Similar to Opeth Bands?

[ShaunG]

I'm fairly new to Opeth and their style of music. Correct me if I am wrong, but Opeth is considered progressive death metal? From what I have read there is no band that can match the talent and sound of Opeth, but there are some that have a similar sound to them. I am a huge metal fan, but not so much of the death metal/growling sound although I do love Opeth. I am not familiar with the progressive metal/death metal genre at all. I would have to say I like the lighter, more dark & melodic side of Opeth much more. What are some bands that have that sound? Some growls are absolutely fine as long as they do not over do it.

 

[Hox]

Agalloch reminds me alot of Opeth at times, although they're more of a black metal band. Ulver's "Kveldssanger"-album is kind of similar to Opeth's acoustic stuff. Check out In Mourning, too. Some of Nightingale's stuff might be worth checking out, too.
Hells, I'll let the experts here do the answering.

 

[Saihtam]

Disillusion's album Back To Times Of Splendor. Check it out.

 

[BloodSword]

One of the best things about Opeth is their incredible ability to combine dark and light in a seamless fashion. I'm sure Opeth have enough "mellow" songs that you could make an outstanding compilation burn. Look at the death vocals as a musical instrument. There's a reason that Akerfeldt includes them, as well as the "clean". I think it's all a holistic approach to his composition, for what ever he is trying to convey with any song. Excellent songwriting and band. Don' let the vocals ruin your experience. After all, they fit almost perfectly. Give "Orphaned Land-Mabool" a listen.

 

[Carta's]

1) Non Opeth Music Chat is the place you want to go

2) Ikuinen Kaamos
Agalloch
Anathema (recent)
Antimatter
Edge of Sanity (albums: Crimson and Crimson II)
Dan Swano
Porcupine Tree (recent)
Riverside
Oceansize
Novembre
Ulver (albums: Bergtatt and Kveldssanger)

 

[Prestige]

daylight dies

 

[Annihilat0r]

Definitely Lykathea Aflame's Elvenefris.

 

[ShaunG]

Thanks guys. The reason I posted here was because I figured some of you listen to these bands if you listen to Opeth.

I do understand that they use the growling vocals to portray a frame of mind or emotion in the song which is why I like Opeth and do not mind the growling death metal vocals. I just can't deal with too much of it as I am not a death metal fan. I know Opeth uses them sparingly which is great. Thanks for the ideas for new bands to look at, please feel free to keep dropping them in this thread.

 

[Crepuscularia]

Farmakon, Dark Suns.... try using the search function; there's at least half a dozen threads on this very subject. A lot of good recommendations in those.

 

[BefriendedUnit]

@Carta's

This should be fine here, since it's Opeth-related, right?

 

[Between Ax and Me]

Farmakon

 

[ramses]

Farmakon, in a quirky kind of way, indeed. But, I'd say Insomnium comes the closest. Especailly their 2nd album The Day It All Came Down. And someone mentioned Ulver earlier. Years ago, when I put on Bergtatt, when I got it home, it immediately reminded me of Morningrise, and Orchid as well.

 

[x_OPETH_x]

In Mourning - Shrouded Divine
http://www.myspace.com/in_mourning

Also, like others mentioned -
Novembre
Daylight Dies (especially the newest album)

And, in a flurry of shameless self-promotion, my band "The Awakening"
www.myspace.com/theawakeningFL

 

[The Wooden Doors]

Agalloch - The Mantle

Ulver - Bergtatt

Edge of Sanity - Crimson (w/Mike)

Katatonia - Brave Murder Day (w/Mike)

Cynic - Focus + Traced In Air

All of these bands have similar sound, all feature death and clean vocals and have the light/dark contrast.

 

[BlackRoseImmortalWaterPark]

There are bands in the same genre but none of them pull it off in the way Opeth does, most bands just sound all the same whenever there trying to play mellow/dark/doomy riffs. Opeth do it their way.

Some bands similar that are pree good are

Lilitu-(I do not know anyone else who knows of these guys) They are friggin amazing, they are one of few bands that I put on the same level as Opeth song writing, definately not as good, but still very good. Check out their album -Memorial- Its a masterpiece haha.

Agalloch-

Novembers Doom-(Is it me, or does the singers death growls sound alot like Akerfeldt's, like nowhere being as good, but very similar sounding.

P.S

Voivod- Is The main influence on Opeth's heavy riffs and no one can say otherwise haha! The same weird chords, exact same riff structures and evil ness to them.

 

[DarkGift]

Maitreya - http://www.friendsofmaitreya.com

you may like katatonia if you don't already listen to them, brave murder day is the best one imo

 

[Black Session]

how come everytime such a thread gets started all these bands get mentioned that often don't sound anything like opeth! ... for example November's Doom, I really do not understand how people can say they sound similar. As soon as a band uses both growls and clean vocals in songs, they are claimed to sound like Opeth, which is ridiculous.

Furthermore, also funny how everytime only "similar" bands to orchid and morningrise get mentioned, while new people probably are asking about bands doing similar things like on opeth's newer albums. Of course, there aren't any similar bands

So to the threadstarter, clarify please, what do you actually want? You want bands/songs that are similar to their soft side (which era soft side?) ... Well to put in my contribution, the song Omerta by Katatonia always sounded to me as if it could have been on Damnation.
In any case, appreciate bands on their own, any good band is unique in its own way and doesn't sound "similar" to many other bands.

 

[To rid you disease]

In Mourning - Shrouded Divine
http://www.myspace.com/in_mourning

Also, like others mentioned -
Novembre
Daylight Dies (especially the newest album)

And, in a flurry of shameless self-promotion, my band "The Awakening"
www.myspace.com/theawakeningFL

ok i just listened to some in mourning and how the heck is that similar to opeth? its metal... sure, thats it lol.

 

[Hox]

Opeth = Trivium lolz

 

[x_OPETH_x]

ok i just listened to some in mourning and how the heck is that similar to opeth? its metal... sure, thats it lol.

that's surprising....I don't think "Opeth-clone" when i hear them, but it's unquestionably related...the deep vocals, and interspersed bits of melody and drama in the music...sure, they don't go clean very often, but it's similar music and certainly GOOD music.