Watershed vs Ghost Reveries

[Vespa60]

Watershed is easily their worst. It's dreary and retro almost throughout. Hessian Peel is THE ONLY song that gives me that "fuck yeah, this is why I listen to Opeth" feeling. It's just gotten worse with repeated listenings. The Lotus Eater was cool the first few times, but didn't really hold up. Color me disappointed. Ghost Reveries is one of their top 3 imo, so the decision is easy

I guess by "hating" on it I would mean stuff like this.

 

[Annihilat0r]

Watershed is definitely better than Ghost Reveries. I'm loving this album.

 

[Goodyear]

Watershed is easily their worst. It's dreary and retro almost throughout. Hessian Peel is THE ONLY song that gives me that "fuck yeah, this is why I listen to Opeth" feeling. It's just gotten worse with repeated listenings. The Lotus Eater was cool the first few times, but didn't really hold up. Color me disappointed. Ghost Reveries is one of their top 3 imo, so the decision is easy

I've been thinking what you wrote. The more I listen to Watershed, the more disappointed I become. It's cool the first few times around but I'm already bored with all the songs except Hessian Peel. I don't like the bonus Derelict Herds at all either. I've already gone back to listening to a few past albums and appreciate them even more now.

 

[Goodyear]

It is only my opinion but it seems quite simple. Not only is Watershed an amazing album but has the added bonus of weeding out the people who weren't real Opeth fans to begin with. Judging from all the needless hating of Watershed on here.

This is a ridiculous post. There is no band I love more than Opeth, but Watershed didn't make me happy in the pants like so many Opeth albums before. It doesn't hold my attention and there aren't any parts that make me do a double take. It is a good album but it's one that I won't be playing too often.

 

[DarkLink]

I prefer Watershed, even if it is too short. I bought it today but I had previously listened to it. I like Hessian Peel a lot but I wish they could have exploited more the athmospheric side. The keyboard passages are fantastic most of the time. Bravo.

 

[Cerberus III]

Watershed isn't the epitome of greatness, but it sure comes from the epitome of greatness.

 

[in limbow]

Wow, I'm really surprised by the results of this poll. Last time I checked, this forum was pretty keen on GR. Maybe not I guess.
But anyway, I've given Watershed a lot of listens... and I would have to say it's not one of their best. Just overall as an album... I used to think GR was kind of weak, but with time I have realized how mature, well-crafted, and occasionally downright beautiful it is. Objectively, I would say that none of Opeth's albums are really 100% no-questions-asked masterpieces, but then most bands are unable to achieve that feat as well. Each album has its weak track or tracks in some cases.
But just in terms of GR vs. Watershed... Watershed honestly has no song even close to the awe-inspiring splendor of Ghost of Perdition, Baying of the Hounds, or, to a lesser extent, Isolation Years. It just doesn't. There aren't really any "bad" songs, there just aren't any particularly great ones in the vein of GoP, BotH, Blackwater Park, Deliverance, The Moor, DotF, and all the rest of the Opeth classics. I would have to say Heir Apparant is the best song on the album, because it comes closest to achieving that glory, but that is unfortunate because it doesn't come that close.

 

[DeadlyBadger]

Watershed is easily their worst. It's dreary and retro almost throughout. Hessian Peel is THE ONLY song that gives me that "fuck yeah, this is why I listen to Opeth" feeling. It's just gotten worse with repeated listenings. The Lotus Eater was cool the first few times, but didn't really hold up. Color me disappointed. Ghost Reveries is one of their top 3 imo, so the decision is easy

I'm guessing 'The Grand Conjuration' was the fist Opeth song you heard.

Mtv edited version to.

 

[DeadlyBadger]

Watershed is easily their worst. It's dreary and retro almost throughout. Hessian Peel is THE ONLY song that gives me that "fuck yeah, this is why I listen to Opeth" feeling. It's just gotten worse with repeated listenings. The Lotus Eater was cool the first few times, but didn't really hold up. Color me disappointed. Ghost Reveries is one of their top 3 imo, so the decision is easy

I'm guessing 'The Grand Conjuration' was the first Opeth song you heard.

Mtv edited version to.

 

[Perdido]

It is only my opinion but it seems quite simple. Not only is Watershed an amazing album but has the added bonus of weeding out the people who weren't real Opeth fans to begin with. Judging from all the needless hating of Watershed on here.

Comedic post of the year.

And no, wankerness isn't a newb.

 

[Whisper and Weep]

Everyone stop fighting

The poll tells no lie.

 

[indeathislife]

I will have to admit Ive listened to the first three songs plus PH at about 8-10 times for the last month. The rest I have saved till the release and even now ive only listened to the last half a few times. It usually takes Opeth albums or any complex song with many different sections a while to really sink in. Just like Ghost Reveries I didnt immediatly love every song. I think it has to do with finding a real connection with the song before you truly love it. The beauty of Opeth and music like theirs is some songs can grab you immediatly and others slowly grow on you but eventually you love them all and you love them forever. Seeing as how I havn't really soaked in the last two tracks especially I can't really give a fair vote yet.

 

[wankerness]

Watershed is teh very fantastic and I am not drunk you fucki cunts. Eat my shit, wankerzezeerezssss.

Massive massive fail, you fuck yourself you incompetent fucking cretin, since when do you know fucking shit. Cunt!!!!!

I can assure you I know a lot more about the band than you do. They've been my favorite band since about 2001 and this is the first time I've been left this cold by an album. But obviously, my opinion is invalid, because anyone that doesn't love every single thing by a band is not a true fan. Blind following is the only true form of fandom, anyone that would dare to be critical is just a poser and isn't really thinking about the music. God this board is full of idiots sometimes.

I like how I didn't say one single thing about people who like the album, yet as soon as someone puts up some actual reasons why they don't like it, the knee-jerk tard brigade starts attempting to psychoanalyze them and paint them as "untrue fans" and "people that can't accept change" when the fact I've been posting on this board since 2002 alone proves I've been following them through a lot of changes, let alone the fact I have said in every fucking post that I think GR is one of their best albums. And everyone who registered in 2008 is the expert here, yes. Gawd.

 

[wankerness]

I'm guessing 'The Grand Conjuration' was the fist Opeth song you heard.

Mtv edited version to.

Yep, you got me, I only liked the edited version of The Grand Conjuration they released in 2005, which is how I got into them. Everything I heard since then bores me. That's why I joined this board in 2002 and have spent hours and hours tabbing out songs from every single one of their albums.

 

[soundave]

I am always surprised by how much taste varies. I really love this album. I love the direction they're going. They're less of a metal band, but I like the music they're making. I can't really tell you why I like it--it just makes me happy that they're making music. My kneejerk reaction to posts that hate (or are less-than-thrilled) has to be restrained because I honestly cannot fathom how someone can hear Watershed and feel differently than I do. I can intellectually understand that we're different, but it still amazes me that everyone doesn't love it the way I do. And I feel sort of bad that you're not as happy as me. I know what it's like to be disappointed by a favorite band.

 

[Lothlorien]

I am always surprised by how much taste varies. I really love this album. I love the direction they're going. They're less of a metal band, but I like the music they're making. I can't really tell you why I like it--it just makes me happy that they're making music. My kneejerk reaction to posts that hate (or are less-than-thrilled) has to be restrained because I honestly cannot fathom how someone can hear Watershed and feel differently than I do. I can intellectually understand that we're different, but it still amazes me that everyone doesn't love it the way I do. And I feel sort of bad that you're not as happy as me. I know what it's like to be disappointed by a favorite band.

completely agree soundave.

I've thought for a long time about this and I think i've come up with a conclusion. whether someone enjoys watershed or not, you have to give it a certain amount of praise simply because mikael is still living this music. maybe it's not as heavy of an album as their past, maybe it's progressed into a completely new direction as someone wanted, but you have to at least applaud the guys for making passionate diverse music.

the thing that draws me most towards opeth is the diversity, no matter what direction opeth goes i know ill always be listening and enjoying, because as long as mikael and the guys put everything they have into the albums, i will respect and appreciate them.

 

[soundave]

^

 

[Goodyear]

I know what it's like to be disappointed by a favorite band.

Sadly, I've gotten used to being let down by my favorite bands. Megadeth has let me down for most of the last 14 years. Type O Negative let me down with their last album. Ulver let me down with Shadows of the Sun. Watershed is still a fantastic album but it's not what I was hoping for with the next Opeth album. I'm slowly liking it more and more each day. I really disliked Heir Apparent through the first few listens but I'm finally discovering how good it really is. Hex Omega clicked. Now if I could just start finding something to like about Coil.......

 

[hibernal_dream]

Things change. I listened to Grand Conjuration the other day and after 3 years of disliking it, I actually found a lot of energy in it which was nice. It's not the best song but I think I can say now it's a song I like.

 

[Vespa60]

This is a ridiculous post. There is no band I love more than Opeth, but Watershed didn't make me happy in the pants like so many Opeth albums before. It doesn't hold my attention and there aren't any parts that make me do a double take. It is a good album but it's one that I won't be playing too often.

It served it's purpose. Getting responses from people who feel some strange need to defend themselves against what was said. Well, if it didn't hit a nerve I guess you wouldn't have felt such a need to respond.