Still Life= overrated

[SeanNZ]

Well its fairly difficult/boring to have discussions without opinions...

 

[apostle]

Still life was my least favorite when i first got into Opeth, but now it easily is my favorite

 

[FRUGiHOYi]

i think demon of the fall is overrated as fuck

 

[Splintered Vision]

i think demon of the fall is overrated as fuck

Thank you! I've been thinking that for ages. Its a good song, no doubt. But it gets quite a bit of praise on this board in particular.

SL is my least favourite of their albums.

Same here. I find that there are less songs that just grab my attention. The Moor is fantastic, and so is Serenity Painted Death. But Benighted just bores the shit through me. Overall Still Life is my least favourite Opeth album.

 

[Header]

The moor, godhead's lament and face of melinda are masterpieces! But I have to agree, that still life will never be something like Blackwater Park is to me.

 

[Pain While Urinating]

For everything there's always someone overrating it.
At least Still Life deserves the majority of it's rating from the people that rate it rather than Slipknot getting overrated by every single teenager in the world.
So it's good to overrate something great.

 

[sister ophelia]

I love Opeth, but in the grand scheme of things, they are neither superstars nor megasellers, so how can ANY of their albums or songs respectively be over- or underrated?

 

[SacredReich]

IMHO, The Moor and SPD rate in the top 5 Opeth songs.

Still life kicks ass, but when you compare to their best, BWP, then well...You're up against other strong contenders like Bleak, Funeral Portrait, and of course the almighty title track.

I love Opeth, but in the grand scheme of things, they are neither superstars nor megasellers, so how can ANY of their albums or songs respectively be over- or underrated?

That is one of the most idiotic things I've heard. They're one of the most popular metal bands around today, and that isn't even that relevant. Amongst the metalheads, of course they can be under- or over-rated. It is completely irrelevant as to how much they've sold.

BTW they are superstars. Just look at the admiration on this board. They've proven over the years to everyone in the metal scene that they're are one of the best acts out there.

 

[Liquid Diamonds]

*gulp*

OK, I know I'm going to get flamed x 1000 for this but recently I've been thinking and Still Life maybe really isn't one of Opeth's best albums. (I know Liquid Diamonds at least will agree with me on this). If you do a track-by-track comparison of Still Life vs MAYH, it's easy to see which one is just altogether a stronger album.
By the way, I still do love Still Life in general, and it did used to hold a place as my favorite Opeth album. I've just been doubting that recently.
Prologue/April Ethereal vs The Moor: The Moor is an amazing song but AE has that extra something that just makes it a little bit better. Plus, Prologue is a better way to start than the beginning of The Moor (a little too long)
When vs Godhead's Lament: This is an easy one. When is surely one of Opeth's best songs, and one of their signature tunes in that it does a good job of summarizing the Opeth "sound". The acoustic parts are beautiful, the heavy parts are great, the vocals are epic, its an amazing song. Now, GL has probably one of Opeth's best moments (the part starting with the guitar solo and ending after the folksy clean vocal melody), but the verses feel tired and the part between the folk section and the end is nothing special.
Benighted vs Madrigal: Benighted easily wins this one, it is beautiful and Madrigal isn't much of a song.
The Amen Corner vs Moonlapse Vertigo: Moonlapse is terrific and I love that beautiful riff near the beginning, and the acoustic verses. Nice solo, too. This is a close one, and it's pretty much even, both are very solid Opeth songs.
Face of Melinda vs Demon of the Fall: Both are classic songs and I would rank Face of Melinda easily in my top 10 or 20 Opeth songs. However, DOTF is definitely overall better, maybe my favorite Opeth song, ever.
Serenity Painted Death vs Credence: Even though I feel it's one of Opeth's weakest "epic" songs, I would take SPD over Credence just because the latter doesn't stand out quite as much.
White Cluster vs Karma/Epilogue: White Cluster is a very nice ending to Still Life, though I think Karma is even more beautiful, with those "aaahh" vocals and some great death metal vox at the end. Plus Epilogue knocks that brief guitar interlude at the end of White Cluster out of the park.

I know it's all opinion, but I was just wondering if there's anyone else who thinks Still Life isn't quite what it's cracked up to be. Even so, it is probably a 10/10 album, just not Opeth's very best as many say.

Firstly: Correct, I will agree with you

I think whoever it was that said that it's better to compare BWP to SL is probably correct. Having read this thread, with nothing to do, I went to my trusty mp3 player and did so. And as far as I can see, BWP isn't just better.... it SLAUGHTERS Still Life.

The Leper Affinity Vs. The Moor
Now, perhaps I'm biased because The Leper Affinity is the first Opeth song I ever heard but... if that's not the perfect way to start an album, I dunno what is. IMO, the best opening track of any Opeth record. Has everything you could want in an Opeth song: Heavy as fuck riffs, AWESOME clean vocal passage (I was like the first time I heard it). The Moor, to me, isn't even the strongest track on Still Life. And, as I've said many times before... IT'S AN ABBA RIP-OFF!!!!!

Bleak Vs Godhead's Lament
Bleak, easily. The main riff is better, the playing is tighter, Steven Wilson adds something cool to it. Is Still Life the record Jesus always says the did no rehearsals for? It really shows, there isn't much of a tightness to the playing of Godhead's at all. Which is a shame, because it is a very good song (well, largely).

Harvest Vs. Benighted
Benighted, to me, is the dullest full-scale song Opeth have ever done. I would quite gladly have it wiped from my memory. Nah, it's not that bad I s'pose, but I can't be bothered listening to it, and it's the only Opeth song I can say that of. Harvest isn't exactly a highlight of BWP, but it wins this one hands down.

The Drapery Falls Vs. Moonlapse Vertigo
Moonlapse is ok, but Drapery is a stone cold classic. Another one-track summation of everything that is good about Opeth. Mike's vocals are much stronger on BWP as an album in general, especially the clean vox, and I think Drapery demonstrates that better than the other tracks.

Dirge For November Vs. Face Of Melinda
Dirge gets a lot of stick on this board, but I'd still rather listen to it than Face Of Melinda. I think at 5 mins 30 rather than 7 mins 30, FOM would be better. It just kinda outstays it's welcome. The end is awesome, but the first section is too long. Dirge has some awesome moments, and I love the gentle, beautiful intro. Gives me shivers.

The Funeral Portrait Vs. Serenity Painted Death
Finally, a victory for Still Life!!!! TFP is a fine song, but the least interesting on BWP to my tastes. The mian rif is very basic and not altogether that interesting. SPD has some blinding moments (the big huge moshworthy bit... I think it's at about 3 mins 30? not sure though, and of course 'White face, haggerd grin...' etc.). Great song, one of SL's best, even if the ending sucks balls.

Blackwater Park Vs. White Cluster
...
...
...
...
BLACKWATER MOTHERFUCKING PARK!!!!!!

Duh
BWP has the most immense groove to it. Of all the Opeth songs, this one has to have the best groove. Heavy as fuck, groovy, fucking sinister...it just blows (the passable) White Cluster off of the face of the planet.

I definately agree that Godhead's Lament has one of Opeth's best musical passages (the one you mentioned). Brilliant moment, one of the best things I ever heard. Serenity Painted Death also has some awesome bits. But overall... it just doesn't sound anywhere near as good as their other records (Morningrise excepted) to me. Production sounds like an attempt at BWP style production, but badly executed so it is in fact less appealing than that of MAYH.
Dropouts are appaling (almost as appaling as the fact that it hasn't been remastered), songwriting isn't as solid as it is now, vox are weaker than they have been ever since, idea's aren't as interesting or progressive as on any of their other records...

Overrated is an understatement...




Still an Opeth record, so I would give it maybe 7.5/10 (that's good, I'm a harsh marker)

 

[Alex78]

The Moor and Godhead are two of the best songs ever!

but, does anyone else feel that Face Of Melinda would better have been placed after SPD? I mean there's the mellow Benighted, then Moonlapse and then FOM, another mellow tune... which I don't find to be overly exciting at all

 

[Hypnos]

Firstly: Correct, I will agree with you

I think whoever it was that said that it's better to compare BWP to SL is probably correct. Having read this thread, with nothing to do, I went to my trusty mp3 player and did so...

The Leper Affinity Vs. The Moor
two average songs, both vastly overrated by fans. for me The Moor is slightly better

Bleak Vs Godhead's Lament
Godhead's Lament easily. it contains some of the best acoustic parts in Opeth history. a brilliant song. Bleak is just average, nothing special...

Harvest Vs. Benighted
Benighted, to me it's one of the best mellow Opeth songs. underrated as hell. i like Harvest aswell, so for me its a tie

The Drapery Falls Vs. Moonlapse Vertigo
easily Moonlapse Vertigo. it slays Drapery in evey aspect

Dirge For November Vs. Face Of Melinda
Dirge For November by FAR. it's a masterpiece of brilliance while Face Of Melinda is one of the songs i always skip

The Funeral Portrait Vs. Serenity Painted Death
both songs are not really my favourites, but SPD is slightly better

Blackwater Park Vs. White Cluster
BWP is just overated. an average song for me. but it's better than White Cluster which is one of the worst on Still Life.

therefore Still Life (8/10) is way better than BWP (6/10). but none of these both albums can reach the brilliance of MAYH (10/10), Opeth's magnum opus...

 

[hibernal_dream]

If anything is overrated, it's Blackwater Park. Too overblown and little depth when compared with Still Life.

 

[angelofdeath9308]

i think demon of the fall is overrated as fuck

I too find this song overrated. I see how it is a good song, but not how it is a Great song. When, on the other hand, is OPETH, and it is a great song.

I think whoever it was that said that it's better to compare BWP to SL is probably correct. Having read this thread, with nothing to do, I went to my trusty mp3 player and did so. And as far as I can see, BWP isn't just better.... it SLAUGHTERS Still Life

agreed, Blackwater Park is among Opeths top 3, maybe top 2, and maybe even on top of the list. With 7/8 masterpieces, how can you go wrong with BWP?

Still life is still a GREAT Opeth record, not their best though.

 

[Zivilyn]

Still Life is overrated for me too. The way I see it, it has two awesome tracks (Moonlapse Vertigo, White Cluster), two very good but not great mellow tracks (...), a decent track (Godhead's Lament), and two tracks that I just find annoying (The Moor, SDP). Blackwater Park on the other hand has 5 amazing ones, a close to amazing one (Bleak), and one overrated but still great (BWP). Patterns in the Ivy is good for what it is, which is only 2 minutes, so bleh. My least favorite song on BWP is only defeated by one on Still Life- Moonlapse Vertigo.

If MAYH were brought into this, things would get very complicated.

 

[Brains for breakfast]

I didn't feel like going trough so much text full of fanboyism, but to me, MaYH has more solid songs, while Still-life, as a concept album, has a realy good atmosphere.

 

[Disgustipated]

Overrated or not, its a great cd, that's all that matters.

I read to post for and decided I don't need to read any more. And I'm too rired/drunk to be bothered. But seriously, this is all you need.

Pety.

 

[Lietuvis]

It's not overrated, it gets the praise it deserves. It's just that the Still Lifers underrate every other opeth record just to prove their point. which is shit!!

Exactly. :Spin:

 

[Armeanic]

I don't think you can compare Still Life to other albums song-by-song.

Still Life is what it is by the way it all molds together. The album has a story line (so does MAYH, but I'll get to that a little later). When everything is thrown together, you get a 60+ minute anti-Organized Religion love ballad, combined with a tragic ending that Aristotle would be proud of.

I have a hard time listening to Still Life by a random selection of songs--I need to sit down and listen to the entire thing.


MAYH also has a followable story line, the only difference is that this one doesn't quite have the same literary merit.

All this probably just comes from my obsession with literature. In all actuallity, I don't think Opeth has any overrated albums, nor underrated ones, for that matter.

 

[shark22]

Could somebody tell me what the hell an ebo is? Eveyone says it was introduced on still life but all I hear are the bass, guitars, and drums. I want to know what it is so I can listen for it.

 

[steel102]

actually you are all wrong. ghost reveries is the most overrated album by far.