It's funny you ask that! I rambled on about how my initial reactions to new Opeth albums can be, on a different thread a few weeks back. And MAYH- IS my favorite. I talked about how I ran to our local metal store(ACES records) in Tampa, yes an actual metal store, and got it the day it came out. Anyway, upon hearing it (in '98), I thought...hmmmm, wow....um well....it's definitely heavier...the new guy, (Lopez) I think is trying to prove something. I don't know....it seems to be less of a 70's prog feel to it, sounds even more Morbid Angel-ish. And just like I did when I first got Morningrise, and thought at first I missed the more heavy use of harmony guitars found on Orchid, I only listened to it that first week, maybe 2-3 times, thinking...not as good as their previous work. But as usual, I found myself humming melodies, and murmuring the words from Amen Corner, and Karma. And as usual, after listening again, noticing how memorable the solos are, and hearing the detail of Lopez's cymbal work. That was it....I still to this day, listen to this album at least once a week, maybe once every 2 weeks. When a band is this multifaceted, it makes for albums that can reveal many things within the music, listen after listen. Mikael and Opeth know how to display their influences, but tie it together with their own original style, without totally getting trapped, or painted into a corner of self indulgence. So, I did the same as you did Stilgar...funny isn't it? After MAYH, I knew Opeth were always going to make me wonder-"what direction are they going to go next?"
I bought Morningrise and Still Life at the same time so i cant say which was the first though.
