Metal Reviews

I'm really surprised by this one. I expected to fall asleep after the first song, as many listeners seemed to do. Now that I've listened to this several times I have to wonder if those people were on sleeping meds. Sure, it's no Damnation but this is very good. I'd give it an 80-85, definitely not a 95 and I might even call this Opeth's weakest album. But still, very enjoyable. Also, the Steven Wilson production is, as usual, fucking amazing.

it doesn't

Wonderful album. Metal elitistists quick to condemn are ignoring that Opeth have been moving in this direction a while - the death metal elements were more superfluous to the band's sound than the prog parts, so why not ditch them altogether?

Come on, this is quite a leap in style. Even the prog stuff is different.

Great album, though!

I wouldn't say it's that far away from Watershed if you stripped the DM away, but yes, prog upfront Opeth have taken a serious step sideways. Shouldn't have people whining this much, however!

Not all of them are whining though, are they? Aleksie's hyperbolic review was bound to create a backlash of some sort, but beyond that I disagree with your assertion that Opeth has been "moving in this direction", Still Life and Blackwater Park were more light and proggy than Deliverance, and "Heir Apparent" off of the last album was a heavier track than anything since My Arms Your Hearse.

I've been into this band since Still Life, I bought Blackwater Park the day it came out, they've been my favorite band for years at a time, but Opeth half lost me here.

I thought Damnation was an excellent collection of songs, and while not my favorite style of music, if Opeth had released a new album of that caliber, I'd be 100% behind their style change: I just don't think this is that great. Call me a metal elitist At least Ken and Zad are agreeing on something, so all is well in the world.

Well clearly, yes, Deliverance was a step back towards the metal, but I'd say Watershed contained some of their proggiest moments to date.

Deliverance and Damnation are two sides of the same coin. At the time the band had decided to separate the prog death from the prog rock and make two separate albums. It makes sense, then, that Devilerance would be perceived as a return to metal but, imho, you cannot separate it from Damnation.

Opeth have never appealed to me even the slightest, but this new album is ridiculous. I thought this was "Metal Reviews" and since Opeth clearly isn't metal, why is it even here? And 95 out of a 100? That is fucking stupid.

Wow! I didn't think we were still at that.

This is the least justified " ain't this metalreviews what's this shit doin herrrr" comment out on the previous 5 billion same comments.

Strip the death vox from Watershed and this is not the result. Their were jazzy metal moments in that which were diluted into 70s prog rock. It's fine what they are doing if that's what they want to do but don't act like this is the follow up to Watershed in the way Blackwater Park was a follow up to My Arms or whatever.

I got the album this morning and put it at full Volume expecting for a Blast, preparing myself for the upcoming venue in my town on November. I've listened to it 3 times, and will need to listen to it at least 10 more before getting a grasp on it. I love Opeth ever since I bought Morning Rise. I'm quiet satisfied since what I've experienced after the first day of listening to an Opeth album has AGAIN happened, I want to listen to it more and more, I discover hidden things every time I listen to it again. What I can say for sure is that it's not in their top-5 album for sure, and not being a metal album is one of the obvious reasons; so yeah 95/100 is over-rated for the album, but it's deserved credit for a band that never disappoints in term of Quality (The art-work aswell, the special edition's box is really cool) and commitment to their task, they make a record as an adventure and not just to sell some more cd's here and there. I just hope they don't prepare a "surprise" concert, and expect to listen to demon of the fall, black water park and serenity painted death live. Otherwise I'll be disappointed, cause I don't plan to sing along Slither

Stylistically, I'm saying, not in terms of pure this plus that. And I wasn't saying that, either - Opeth are far too good to repeat themselves in that way.

And what is it with new posters and massive avatars these days? Cut that down, please.

Well, the score is a bit high.

I would define the album this way :

Positive :
- Top quality production
- Amazing cover
- good lenght
- Prog can be quite good when it's well done and it's the case.
- Slither is very good.


Negative :
- Not metal at all.
- Sounds like a big ego trip.
- Why listening to some prog tribute music when i can listen to my Steve Hackett/Genesis/King Crimson's albums anytime?



so, overall, i would give it 70. It's a good album but not a good Opeth's album.

Comments like this always fucking baffle me. This is Opeth, not Steve Hackett, Genesis, or King Crimson. And these aren't cover songs. The question should be: Is this good or bad? Enjoyable or not?

If it's good and enjoyable, fucking listen to it!

Do you not bang your girlfriend because, you know, you could just go jack off to pictures of Alyssa Milano?

What I would do is take the scores for this album and the new Dream Theater album, and switch them.

I think I like the new guy.

No, you don't.

i listened to this once and plan to again at some point. it was cool.

It felt more like the extension of Ghost Reveries than of Watershed?