When will come back the epic and adventurous Opeth ?

[Alex78]

Opeth's weakest link is the lyrics. Honestly, I think Opeth lyrics have never gone above the "i'm in the sultry field of shadowy sorrows // holy shit it's all bleak and atmospheric here" standard in metal songs. Surely there are a lot of great lines here and there, but the rest is usually the same metal shit.

Pretty much. Watershed has the worst lyrics. Really really not good!

 

[Annihilat0r]

Actually I think otherwise, I think Watershed is better than the average Opeth album lyricwise. However, I was disappointed when I saw that line from Coil "I can see you running in the fields of sorrow". You would think after all those years Mikael would try something new with the lyrics as well...

 

[Kitiini]

Opeth's weakest link is the lyrics. Honestly, I think Opeth lyrics have never gone above the "i'm in the sultry field of shadowy sorrows // holy shit it's all bleak and atmospheric here" standard in metal songs. Surely there are a lot of great lines here and there, but the rest is usually the same metal shit.

+1 I just thought the same thing

 

[HemeHaci]

I think melancholic themes get boring after some time and it's a nice change.

Surprisingly you are not bored of death and Satan but you are bored of love stories, in METAL?
Anyways for me life stories beats Satan themes, but yeah opinions perspectives etc

 

[Iki-ilkkuja]

When I saw them live the other day I realized how much better they/mike have become at writing songs.
Some of the older songs drag on and on tend to bore me sometimes. The last 4 albums are much better arranged.

I absolutely agree. Even my all-time favourite Still Life suffers from bad arrangements time to time. The latest Opeth efforts are all more dynamic and flowing. There's no copy-paste arrangements anymore.

 

[The Poona of Peshwa]

I'd say that Porcelain Heart definitely has a copy-paste arrangement.

 

[Iki-ilkkuja]

To some extent, though it's not as obvious as on the first three or four Opeth albums. The acoustic riff is too repetitive, I admit it too.

 

[mexicola]

I'd say that Porcelain Heart definitely has a copy-paste arrangement.

Some people keep saying that but I'd say that part of the song is great.

 

[PeeWee1473]

lol this guy needs to change his username

Yeah, $10 says he tried "jon snow", saw that it was taken, and then deleted the space.

 

[Albert R]

I find some of Opeth's more recent stuff a lot more emotional than it was back in the days of MAYH. Isolation Years, Coil, Benighted. Even Hours of Wealth. They're all more subtle songs.

I think a lot of that is down to Mikael's voice and to some extent the production. Although they're obviously heavier songs in general than those you mentioned, just listen to the quieter parts of Demon of the Fall and When off the Roundhouse Tapes. Mikael's voice has improved immensely compared to the album versions. I have no doubt that if Opeth were to play something like Credence live nowadays, then it would come across better than the album version.

 

[Annihilat0r]

I think when it comes to atmosphere and emotions related to it, the obviously better recent production works against them. Production-wise, I think the most melancholic and dark sounding album was MAYH.

 

[Albert R]

I think when it comes to atmosphere and emotions related to it, the obviously better recent production works against them. Production-wise, I think the most melancholic and dark sounding album was MAYH.

MAYH is my favourite album, but I don't think the production did Mikael's clean singing any favours at all. In fact, I don't think the production on any album before BWP did his clean singing any favours. The reverb effects on Mikael's voice on earlier albums were obviously designed to create some sort of atmosphere, but I think it sounds too "floaty".

 

[Chinese Whispers]

MAYH is my favourite album, but I don't think the production did Mikael's clean singing any favours at all. In fact, I don't think the production on any album before BWP did his clean singing any favours. The reverb effects on Mikael's voice on earlier albums were obviously designed to create some sort of atmosphere, but I think it sounds too "floaty".

Agreed. I much prefer the cleanly sung vocals' production on the latter albums. I must admit I don't get the whole 'atmosphere' arguement. To me it is just a way of saying that poor production is somehow better than the current production. The newer albums have plenty of atmosphere (the opening of 'Heir Apparent' is just suffocating). I do like what the production on My Arms, Your Hearse does for the feeling of the album, but it hardly has more 'atmosphere' than any of Opeth's other releases, a different atmosphere perhaps, but hardly moreso than any other.

 

[Vamos]

I must admit I don't get the whole 'atmosphere' arguement. To me it is just a way of saying that poor production is somehow better than the current production. The newer albums have plenty of atmosphere...

+1

 

[Albert R]

Agreed. I much prefer the cleanly sung vocals' production on the latter albums. I must admit I don't get the whole 'atmosphere' arguement. To me it is just a way of saying that poor production is somehow better than the current production. The newer albums have plenty of atmosphere (the opening of 'Heir Apparent' is just suffocating). I do like what the production on My Arms, Your Hearse does for the feeling of the album, but it hardly has more 'atmosphere' than any of Opeth's other releases, a different atmosphere perhaps, but hardly moreso than any other.

Despite what I said about the reverb creating a "floaty" effect on clean vocals, I have to say I love the production on MAYH otherwise. I think the guitar sound on that album is absolutely immense.

 

[Annihilat0r]

^^ Definitely agreed, although the vocals' production is indeed inferior. However, I feel that Mikael's vocals themselves were pretty inferior then, too, especially the cleans. Even his growls used to be higher pitched.