Metal Storm logo
Opeth - Watershed review




Bandcamp music player
Reviewer:
9.1

2111 users:
8.59
Band: Opeth
Album: Watershed
Release date: June 2008


Disc I
01. Coil [feat. Nathalie Lorichs]
02. Heir Apparent
03. The Lotus Eater
04. Burden
05. Porcelain Heart
06. Hessian Peel
07. Hex Omega
08. Derelict Herds [bonus]
09. Mellotron Heart [bonus]

Disc II [DVD 5.1 Mix, Special Edition]
01. Coil [feat. Nathalie Lorichs]
02. Heir Apparent
03. The Lotus Eater
04. Burden
05. Porcelain Heart
06. Hessian Peel
07. Hex Omega
08. Derelict Herds [bonus]
09. Bridge Of Sighs [Robin Trower cover] [bonus]
10. Den Ständiga Resan [Marie Fredriksson cover] [bonus]
+ Rehearsal Tapes [documentary]

Every time Swedish masters Opeth release a new album, expectations from their hordes of fans are very high. This time around, with the departure of two very influential long-time members, their new record Watershed could have been the end of an era. However, Watershed is yet another tour de force performance from Opeth.

While the opening melancholic track with clean vocals and even female vocals probably took a few of us by surprise, the rest of the album continues a tradition of excellence that Opeth's fans must acknowledge. Despite the joint departures of guitarist Peter Lindgren and drummer Martin Lopez, Mikael Åkerfeldt proves once more than his song-writing abilities are the core of the band. With Martin Mendez on bass, Martin Axenrot on drums, Per Wiberg on keys and the recent addition of Fredrik Åkesson on guitars, the band lay out their trademark sound once again. The ever-changing melodies, the subtle mélange of vocals and the progressive guitar riffs are omnipresent.

Watershed continues where Ghost Reveries left off. Heavy riffs, an eerie atmosphere, powerful melodies, the winning formula has been kept alive. But do not think for a second that Opeth just released a clone of their previous record. Some new elements spice up the songs, but I don't want to spoil them for you. While some heavy songs such as 'The Lotus Eater' and 'Hessian Peel' are sure to become crowd's favorites, fans of their Damnation album will be overjoyed with the inspiring ballad called 'Burden'.

Overall, I feel this is a more thought through album than its predecessors. And while the level of aggression might have been taken down a notch compared to their early works, the cohesion of the songs makes Watershed a unique release.

Some thought that the departures of two band members meant the end of the golden era for Opeth. Watershed proves them wrong on so many levels. With in-your-face compositions and melancholic ballads, Opeth's latest effort is so far the album of the year.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 10
Originality: 8
Production: 9





Written on 22.08.2008 by Bringing you reviews of quality music and interesting questions such as:

"A picture is worth a thousand words. How many words is a song worth?"

I have only got so much patience and skills, you do the math.


Comments page 4 / 4

Comments: 104   [ 1 ignored ]   Visited by: 810 users
31.07.2009 - 20:30
Rating: 9
Solstafir!

Its funny how Opeth never seems to deliver a mediocre album., not to mention a bad one!!!
Great album!
Loading...
31.07.2009 - 22:28
Rating: 9
BloodTears
ANA-thema
Written by Solstafir! on 31.07.2009 at 20:30

Its funny how Opeth never seems to deliver a mediocre album., not to mention a bad one!!!
Great album!


Not everyone one agrees with that.
----
Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29

Like you could kiss my ass.


My Instagram
Loading...
01.08.2009 - 11:36
Rating: 9
tea[m]ster
Au Pays Natal
Written by niteman on 12.06.2009 at 19:27

This album is very good, 10 times better than Ghost Reveries.


I like Watershed but I really disagree with this. The 'big two' songs on GR - GoP and BotH - are wayyy better than the 'big two' on WS - HA and LE. And R/HF on GR blows away PH and/or HP...not to mention the mighty GC on GR!
----
rekt
Loading...
01.08.2009 - 12:02
Rating: 9
K✞ulu
Seeker of Truth
Written by tea[m]ster on 01.08.2009 at 11:36

Written by niteman on 12.06.2009 at 19:27

This album is very good, 10 times better than Ghost Reveries.


I like Watershed but I really disagree with this. The 'big two' songs on GR - GoP and BotH - are wayyy better than the 'big two' on WS - HA and LE. And R/HF on GR blows away PH and/or HP...not to mention the mighty GC on GR!


While I don't agree that Watershed is 10 times better, I do think it's better. And as far as the two best tracks, I think I like the Watershed's ones much more. So you know it's all subjective. (duh )
----
Savor what you feel and what you see
Things that may not seem important now
But may be tomorrow

R.I.P. Chuck Schuldiner

Satan was a Backstreet Boy
Loading...
01.08.2009 - 12:03
Rating: 5
Doc G.
Full Grown Hoser
Written by Dangerboner on 25.08.2008 at 03:22

This is the album that made me tired of Opeth; by far my least favorite. I used to prefer the slow parts of Opeth because it's relaxing, but this time everything is just boring or too random.

I'll agree. When I first heard this album I thought it was a full-on return to form, because it did have some of the eeriness I missed in the last couple albums. It grew old because the whole thing just seems loosely pieced together, like they just found a couple neat, yet random, sounding riffs and pieced them together. It lacked any linear songwriting that the other albums had.
----
"I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck."
- George Carlin
Loading...
08.01.2010 - 21:22
Rating: 9
advent

Written by Doc G. on 01.08.2009 at 12:03

Written by Dangerboner on 25.08.2008 at 03:22

This is the album that made me tired of Opeth; by far my least favorite. I used to prefer the slow parts of Opeth because it's relaxing, but this time everything is just boring or too random.

I'll agree. When I first heard this album I thought it was a full-on return to form, because it did have some of the eeriness I missed in the last couple albums. It grew old because the whole thing just seems loosely pieced together, like they just found a couple neat, yet random, sounding riffs and pieced them together. It lacked any linear songwriting that the other albums had.


well i agree with what u said and i like to say that they lost their old techinque in composing and there ever changing melodies and moods and that what i liked the most in their music..now they focus more in production and evolving their sound..well it's ok with me but i am afraid that they will lost their routs in the future.
Loading...
06.03.2010 - 08:21
Rating: 10
INÆRIS

I don't think I can ever choose a favorite album by Opeth. They're all so special and dear to me. They all have their unique sounds, and they all are the greatest albums I've ever heard. Watershed adds to their great collection of albums that will live on forever.
----
Still Life, Still Death
Loading...
17.01.2011 - 18:55
Rating: 9
BlankFile

Not one of the best Opeth albums, but still a grandious one. My favourite songs of this album are: Heir Apparent, Burden, Porcelain Heart and The Lotus Eater.
Loading...
12.09.2011 - 01:32
Rating: 7
Evil Chip

Some really brilliant moments (Porcelain Heart, Heir Apparent) and others not so: Lotus Eater. Burden is good but not as good as other ballads from the past. Ghost Reveries was far superior. Good album neverthless.
Loading...
19.05.2012 - 18:56
Rating: 9
mz

I find this record pretty good and enjoyable. Each song is well written and good when I hear them separately but as whole this album lacks something. This seems to be a collection of good song for me not an album. When Watershed ends I am still unsatisfied . Also the song are not memorable, I enjoy listening to watershed but I cant remember the songs clearly even after 5 or 6 listens. Its good on its own but not as an album you could except from opeth
----
Giving my ears a rest from music.
Loading...
07.01.2014 - 03:28
Rating: 9
Regolith

Watershed was my gateway into Opeth... and I've never turned back. The album is unique in many ways. For one, it's structure as a whole is brilliant. Two, each song is very original and memorable (completely disagree with the guy above me), and lastly, it has that lovely mix of brutal and beautiful. A personal favorite track is Heir Apparent, it contains some of the nastiest, tastiest riffs ever. Great album. Recommended. *Drummer Commentary: Martin Axernot is stellar in his debut here.
Loading...
21.02.2015 - 23:41
R-Boxma
Account deleted
This is really strange. 99% of the posts listed here have positive remarks about Watershed so there MUST be something awesome about it!?

I think that every studio album that Opeth released before Watershed from Orchid to Ghost Reveries (except for Damnation) was absolutely incredibly Fantastic!

...But I didn't like this one.
And I don't really know why!?

Does anyone else think this?
Loading...
10.05.2016 - 20:12
Enteroctopus

Written by Guest on 21.02.2015 at 23:41

...But I didn't like this one.
And I don't really know why!?

Does anyone else think this?

I agree. I felt like the larger-picture compositional vision of Opeth started to break down even on Deliverance, although that is still a very excellent record (sterile production, but still..) If you listen to Orchid or Still Life it is not a group of songs, it is one experience like a Classical work in a series of movements.

GR had some GREAT Opeth songs, but toward the middle of the album I felt like there was far too much noodling and rambling about trees. Watershed is a continuation of that trend. It's a handful of very strong songs, some neat ideas played by some very talented people, but nothing cohesive. It seems pasted together.

Watershed is the album where I really started to lose interest in Opeth. Sure, I've bought the rest, but I'm not hungry for them like I was the earlier releases. They're just, less inspired.

Mikael is entering middle age and the fire of youth is fading.
Loading...
10.05.2016 - 20:54
Karlabos
Meat and Potatos


I suddenly know where Hex Omega took his nick from
----
"Aah! The cat turned into a cat!"
- Reimu Hakurei
Loading...

Hits total: 20966 | This month: 25