What were your first impressions of Opeth?

[MetalManCPA]

Bleak was the first Opeth song I heard:

I had never heard such an amazing mix of growling and clean vocals before (I had never been a fan of the growling/death vocals ).

The biggest feeling I got, though, was the sensation of having just taken a journey. I got lost in the song, and felt I was part of it. I honestly think it was the first time music ever moved me in that particular way.

 

[Longshot]

Spike introduced me to My Arms, Your Hearse about 2 years ago.
I liked what I heard even though the vocals took some time getting used to. I was(and still am), a fan of bands such as Iron Maiden, who have clear vocals.

 

[Opet]

Wow, I see so many differences and similarities on what we all though of Opeth. Like, "I knew almost instantly that Opeth was what I had unconsciously been looking..." -Soul Forlorn and I honestly think it was the first time music ever moved me in that particular way.The path that led me to Opeth was strange as well.

I listened to mainstream music all the time. Didn't even give the idea of listening to music from anywhere other than this country. A kid got a job where I work and found out that I was into metal and he started giving me copies of what he listens to. He gave me a tape of Slipknot. After listening to that mess, it made me want to find more...something more and something better. I went online in search for it. Someone mentioned the name Opeth in a chat room, I wrote it down...and just BOUGHT the album. No samples or anything. Just an impulsive buy.

I sat on my couch and pressed play and a feeling of intense gratification came over me----->> I sat quietly on the couch with my partner and thought "WHAT'S THIS?!" I remember almost feeling panic that I would have never heard them if all the right pieces hadn't fallen into place just right. Opeth saved me from the mainstream metal world. It's a completely different story now. One that I can live with.

Lynn

Clenched fist from the beautiful pain.

 

[Duvall]

After reading up on Emperor on the Candlelight website, looking for Peccatum, I'd gone over the descriptions of the other bands. For some reason, they lauded this band Opeth. I couldn't find anything in my city, so I forgot about them. When visiting family in St. Louis, MO, late at night in some weird music store (St. Louis has REALLY good music stores), I was flipping through the "O"s looking for Old Man's Child. The name Opeth flipped into view, and I recalled having seen it before. So I got the guy to crack it open and let me listen to it. I was already a fan of more extreme metal, so the growling was nothing new, but the rain and piano at the beginning were a gorgeous touch of atmosphere. I listened to portions of each song, and discovered quickly the last-line-title-of-next trick they played. And for $10.99 it was WELL worth it.

When I first heard Opeth, I was astounded by the hypnotic riffs and VERY memorable acoustic passages. I've always considered a riff or song that's technically sound, as well as memorable to be an excellent riff or song. I usually use Slash's solos from GnR as an example. They're so beautifully crafted that you can't help memorizing them immediately. A few old metallica solos are that way too. Well, Opeth had some of that in every song. I preached the gospel of Opeth as much as I could, but none of my friends wanted to take the plunge.. what a shame.

Once I got back home, I purchased the other albums as they came available, and Orchid off cdnow.com (my first credit card purchase, acually.. and I wish I'd stopped there! ).

And now I'm waiting for album #6...

 

[fragarch]

I personally know Opeth since Orchid and it was a real blast when I discovered this cd, Morningrise was even more brilliant to my eyes but I was a bit disappointed by MAYH, which I think is not good, but the two last cd's are just amazing. No band can do a more emotive music !!!

 

[D Mullholand]

Well, way back in the olde days when I was still in my Metallica-phase, one friend gave me a few albums by some (bad) doom bands like Crematory etc. The result was that I started to hate the keyboards as an instrument (I've recovered since... ).
So there I was, looking for something more guitar-oriented - and another friend gave me MAYH... This was too much for a traditionalist as I was back then, and I copied the songs "Credence" and "Epilogue", since they were mellow, and didn't have any of that strange vocals. But already then the seed was sown.

Then I bought MAYH. Then I bought Still Life (my favourite). Then... the rest is history.

-------------------------------
NP: Schoenberg - Pierrot Lunaire

 

[BillowOfZeal]

I was a huge fan of Black Metal at the time i heard the song Nectar on the Blackened ll compalation. I was immediatly in a trance, i fell in Love with the fluxuation of intensity that seemed to flow perfectly IMO. They became my favorite band at the time after hearing only one song. I now own all of their albums and they are in my top 3 favorite bands right now which include Anathema and Katatonia as well.
untill then,
Jay

 

[Russell]

I listened 2 April Ethereal first and thought WTF you call this music??? Then to my huge embarrasment i started to really like it. Then sum1 gave me some vouchers and on a whim I bought MAYH. I didn't listen for months, then I decided to give it a try and was blown away. I was like "wow so they're not all like april ethereal" (which is still one of my faves)

 

[Riotus]

I was first brought to the attention of Opeth by the gutarist of Hecate Enthroned as he picked up MorningRise on tour somewhere. He told be to go but it as it would change my life!! So after this ridiculas claim (!), I did just that. It didnt change my life straight away. Took me a long time to get into the style (I come from a traditional Death/Black metal stand point at the time), especially the lengh of the tracks - but now, I honestly couldnt live without hearing at least one of their albums during the week!!! Thank you Opeth!!