[DaveBSC]

So have you guys heard Heritage yet? Any thoughts? I've only had one listen so far, still not sure what to make of it.
 
 

 

[Vikingatheart]

Quote:

So have you guys heard Heritage yet? Any thoughts? I've only had one listen so far, still not sure what to make of it.
 
 

I thought the album didn't come out until the 20th? How are you listening to it already.
 
 

 

[Trogdor]

I thought the album didn't come out until the 20th? How are you listening to it already.
 
 

Hint: Its a YouTube video.

 

[Trogdor]

So have you guys heard Heritage yet? Any thoughts? I've only had one listen so far, still not sure what to make of it.
 
 

Listening now, have high hopes....first track is a beautiful entrance to the Devil's Orchard which we all have heard...note I already have the Special Edition of this album pre-ordered...

01 - Heritage

Beautiful melancholic piano introduction. Very subtle in its development but captivating none the less.

02 - Devil's Orchard

I thought the first single was good not great.

03 - I Feel the Dark

Masterpiece. I thought this song was just outrageously good and it captures the essence of Opeth in every single way.

04 - Slither

Okay. I thought it was a bit too up-tempo. The guitar work is though very impressive. I might warm up on further listens.

05 - Nepenthe

Starts off again somewhat slow. Nepenthe reminds me for some reason of Take Five by Brubeck in its construction. The song is really to showcase the jazz drum middle breakdown. The breakdown around the 4 minute interval is just haunting with Mikael singing in the background juxtapose to the melody. I feel this track encompasses the spirit of Heritage. By the time I got here, I felt I had a very good idea of what to expect for the rest of the album.

06 - Haxprocess

Again, another acoustic guitar beginning with background noises of children playing/crowds. This songs is again similar in style to Nepenthe. Song just breaks down at the 4 minute mark where they explore the overall themes introduced in the beginning. The breakdown is less enjoyable than Nepenthe. Opeth seems to get lost here and never spends enough time on one particular melodies before moving to the next. Well maybe Opeth isn't lost, but I was.

07 - Famine

The song initially feels like a Damnation B-Side. At about the 3 minute mark, Famine takes a new life as a straight forward melo heavy metal tune. It starts to sound like The Devil's Orchard before again switching back to an acid jazz experiment around 5 minutes in before returning to the original riff but retaining the flute. Overall an enjoyable track: complex structure, various layers, and in line with Heritage's melancholic jazzy tone.

08 - The Lines in My Hand

Immediately engages you with some excellent riffage right from the start. This is a more simple tune compared to the last three. A hint to this fact would be its less than 4 minutes long. I would think this would be the 2nd single off the album after The Devil's Orchard.

09 - Folklore

Absolutely brilliant melody and theme throughout the song. I was instantly hooked about 10 seconds into the song. I can say without a doubt this is a new Opeth classic. If the first 4 minutes doesn't impress you I won't ruin and describe the impressive transition for the last 4 minutes. Gorgeous. Not just in sound but in how it builds and then breaks lose. I really need to hear this song about 5 more times to pick up on everything. Please if there is one SONG you are going to start out with and you are NOT an Opeth fan, try this one.

10 - Marrow of the Earth

An instrumental! Again a melodic psychedelic ending or potentially an interlude. Sort of a final stamp on to what Heritage is all about. I need to hear the bonus tracks to really understand Marrow the Earth.

This album is clearly montage of the Deep Purple, Jethro Tull (folk rock period) psychedelic sound of the 70s. I think the reason why Mikael is so enthused about this album in interviews is it really is a new kind of sound not just for Opeth but in general. If you didn't know Opeth's history, listened to this one album, I don't know what you would categorize it as. Doom metal? A bit. 70s psychedlic rock? Check. Acid jazz? Without a doubt. Gothic? Yup. Its a very complex album minus two tracks - The Devil's Orchard and The Lines In My Hand.

And with all of that said, it brings me to the negative aspects of the album. Right off, no more growling so the heavier Blackwater/Watershed days are over. If you were going into this listen expecting another Blackwater or even Watershed/Ghost Reveries, its not there. For a lot of hard core death metal fans, I think the composition and overall feel of the album will be a complete turn off. When you walk away from this album, you don't feel you just heard a death metal band.

As I mentioned, some songs are harder to engage with on first listen. I think I can emphatically say that this albums demands the attention of the listener unlike any other Opeth release. Musically, this is the most complex body of work Opeth has every put down on a sheet of music. The construction of the track "Nepenthe" is a prime testament to this fact. They combine and twist so many various elements and sometimes in the middle of the track, you're lost. Really. I had to re-listen to "Famine" to get its overall tonality in my head.

I think I am falling love with this album. Regardless of genres, I can not imagine someone walking away from Heritage and not respecting the fact that Opeth is one of the most talented groups on the planet for their sure diversity and musicianship.

Please, please, listen to "I Feel the Dark," "Nepenthe," and "Folklore" and let me know when you think.

 

[bvelleko]

Great!

 

[Vikingatheart]

Quote:

Hint: Its a YouTube video.

Haha I knew that. Don't judge me. 
 

 

[Trogdor]

Haha I knew that. Don't judge me. 
 

I posted my review above, let me know what you think of Heritage.

 

[DaveBSC]

Quote:

I thought the album didn't come out until the 20th? How are you listening to it already.

The internet cares not for release dates

 
I am curious as to how the metal review sites are going to handle this record. It's psychedelic prog rock, really not a metal album at all. I thought I was going to be disappointed with it, but I'm actually pleasantly surprised. No it's not Still Life or Ghost, but it's not Watershed either. A live set with a few of these songs combined with classic Opeth material would be awesome.
 

 

[bcasey25raptor]

OK guys i am going to say it. I am rather disappointed. It lacks what i love about Opeth. I will give it a few listens and see if it grows on me.

 

[Trogdor]

The internet cares not for release dates

 
I am curious as to how the metal review sites are going to handle this record. It's psychedelic prog rock, really not a metal album at all. I thought I was going to be disappointed with it, but I'm actually pleasantly surprised. No it's not Still Life or Ghost, but it's not Watershed either. A live set with a few of these songs combined with classic Opeth material would be awesome.
 

That's why I said, "regardless of genre..." I don't think its completely prog rock but with the lack of growls, folks might think differently. Its certainly has that vibe through and through.

I think its better than Still Life.

Its hard for me to compare Ghost/Watershed with this album. They are completely different animals.

The album is surprisingly good on several levels. I am hoping this doesn't become another Damnation review, "it doesn't have growls means its garbage."

Here is on early review:

http://social.entertainment.msn.com/music/blogs/headbang-blogpost.aspx?post=983eeff0-ac9f-419c-8a73-e3e65a2f8245

Early reactions to the album here:

http://www.metalstorm.net/bands/album.php?album_id=47996&page=&message_id=

I need to listen to it more and I really would prefer a hard CD then the leaked version. I wish Roadrunner would just ship my album out today!

 

[Achmedisdead]

Quote:

The internet cares not for release dates

 
I am curious as to how the metal review sites are going to handle this record. It's psychedelic prog rock, really not a metal album at all. I thought I was going to be disappointed with it, but I'm actually pleasantly surprised. No it's not Still Life or Ghost, but it's not Watershed either. A live set with a few of these songs combined with classic Opeth material would be awesome.
 

Agreed. And I am just fine with that....I can only take the growls in small doses. I quite liked it upon first listen.
 

 

[Trogdor]

@Negakinu: As indoctrination into the BME club, I present you a find I made which probably already know about. They are Evil. Atmospheric. Black metal. Local. Negative Plane.

Exhibit Darks and Brutals here:


[VIDEO]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KTUIsZW60A[/VIDEO]


And this:


[VIDEO]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcYRJLi_lZA&feature=related[/VIDEO]


I was actually very impressed with this song. Pseudo-satanic wacko's though.

Now is there a secret hand shake that I need to learn...I am NOT wearing fangs....

 

[Trogdor]

Looks like "Heritage" wasn't the only album leaked:


[VIDEO]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hs55-JBlPI&feature=related[/VIDEO]


Uh this labor day weekend is getting tough on me. Too much to listen too.

 

[129207]

Quote:

@Negakinu: As indoctrination into the BME club, I present you a find I made which probably already know about. They are Evil. Atmospheric. Black metal. Local. Negative Plane.

Exhibit Darks and Brutals here:



And this:



I was actually very impressed with this song. Pseudo-satanic wacko's though.

Now is there a secret hand shake that I need to learn...I am NOT wearing fangs....

Secretly editing your post to make it more funny eh? There is no "edit" in real life Trogdor, so if you meet me you better have your wit ready.  
About Negative Plane, they are one of those bands everyone keeps telling me I'm going to love. Thing is, there are so much bands around it's hard to keep track of them all. They're on my list. Lately I'm into a nostalgic neo folk mood though. Listening to a lot of Backworld, Death In June, Mi and L'au and martial stuff like Kreuzweg Ost and Der Blutharsch. 
 

 

[bcasey25raptor]

Just got back from a metal concert.
 
I saw the following bands.
 

 

 

 
 
Finally it was a very small venue with 40 or so people. My ears have been ringing since it ended and I am worried there might be damage. I didn't have any earplugs unfortunately. I am just so glad they came to the small city I live in.