Watershed: Are you disapointed with it?

[Mantraschism]

I was disappointed. Then I found that I couldn't stop listening to it. Then I realized I was starting to love it. Now I'm not disappointed.

Now, I love 'Ghost Reveries'. Yet I can't get over the feeling that with that album they wanted to say, 'We're back!' (after 'Damnation') more than anything else. It seemed like an album that was trying to impress. 'Watershed' seems somehow more self-assured, like we're listening to a band that no longer feels it has to prove itself. I don't think it's perfect - I mean, I would have liked a little more heaviness and growling - but it sounds every bit the band that gave us 'My Arms, Your Hearse', 'Blackwater Park', and all the rest, even though it really isn't. 'Watershed' sounds like a very natural evolution, to me, and I really admire and love it.

 

[beast from the east]

I'm not loving it as much as I thought I would, but I've only had it for a short time. I truly believe that, in time, I will grow to love it as much as the other albums. I love Mike's "improved" vocals (I put improved in quotes because I really don't see that his old cleans were substandard in any way...he's been one of my favorite singers for years), and I love the added focus on keys. Per is such an amazing musician and it's cool that he has such a large part in this album. Fred did an awesome job, and so did Axe. Axe's style is different from Lopez, yes, but fits well I think, and there is no denying he is a kickass skins man. And I love me some Mendez...he's just such a cool guy, and a great bassist. His performance is consistent as always.

If I could change one thing about Watershed, it would be to make it just a tad heavier, that's all. And maybe make Hex Omega a bit more interesting

 

[winters epilogue]

Watershed is superb.

I really think the AllMusic review summed up my feelings on the record (Hex Omega, while a decent song, did not really live up to the rest of album for me), and it has only got me more excited to see where the band will go next.

 

[Hedon-]

watershed is good but i am a bit disappointed because right now my favorite music genre is metal

 

[Gëist]

watershed is good but i am a bit disappointed because right now my favorite music genre is metal

Opeth is still metal, except for those extreme music lovers who have lost all common sense by listening too much violent stuff.

 

[rayden_ad]

I don't like the song structures from Procelain Heart or Hex Omega.
But the other songs are very unique.

 

[hazemovic]

I'm not disappointed with the album as a whole, but the brutality vs softness ratio is very disappointing. I don't want Opeth to stop being a death metal band first, progressive rock/seventies rock band second.

There will never be another Orchid, Morningrise or My Arms, Your Hearse mister O.P. You have to listen to these albums, or maybe check out some of the good Opeth wannabes, such as In Mourning.

 

[Kirkfjell]

I'm not disappointed with the album as a whole, but the brutality vs softness ratio is very disappointing. I don't want Opeth to stop being a death metal band first, progressive rock/seventies rock band second.

Couldn't agree more. There are loads of great rock/progressive bands, but no one can deliver the death metal-goods like Opeth. That's why its very disappointing that they to such a large degree have left the death behind on Watershed. Let's hope for more brutality on the next album ...

 

[N3M3S1S]

To right, need more brutality, nuff said really. I will listen to it more, just like Ghost Reveries I still listen to that once a month or two. Yes I know there wont be another "classic" opeth album but one can wish .

 

[Lothlorien]

I adore Watershed. it boggles my mind how people on here arent praising it. i know everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but opeth has always been about progressing and never making the same album twice, watershed feels so new and fresh to me when i compare it to opeth's catalog. watershed will satisfy me until they make their next album in a couple years.

 

[Still Life 1891]

I agree with that allmusic guide. I think that Watershed is a fantastic record (though not my favourite), but it seems to me like its a prelude to something better. I think that Ghost Reveries took that aspect of the band as far as it could, while Watershed is an almost complete shake-up of the bands sound. The next one will certainly be extremely interesting, and I think that it could be a classic

 

[Carnivean]

Watershed is as the homepage says.. A masterpiece. You are not gonna get that Orchid through Still Life style anymore so give it up already.. they are not gonna make Still Life 2 or Orchid 2 just to please all the "true original Opeth fans". Mikael said himself that each album has been written by starting off with a clean slate.. and it has shown album by album (NO ALBUM IS EVEN CLOSE TO THE SOUND OF THE NEXT). If you really are a fan of Opeth, you should have learned this by now... come on.

Watershed is a breath of fresh air. Ghost Reveries, the epic, outstanding album it is indeed, was just a bit grey and dry for must of us and we needed that juicyness back in the writing. Watershed certainly gave us that juicyness and more. With that, the addition of Per, Ax, and Freddy have proven to show unbelievable benefits and, as they state on the DVD, will create the strongest Opeth line-up yet for years to come. They fucking nailed this album.

Also, keep in mind that Opeth, being one of the most highly-respected and adored bands in the world also means that the fans have grown to expect extreme perfection from every little fuckin thing that these musicians write. Do you even know how much pressure that is? A ton.
I am astounded that this group of men have managed to create such a fresh, and CLASSIC album at their age and point in their careers. I mean it's like what the fuck are they smoking? Musical steroids? Stop examining Opeth through a microscope and start examining them through your ears.

 

[Iki-ilkkuja]

I was surprised at first, but after a few listens I've really liked what I've heard.

 

[The Don]

I was extremely disappointed for reasons that people have already mentioned. Anyone can do the whole gay prog rock band thing, but no one can make death metal like Opeth. Brutality / Softness ratio was just pathetic. While I enjoy Burden, Heir Apparant, and The Lotus Eater, the rest of the tracks just filler. His clean vocals have this new "style" to them which make me want to strangle Mike. He tries to be more expressive but it takes the pretentious record to overwhelmingly smug heights.

Aside from the fact that Opeth is prog rock with a side of metal now, the 3 songs I mentioned really are awesome. Heir Apparant sticks out like a sore thumb, but it reminds me of something off of MAYH, especially the softer parts.

Opeth have become one of those "I hope I like a track or two off their next disc" along with In Flames, Soilwork, Bodom, etc.

 

[The Don]

Also when Mike was recording the record and giving the press updates, didn't he say Watershed was supposed to be "the darkest and heaviest record yet"? He definitely talked up Watershed and Ghost Reveries like they were his masterpieces but let's face it, these 2 records are extremely par at best given what he used to be capable of. It's hard not to be disappointed when Mike says things like that and then releases Watershed.

 

[Iki-ilkkuja]

I was extremely disappointed for reasons that people have already mentioned. Anyone can do the whole gay prog rock band thing, but no one can make death metal like Opeth. Brutality / Softness ratio was just pathetic. While I enjoy Burden, Heir Apparant, and The Lotus Eater, the rest of the tracks just filler. His clean vocals have this new "style" to them which make me want to strangle Mike. He tries to be more expressive but it takes the pretentious record to overwhelmingly smug heights.

Aside from the fact that Opeth is prog rock with a side of metal now, the 3 songs I mentioned really are awesome. Heir Apparant sticks out like a sore thumb, but it reminds me of something off of MAYH, especially the softer parts.

Opeth have become one of those "I hope I like a track or two off their next disc" along with In Flames, Soilwork, Bodom, etc.

Progressive rock isn't easy to compose AND make it interesting to the listener. It's the musicians' genre I belive. You get more out of it when you play something as it offers chord progressions and melodies not heard in traditional rock music.

 

[Obtuse]

Not at all, and In fact it rekindled some lost interest in the band. I'm glade they're pushing the whole more dynamic thing because thats what progression is all about. Hopefully next time they'll step even more out of their shell because by now its desperately needed.

+1

I wasn't even almost disappointed by Watershed. It's undergone
many, many spins over the last week or so and it WOULD be my
favourite album, if it weren't for Blackwater Park.

 

[hibernal_dream]

mmm... prog is pretty easy to write dude. Especially when you can put slow jammy bits next to mario-brothers sequences and people worship it. Metal, on the other hand, is very difficult write, it's so confined what works and most of what works has been done too often to sound good.

 

[Gëist]

mmm... prog is pretty easy to write dude. Especially when you can put slow jammy bits next to mario-brothers sequences and people worship it. Metal, on the other hand, is very difficult write, it's so confined what works and most of what works has been done too often to sound good.

Well I'd say it's difficult to put low jammy bits next to mario-brothers sequences and make it sound good =)
Actually, the transition between those two parts is almost perfect, IMO. Close to the beginning of Bleak (which is a reference to me)

 

[Lothlorien]

Watershed is as the homepage says.. A masterpiece. You are not gonna get that Orchid through Still Life style anymore so give it up already.. they are not gonna make Still Life 2 or Orchid 2 just to please all the "true original Opeth fans". Mikael said himself that each album has been written by starting off with a clean slate.. and it has shown album by album (NO ALBUM IS EVEN CLOSE TO THE SOUND OF THE NEXT). If you really are a fan of Opeth, you should have learned this by now... come on.

Watershed is a breath of fresh air. Ghost Reveries, the epic, outstanding album it is indeed, was just a bit grey and dry for must of us and we needed that juicyness back in the writing. Watershed certainly gave us that juicyness and more. With that, the addition of Per, Ax, and Freddy have proven to show unbelievable benefits and, as they state on the DVD, will create the strongest Opeth line-up yet for years to come. They fucking nailed this album.

Also, keep in mind that Opeth, being one of the most highly-respected and adored bands in the world also means that the fans have grown to expect extreme perfection from every little fuckin thing that these musicians write. Do you even know how much pressure that is? A ton.
I am astounded that this group of men have managed to create such a fresh, and CLASSIC album at their age and point in their careers. I mean it's like what the fuck are they smoking? Musical steroids? Stop examining Opeth through a microscope and start examining them through your ears.

nicely said.