My Arms, Your Hearse through Blackwater Park is a pretty astonishing run. always thought they dropped off significantly after that, perhaps even getting progressively worse with each album. this new one seems a step up from Heritage though.
― charlie h, Saturday, 19 July 2014 00:50 (nine years ago) link
and not all of their stuff has been particularly disjointed. take a listen to Moonlapse Vertigo, for instance. that thing's a 10-minute opus and it flows gorgeously.
― charlie h, Saturday, 19 July 2014 00:53 (nine years ago) link
"April Ethereal" is one of my fav songs by them as well
― Neanderthal, Saturday, 19 July 2014 00:55 (nine years ago) link
she faced me in AWWWWEEEE
― charlie h, Saturday, 19 July 2014 00:56 (nine years ago) link
When could be my favourite Opeth song. the second half of that song is incredible.
― charlie h, Saturday, 19 July 2014 00:59 (nine years ago) link
The second song on the new album starts in one mode and stays there for the entire run. In fact, their guitarist Fredrik Åkesson joked about it in a recent interview - he said it was the first of their songs not to have a "forest-y part" in the middle.
― Humorist (horse) (誤訳侮辱), Saturday, 19 July 2014 01:02 (nine years ago) link
people who were disappointed by the last one might be more into this new one
― reggie (qualmsley), Saturday, 19 July 2014 14:54 (nine years ago) link
Saw them the other night on tour, fuck they are great live. I love their albums but I have to say that live it all kind of washes past me; he's doing much more growl-voice live than I expected. Anyway Sorceress is very good, I like it more than Pale Communion and maybe more than Heritage. That is all.
― akm, Thursday, 27 October 2016 23:56 (seven years ago) link
Massive C. Every decade has its bad metal, but all this gentrified middlebrow "smart" "artistic" metal for Hillary voters makes me kinda nostalgic for the bad metal of the 90s.
― punksishippies, Friday, 28 October 2016 00:35 (seven years ago) link
I mean D.
..............
Anyway, I tried to give Sorceress a go the other day but only got like three songs in. They just make me want to go and listen to some actual good prog, you know? Even their buddies Anekdoten do the retro-prog thing much more convincingly.
― ultros ultros-ghali, Friday, 28 October 2016 13:55 (seven years ago) link
It's fun to imagine Iron Mike saying it:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153966086531299&set=p.10153966086531299&type=3&theater
― Blood On The Knobs, Friday, 28 October 2016 15:30 (seven years ago) link
lol punksishippies you wasteman even phil fr33man thinks opeth are real metal
― imago, Friday, 28 October 2016 15:42 (seven years ago) link
punksishippies doesn't like anything the imaginary square living in his head wouldn't hate.
― Don Van Gorp, midwest regional VP, marketing (誤訳侮辱), Friday, 28 October 2016 17:07 (seven years ago) link
"the wilde flowers" rules. opeth going full prog is still totally mindboggling, like motorpsycho-, decemberists-, his name is alive-, and enslaved-level amazing imho
― reggie (qualmsley), Wednesday, 12 July 2017 15:43 (six years ago) link
Nah I keep frustratedly waiting for the shouty bits. D since Ghost Reveries pretty much.
― chap, Wednesday, 12 July 2017 16:02 (six years ago) link
That's not entirely fair of me, there have been some decent tracks.
But it's the tension between the pretty sections and the punishing sections that made them interesting to me. The pretty sections are pretty on their own, but somewhat inert.
― chap, Wednesday, 12 July 2017 16:08 (six years ago) link
No you're absolutely right. I wouldn't mind that Opeth went straight prog if they were any good at it, and they're not particularly "pretty" anymore anyway
― ultros ultros-ghali, Wednesday, 12 July 2017 16:11 (six years ago) link
To clarify, I meant they went off after Ghost Reveries. GR is excellent.
― chap, Wednesday, 12 July 2017 16:22 (six years ago) link
An important Facebook page:
"The Same Picture of Mikael Åkerfeldt Every Day"
https://www.facebook.com/SamepictureMikael
― akm, Wednesday, 24 January 2018 04:26 (six years ago) link
I don't know much about these guys, as people, but Mikael seems pretty cool. And to be honest, more than most rock guys I kinda feel like learning he was an asshole would totally bum me out. Anyway, this is entertaining:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPRCNGE9H9Y
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 11 September 2019 20:11 (four years ago) link
Like the last few, the new one is unapologetically prog, pomp and cheese and all, modestly heavy at times but kind of awesome at all times.
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 28 September 2019 00:11 (four years ago) link
I was surprised how much I enjoyed the new one
― Brad C., Saturday, 28 September 2019 12:23 (four years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xedYz1vZWsA
― Stockhausen Serves Empirical Jism (Matt #2), Saturday, 28 September 2019 12:47 (four years ago) link
That's awesome.
The addition of keyboard to Opeth really underscores the Van der Graaf influence. I've never heard of Univers Zero, where to begin? Also reminds me that I've never really listened to Jethro Tull, but it might be too late, because there are too many Jethro Tull albums.
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 28 September 2019 13:09 (four years ago) link
I'm liking this so far. Maybe a little more focused than the last couple ones. Sorceress was pretty good though.
― Mario Meatwagon (Moodles), Saturday, 28 September 2019 13:36 (four years ago) link
I've never heard of Univers Zero, where to begin? Also reminds me that I've never really listened to Jethro Tull, but it might be too late, because there are too many Jethro Tull albums.
Univers Zero - 1313 or HeresieJethro Tull - Aqualung or Thick as a Brick I guess?
― Stockhausen Serves Empirical Jism (Matt #2), Saturday, 28 September 2019 13:43 (four years ago) link
lol at Mikael on Opeth covering Gershwin: "I think it might be a good idea if we don't"
― Brad C., Saturday, 28 September 2019 13:54 (four years ago) link
The new one is the heaviest of the prog-era albums, but it's also really beautiful. "Ingen Sanning är Allas" is one of the most Floyd-ish things they've ever done (with some OK Computer thrown in, weirdly enough) and it's fantastic.
― shared unit of analysis (unperson), Saturday, 28 September 2019 13:57 (four years ago) link
Have all the albums been released in English and Swedish? I've only heard the new one in English, I should listen to the Swedish version, might (er) cut the cheese a little. (Which of course is a joke, this album is awesome.)
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 28 September 2019 14:03 (four years ago) link
Really good video but I just cant respect the crazy collector stuff at the end. Had a similar feeling with Geddy Lee collecting signed baseballs.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Saturday, 28 September 2019 14:35 (four years ago) link
Geddy also collects wine and, apparently, guitars!
At least Mikael collects, you know, music. I saw some other interview with him that suggests he's taking these collectors items away from other people, but he defends it by saying actually he buys multiple copies of stuff to give as gifts to friends who have never heard his favorite albums. Like Robin Hood!
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 28 September 2019 14:51 (four years ago) link
I have the Geddy Lee bass collection book, it is absolutely bonkers, hundreds of pages of rare basses. I would be super psyched if I owned one bass like that.
― Mario Meatwagon (Moodles), Saturday, 28 September 2019 15:01 (four years ago) link
Presumably Geddy tries out the bass guitars and uses some of them and drinks the wine. But all those baseballs?
It would be nice if Mikael was gifting his multiple copies but would he really say he owns all these multiple copies if he is gifting them?
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Saturday, 28 September 2019 15:10 (four years ago) link
Have all the albums been released in English and Swedish?
No. This is only the third time they've recorded in Swedish at all (they've done Swedish-language covers on the deluxe editions of Watershed and Pale Communion).
― shared unit of analysis (unperson), Saturday, 28 September 2019 15:14 (four years ago) link
export No, I mean, apparently Geddy collects guitars, too! Like, six-strings.
https://www.mecum.com/auctions/las-vegas-2019/collections/a-boutique-selection-from-the-geddy-lee-guitar-collection/
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 28 September 2019 15:22 (four years ago) link
That '59 Les Paul alone could very well go for over $250k.
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 28 September 2019 15:23 (four years ago) link
I read an interview where Mikael says he writes in Swedish and then translates to English.
Probably their best since Heritage and my favorite since Ghost Reveries
― gman59, Saturday, 28 September 2019 17:47 (four years ago) link
Listening to the Swedish version now, it's fascinating how in English my ear goes right to the lyrics, rising out of the music, but in Swedish it all sounds very much of an equal-tiered piece.
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 28 September 2019 17:49 (four years ago) link
Really like this
― When I am afraid, I put my toast in you (Neanderthal), Sunday, 29 September 2019 01:33 (four years ago) link
I love listening to Mikael talk about music he likes. That "Whats in My Bag" makes me want to go out and listen to all of those records.
― o. nate, Monday, 30 September 2019 01:03 (four years ago) link
I shot this video with him back in 2012, when I worked at Roadrunner:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgbEajT3TnE
― shared unit of analysis (unperson), Monday, 30 September 2019 01:49 (four years ago) link
Same. Hoping they do all their future records in Swedish as well.
― Simon H., Monday, 30 September 2019 01:52 (four years ago) link
this album just didn't do anything for me on first listen, and I've really liked their stuff since Ghost Reveries or so. Will give it another shot.
― akm, Monday, 30 September 2019 12:59 (four years ago) link
North American tour dates!
Feb 13 - Cleveland, OH - The Agora BallroomFeb 14 - Chicago, IL - Riviera TheatreFeb 15 - Detroit, MI - Royal Oak Music TheatreFeb 17 - Worcester, MA - PalladiumFeb 18 - Montreal, QC - MtelusFeb 19 - Toronto, ON - RebelFeb 21 - New York, NY - Apollo TheaterFeb 22 - New York, NY - Apollo TheaterFeb 23 - Silver Spring, MD - The FillmoreFeb 25 - Indianapolis, IN - Egyptian Room at Old National CentreFeb 26 - Nashville, TN - Ryman AuditoriumFeb 28 - Houston, TX - House of BluesFeb 29 - Dallas, TX - The Pavilion at Toyota Music FactoryMar 1 - Kansas City, MO - Arvest Bank Theatre at the MidlandMar 2 - Denver, CO - The Mission BallroomMar 4 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Palladium
Also, there's a non-album track streaming on Decibel's site.
― shared unit of analysis (unperson), Wednesday, 2 October 2019 16:08 (four years ago) link
I gotta admit that having never been to the Apollo Theater, the idea of going there for the first time to see Opeth feels a little weird.
― shared unit of analysis (unperson), Thursday, 3 October 2019 19:10 (four years ago) link
I bought Ryman tickets. Unless something comes up it'll be my first Ryman show and it's definitely an odd feeling.
― EZ Snappin, Thursday, 3 October 2019 21:49 (four years ago) link
opeth are playing the ryman? that fuckin rules
― american bradass (BradNelson), Thursday, 3 October 2019 22:00 (four years ago) link