I dont mind Steven Wilsons production.
I dont think that he interferes with the bands creative process too much. However, he definitely adds something to it -- a certain flavor. It is up to the listener to decide whether that influence is either positive or negative, but I thought that all of the new Opeth records have been great so far. I have to admit that Deliverance was uninspired in some areas, but it was still a great record overall. Some of Opeths best songs are on Deliverance despite the fact that it may not be as multi-dimensional as Still Life. I think that Deliverance was repetitious in some areas, but that added to the overall atmosphere of the disc. Those riffs that dragged on for two to three minutes were meant to drag on like that. It was all meant to be a part of the listening experience, and sometimes a riff that is repetitious can also be very atmospheric. For example, so many people complain about the last riff in the song Deliverance, but I love that riff, and if you have ever seen the band live then you know that riff it is fucking heavy as hell to hear live. It may be one simple palm mute riff, but there is still a lot going on, and it is still a very atmospheric ending to a song. And what is wrong with the riff at the end of A Fair Judgment? If there was any flaws in Deliverance, then it had to do with the fact that it didnt really top anything. It wasnt better than My Arms, your hearse and so on. Hell, I dont even think that it was heavier than MAYH, but I guess that is debatable.
I also dont find it surprising that SW is producing the new Opeth album, since the band seemed to genuinely enjoy working with him and they seemed to appreciate his input. I really dont think that we have anything to worry about. Its Opeth. They are a band that is constantly evolving and progressing, which is truly the most important thing here. I would be worried if we ended up getting a ::insert album name here II::, but from the looks of it we are going to get something entirely new.