Opeth - Watershed review
| Band: | Opeth |
| Album: | Watershed |
| Style: | Progressive metal |
| 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.
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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
| TopGun Posts: 28 From: Canada |
yea i liked it.. but i bought the bonus limited edition blablabla with 3 new tracks and the dvd.. it was to my dismay that the bonus tracks were ON and ONLY ON the dvd.. which meant i couldnt run it on my comp to rip the songs onto my ipod (if anyone knows a way feel free to tell me  ) so overall yea i liked it.. just a little disapointed over the bonus tracks cause its not like i wanna sit infront of my tv and listen to them on the dvd..good review tho
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| NocturnalStalker Metal Addict Posts: 889 From: Spain  |
Splendid album and very good review. I can't find a sentence here I wouldn't agree with. 
---- "And we are not who we think we are We are who we're afraid to be" - Lux Occulta "The Opening of Eleventh Sephirah"
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| Introspekrieg Totemic Lust Posts: 2747 From: USA  |
Nice review, not sure I would have rated it as high, but that is only because I have yet to see how this album will impact me in the coming years. I can't make a clear-headed decision about an album's rating until the excitement of a new release has quelled and I can fully break down an album's structure. Hopefully this will be the start of a new era for Opeth, now that the Blackwater Park~ era has come to a close. Their progress with the keyboard is a good start...
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| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Posts: 9718 From: Canada  |
This is their best work since Still Life IMO. This album got the eerie riffage back that I thought was really missing in a few previous albums (and I thought was achieved best on Still Life). I like the rating, don't necessarily agree with the review (talking about the comparisons to Ghost Reveries).
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| Spyroid Rosetta Stoned Posts: 1023 From: Sweden  |
Written by TopGun on 22.08.2008 at 08:30 I really recognise that feeling... but well, if I had paid for the limited edition I think I would've downloaded theese two tracks just to be able to put them in my iPod, and not feeling way to guilty 
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| kaylamacgavin Posts: 189 From: USA  |
Perfect review for yet again another amazing Opeth album. Mikael Akerfeldt couldn't write a bad album even if he tried.
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| Marcus Doit Like Bernie Posts: 642 From: USA  |
This album is great, somehow Opeth still manages to get better and better. The music interlude at about 5:45 into The Lotus Eater is amazing!
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| Enissa Posts: 815 From: Greece  |
Very Nice & Beautiful album Although I didnt Expect Opeth to use female Vocals But I LOVE IT!!! and I love the first 4 tracks, especially "Burden" very nice guitar solos. and The Review is totally Perfect & Fair for the album, thanx Demonic Tutor.
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| ylside Posts: 4727 From: Morocco  |
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| Reizenstein Posts: 59 From: Sweden  |
I love this album, the only downside is that the songs can be a bit to long. For example, Burden could have been shorted by almost 1-2 minutes. On the other hand, it wouldn't be Opeth if the songs wern't long as hell 
---- Growl
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| Katatronik Angel of Lust Posts: 1018 From: Italy  |
Again a great album... Not my favourite one though... Still Life, Blackwater Park and even Ghost Reveries are better IMO...
---- "The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown." Howard Phillips Lovecraft
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| Talvi Posts: 825 From: Spain  |
One of their best IMO. Good review.
---- My account on other musical pages: http://www.last.fm/user/Pozito/ http://rateyourmusic.com/~Talvi
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| Flynny Posts: 7 From: Australia |
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| Elio Red Nightmare Posts: 4920 From: Italy  |
good review and very good album...not their best though. I would have rated it about 8.
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| Abattoir Posts: 3629 From: Slovenia  |
For me this one is another very good album...generally looking, they have never realy go out of those ranks. Only good staff from them...and it still continues.
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| VPeter Posts: 1450 From: The Netherlands  |
Overated album by an overated band, that's all I got to say. Still I have to say it's better then the tiring and boring album that was Ghost Reveries.
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| Janne Hugin Posts: 1721 From: Hungary  |
I really don't like this album as I neither would like Opeth's other albums. There is good half minute in the song 'The Lotus Eater' but that's all. I don't like prog metal but it's even worse than simply prog metal...
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| BloodTears ANA-thema Posts: 11835 From: Portugal  |
Good review. I agree with the rating too. This is definately a great release, yes a lot of people don't like it but I still think its very special. And unlike what people might think I don't like it because its Opeth, I like it because it's beautiful, regardless of the band who is behind it.
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| Raziel X Posts: 117 From: Slovak Republic  |
Written by Janne on 22.08.2008 at 20:28 They why are you commenting a prog release when you simply cannot get into it and know nothing about prog?
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| Janne Hugin Posts: 1721 From: Hungary |
Written by Raziel X on 23.08.2008 at 01:29 It's a good question... maybe I was boring xP sorry!!!
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| Warman Erotic Stains Posts: 7695 From: Sweden  |
Opeth just can't seem to do anything wrong!
---- 
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Posts: 18274 From: Sweden  |
YES! I fucking knew it!!! After the very dissapointing Ghost Reveries.. My expectations were very low but I still had some hope. And they fucking did it. I'm very glad that they maked this album. It has the sound of GH but way better... This is what the other album should be. I can't say wich is the best album. But this one is freaking good. They still rock and I'm very happy for it.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| Raziel X Posts: 117 From: Slovak Republic |
Great release, I liked Ghost Reveries, and this only perfects what seemed boring for some people
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| Jason W. Razorbliss Posts: 3523 From: USA  |
Well, it's a more interesting release than Ghost Reveries, as well as having more passionate musicianship. But, in terms of enjoyment, I'm still not much interested in the album. It's Opeth, they have their unique sound and all, but those keyboards just take the music in a direction that seems like it's searching for something the band has yet to find. Ahh, it's a good album and all, but not album of the year to me...
---- "After silence that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." - Aldous Huxley
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Posts: 18274 From: Sweden |
I forgot to say that I disagree with the rating. a 8,5 will be very fair IMO.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| Paradox0 Unasuming Madnes Posts: 592 From: USA |
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| Damned-In-Black Posts: 212 From: New Zealand  |
Disappointed with this album. I enjoy all their others (Ghost Reveries and Morningrise somewhat less than the rest), but this one, not at all.
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| Opethienne Account deleted |
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| Passenger Lost To Apathy Posts: 1464 From: Portugal  |
I actually feel this may be Opeth's best album. Honestly, the balance between brutality and melancholy, technicality and acoustic, everything that makes Opeth reaches a more mature sound than ever. Surely this year's best, and better than Ghost Reveries and Deliverance.
---- You don't make up for your sins in church. You do it in the streets. You do it at home. The rest is bullshit and you know it ~ Mean Streets
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| Opethienne Account deleted |
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