Metal nerd will surely rage over this.

Opeth could have done this much better, I think, but maybe it's just the way Åkerfeldt intended.
I don't know ..., I was mildly dissapointed when I heard this album, contrary to Damnation album which I love.
It has some very good and promising moments, but Åkerfeldt has to spoil those moments and atmosphere with some "progressive wankery", which seems totally out of place sometimes.

My favourite song is "Marrow Of The Earth" - sounds the most "opetish".

The album is not bad, but I am bored a little bit. Maybe I was expecting something if not genious, than on the level of previous albums, but this seems just bland to me.

I have always been more into this mellow side of Opeth, not growls. I really started to appreciate the extreme side of Opeth not so long ago. Yes, I can stomach "no growling"
On the other hand, maybe I am not much into progressive rock, but I have heard some and If I must compare - Heritage is nothing extraordinary.

Something is missing in this album .... maybe some memorable song or something ...

Good ol Mike havin' a laugh? Srsly go buy one of the 70's prog albums that actually rock instead of this incredible overrated "prog" band

Maybe its me but bands produce the music they want to produce....they dont write music that people want them to write :-)

I haven't heard the album yet but very much looking forward to it!!

Written by skerfy on 16.09.2011 at 15:11

Maybe its me but bands produce the music they want to produce....they dont write music that people want them to write :-)

some does, some don't

Written by RockeRoy on 16.09.2011 at 15:42

Written by skerfy on 16.09.2011 at 15:11

Maybe its me but bands produce the music they want to produce....they dont write music that people want them to write :-)

some does, some don't

And those who write what people want to hear, turn too comercial (as it happens in pop-music) and then people say they sold out

Written by Yavanna on 16.09.2011 at 16:10

Written by RockeRoy on 16.09.2011 at 15:42

Written by skerfy on 16.09.2011 at 15:11

Maybe its me but bands produce the music they want to produce....they dont write music that people want them to write :-)

some does, some don't

And those who write what people want to hear, turn too comercial (as it happens in pop-music) and then people say they sold out

And that's not the case of Opeth. Nobody asked Mikeal to write an album like this; this time he just did whatever he wanted to do, and I'm quite sure he was aware of the risks but in the end he didn't care. I've read some reviews (mainly written for webzines of my country) during the last days and almost none of them gave a positive opinion -some "horrible", some just "meh" or "good but nothing more" and so on. Even on RateYourMusic "Heritage" is getting a fairly low average rating for Opeth's standards: 3.30/5, meaning "decent", compared to the other albums whose ratings approach 4.

I know some people who are not used to listen to metal but love other genres like progressive rock or fusion or something like that and they liked this album. And I'm not surprised.
I hate generalizations, really, but I'm starting to think that most of the bashings against "Heritage" are coming from metalheads who just listen to... Metal, and that's it. Hence a non-metal album, especially if a bit contrived and odd like this one (and I admit, it's initially frustrating to listen to), may just not be their cup of tea. To each his own, I guess.
Again, I repeat: imho, this is the best and most intriguing album they've released after "Blackwater Park".

Ok, in terms of melody works good, but where is the growling? Where is the power? For me it's fucking too soft

So, as it appears, this is the weakest Opeth album by rating.

I like this album and it should not be compared with Opeth's previous work.

ZOMG NOT METHUL ENOUGH!!! TOTAL FUCKING SHIT!!! IF IT'S NOT METHUL IT SUCKS!!!

Written by Nicko's Nose on 16.09.2011 at 21:43

ZOMG NOT METHUL ENOUGH!!! TOTAL FUCKING SHIT!!! IF IT'S NOT METHUL IT SUCKS!!!

Written by Nicko's Nose on 16.09.2011 at 21:43

ZOMG NOT METHUL ENOUGH!!! TOTAL FUCKING SHIT!!! IF IT'S NOT METHUL IT SUCKS!!!

^this

The Inevitable "Close Mindedness" argument is getting closer and closer. You can just feel it

I mean, it just makes me so angry when people don't like this album! I bet it's because people only like metal! They only like music with growls! That's the only conceivable reason someone might not like this masterful tribute to what I've been told 70's prog sounds like. Maybe I should try listening to one of those bands sometime. Camel, was it?

Just look at all of the people saying it's bad because it doesn't have any growling and it's not heavy enough.

I know! It really gets under my skin too when people like some types of music and dislike others.

I dunno what's wrong with this album, other than fanboys getting butthurt over the growls and the heaviness of course ...Maybe they're not FANS after all...
The album speaks for itself:It's good music. And good music deserves more than a bunch of angry words for no logical reason.

Written by Hammer Pie on 17.09.2011 at 07:30

I know! It really gets under my skin too when people like some types of music and dislike others.

So you think it's ok to hate music that isn't metal only because it isn't metal?

If ya'll want heavier music from Mikael, go listen to Bloodbath. That's strictly death metal. Mikael even said this album would be different. I found it written very well.

Written by Nicko's Nose on 17.09.2011 at 08:50

So you think it's ok to hate music that isn't metal only because it isn't metal?

Yes. If it's a genre of music you don't enjoy, you aren't going to like the album. If certain elements of a band appeal to you, and then they drop those in favor of elements you don't like, of course you won't enjoy the new material as much. So I don't see what's so anger-inducing about someone who only likes metal (or at least doesn't like prog rock) not liking Heritage.

Hmm... this is by no means a bad album, but it's not quite what I've been waiting three and a half years for...

Prog rockers seem to accept everything as long as it is prog rock, experimental and "sophisticated".

Written by Sleeping Dragon on 17.09.2011 at 23:03

Hmm... this is by no means a bad album, but it's not quite what I've been waiting three and a half years for...

This is about how I feel. I need to give it a couple more true open-minded listens before I can rate it, but I'm leaning towards an 8, objectively. I think it's fantastic music overall, but just not quite up to par with the delivery of most Opeth arrangements. Damnation is, actually, in my top favorite albums from Opeth--the lack of "heaviness" holds no weight on my opinion. I feel that the melodies aren't originating from sincere passion--they aren't saturated in emotion like much of Opeth's melodies are. This album feels a little too deliberately experimental, rather than a genuine creative representation. That being said, I think it's a good thing. I hope that in the next album a refined balance can be found after the discoveries that were certainly made in the creation of this album.

Written by Sleeping Dragon on 17.09.2011 at 23:03

Hmm... this is by no means a bad album, but it's not quite what I've been waiting three and a half years for...

Exactly, I think that's the main problem people have with this album.

People do make me sick from time to time. I am not a pure headbanger, listen to every genre, so maybe the douches that think that going soft and changing style automatically makes you give high scores to an album. this album is opeth that has forgotten it was opeth, listened to a bit too much PT and KC, and then decided that they needed a change to top Watershed, but fell short in preparing something that sticks. I am not saying music is bad or anything, I can hear lovely melodies all around, but if this was released under a different name, I would've appreciated it a lot more, because unlike any of the past releases, none of the melodies got stuck to my head! I can still sing songs from Watershed, even their slow parts (and this album shouldn't be compared with Damnation just because both are slow paced, the way the subjects, melodies and emotions are explored in these two are completely different) but after listening to this album for many times, I gave the band Today is the Day's last album a listen, and I immediately got their songs stuck on my head (neither their fan nor advertising, just giving pure facts)..

See my thoughts on this album is that its just ok. Nothing bad nothing good. It is just average. Opeth kinda rips off deep purple quite a bit, from the song structure in the begining of The Devils Orchard, to the guitar tone, and the hammond organ. I would give this albums a 7 becuase it is good. It is above average. But the melodies and the ideas just aren't as interesting as previous albums by the band. While I do applaud him for completely eliminated the growls for artistic purposes, and taking a band in a direction he wanted to. Honestly if he put out another album like watershed just to "please" the fans I would have immediatly acused him of selling out. However two of the best things about Opeth is the juxtoposition of heavy and soft, and that brooding sadness and sorrow of which this album has neither. It took me so long to have a complete listen of the song "The Devils Orchard" because I just got so bored. To all you fan boys out there its just somebodys opinion. Whether they don't crucify it or praise it is of no bother to you. I know I have been guilty of being a terrible fan boy in the past but I realized if I liked something or disliked something no one elses opinion should sway me. Unless I am a complete twat who has no spine and is getting ready to roll over and have society stamp on the other side of my face.

One thing I forgot to mention is how regardless of how people think or feel about this album I will say this. This really does sound like an Opeth album. Its got that pouring from every hole.

One thing I forgot to mention is how regardless of how people think or feel about this album I will say this. This really does sound like an Opeth album. Its got that pouring from every hole.

Written by BloodFireDeath on 18.09.2011 at 21:34

One thing I forgot to mention is how regardless of how people think or feel about this album I will say this. This really does sound like an Opeth album. Its got that pouring from every hole.

It's 100% accurate. Problem is, it's a relatively weak Opeth album.

Written by annodomini on 04.09.2011 at 23:46

Iam not a fan of Opeth, I have lsitened to all their albumas just for few times, but I found Heritage the best album in their discography. If you are a metalhead, than you will hate it, but for more openminded person this is a jewel, i Even wish, that there was even less metal in it. Pure perfection. Folklore is something from another world.

Fuck you and the straw man you rode in on.