New Opeth

[Duds]

I'm one song into this, and all I can say so far is WOW!!! "cookie monster" vocals mixed with "normal" vocals (not sure what else to call it), highs, lows.....cant wait to hear the rest!!!

[Dusty Chalk]

So...you've never heard Opeth before?!?!?

[Duds]

I did kind of make it seem like i havent. I must admit though, i havent listened to them a lot. This disc is going ot make me dig out the other cds though. I listened to it a couple times yesterday, this gem clocks in at over an hour. So far my favorite tune is "Reverie/Harlequin Forest"


So...you've never heard Opeth before?!?!?

[ForeverAutumn]

I did kind of make it seem like i havent. I must admit though, i havent listened to them a lot. This disc is going ot make me dig out the other cds though. I listened to it a couple times yesterday, this gem clocks in at over an hour. So far my favorite tune is "Reverie/Harlequin Forest"

Now that you've listened to the whole disk, how much is Cookie Monster vocals and how much is clean? I really liked their last disk, Damnation, but I just don't enjoy listening to growling.

[Duds]

it's probably 60/40 regular to clean.


Now that you've listened to the whole disk, how much is Cookie Monster vocals and how much is clean? I really liked their last disk, Damnation, but I just don't enjoy listening to growling.

[Duds]

It’s no secret that the completion of 2003’s Damnation (The gentler and mellower sister album to 2002’s Deliverance) took its toll on Opeth’s vocalist/guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt. The pressure to deliver not one, but distinctly two different sounding albums was not only at a price paid on personal level to Åkerfeldt (Both creatively and mentally), but also at cost to some fans who felt the division between both album’s sounds split and separated the bands unique style from one extreme to the next, not to mention some who thought Deliverance itself was a little too formularised compared to past Opeth efforts.

With the troubles of the past now firmly behind them, Opeth (Now a quintet with the addition of Spiritual Beggars keyboardist Per Wiberg (Who has played in the band since the release of Damnation) joining Åkerfeldt, guitarist Peter Lindgren, bassist Martin Mendez and drummer Martin Lopez) finally return with a renewed focus on their eighth studio release ‘Ghost Reveries’ (Their first for Roadrunner Records after their previous label Music For Nations folded).

Anyone’s who’s familiar with the Swedish progressive death metal act’s past work won’t be anticipating a great musical departure from what they’re mastered in the past, but having said that, there’s a few new surprises throughout their latest effort.

Starting things off in classic Opeth fashion, ‘Ghost Of Perdition’ touches upon all the band’s unique traits with the first minute an imposing wall of straight out death metal, before breaking down to allow Åkerfeldt interjecting the first of many clean (And far more expressive) vocal passages. Lopez’s performance is well up front and Tool like in places, while Wiberg’s presence is really felt around the three quarter mark amongst the short acoustic tail end section.

If the opening track was the sound of Opeth playing to fans’ expectations, then ‘The Baying Of The Hounds’ is clearly an attempt to broaden the bands repertoire with greater experimentation. Wiberg’s lush organ sounds (Not unlike Spiritual Beggars) are immediate and upfront, while the riffing is very different from Opeth’s usual style too. The song moves in between both death and mellow passages, with Åkerfeldt delivering some of his best clean vocal performances to date.

Åkerfeldt’s desire to try out new ideas continues well into ‘Beneath The Mire’ with the song incorporating some Eastern tones within Wilberg’s keyboards. And while there’s still plenty of Opeth’s old melodic death metal in places, it’s actually the atmospheric moments that break things up that are the most interesting characteristics of the song, with subtle flourishes of blues and hints of jazz working it’s way throughout.

The predominantly instrumental dream like feel of ‘Atonement’ takes the Eastern themes of it’s predecessor one step further, and could have easily been lifted from Damnation, while ‘Reverie/Harlequin Forest’ (One of the albums real stand outs) represents the more traditional side of the band with the mix of lengthy progressive atmospherics, death metal and plenty of Åkerfeldt’s majestic clean vocals.

‘Hours Of Wealth’ is by far the most stripped back track Opeth have ever attempted before, with only keyboards and a blues influenced guitar accompanying Åkerfeldt’s vulnerable emotion laden vocals, while ‘The Grand Conjuration’ returns to familiar Opeth sounds with a relentless assault that exudes pure progressive black metal, which only subsides in a few places before revering back to it’s heavier starting point.

The final (And shortest) song, ‘Isolation Years’ (Much like ‘Atonement’), is another track with a very sombre Damnation feel to it, and ends things out in a reflective and somewhat calmer manner.

In some ways, Ghost Reveries sounds very much like the Opeth albums of the past, but at the same time there’s a lot of new ideas and elements drifting throughout every song too. To their credit, Opeth have managed to reinvent themselves and evolve once again (Without losing their identity one bit), and released yet another adventurous and remarkable release, and one that won’t disappoint even the most ardent follower.

[N. Abstentia]

If you like the mix of clean/growling vocals, get some Killswitch Engage. Their newest CD is incredible from start to finish.

[kexodusc]

I'm pretty much tired of growling vocals, but Opeth is one of the few exceptions. Behind the cookie montster stuff is a lot more substance and appeal to me than the typical death metal (though there was a time when that stuff was fun for me too).
Took me a long time to get into these guys, but they're great. Can't wait for this CD.

[Duds]

I just can't get into them, they just dont do it for me for some reason.


If you like the mix of clean/growling vocals, get some Killswitch Engage. Their newest CD is incredible from start to finish.

[ForeverAutumn]

Thanks for posting that review. I think I'll pass on this disk. But if anyone ever puts together an Opeth comp of just their clean stuff from all their CDs (excluding Damnation, since I have that disk) I'd be very, very interested in a copy.

Hint. ;)

[3-LockBox]

Thanks for posting that review. I think I'll pass on this disk. But if anyone ever puts together an Opeth comp of just their clean stuff from all their CDs (excluding Damnation, since I have that disk) I'd be very, very interested in a copy.

Hint. ;)

I'm just not a fan of Cookie Monster vocals. I don't even know why someone would sing like that on purpose. Oh sure, not every vocalist in the prog genre is a great or even good vocalist, but I just don't get the growling. It bring out a giggle in me every time. I didn't even like DreamTheater toying with it on that one song from TOT, although I liked the song over all. I think I hate it (growling) worse than gangsta rap and would be loathe to think it would ever become an accepted artistic statement on any level.

It would be a shame if Opeth didn't make another superb album like Damnation just because of the expectations of some teenaged boys. Everyone grows up eventually and Opeth should too.

I didn't know Opeth was from Sweden.... I love Pain Of Salvation's Remedy Lane... and then there's The Flower Kings ...Sweden must be ground zero for neo-prog now.

[Duds]

growling vocals are only for teenaged boys? I disagree. Apparently Opeth lost a lot of fans by releasing an album like Damnation, maybe they are trying to win some back


I'm just not a fan of Cookie Monster vocals. I don't even know why someone would sing like that on purpose. Oh sure, not every vocalist in the prog genre is a great or even good vocalist, but I just don't get the growling. It bring out a giggle in me every time. I didn't even like DreamTheater toying with it on that one song from TOT, although I liked the song over all. I think I hate it (growling) worse than gangsta rap and would be loathe to think it would ever become an accepted artistic statement on any level.

It would be a shame if Opeth didn't make another superb album like Damnation just because of the expectations of some teenaged boys. Everyone grows up eventually and Opeth should too.

I didn't know Opeth was from Sweden.... I love Pain Of Salvation's Remedy Lane... and then there's The Flower Kings ...Sweden must be ground zero for neo-prog now.

[Dusty Chalk]

I suspect if they didn't make another album like Damnation, it would be because they didn't want to. It was always planned as a one-off, the next album was always going to be back to more "typical" Opeth.

[Dusty Chalk]

Well, been listening to this disk a lot last couple of days, and really digging it. It is their least hard album (besides Damnation), but that's not to say it's not hard -- it is. It's just...well, there's moments that remind me of Rush, moments that remind me of Porcupine Tree, and moments that remind me of some other goth metal bands. I have a feeling this will be the album that many who are just on the brink of being able to take the growling/cookiemonster vocals will push them over the brink for the love of the music.

And it has more clean singing than any other album they've done. I would say it's more like 70/30 clean/growling. Although most of that growling is at the beginning. FA, in particular, I think you might actually like this album. If y'all have a Borders up by you, see if you can listen to it in the listening station. My burner's on the blink...

[kexodusc]

I agree with Dusty, this is an excellent album with not too much growling chants. The music from these guys is as good as ever. I think they've learned that there's more than just 2 speeds in music, and it's paying off. These guys are really on to something here. I like this better than <i>Deliverance</i>, maybe as much as <i>Blackwater Park</i>.

[ForeverAutumn]

And it has more clean singing than any other album they've done. I would say it's more like 70/30 clean/growling. Although most of that growling is at the beginning. FA, in particular, I think you might actually like this album. If y'all have a Borders up by you, see if you can listen to it in the listening station. My burner's on the blink...

Thanks for the comments Dusty. No Borders in Canada, but there are other places that I can go to for a listen. I'll check it out when I have the opportunity.

[Mike]

Well I've listened to it and it leaves me cold I'm afraid, but then I came at them from Damnation so it's not surprising I don't care for it.

Death/Goth/Thrash Metal is just not my thing I guess but it beats me how someone with such a good voice and tuneful (and I know the album has its lighter moments) can not only make such a howl but still have a voice to sing with.

I can't think of many bands which have such divided fans, when I picked up Damnation I loved it and couldn't wait to check out some of their other albums. What a disappointment at first I thought there must be another band called Opeth. Horses for courses I suppose.

Cheers
Mike

[ForeverAutumn]

Horses for courses I suppose.

Cheers
Mike

Horses for courses? That's a new one for me. What does that mean Mike?

[Mike]

Horses for courses? That's a new one for me. What does that mean Mike?

It's an English expression from the horse racing world meaning stick to what you know or in this case like best.

Cheers
Mike

[ForeverAutumn]

It's an English expression from the horse racing world meaning stick to what you know or in this case like best.

Cheers
Mike

I was afraid it might have something to do with dog food and and multi-course meal. :eek:

Thanks for the translation. :)

[Javier]

Thanks for the comments Dusty. No Borders in Canada, but there are other places that I can go to for a listen. I'll check it out when I have the opportunity.
You can hear a complete track you won,t be able to take a grasp from Opeth, believe me the first time i tried Opeth was at barnes an noble so i just got to listen to the cookie monster stuff so ASAP took the cans from my ears, next i venture into actually buying Blackwater park and the ceedee spent just 90 seconds in the player and gave it as a gift to a friend, latter on she told me about the atmospheric passages so in the 3rd and long i thought, made the effort and love the music ever since ( certainly not for everybody tough)

[ForeverAutumn]

FA, in particular, I think you might actually like this album.

I got my hands on a copy of this disk and Dusty is right. I do actually like this album. I could still live without the Cookie Monster vocals. In my opinion, this is the only thing keeping this really good album from being a really great album.

If this band would drop the growling and sing clean, they could easily become one of my favourite bands. As it stands now, they're on the playlist, but not in the prominent position that they could be.

[Dusty Chalk]

First of all, I'm glad you at least like the music.

I have to admit, growling vocals do nothing for me. I can never say about a band that employs that particular vocal style, "I love those vocals" or even, "I like those vocals" -- they make me laugh. What is it with these guys that they find this appealing? Are they blue and furry?

http://www.boingboing.net/images/cookiemonster.jpghttp://www.muppetcentral.com/_images/sesame/cookie_monster.jpg<-- needs "corpse paint"

You may want to try Katatonia (Black Sessions -- I've been listening to this on repeat for days) or Amorphis (Chapters). The music isn't quite as good, but it still rocks. And the vocals are clean.

[ForeverAutumn]

I tried Katatonia at a listening station one day and it didn't make me wanna buy it.

[Duds]

very good cd


I tried Katatonia at a listening station one day and it didn't make me wanna buy it.