Opeth is probably the single most important band to the development of my appreciation for music. Obviously many of you can relate, as Ive seen in many of the threads on here, they do something special for nearly all of us. For me, Opeth presented a sound that was unlike anything I had ever heard. It was a melding of styles, but with such a unique twist to it all that it could only be undeniably Opeth. They will probably always be one of my favourite bands
but listening to the same albums repeatedly gets tiresome, we grow and change, and what we once loved just doesnt grant the same experiences. What are we to learn that we can take with us as we move along? What has Opeth taught you about music you didnt know how to look and listen for before you knew them?
The reason I bring this up is, Ive grown a bit tired of the band. Theres only so many times I can listen to My Arms, Your Hearse before I dont need to because the whole thing is stored in my head. Its already there for playback if I want it. This WILL happen to you too if it hasnt already, I promise no saying when, but it always happens. Even the best music wears thin after so many repeated listens. The most important thing Ive learned from the band actually comes from their first 2 albums. I know most of the newer fans dont care much for Orchid or Morningrise, but there is something about those albums that Opeth never got right again. That thing is ATMOSPHERE. You could make a case against that, and I may concede the point, but Orchid and Morningrise have this introspective allure to them that Ive never forgotten. How many of you have listened to these albums while drifting off to sleep? That is how I actually first got into Opeth. Listening to Morningrise on my headphones before bed one night when I was home alone. I fell asleep early on, and was slowly brought awake by the last 4 minutes of The Night & The Silent Water. By the whispering, I was pretty much laying there sweating. By the time the simple acoustic guitar outro hit, I was completely in a zone, one Id never been in from music before. I laid there for the next 40 minutes completely captivated by what I was hearing, right to the end why cant you see that I tried, when every tear I shed is for you?
That remains as one of my best musical experiences, completely unforgettable, and it was that night I started with my understanding of ambience and atmosphere. As cool as later releases are, there just isnt the same depth of that particular feeling to them. I have been looking ever since that night to replicate and expand on that kind of feeling, and that was Opeths gift to me. Every once in a while there will be a band that does this to you and spurs you in directions you would never have imagined yourself going, and I think that is in some ways much more valuable than simply discovering a single band to adore. So, I want you to think about it for a moment, and explain what it is that Opeth has taught you. I want to know what it is that you were not aware was being done in music that Opeth has gotten you interested in, and where that has taken you (if it has for you yet).
The reason I bring this up is, Ive grown a bit tired of the band. Theres only so many times I can listen to My Arms, Your Hearse before I dont need to because the whole thing is stored in my head. Its already there for playback if I want it. This WILL happen to you too if it hasnt already, I promise no saying when, but it always happens. Even the best music wears thin after so many repeated listens. The most important thing Ive learned from the band actually comes from their first 2 albums. I know most of the newer fans dont care much for Orchid or Morningrise, but there is something about those albums that Opeth never got right again. That thing is ATMOSPHERE. You could make a case against that, and I may concede the point, but Orchid and Morningrise have this introspective allure to them that Ive never forgotten. How many of you have listened to these albums while drifting off to sleep? That is how I actually first got into Opeth. Listening to Morningrise on my headphones before bed one night when I was home alone. I fell asleep early on, and was slowly brought awake by the last 4 minutes of The Night & The Silent Water. By the whispering, I was pretty much laying there sweating. By the time the simple acoustic guitar outro hit, I was completely in a zone, one Id never been in from music before. I laid there for the next 40 minutes completely captivated by what I was hearing, right to the end why cant you see that I tried, when every tear I shed is for you?
That remains as one of my best musical experiences, completely unforgettable, and it was that night I started with my understanding of ambience and atmosphere. As cool as later releases are, there just isnt the same depth of that particular feeling to them. I have been looking ever since that night to replicate and expand on that kind of feeling, and that was Opeths gift to me. Every once in a while there will be a band that does this to you and spurs you in directions you would never have imagined yourself going, and I think that is in some ways much more valuable than simply discovering a single band to adore. So, I want you to think about it for a moment, and explain what it is that Opeth has taught you. I want to know what it is that you were not aware was being done in music that Opeth has gotten you interested in, and where that has taken you (if it has for you yet).
