Heya.
Mikael may be a "master of vocal harmonies", but Dan Swano is a "master of production", pity he can't do anything else.
I'm afraid most of the ground you stood on in terms of a debate, hibernal_dream, was lost in this statement, because you took an artist who we all know is successful not only producing records but writing music, playing drums, guitar, bass, keys, and singing not only for himself but other bands as well, and suggesting he is incapable of all of the above excluding production because you apparently just don't like it. You're entitled to an opinion, of course, but don't go imposing it as a fact in a debate and making these grandiose statements off of it, especially when you turn around and say
Whether you like the lyrics or not is entirely up to you, theres no "good" or "bad" lyrics.
implying that Langsuyar's opinions are just that and not to be taken as a qualifier of absolute "good" and "bad", when you've hypocritically already done that yourself.
No one here has attempted to deny that the live vocal performances of, say, N'SYNC sound good (as opposed to Britney Spears, who the one time I heard actually sing live was completely awful). Do they, in fact, sing live? I had thought they might very well LIP SYNC (heh, sorry, had to) onstage, but I honestly don't know. Anyways, people are contesting that they prefer Mike's voice because they simply prefer the way it sounds and the way he uses it as a matter of taste. There are an infinate series of intanglibles to consider, though... N'SYNC may be dancing, but Mike has to perform difficult guitar parts as well. Is it easier to sing solo or with 5 other voices to back you up? Does N'SYNC's music (as fabricated as it may be) allow itself to be easier sung in a live environment than Opeth's? There's the differences in stage production each has available as well, blah blah blah.
Finally,
"if I like it, it's good!"
Very true, and that's the way it should be, for you and everybody.
Finally, I think a lot of those (mostly German/Austrian?) Folk/Metal bands are underrated. Agalloch, Estatic Fear, Empyrium, Tenhi ...although that's only OUTSIDE the bounds of this forum, as they have been well publicized in here...