Watershed voted album of the year in Close-Up! (Bloodbath was #12)

[NicholasDWolfwood]

clearly you haven't heard the new enslaved, esoteric, meshuggah or bloodbath that all curb-stomp the living shit out of the new cynic?

qft although I didnt like tfm as much as utp. regardless, tmv, vertebrae, and obzen all obliterate traced in air. as did darkspace iii and melancholie2.

 

[Bleakest Harvest]

The new Cynic was probably my most anticipated album of the year, and I was disappointed. It's great musically, but the vocals are bloody horrendous. Awful vocoder effects and the growls are too low in the mix. Focus is better imo.

 

[Frodo's Bulk]

EVOLUTION AIRY SLEEPERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

 

[Wander]

clearly you haven't heard the new enslaved, esoteric, meshuggah or bloodbath that all curb-stomp the living shit out of the new cynic?

I have heard all of those, except for the esoteric one. They are good, yeah, but they aren't exactly what I'm looking for with a great metal record. I think you can hear that the feel of the new Cynic album is very different to the one of the new Bloodbath for example. I guess I like it when the album isn't in your face all the time (yeah, I guess I'm not a true metal fan! OH NO!!). Well, I don't really have to explain my taste in metal, I just like the new Cynic better than those albums and if you don't, ok. Just don't make false assumptions.

Funny I seem to disagree with you about just about anything that has something to do with music. Watershed for example. So sad...

E: Actually, I think our general metal taste is just completely different. Some of my favourite metal bands are Wintersun, Symphony X, Devin Townsend, Moonsorrow and Opeth... I have a feeling your taste may greatly differ.

 

[Selkie]

The new Cynic was probably my most anticipated album of the year, and I was disappointed. It's great musically, but the vocals are bloody horrendous. Awful vocoder effects and the growls are too low in the mix. Focus is better imo.

dude, they're too high in the mix. the growls are half-assed and akward

would have been better as an instrumental album

 

[Original]

Hmmm... being as I've got some rare free time, I decided to download several selections from each of the bands you mentioned. Decrepit Birth is actually pretty good, some really good musicianship there, but all the endless blast beats really start to sound the same to me after a while, to the point of extreme monotony. Same with the vocals. Of course, that's one of the main reasons I prefer Opeth, I like a break from the non-stop Cookie Monster once in a while! That said, they can definitely play, and if you're looking for all-br00talz-all-the-time death metal, they're a pretty damned solid choice.

I've got ObZen, and there's pretty much no break from the screaming there, either, although they do mix up their beats and come up with some monster grooves at times. These guys may be one of the most technically gifted bands on the planet, their level of musicianship is insane, but I've got to be in an especially pissed off mood to be able to listen to them for very long.

I actually really dig Gojira, though. They do mix it up some at least, and for some reason, I just find them much more interesting and listenable for long periods of time than any of your other nominees.

Origin... wow, I'm picking up on a pattern here... all blast beats, all the time. Again, excellent musicianship, difficult to tell one song from the next.

Don't get me wrong, I like a good blast beat every once in a while, and I don't mind good death metal vocals, either, I just need more diversity in my music, although I completely understand that there are a large number of people such as yourself who just dig 24-7 br00tz. Nothing wrong with that, and to each his own, but I wouldn't say that Opeth is "overrated" compared to these bands, they're just different. I'd even go as far as to say it's really not even a legitimate comparison. Bloodbath would be much closer to that vein than Opeth is. Opeth has really never been an exclusively death metal band, and has always displayed a much wider sphere of influences than the other bands you mentioned, with far more prog, folk and straight-ahead metal flavors than any of them. Again, not that this necessarily makes them better (that's entirely subjective), just different. You dig the br00tz, nothing wrong with that, just understand that some people like a tad more diversity in their metal.

Thanks for the entertaining listening suggestions and much-needed diversion, though!

To each is own. As you said, it's all subjective as far what an individual would like and consider good music. I am aware the technical aspect may sometimes be the least in the picture in able to enjoy. I am a huge fan of bands such as Death and Control Denied (Chuck Schuldiner projects) and also Atheist and early and later Cynic with some ol Pestilence and James Murphy's Disincarnate, so i really enjoy Decrepit Birth's mix of DM with melody and technical proficiency. That album gives me so much in so many ways.

I'd recommend that you listen through it at least 5 times, to really understand what's going on with the music. because it took me some time to really grasp it's content.

I think DM requires a lot of listening in order to really seperate the blasts from grooves, in the music. I thik the drumming is really technical on both Origin and DB, just listen to the cymbal and hit-hat work John from origin handles, and the freaking chops are there as well. KC Howards fast driven double bass, and like-wise groove's combined with fast blasts obviously. But don't get me wrong, i am a fan of blasts, cos i really enjoy to swing my head at fast speed. Just keep in mind that there are many bands out there that don't have much blasts at all, if any sometimes. I would like to recommend "Polluted Inheritance" they don't have any blasts in the drumming, and their drummer is really good, if you can see if you can find Betrayed or Into Darkness by that band, and you'll hear some tasteful drumming.

But at the same time i adore drummers such as Flo Mounier, Tony Laureano, George Kollias, John Longstrengh, Pete Sandoval, Alex hernandez, Lille Gruber, Derek Roddy, and the names can be dropped all day. Check em out, and check out their work with band/band's.

But Opeth is soo different cos they have different influences, obviously 70's prog, etc. They are more in vein with bands like Black Widow and Messege, that darker and slower vibe. As DB is more in vein with bands mentioned above. And please don't get me wrong, i like Opeth. However, i don't see how every one can say that all their albums are so creative. I feel some of their material sound almost to repetetive sometimes in structures and arrangements that keeps repeating themselves time after time. And i feel that hurts the variety on some of their word, and it just boores me.
So, i am not into all Opeth CD's for that reason.

But i completely understand that Opeth is not a DM band, and i really like the idea of combining all that prog with high and powerful screaming, then the mellow ballads and all, it is really a band with no limits in that regard. And i consider myself a huge prog fan, all from old-school Messege and Wishbone Ash, to Yes and Rush, King Crimson, Dream Theater with other modern acts as watchtower and Spastic Ink.

Just to let me be clear, i am a fan of almost all sorts of music. All from Cream to Black Sabbath, to Maiden and Slayer, you get the picture. I am even into rap and soul R and B, just anything with a sould to it.

Excuse my long post, but i just wanted to explain myself somehwat, and i am glad you enjoyed the music brother. Have a good one everybody!

 

[Morfeind]

Watershed was solid but I think Cynic's and Sculptured's new releases were better.

 

[demon of the moor]

I really do think that Watershed has the right to be album of the year.

What other bands were nominated for a swedish grammy + a classic rock award this year?

Opeth's Watershed FTW

 

[ufomagnet]

Since the list is compiled from 32 journalists individual lists you can simply say that Opeth is the common denominator. Four of them had Opeth at #1. I would too but they didn't ask me since I'm just a lousy, underpaid photographer :-( Also, you have to remember that this is a Swedish magazine, there are 7 Swedish albums in the top 10.
I got a mention in the Roundhouse DVD review though, yay for me.

 

[Bleakest Harvest]

dude, they're too high in the mix. the growls are half-assed and akward

would have been better as an instrumental album

What I meant was, the growls are too low in comparison to the cleanly sung vox. The vocals overall are probably too high in the mix alright, but the clean ones are definitely too high, and they're not so hot imo.