| Author |
 Topic Search  Topic Options
|
Polymorphia 
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 06 2012
Location: here
Status: Offline
Points: 8856
|
 Posted: March 25 2015 at 15:17 |
 Raff wrote:
I don't hang around metal forums, so I wouldn't know anything about the reception the metal community gave to those two albums. What I know is that I found Heritage terminally boring, and Pale Communion rather unimpressive on my first and only listen. I definitely liked Opeth much better when they still had a strong metal component to their music - and that includes the growls.
|
|
|
|
 |
hieronymous
Forum Senior Member
Joined: December 27 2012
Location: Oakland, CA
Status: Offline
Points: 308
|
Posted: March 25 2015 at 18:30 |
I was never a huge Opeth fan - I liked Blackwater Park and Ghost Reveries, but could have done without the Cookie Monster vocals. As much as I have always loved certain kinds of metal, those kinds of vocals don't really do it for me.
I wanted to love Heritage, but found it a bit too obscure - some really nice moments, but overall I was underwhelmed and only listened to it a few times. I didn't pay attention when Pale Communion was released, noticed that they were playing locally last year when they toured but didn't go. Then, for some reason, I took a chance and bought Pale Communion - fell in love right away and kicked myself for missing the tour! I really love this album, I think the compositions are very moving and the album works great as a whole. I think my favorite track is "Goblin" (but I prefer instrumental music anyway) - in fact, I love the last four tracks, individually and as a group.
It also led me to go back to Heritage, which I have come to appreciate much more. It's harder to listen to on a surface level - the exciting parts are too far apart and there's too much quiet where it seems like nothing is happening - but if you let it be what it is without expectations, then I think the beauty of the album reveals itself.
|
|
BrufordFreak
Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: January 25 2008
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline
Points: 7954
|
Posted: March 25 2015 at 21:23 |
|
Aside from the stunning drum play of Martin Axelrodt on Heritage, I have had to force myself to listen to these albums just to give them a chance. Heritage has interesting and sophisticated parts but nothing, absolutely nothing that brings me back. Not one song. I have never been able to sit/stay attentive through a whole-album listening to Pale Communion. I hear absolutely nothing of interest to me. No power or rawness, no innovation or fresh ideas. Not one melodic or technical "hook" gains my notice. Weird. (cuz I love music.)
|
|
Drew Fisher
https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/
|
|
Green Shield Stamp
Forum Senior Member
Joined: February 17 2009
Location: Telford, UK
Status: Offline
Points: 933
|
Posted: April 06 2015 at 03:53 |
|
Opeth's last two albums are their best. The further they move away from death metal the better they get. Akerfeldt has a great clean voice - much better than all that silly devil growling. The last two albums show a band maturing and putting away those childish things.
|
|
Haiku
Writing a poem
With seventeen syllables
Is very diffic....
|
|
Dellinger
Forum Senior Member
VIP Member
Joined: June 18 2009
Location: Mexico
Status: Offline
Points: 12581
|
Posted: April 06 2015 at 23:01 |
Smurph wrote:
I think what I really want is for them to find the happy middle ground between Pale Communion, Ghost Reveries, and Blackwater Park. A little bit of growls wouldn't hurt, but they wouldn't need to be the main focus.
The harmonies on Pale Communion are beautifully done, and some of the music is just downright amazing... it does completely miss a sense of drama to me though. It doesn't feel dramatic, and it doesn't feel overwhelming at all. Every time I hear Pale Communion I just think to myself... why couldn't he mix a little death metal stylistically in there? Why did he have to go one way or the other? Why couldn't he stretch himself further in ALL directions and create a true death metal slash throwback prog masterpiece??? |
Well, I would love them to do a full prog metal album without growling. Pale Comunion was great, really, but it never got into real metal territory... hard rock at best. No growling nor Death Metal necessary, but indeed I would love some more metal from them.
|
|
Nightfly
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: August 01 2007
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 3659
|
Posted: April 12 2015 at 07:33 |
Dellinger wrote:
Smurph wrote:
I think what I really want is for them to find the happy middle ground between Pale Communion, Ghost Reveries, and Blackwater Park. A little bit of growls wouldn't hurt, but they wouldn't need to be the main focus.
The harmonies on Pale Communion are beautifully done, and some of the music is just downright amazing... it does completely miss a sense of drama to me though. It doesn't feel dramatic, and it doesn't feel overwhelming at all. Every time I hear Pale Communion I just think to myself... why couldn't he mix a little death metal stylistically in there? Why did he have to go one way or the other? Why couldn't he stretch himself further in ALL directions and create a true death metal slash throwback prog masterpiece??? |
Well, I would love them to do a full prog metal album without growling. Pale Comunion was great, really, but it never got into real metal territory... hard rock at best. No growling nor Death Metal necessary, but indeed I would love some more metal from them. |
That would be a good way to go for me too. My initial enthusiasm for Heritage waned somewhat, feeling it meandered at times and whilst I still think it's good, Pale Communion is a much superior album. I'd like to see something between Ghost Reveries and Watershed with clean vocals.
|
|
Friday13th
Forum Senior Member
Joined: April 30 2013
Status: Offline
Points: 284
|
Posted: April 12 2015 at 10:13 |
I don't think the metal community hates the new Opeth as much as they think it pales  in comparison to their supposed prog death metal masterpieces. I've heard all their albums, and while I do like Blackwater Park and Still Life and all the most well-received albums, none have completely floored me. The last two are no different, so in my opinion Heritage and Pale Communion are as good as any Opeth album just more classic prog sounding.
|
|
Upbeat Tango Monday
Forum Senior Member
Joined: April 10 2015
Location: Buenos Aires
Status: Offline
Points: 1189
|
Posted: April 12 2015 at 11:20 |
|
Being a metalhead and a progger, "Ghost Reveries" is the album I like the least. It tried to satisfy both genres but ended up being substandard. I found "Heritage" to be a really good record, and I've heard "Pale Communion" just once, so I don't have strong opinions about it. Anyway, for me, "Watershed" is the perfect Opeth album.
|
|
zeitgeist
Forum Newbie
Joined: April 12 2011
Location: Turku, Finland
Status: Offline
Points: 9
|
Posted: May 05 2015 at 05:36 |
Must admit the name of this thread summarises also my feelings quite aptly. In Finland Pale Communion got rather well recieved by the musical press and I had big expectations beforehand but at least after a couple of initial listens nothing really was moved in my mind - somehow uninteresting/-inspiring stuff, sorry to say.
|
|
Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.
/PAlogo_v2.gif "Progarchives.com Homepage")
I just don't understand Opeth's last two albums.
