Hey guys,
I'm going to stick my neck out for Steven Wilson. I've read in other posts that he should go and stop influencing the band. My view is that the band has gained a lot in atmosphere (ATMOSPHERE) and psychedelic sounds since he's around. I think that to anybody with ears it should be out of question the fact that he's a musical genius and that he's enriched Opeth enormously as far as production quality and TEXTURE in the songs are concerned. I think "Deliverance" is a superb album and, if at present you don't think so, try to give it one more listen and wander in those musical landscapes throughout it. "Damnation," it's true it's not much up to most of our expectations. For mine, personally, it overwhelms them! It's such a great musical experience in itself to some extent due to Steven in some big part.
Of course, I love all the previous albums, but they sound honestly too raw and I dare say, old. I don't think Steven's doing a bad job at all.
As for the band, they're great. I'm longing for their next album.