"The Grand Conjuration" - I don't understand the negativity

[MetalManCPA]

After listening more, it's worse than i thought. The only good thing about it really is the intro riff, which isn't played that much, and... well... during the clean verse the acoustic part is neat, but is ruined by the retarded DUN DUN DUN which is the lamest thing i've ever heard Opeth do.The slightly more "technical" middle section is kinda cool. All in all, i don't even think i can make an edit of this to make it ok. There's only like 2 minutes of worthy stuff.

Wow - you're pretty tough and harsh towards this song.

One thing I try not to do is compare a bands song to it's own. Technically, of course this song doesn't sound Opeth. Yet, in a vaccuum, it sounds to me like a different and wonderful Opeth. I'll take every simplistic cheesy boring lame pop song that exists and throw TGC in there. Without hesitation, TGC will easily rise to the top.

You keep on mentioning editing the song. I'm coming from purely a listening standpoint, and I personally love the overall sound and feel of it. Forget comparisons, forget songwriting, just the simple "How does it sound?"

Sounds good to me.

 

[Manbient]

yeah.. i just don't really think so. I'm a harsh music critic, always have been, always will be, and The Grand Conjuration i just don't enjoy. The into riff is cool, that's about it. The rest just bores me. I would rather listen to an average pop song i think.

 

[jocheml]

i think tgc is the best song on the album and among the best of all opeth songs

 

[atropos_project]

From my side, the negativity is that its an average tune for this band, and probably not the best way to be introduced to them.

More than that, is the edit of this tune for a completely forgettable video. The song was hacked to shit IMO.

 

[Hypnos]

The into riff is cool, that's about it. The rest just bores me.

that's strange because i think the intro riff is the worst par of the song. the keyboard sounds sometimes cheesy like in 3:09 - 3:26.
the best parts are imho 5:06 - 5:55 and 7:46 - 8:40 (the percussion and Mikes whispers rule...). overall its my #5 on GR, so not really bad but not a masterpiece either...

 

[MetalManCPA]

From my side, the negativity is that its an average tune for this band, and probably not the best way to be introduced to them.

More than that, is the edit of this tune for a completely forgettable video. The song was hacked to shit IMO.

I guess comparing the first song I was introduced to Opeth with, Bleak, to TGC, I can see how a newbie wouldn't understand what Opeth is all about, or should I say be blown away as to have no clue what Opeth is all about (which is what Bleak did for me). Maybe TGC was geared towards a broader audience, so what? In comparing TGC to all the other supposed muscial crap on the market, this song is still better than a majority of it.

I think using the reasoning of simplicity/averageness as a judgement of a band sounds elitist and/or narrow minded. So us Opeth old-timers who appreciate the depth of Opeth should care that some kid likes Opeth because their logo is cool or for some other nonsensical stupid reason? If it sells one more Opeth album, I'm happy.

Plus, my opinion is still that although TGC as compared to other tracks isn't nearly as technical doesn't mean crap to me. I still think TGC is better than most non-Opeth music.

EDIT: and as stated above, I never called TGC a masterpiece. It's just I consistently see this song being lambasted, and I hear nothing that should cause such negativity.

 

[Md Player]

so not really bad but not a masterpiece either...

.

 

[CAIRATH]

I hate the start-stop riffing in it. That kind of stuff was all over Deliverance and I didn't like it there either. I like music to flow. Luckily most of the start-stop riffing on GR seems to be contained in one song rather than having it all over the album. I still think the album would be nearly perfect if they'd just left this track off altogether or replaced it with something a little more interesting and a little less out-of-place sounding. It just doesn't fit at all between the two really great mellow tracks Hours of Wealth and Isolation Years. When Hours of Wealth (which I love) ends and it immediately goes into that stupid DUN DUN DUN --- DUN DUN DUN --- etc. bit, I just pretty much go "Ugh..." and then I have to resist the urge to just skip ahead to the next song.

I've seen people say they didn't like TGC when they first heard it and now appreciate it more in context of the rest of the album. For me it's the opposite. When I first heard it I thought it was okay. But after having the track tainted by the terribly non-Opeth-looking video and having it put inbetween the aforementioned tracks that I do like where it sounds grossly out of place, I just started disliking it more.

To me it signifies the only weak spot in an otherwise fantastic album.

 

[BurningSky]

Since it's the song I've heard most, I tend not to listen to it that often anymore. The fact that I love isolation years so much makes me want to skip it as well. Usually when it starts playing, all i really want to hear is the middle part, with the crazy drumming and that kinda thing, what people have been calling the "technical" part. I do agree that it kind of goes nowhere. When the technical part ends and it goes back into the clean thing again, I wish that didn't happen and the song was over. The whispering and stuff comes after that, which I like, but if it was used earlier, then the song could end where I wanted it to. It's probably my least fav. on the album for sure, but it's a good enough song to listen to, can't completely bash it. Opeth have done far better though.

 

[euclid]

I think this song is probably an absolute crowd slayer in a live setting. The guitar riff played in conjunction with the "The eyes/The Hands" is crushing. I didn't like the song at first, but now I find myself listening more and more. Even minute parts of the song like the descending neck slide at 5:52 captures my attention and makes me keep hitting the rev button on my cd player. :hotjump:

 

[steel102]

only part i like is the solo.

 

[Hypnos]

I think this song is probably an absolute crowd slayer in a live setting. The guitar riff played in conjunction with the "The eyes/The Hands" is crushing. I didn't like the song at first, but now I find myself listening more and more. Even minute parts of the song like the descending neck slide at 5:52 captures my attention and makes me keep hitting the rev button on my cd player. :hotjump:

i've seen Opeth at Summerrbreeze and i have to say that TGC is 10 x better live than on the album..

@cairath

this is really strange, but i genuinely dislike Hours Of Wealth. you see, GR is not that bad at all and imho i'D like to see a masterpiece like 'KARMA' insteade.

 

[Stevieg]

Agreed a forgetable video but on the cd played in the correct sequence (after Hours of Wealth) its awesome. Just for the intro alone how they up the temp everytime, the voice. Do you realize this is the first time Satan is actually mentioned in an Opeth lyric. TGC is not a stand alone track its much like Queensryche Operation Mindcrime out of context none of those tracks sound right but together its one of the greatest cd's of all time.

I loved this entire CD and I loved this track. I listened to it racing down I4 to Tampa at night and I was blown away.

 

[zortz]

The first time I heard the TGC was when they played it live at the Sounds of the Underground festival in Mountain View, CA. I thought it was awesome and felt privileged to hear a track off of the new album before it was out.

BTW: Before they played it, Mikael said something like "If you don't like this song, you can all suck my dick" Maybe the'll have Opeth kneepads on the Tour of Perdition for the haters .

 

[kran-k]

Im sorry but having listened to all of Opeths albums I have to say Grand Conjuration is the weakest song to date, for obvious reasons... I dont understand why they chose it to promote the album - Surely it must have scared the shit out of my fans. Lets just hope the band has gotten the message and will not release songs like these in the future.

 

[FRUGiHOYi]

TGC kicks ass, end of story.

 

[Demilich]

Lets just hope the band ignored this message and will release whatever the fuck they please in the future.

.

 

[xXBraveMurderDay]

I thought the song itself was pretty nice. I just hated that shitty intro.. Reminded me so much of all the udder shit thats on Roadrunner.

 

[dew]

The main riff is used too much, the 'BAM! chug chug chug chug chug' part just plain sucks, and Mikael's growls in the techy-part just sound bad to me (sort of like that one part in Master's Apprentices, it just sounds metalcore).

 

[TheUnforgiven]

...and whats up with the video, I like the part with 2 chicks in the bed, but why is that shirtless homo beating up on the old guy the song it self is shitty like the rest of the album, it sounds like a soundtrack to an old indian musical