The Opeth Thread

I have a friend of mine who (GASP!) does not like Symphony X. No matter how hard I try to get him to like the band, it just doesn't work. He acknowledges that they are talented musicians, but he just can't get into them. Much like me with Opeth.
 
Mmm... just recently got into Opeth after I overlooked the pretty dull Damnation album. I just needed something else to introduce me to the REAL Opeth. Still Life and Blackwater Park have done a fabulous job doing so. My favorite Opeth song: Death's Head Lament, followed by The Moor. Good stuff.

-Kronikle
 
Androz said:
Just curious, what does the lyrics in "Black Rose Immortal" mean? maybe Rose Immortal can answer this one :p

Well...I won't swear to this, but the way I interpret "Black Rose Immortal" is as a spiritual journey. There seems to be a theme of mourning a lost loved one on Morningrise, and I kind of wonder if he (the narrator) is trying to come to terms with the loss, and perhaps even attempting to make contact with that person.

This may be totally out in left field, but I at least think it's fairly safe to say there's some kind of spiritual journey involved.

As for Damnation, I don't think it's boring at all. I imagine that people who don't like mellow music might not like it, but there does seem to be a lot going on in it if you pay attention. It's just more subtle.
 
If you're going to highlight the virtues of Orchid, you can't skip over the song "Silhouette". That song is one of the most brilliant and beautiful piano pieces since the days of Beethoven.
 
Kronikle66 said:
Mmm... just recently got into Opeth after I overlooked the pretty dull Damnation album. I just needed something else to introduce me to the REAL Opeth. Still Life and Blackwater Park have done a fabulous job doing so. My favorite Opeth song: Death's Head Lament, followed by The Moor. Good stuff.

-Kronikle
Death's Head Lament? :headbang: I must check that one out! :D
The Moor & Godhead's Lament are also my two favorites, together with the song Blackwater Park. Still Life is really an album to :worship: .
 
just recently got into Opeth after I overlooked the pretty dull Damnation album

Damnation is actually one of my favorite Opeth albums. Windowpane is definately among my top-rated songs of all time. The best way I can describe the music for the album is quite simply 'classy'. I think its an acquired appreciation perhaps..especially if you're just used to the headbanging sort of metal.
 
I'm very glad to see someone else defending Damnation...it's one of my two favorites along with My Arms, Your Hearse. You could hardly have two more opposite albums, yet I love them both. :)
 
I will defend Damnation too, it has 3 of the best Opeth songs ever (Windowpane, Ending Credits & To Rid the Disease), its my favorite Opeth album alongside with Still Life
 
My friend dragged me to an Opeth show. I'd never heard them before. It was probably one of the most amazing shows, with exception to SX and Maiden, that I have been to. I promptly went out and bought Deliverance. I can't say I'm totally into them, but they are quite a band. Mikael is damned versatile.
 
It's probably my least favorite Opeth album because its absence of metal ignores some of their biggest strengths, but judged on its own it's still a very good album, and it sounded excellent played live in its entirety (minus Ending Credits) on the tour with Porcupine Tree...
 
karelrulez said:
Damnation is the perfect album to put on when I'm feeling indifferent or tired. It really fits the mood.

In a way that's fitting considering the lyrics suggest someone who is on the edge of breaking and maybe even death or suicide.
 
You could hardly have two more opposite albums, yet I love them both

The way Opeth blends opposites is what makes them so special to me. I love both extremities of them, the haunting tenderness in one moment and the brutal anger in the next. It's divine. Also the fact that Mikael does the clean singing, death growls, and guitar solo's back and forth so effortlessly on stage, blows me away.
 
Another one who's pretty fascinating to watch on stage, if the Lamentations DVD is any indication, is Martín López, their drummer. His is a very interesting style, especially for a metal drummer...there even seems to be something of Manu Katché in there, a fantastic drummer who's played for the likes of Peter Gabriel, Richard Wright of Pink Floyd, Sting, and even Loreena McKennitt (Last name you ever thought you'd see on a metal board, isn't it? Goes to show you how diverse my music collection is!).
 
Opeth are indeed awesome live. They are a really classy death metal band. I'd say I prefered Symphony X live though, mostly because their songs are far more impressive in terms of skills. I think Opeth is more of a studio band, their songs are so rich and dense, and the amout of overdubbing makes them pretty hard to recreate live.
 
Opeth isn't really death metal, but for the sake of avoiding childish internet arguments, I won't pursue the matter any further. :D

Yeah, they totally rule. Probably the first band to truly flatten me with their tunes.