Upcoming Album... Anyone worried?

Ay, don't get me wrong. I LOVED his drumming too, spent the whole warm-up gig for Lamentations in Gothenburg at a really small venue with an open mouth, just drooling over how mindblowing good he was.

But, he fucked up and it's pointless to bitch about him at this point. Axe is a very nice guy and a good drummer, I just choose to believe that we still haven't heard anything close to his full potential yet.
 
Wait a sec Lopez got kicked out? I thought he just left...

And while I *am* worried about what Peter's loss will do to the solos (well, actually I'm more worried about what the inclusion of the new dude will do, the style is radically different), I'm confident that since MA writes almost all the music anyways we should be good.

Even my least favorite albums of Opeth's have at least 2 or 3 songs I love each (which is pretty good since there's only 6 or 7 songs on most!) So it should turn out well.
 
Hmm, it's going well.

I've been working quite hard. Our goal is to have an overload of material this time. I have close to 5 songs finished. I've been brainstorming lyrics too, but have nothing completed. I've gotten demos from Per, Mendez and Fredrik as well. I don't know right now any word to describe the overall feel other than "dark", but it's obvious I'd say that.

One song is the fastest one I've ever written, one is almost like a gimmick type mid 70´s ballad, one is extremely dark middle eastern sounding heavy piece with lots of major chords actually, one is super tech death metal with influences from Scott Walker and Morbid Angel. One song reminds me of the Cure's "Lullaby" but in 3/4 with bluesy vocals. Yes, it sounds scary but really it's pretty cool! I even did a Fender Rhodes Chick Corea sounding piece that'll be a love or hate moment for many if it makes the record. We'll be demoing stuff during September and start rehearsals in October and record in November. I think it will be more faster than GR but also wierder than any other record, maybe more versatile than ever before.

Fredrik has laid down some solos on my demos and they are great! Everything from twisted Holdsworth licks to bluesy stuff and there's one long trade off bit with me and him. Also a ripping Hammond solo by Per.

My vocals are stronger too. I've cut back on the smokes and really it made a difference for my clean voice. I have a wider range and can sing better overall with more control. The death voice is still intact as well....oh yes!

You asked, so...

Cheers my friends
Mike
 
Mikael Åkerfeldt;6456944 said:
one is super tech death metal with influences from Scott Walker and Morbid Angel.

this could be interesting. especially the scott walker thing since it seems so impossible to get near his sound. im excited. teh drift was pretty much the best record from 2006 i heard ...

oh, and btw, thanks for the update!
 
Mike's solos get old, as most of them use the same formulas and actually a lot of the same part repeated in almost every solo he does... What was special about Peter is that he added that extra dynamic, and his solos were always pretty fresh. I couldn't pin a formula on him for the most part. But seeing as how Mr. A-with-a-circle-over-it was in Arch Enemy, he should be able to pull out some great shredding solos.... but as for the emotion in solos of Opeth, I don't know if we'll see too much of that anymores... At this point if Mike tried doing blues solos again like on Hours of Wealth, they would just sound recycled... Not trying to bash the guy as he's a very competent musician, he just doesn't have the best solo style.

And that's all I've got to say about that...

Sorry but I just have to say that was one of the biggest pile of shit posts I've read in a while:puke:
 
Mikael Åkerfeldt;6456944 said:
Hmm, it's going well.

I've been working quite hard. Our goal is to have an overload of material this time. I have close to 5 songs finished. I've been brainstorming lyrics too, but have nothing completed. I've gotten demos from Per, Mendez and Fredrik as well. I don't know right now any word to describe the overall feel other than "dark", but it's obvious I'd say that.

One song is the fastest one I've ever written, one is almost like a gimmick type mid 70´s ballad, one is extremely dark middle eastern sounding heavy piece with lots of major chords actually, one is super tech death metal with influences from Scott Walker and Morbid Angel. One song reminds me of the Cure's "Lullaby" but in 3/4 with bluesy vocals. Yes, it sounds scary but really it's pretty cool! I even did a Fender Rhodes Chick Corea sounding piece that'll be a love or hate moment for many if it makes the record. We'll be demoing stuff during September and start rehearsals in October and record in November. I think it will be more faster than GR but also wierder than any other record, maybe more versatile than ever before.

Fredrik has laid down some solos on my demos and they are great! Everything from twisted Holdsworth licks to bluesy stuff and there's one long trade off bit with me and him. Also a ripping Hammond solo by Per.

My vocals are stronger too. I've cut back on the smokes and really it made a difference for my clean voice. I have a wider range and can sing better overall with more control. The death voice is still intact as well....oh yes!

You asked, so...

Cheers my friends
Mike

hey thanks man! that sounds very, very fresh and intresting can't wait! I'm incredibly curious of the new twists Fredrik and Axe are going to make, like a new dimention for the opeth sound. And i'm very glad you're putting effort to even greater vocals, you are afterall one of the greatest vocalists of all time :headbang:
 
Mikael Åkerfeldt;6456944 said:
Hmm, it's going well.

I've been working quite hard. Our goal is to have an overload of material this time. I have close to 5 songs finished. I've been brainstorming lyrics too, but have nothing completed. I've gotten demos from Per, Mendez and Fredrik as well. I don't know right now any word to describe the overall feel other than "dark", but it's obvious I'd say that.

One song is the fastest one I've ever written, one is almost like a gimmick type mid 70´s ballad, one is extremely dark middle eastern sounding heavy piece with lots of major chords actually, one is super tech death metal with influences from Scott Walker and Morbid Angel. One song reminds me of the Cure's "Lullaby" but in 3/4 with bluesy vocals. Yes, it sounds scary but really it's pretty cool! I even did a Fender Rhodes Chick Corea sounding piece that'll be a love or hate moment for many if it makes the record. We'll be demoing stuff during September and start rehearsals in October and record in November. I think it will be more faster than GR but also wierder than any other record, maybe more versatile than ever before.

Fredrik has laid down some solos on my demos and they are great! Everything from twisted Holdsworth licks to bluesy stuff and there's one long trade off bit with me and him. Also a ripping Hammond solo by Per.

My vocals are stronger too. I've cut back on the smokes and really it made a difference for my clean voice. I have a wider range and can sing better overall with more control. The death voice is still intact as well....oh yes!

You asked, so...

Cheers my friends
Mike


Wow sounds like your letting loose on this album, some really cool ideas in there. A mix of The Cure, Morbid Angel, speed, and 70s power ballads, what more could anyone want? :lol:

Since the lyrics arent finished, are you thinking you will do a concept theme?
 
Mike, thanks for the heads up.
Sounds really cool and interesting.

I just have a little question.

What's your take on the blast beats in metal.
Do you like it/dislike it ?
Morbid Angel and lots of death metal acts are using it these days.
So much that it s become a little cliché and overdone ( there are even balstbeats on metalcore albums for god's sake).
So my question is, did you ever consider put blast beats on Opeth albums ?
Did you discuss about this with Lopez on previous albums, he didn't like it ? you didn't ask him ? etc etc
I think a little blast here and there could be cool and add extra spice on the next record but what do I know :) .

So, is Axe practicing his 240 BPM hyperblast for the next album or you just don't consider this eventuality at ALL ?
Are you tired with metal these days ? Your latest playlists were very 60's , 70's folkiish.

Thx and get back to work !!!
We can't wait.

Respect the cock.

:)
 
Mikael Åkerfeldt;6455217 said:
Hey man, I got the email, read it, and there's no confusion in my mind about what you wanted to say. You certainly pissed me off and then sent an interview request?? I do not understand what you're aiming at. Of course I wasn't going to respond to someone who's been disrespecting me like that. You're right in one thing, the email was sent a few months ago, some week after Peter left.

I was surprised to see you posting here again but the post about the solos was so wierd I had to respond. I don't know what guitarplayers you listen to, but I guess you're on the complete opposite side of the taste spectrum from me. And let's leave it at that.

Cheers
Mike
Hey Mike, sorry about that. I've been struggling with drug problems... not too proud of it but that's why I've been thinking on different levels and out of context within a small period of time. It started out as experimenting with them but I guess once you start, it's hard to stop. It also affects my comprehension and the clarity of how something feels to me... sometimes everything seems very frantic and at other times it's all dull and relaxing.

sooo... opeth rawkz the sawkz \m/ *headbang*

Oh oh and cool news about the new songs. Why are you throwing so many away though? :(
 
and with that I'm removing Oinkness from the Opeth forum. He will still be able to access other parts of UM, but he's no longer welcome here and as long as I'm the moddy here that's never going to change. I've reached my limit with him.
 
Mikael Åkerfeldt;6456944 said:
Hmm, it's going well.

I've been working quite hard. Our goal is to have an overload of material this time. I have close to 5 songs finished. I've been brainstorming lyrics too, but have nothing completed. I've gotten demos from Per, Mendez and Fredrik as well. I don't know right now any word to describe the overall feel other than "dark", but it's obvious I'd say that.

One song is the fastest one I've ever written, one is almost like a gimmick type mid 70´s ballad, one is extremely dark middle eastern sounding heavy piece with lots of major chords actually, one is super tech death metal with influences from Scott Walker and Morbid Angel. One song reminds me of the Cure's "Lullaby" but in 3/4 with bluesy vocals. Yes, it sounds scary but really it's pretty cool! I even did a Fender Rhodes Chick Corea sounding piece that'll be a love or hate moment for many if it makes the record. We'll be demoing stuff during September and start rehearsals in October and record in November. I think it will be more faster than GR but also wierder than any other record, maybe more versatile than ever before.

Fredrik has laid down some solos on my demos and they are great! Everything from twisted Holdsworth licks to bluesy stuff and there's one long trade off bit with me and him. Also a ripping Hammond solo by Per.

My vocals are stronger too. I've cut back on the smokes and really it made a difference for my clean voice. I have a wider range and can sing better overall with more control. The death voice is still intact as well....oh yes!

You asked, so...

Cheers my friends
Mike

I would love to hear a Fender Rhodes feature on an Opeth record. It's possibly one of the smoothest sounding instruments in existence, and would suit aptly-constructed ballad songs fantastically!

I think the more 'out there' and 'unconventional' the record, the better. It's amazing to hear about a band still dabbling in new approaches nearly 20 years down the track.

Best of luck Mike, and I really look forward to it.

PS. Do you guys have any idea who you'd like producing the record? Are you going to be trying to get Steven on board again? Sounds like he could help bring out some of those further out ideas.