Written by Guest on 24.07.2016 at 17:09

And if he did, those same people will start complaining that his growls aren't what they used to be.

It's real "damned if you do, damned if you don't" type shit man. Again, I'm not too big a fan of current Opeth myself, but like someone said above, you can at least respect Mikael for just doing his own thing with it now instead of being like "oh, we wanted to re-channel the sound of X album with this new release" because he feels coerced into doing so by the fans

Written by Opethian on 22.07.2016 at 17:44


Just take a look at all of these 'new fans' coming out of the wood work and praising 'Heritage & PC'. It's a joke dude and it clearly has an appeal with mainstream fans who would never go back and listen to their earlier offerings do to the fact that it has 'Harsh vocals'. Doesn't that sound like someone who would lean more towards mainstream music? Isn't that a respond you would get from someone who listen to mainstream music? A good chunk of the time i'm on their FB page and that is all you will see. Just fanboys defending them blindly and willfully ignorant. Ask them if they have ever listened to Still Life or BWP and they will give you that same answer, "I dont like death metal vocals' .... What a laugh

That doesn't really prove the new albums are mainstream music, it's really the opposite for me.
For instance, my parents like a handful of Opeth songs, of course the ones without growls like the whole Damnation album, Burden, Harvest, etc. Yet they didn't like a single song out of Heritage or Pale Communion, and I can see why, those songs have almost no common ground with what is on the mainstream today. Music without growls does not equal mainstream music and Opeth's music is not mainstream per se, so you do the math.

Written by Unhealer on 24.07.2016 at 17:25

Written by Opethian on 22.07.2016 at 17:44


Just take a look at all of these 'new fans' coming out of the wood work and praising 'Heritage & PC'. It's a joke dude and it clearly has an appeal with mainstream fans who would never go back and listen to their earlier offerings do to the fact that it has 'Harsh vocals'. Doesn't that sound like someone who would lean more towards mainstream music? Isn't that a respond you would get from someone who listen to mainstream music? A good chunk of the time i'm on their FB page and that is all you will see. Just fanboys defending them blindly and willfully ignorant. Ask them if they have ever listened to Still Life or BWP and they will give you that same answer, "I dont like death metal vocals' .... What a laugh

That doesn't really prove the new albums are mainstream music, it's really the opposite for me.
For instance, my parents like a handful of Opeth songs, of course the ones without growls like the whole Damnation album, Burden, Harvest, etc. Yet they didn't like a single song out of Heritage or Pale Communion, and I can see why, those songs have almost no common ground with what is on the mainstream today. Music without growls does not equal mainstream music and Opeth's music is not mainstream per se, so you do the math.

Perhaps you're right. It may not be mainstream but take a look at the ones that are praising Heritage & PC. Its A) People who have never even heard of Opeth and B) People who enjoy their retro prog sound that Opeth claims to be is 'Unique' according to Mikeal

Hopefully they'll go into a new direction instead of either rehashing old sounds or this retro prog they have been for the last two albums. My bet is on some psychedelic/doomish influeces.

I'll just say one thing: Music doesn't have to be heavy to be good.

OMG!!!! Can't wait!

Written by Nicko's Nose on 25.07.2016 at 05:14

I'll just say one thing: Music doesn't have to be heavy to be good.

It really isn't that simple with Opeth. Their original sound with the dynamics between death metal and melodic, acoustic passage is what made them unique and standout from the rest. I still wish for such a massive change Mikael created a separate project.

In an uneXpected turn of events, Opeth take up the avant-garde mantle left by UneXpect. Mikael's growls make a triumphant return, alongside some unexpected feminine tones as well. Axe kills himself upon hearing the plans for the new material and his space is taken by Baard Kolstaad, who seems determined to conquer the entire prog universe at the fair old age of 21. Fredrik hangs up his guitar, but still contributes to the album with his sick violin solos.

And Opeth fans' response?
"That's hokey, and old Opeth was better."

Written by Lethrokai on 26.07.2016 at 03:42

In an uneXpected turn of events, Opeth take up the avant-garde mantle left by UneXpect. Mikael's growls make a triumphant return, alongside some unexpected feminine tones as well. Axe kills himself upon hearing the plans for the new material and his space is taken by Baard Kolstaad, who seems determined to conquer the entire prog universe at the fair old age of 21. Fredrik hangs up his guitar, but still contributes to the album with his sick violin solos.

And Opeth fans' response?
"That's hokey, and old Opeth was better."

Baard's drumming is sick But fuck a lot of posts in this thread. I love almost everthing they've done since Blackwater Park and I can't wait to get my copy of their latest effort as well.

Written by Guest on 25.07.2016 at 18:13

20 second glimpse at a new song at the end of this video

Everyone who thinks that this will be the same as Heritage and Pale Communion need to listen to that very last riff of the video. Unless its some strange one off, this album could be sick. Although I didn't hate Heritage and PC per se, I still thought they were quite mediocre. Åkerfeldt himself has shown such self-assurance with the new direction and I think he jumped the gun a bit; it takes time to master a new genre and sound and I totally believe they can grow back to their old quality even if skipping the growls.

Time to replay that riff in the end of that video.

Written by RaduP on 25.07.2016 at 01:40

Hopefully they'll go into a new direction instead of either rehashing old sounds or this retro prog they have been for the last two albums. My bet is on some psychedelic/doomish influeces.

Psychedelic Opeth would be the shit. Not holding my breath though...

That new snippet sounds amazing, so sludgy!

I LOVE THIS new cover album so much !!!:love: But I don't know what does it mean really to draw peacock over some bloodshed ? so what?

It never fails to amuse me to see how much time people are ready to waste on dissecting album covers and song titles, long before an album is released

Nah, let's all just look at the artwork and feel nothing and think nothing!

Written by Guest on 27.07.2016 at 15:33

Written by angel. on 27.07.2016 at 14:22

I LOVE THIS new cover album so much !!!:love: But I don't know what does it mean really to draw peacock over some bloodshed ? so what?

blah blah blah

Nice funny try!

I can't wait to hear guest vocalist D. Oberman's harsh vocals <3

Written by Guest on 27.07.2016 at 16:41

It's literally 15 minutes of work. I got to speculate and learn some new things in the process. But hey apparently it's a waste of time so I should have spent that time more wisely by pummeling the priest or something amirite? XD ...

If you dream of hurting priests, it's your business, don't drag me into this.

Written by Daniell on 28.07.2016 at 10:16

Written by Guest on 27.07.2016 at 16:41

It's literally 15 minutes of work. I got to speculate and learn some new things in the process. But hey apparently it's a waste of time so I should have spent that time more wisely by pummeling the priest or something amirite? XD ...

If you dream of hurting priests, it's your business, don't drag me into this.

Well after learning what a lot of them did in years gone by, I wouldn't be surprised if many people dreamt of hurting priests.

Written by Ace Frawley on 28.07.2016 at 10:25

Well after learning what a lot of them did in years gone by, I wouldn't be surprised if many people dreamt of hurting priests.

I'm not violent.

Title track at 1:27:40:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07m44p3#play

YouTube link: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=71wrkWGYcIQ&feature=youtu.be

Going drop A was a good move! The song is still mediocre/good as late Opeth is.

Thumbs up!! liking it a lot, hope the rest of the album has that overall big sound. Nice blend & feel to it. Cool ending too

Sometimes I think that there are only 2 things that prevent some Opeth fans from appreciating Opeth's new musical direction: distorted guitars and harsh vocals. "Pale Communion" is pretty much the same as, say, "Watershed", minus these two things. Listen to these two albums back to back and you will notice that song structures, mood and theme changes are not so different. Opeth's trademark style is intact, it's the form in which it's presented to the listener that changed.

It took me a long time to appreciate "Pale Communion" (mind you, I'm not saying that everyone will do the same), but finally I learned to appreciate the album. Normally I wouldn't give an album so many chances, but something made me keep returning to "Pale Communion". Then I decided to give "Heritage" another shot. But it didn't help - I still think it's weak. I see it as a formative album after the transformation that took place after the aptly named "Watershed". But it's weak not because it lacks harsh vocals and heaviness. It's weak because the songs are simply boring, with only a few exceptions - "Devil's Orchard", "Folklore" and perhaps "The Lines In My Hand".

Written by Daniell on 01.08.2016 at 11:14

Sometimes I think that there are only 2 things that prevent some Opeth fans from appreciating Opeth's new musical direction: distorted guitars and harsh vocals. "Pale Communion" is pretty much the same as, say, "Watershed", minus these two things. Listen to these two albums back to back and you will notice that song structures, mood and theme changes are not so different. Opeth's trademark style is intact, it's the form in which it's presented to the listener that changed.

Except they don't sound the same. And don't have the moments of aggressive songwriting. Basically they aren't really alike whatsoever, so not surprising some people like one and not the other. You're trying to diminish the, frankly large, impact certain sounds and forms can have, sounds and forms which can make or break a band. After all, music is sound, not just songwriting. I'll never understand why some people spend so much time worrying about other's people's taste and opinions on something. Opinions on music is one thing, opinions on opinions is just silly.

New song is weird. It sounds like they stole Kylesa's guitar sound for a lot of it, but with sort of naff and ploddy chugging. Fairly dull song on the whole.

Beh the new song is probably their worst so far.

Liked the guitar tuning. Song is still boring though and opening/closing melodies are just meh.

I'm sure it could've been (a bit) better with harsh vocals.

Written by Daniell on 01.08.2016 at 11:14

"Pale Communion" is pretty much the same as, say, "Watershed", minus these two things. Listen to these two albums back to back and you will notice that song structures, mood and theme changes are not so different.

This isn't true. Two totally different approaches to structure, mood and theme changes.

An interesting interview here:
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/opeth-on-how-romantic-mindf--ks-obscure-prog-inspired-new-lp-w431901

I liked this quote the best, I couldn't agree more:

Obviously some people want us to record the records that they want to hear, basically a rehash of Blackwater Park or Ghost Reveries. And it's impossible for us to do that, so they can complain for all of eternity.