Why is Opeth labeled death metal?

[Texas King]

I just don't get why Opeth often get death metal label to their music. They're progressive metal for sure, they use growling vocals but that one feature cannot make them death metal. Musically they're not death metal at all, their general sound is not death metal. Compare them to Death, Bolt Thrower, Obituary, Carcass, Entombed, Atheist, Autopsy or Suffocation and you will realise they don't sound death metal, except for growls.

 

[no country for old wainds]

i agree but this applies to loads of bands that get the ‘progressive death metal’ tag. ditto a lot of ‘melodic death metal’ as well.

 

[SonOfNun]

I just don't get why Opeth often get death metal label to their music. They're progressive metal for sure, they use growling vocals but that one feature cannot make them death metal. Musically they're not death metal at all, their general sound is not death metal. Compare them to Death, Bolt Thrower, Obituary, Carcass, Entombed, Atheist, Autopsy or Suffocation and you will realise they don't sound death metal, except for growls.

Their early music (especially before the full prog turn) is hard to classify. Most of it doesn't compare to the bands you mentioned, but it was never intended to be pure Old School or Brutal Death Metal like them. The first two albums mix Melodic Death Metal with folk and progressive influences. While their music was always a combination of influences, Death Metal was one of them up through Ghost Reveries (or Watershed I guess - I stopped listening by then). As mentioned above, if Opeth can't be labeled "Progressive Death Metal" then there is a whole slew of PDM and Melodic Death Metal bands that can't either. I think it's appropriate in that context and probably the most sensible label for their early material.

 

[CiG]

The growls on their early material weren't the only death metal element, it's been ages since I listened to Orchid but I remember there being a lot of heavy bass drumming too.