I knew Watershed was going to be something of different opinions here. The reason I have to give the band a lot of respect is that they always produce. How many bands have a two year creative run, they make maybe two super-good albums? How long has Opeth bestowed on us an original fresh product? Let's not even get started on the cover artwork. They have made good music for a long time and we have two groups of people who love each phase for it's own sound. What we have here are people who like the old stuff and people who like the new stuff. To me there are still so many albums I really don't even understand. How many composers can keep making good music? We have all seen the "comeback albums" of the sorts that let us down because the artist has somehow lost the magic of what made them great in the first place. I think the Opeth formula is based on really layered tracks that result from a lot of work. Somehow this music also lets us choose to have it as background music or give it our full thought focus. Sometimes I do hear a part that reminds me of music in 1973, they are adding mellowtron and Hammond sounds a lot now. The music is still the Opeth sound. That's the sound I first heard on Blackwater Park eight years ago.
One thing that I found makes the music even stronger. I take two albums and if I find they go together that's how I will make the play list. The best one I have found is to first play Damnation then Morningrise. Somehow the slow parts of Damnation are a musical prelude to Morningrise.
Blackwater Park seems to be the strongest LP. It is so strong I can only hear it ever so often. It's really hard to focus on somtimes. I guess I would have to say it's bombastic.
Anyway, as short or as long as threads last here, I think we did it. Everyone is correct in their perception of this musical art. I would like to thank all who added their list. I am going to study these lists in detail as I know they are a key in understanding this grand gift which has been transferred to us.
Originally Posted by scytheavatar /img/forum/go_quote.gif Opeth has never been a death metal band... from day 1 they have been Porcupine Tree with harsh vocals.
Errrr, that's patently untrue. Orchid, Morningrise and MAYH are aggressive Melo-Death albums with melodic interludes. Even Porcupine Tree at their heaviest come nowhere close to Opeth in ferocity or even style.
It's news to me that Opeth have weak albums. I love 'em all. It has taken me a lot longer to get into the last couple of albums, but they're still packed with quality music.
As to Watershed, I'm really of mixed opinion about it. Some songs I love- the aforementioned Coil, Burden and Hessian Peel. I like them enough to elevate the album to one of my favourites. Some songs, however, I tend to skip- Heir Apparent and Porcelain Heart in particular- seem like a grab bag of sorts that I just can't sit down to listen to.
It's like Nightwish's newest album, some songs annoy me but in Dark Passion Play's case it's saved by the last four tracks breaking out of the band's mold entirely, sounding a bit more like their older stuff. Lacuna Coil's Karmacode is like that to me too, saved by the last four tracks. Their most recent album, however... *Moogoob throws up in his mouth a bit and goes back to listening to earlier LC*
Wow, to me Heir Apparent is one of the best songs Opeth has ever recorded IMHO. Its fierce and brutal and never lets up and the perfect intro the new drummer could possibly have. The way the song starts sets up the album so well, and is heavy as hell and is just waiting to explode. The drumming is exceptional on this song.
The rest of the album is kinda meh, except Hessian Peel which as another strong song. I never did like Lotus eater all that much although my wife seems to love it for some reason. Burden is a complete fail of a song for me, its ok en all , but almost all the songs from Damnation are better than this one.
Coil was good the first couple of times and got boring fast, I just skip it nowadays, Porcelain Heart is easily the weakest song for me, its too sappy in parts and there are parts that sound too much like previous Opeth songs.
Hex Omega is a beautiful closer, but I was very dissapointed with the ending, it couldve ended stronger, the final riff is boring, simple, repetitive and gets old real fast.
Oh god Lacuna Coils new album was horrible. I wanted to start crying, I was so pissed with how they completely went off track and just lost everything that made LC atleast stand out from the rest of the popular rock/metal acts.
Originally Posted by Bojamijams /img/forum/go_quote.gif 1. Orchid
2. MAYH
3. Damnation
4. Morningrise
5. Still Life
Except for Damnation, I agree with your list. I'd move Morningrise up to 3rd spot and put Ghost Reveries in 4th.
Orchid is the first Opeth album for me and always will be the best. It's the quintessential Opeth album. I doubt we will ever hear Opeth being that great ever again unfortunately.
I have it, great looking item, in fact i have all the first three albums on that "Back On Black" label on coloured 180g vinyl, quite good sounding. Even if Morningrise and Orchid suffered from very raw production from the start, i think those vinyls are even a bit more on the bright and harsh side than the CD. MAYH is ok instead..
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