Was anyone else very impressed by Watershed?

[Braighs]

I mean people who have been into them since BWP or earlier. I'd be amazed by any Opeth record if it was my first.

Ghost Reveries was a disappointment for me and I thought BWP would be their last great record. But out of nowhere, Watershed arrives in my mailbox and beats out Morningrise as my favorite Opeth album. I've heard people say Watershed is "weird and inconsistant", well ok, if those are synonyms for totally badass and far beyond the expected.

discuss.

 

[Lenni]

If Derelict Herds would have been on the standard edition, Watershed would have amazed me on first listen (because I think this is the best song together with Heir Apparent). Ghost Reveries remains one of my favorites from Opeth and It's way up in my "toplist", and it surely beats Watershed for me.
Initially I thought Watershed was the first ever Opeth record that was not extremely good and thus a pretty big disappointment but as always their records grow with time and so did this one!

 

[gumtree]

*raises hand*... although all their records are their greatest to me.

 

[Hedon-]

gumtree i must say you got a pretty insane collection there

 

[Jackehh]

I couldnt answer, I love watershed just as I love any opeth album to the same degree except for damnation, BWP (mostly becausee I havent listened to it), morningrise and orchid.

 

[L0bster]

I was. It's amazing and it gives the listener A LOT of new stuff, rather than re-hashed shit from ther back-catalouge. Truly impressive 9th album

 

[Braighs]

yeah, how many bands can claim a great 9th album?

rather than re-hashed shit from ther back-catalouge

How can the back-catalog be re-hashed? Do you mean they were copying other bands in the Stockholm scene?

 

[RoadKing]

I love Watershed. It's my second favorite Opeth record, just a tick below Still Life in my book.

I really admire that they had the guts to think outside the box and take a few more chances on this one; it's one of the main reasons why Opeth stands above all the also-rans for me.

I do agree that Derelict Herds should've been included on the main disc, though.

 

[Braighs]

Damnit am I gonna have to buy the special edition too?

 

[Blackwater Demon]

^ yes

 

[BlueSky]

Well I really liked Ghost Rev, but I was finding the albums getting pretty formulistic. Then when Watershed came around its diversity rekindled a lot of lost interest.

 

[Koi]

If Derelict Herds would have been on the standard edition, Watershed would have amazed me on first listen (because I think this is the best song together with Heir Apparent). Ghost Reveries remains one of my favorites from Opeth and It's way up in my "toplist", and it surely beats Watershed for me.
Initially I thought Watershed was the first ever Opeth record that was not extremely good and thus a pretty big disappointment but as always their records grow with time and so did this one!

is it just me or is derelict herds extremely riversidish (not the growling section)

 

[Cognitive Intercourse]

I continue to be impressed by Watershed. I think that of all the Opeth albums, Watershed is the one that takes the longest to really sink your teeth into (or at least it was for me). Not that I didn't like it at first. It just took several listens to really "get it." But once I got into it, I realized that it's definitely one of their best releases. As one of the band members mentioned in the DVD, it's the kind of album that requires a lot from the listener (You're not going to take it out of the package and put it in the stereo as background music for a party). Each time I listen to it, it seems as though I find something new to be impressed by...something that I hadn't heard before. And that is the sign of a really incredible album. It's a very mature album (aside from maybe Porcelain Heart. It's a good song, but more time and attention should have been put into the arrangement) and one that will definitely stand the test of time. I can't wait to hear how they top it with the next album.

 

[Cognitive Intercourse]

I really admire that they had the guts to think outside the box and take a few more chances on this one; it's one of the main reasons why Opeth stands above all the also-rans for me.

Very well said.

 

[Deathamphetamine1313]

I still can't understand how people thought GR and Watershed were disappointments! GR was probably the album that got me into Opeth to begin with. All with one song: The Baying of the Hounds! And Watershed was a beautiful work of art. Yes i agree with the many of you that Derelict Herds should've been on the main disc, and they should've put the Would? cover on there. A lot of bands' 9th album tends to crap out and they start reusing shit from their back catalogue, but Watershed was far from that. Watershed is more of a diverse and amazing album that definitely pushed the boundaries of progressive music. And I would now proceed to write everything that Cognitive Intercourse just wrote right here.

 

[Rogue Eagle]

I would've traded out a couple of the normal tracks for a couple of the bonus tracks.

 

[demon of the moor]

Firstly Gumtree you are a gun! that collection amazes me and i would happily bow down at your feet!

My take on watershed at first was all of dissapointment.
I listened through and the only tracks i could sink my teeth into were the lotus eater, and Procelain heart.
but it still was hard to listen to.

but as with most opeth, i gave it time, put it on in a dark place, and found all the parts to be in their rightful place. i have a very soft spot for burden, i love the line "if death should take me now, count my mistakes and let me through. whisper in my ear youve taken more than weve received" dont ask me why, i just do.

anyway from then on this album has and will remain a masterpiece.

 

[Risquit]

They play Heir Apparent and Lotus Eaters on XM's Liquid Metal and I'm always struck by how much classier (yet still extreme metal) those tracks are compared to almost all the metal they play.

 

[Yaow!]

I was pleasantly surprised with Watershed.
I was worried that Opeth would be different without Lopez and Lindgren. It is a bit different, as Fredrik and Axe add there own signature styles to Opeth's sound, but it sounds amazing regardless, and it certainly is still Opeth.

The first few times I didn't fully appreciate Watershed. But lately I have been listening to it alot and I love it.

My favourites are Heir Apparent, Burden and Hessian Peel.

 

[demon of the moor]

I was never worried about the departure of lopez and lindgren.
I mean its sad to see them go but in reality Mik is still the driving force behind the sound. the conductor. instructor. battery. charger.