown a more experimental side, but the overall sound of the band wasn't progressing significantly, which isn't necessarily a bad thing anyway).

And along come these two new tracks off Watershed, and all I can think to myself is "YES! This is the stuff!!!!" It feels like this album is the next logical step after BWP. It has the dark atmosphere of BWP, but still has some great evolution to it (Mike's vocals and the keys, and the oboe). It feels like BWP, but with tasteful hints of experimentalism (if thats even a word) thrown in. The composition no longer feels simplified, in fact it's probably more complicated... But the music is very dynamic this time. 10/10.

Amazing how perceptions can differ. I completely disagree with everything you write, especially the comparison between the most boring product in Opeth's discography, Blackwater Park, and the exciting and all-over-the-place The Lotus Eater. I agree Porcelain Heart leans closer to the simplicity of Park though.

I like Porcelain Heart, especially the folk part near the end is beautiful, but it's nowhere near as spectacular as The Lotus Eater, which sees Opeth genuinely tread new paths; Heart is just another Opeth-song, with few surprises and even a rehash of a riff from the previous album dominating it.

 

[drnefar]

It's good music, folks.

Just be happy.

 

[Black Session]

First of all, listening more to both songs makes me like them more and more ... first you have to get used to the new stuff of course.

Secondly, it seems as if Watershed will be a culmination of everything they did before AND going beyond to open the doors for new stuff (to quote more or less what Mikael said). But I must say, already on GR, and even more so now, I still have to get used somewhat to the overwhelming amount of things that is going on in each and every song! On these 2 songs I even thought of a similarity with Orchid and Morningrise in the sense that there are so many very different parts worked into the same composition. This has been something that made some people on this board dislike it, but I guess people who are addicted to the first 2 albums might appreciate this a little bit. The new composition are less uniform than what they did from My Arms, Your Hearse up till Deliverance (and Damnation obviously).
I'm liking it, and I'm not saying they are too chaotic, but it is definitely a "new" direction and in the same time reverting somewhat back to the old days in the sense I just described.
Also in the different parts themselves there are so many references to older stuff! The part from 6:00 to 6:10 ... if that is not a pure Morningrise part, than what is?! And you can find parts that reference to all the other albums as well ... don't know if it was intended to make those references or not.

So, in sum, it seems like Watershed might be both a closing chapter of their past and a first step towards an unknown and wild future ... looking forward to it!

 

[DarkGift]

Anyone else think that the "aaah" part sounds like system of a down a bit?
Don't hit me

 

[Amarok]

Ok. One simple question: where in hell can I buy the damned single? Amazon only accepts US, 7digital has only UK, so where the heck can I get it from, if I'm from neither US or UK?
This really pisses the living daylight out of me!

If you have a Paypal account you can use that to buy it at 7digital,
just google some random London zip code and use when registering.

 

[Adramelech2012]

so I am not the only one who heard that shit.....maybe it was intended I don't know, but some explaining would be nice, Mike.

Not bad,but I cant say that it impresses me as MAYH or Still Life.I dont know but songs feel like they are done hastily and in my opinion there are too many riffs in songs and you cant focus on one of them.I feel I am lost while listening to porcelain and lotus.

Btw what the hell is axe doing at 2:00 in porcelain heart ?

Better wait for the whole album but I dont feel like buying it I just dont like the song composition.

 

[Godhead59]

Anyone else think that the "aaah" part sounds like system of a down a bit?
Don't hit me

Reminds me more of the Grand Conjuration main riff.

 

[metalheadz]

Hi! My attempt at the acoustic chorus, for guitars players: !

 

[mr_cellotape]

Btw what the hell is axe doing at 2:00 in porcelain heart ?

Attempting to breath life into an otherwise relatively dull song.

 

[SerenityNow!]

Well, in my opinion, getting used to the new stuff, or better put, letting it grow on you, is part of the wonder of it all! That's what makes it progressive. Constantly changing and keeping you on your toes. Too many times, there have been bands that put a song out that I immediately go nuts over, only to end up bored shitless later on. A good song has to grow on you. Otherwise you end up with the same old bullshit any other band will puke out at you. No different from the last lie forced on you. The more straight-forward a song is, for me, the less of a song it is.

:zombie:

 

[JoeVice]

nice job metalheadz!!!! although i don't think that silly little slide is in there, it still sounds nice.

and yes, i see system of a down and the grand conjuration...a double dose of nu-metal!!!

 

[Lachybob]

Rather enjoyed the song. Every time Axe's fill starts i just think animal from the muppets has just joined opeth, love it

 

[the_drip]

Ok. One simple question: where in hell can I buy the damned single? Amazon only accepts US, 7digital has only UK, so where the heck can I get it from, if I'm from neither US or UK?
This really pisses the living daylight out of me!

they ALL take credit. it's called an exchange rate. I've ordered shit from foreign countries countless times...never had a problem ( besides slower than mole asses shipping )

 

[The Don]

After listening to Porcelain Heart about 20x, I can say a few things. I like the general tone and feel of the song, and I can see what Mike was going for with the ambience. I like the drum fill, and the main heavy riff of the song is dissonant and definitely adds to the mood of the piece. However, the song is definitely too simple in terms of structure and songwriting. I always expect Opeth to be at the top of their game as far as interesting, varied riffs with many dynamic time changes, accoustic parts that hit me deep, death vocals that make me shudder, melodies that take me back to memories, and variation that takes 10+ listens to fully appreciate and understand. PH has none of these elements, and I feel like I'm listening to a different song than everyone here. Its odd to feel alienated on a death metal band's board by complaining how the death metal isn't even metal anymore. Don't chastise me im drunk

 

[The Don]

Oh. In conclusion, I can tolerate PH (as opposed to the initial loathing) and appreciate the intent, but when watershed is out it's skip city on this piece of shit

 

[affinityband]

yeah i kinda agree^ while there are some awesome moments though the radio edit just doesnt give you enough time to take it in and realise the parts are related in someway. It just sounded random as hell.

 

[Hammurabb]

Just heard the studio version of Heir Apparent from a finnish radio station. I think it's the bleakest Opeth song ever. It's a big ugly dirty monster !!!
The whole broadcast can be streamed from the internet but I don't know if it's oaky to give the direct link ?

 

[Simskre]

Just heard the studio version of Heir Apparent from a finnish radio station. I think it's the bleakest Opeth song ever. It's a big ugly dirty monster !!!
The whole broadcast can be streamed from the internet but I don't know if it's oaky to give the direct link ?

Awesome!

 

[DarkGift]

Reminds me more of the Grand Conjuration main riff.

I was thinking of the actual "aaah" singing, not the riff.