Opeth, Heritage, honest opinions, is it really a great album?

nyarlothothep

I've listened to it and it has its moments, there is something of classical/Wagnerian/antiquity atmosphere which I interpret from the record, I know its not about that at all but this is the feeling it generates for me. I find that there is something missing with it. I don't know, I'm not really into Steve Wilson's production style at all on any of the records he's produced, its too soft, too velvet, too smooth, too warm. However Heritage does sound 100 times better than Damnation where they went for such a chillout vibe that the drums sounded like paper. I just think there aren't any shock and awe tracks, however I think the record is moreso about being a complete album work as opposed to having standout songs. That said if this were by any other band I would say that it was interesting and worthy record but not record breaking.

Somnus

There's all ready a thread on the album, but I think it's class.

You're right about it being an album experience rather than a song, song some affair. It works beautifully, and while I agree with you that there's nothing groundbreaking as such... there's just something about it that makes it great. I think it's a great move for the band

nyarlothothep

If it was by another band would it be as great?

Somnus

I think so. I mean if it's good, it's good regardless of who it's by :P But it probably wouldn't get the same exposure if it was by a different band.

It'll divide fans I think

nyarlothothep

A shame really that it would divide fans just because it doesn't have death metal songs on it.

Somnus

nyarlothothep wrote: »

A shame really that it would divide fans just because it doesn't have death metal songs on it.

Definitely. I can see future gigs perhaps being ruined a little by it. There's always a few who start to mouth off during the mellow songs. And the set list for this tour seems to be mostly mellow stuff.

nyarlothothep

Dr.Poca wrote: »

Definitely. I can see future gigs perhaps being ruined a little by it. There's always a few who start to mouth off during the mellow songs. And the set list for this tour seems to be mostly mellow stuff.

hmm. Well while I think that its ignorant to mouth off, I think that if people are paying money to see a gig the band should at least compromise a little bit. I'm the first to advocate for no negotiations or compromise with music releases, (the necrobutcher interview for the History of Metal documentary sums up my attitude to music), artists should just release what they want and if people don't like it fck them! But on the live scene with the kind of money involved and the fact that a band or artist have written songs that are classic/timeless which people want to hear, I see no reason not to accomodate the audience a little bit. I speak from the bitter experience of having seen Radiohead in 2008.

PickledLime

nyarlothothep wrote: »

A shame really that it would divide fans just because it doesn't have death metal songs on it.

I've been put off because it doesn't have any songs. Good music is good music, irrespective of genre, but the same holds true for bad music.

Was quite excited for it at first because it's a new direction and has refreshed the band's formula somewhat, but there's just nothing to hook you in. The songs don't have interesting structure as they feel like cut and paste jobs, lyrics are uninspired and i don't find Akesson's playing interesting at all.

The only saving grace for me personally is the rhythm section.

nyarlothothep

PickledLime wrote: »

I've been put off because it doesn't have any songs. Good music is good music, irrespective of genre, but the same holds true for bad music.

Was quite excited for it at first because it's a new direction and has refreshed the band's formula somewhat, but there's just nothing to hook you in. The songs don't have interesting structure as they feel like cut and paste jobs, lyrics are uninspired and i don't find Akesson's playing interesting at all.

The only saving grace for me personally is the rhythm section.

Yeah I think you articulated what I was thinking, the lyric god is dead for example is hardly revelatory or original. There are some nice songs, Heritage is cool, reminds me of Eric Satie music, The Devils Orchid is alright, Slither is initially impressive though wears a bit thin, I also think the solo is a bit sloppy, though thats what they were aiming for I assume, the Spanish section at the end is inspired, Famine has some great flute playing, Nepenthe suggests greatness but never quite realizes it. I think the album is a bit Opeth stock in places, I notice the same types of scalar and chord progressions they used on other records, I'm also a bit tired of Mike's mellow guitar sound, where the bass and mids are pushed on up on the clean guitar sound, eg Nepenthe, I feel its been overused though its part of his style so meh whatever floats the listeners boat.

MetalDog

I'm probably gonna get shouted down for this, . . . .but I really like Damnation!
Haven't made up my mind fully on Heritage just yet, I need to give it a few
more listens.

nyarlothothep

MetalDog wrote: »

I'm probably gonna get shouted down for this, . . . .but I really like Damnation!
Haven't made up my mind fully on Heritage just yet, I need to give it a few
more listens.

Damnation is a good album, the songs are good on it, but I really dislike the production, its got the Steve Wilson sound plastered all over it he even wrote the lyrics for one of the songs, but sound wise Ghost Reveries was a much needed jolt of energy, it had fuel and fire to it aurally, whereas imo Damnation sounds too soft, warm, fuzzy, slick, smooth with Wilson's signature telephone voice effect on too many of the vocals, plus I would say the snare drum surpasses Lars Ulrichs for sh1ttiness imo. Wilson's production is the sonic equivalent of feeling sleepy after a Christmas dinner with a fire blazing, there's no electricity/vibrancy to it. I'm glad they got another producer for Ghost Reveries as I think the relationship between them and Wilson had become too cosy.

With Heritage, I can hear the Wilson influence again, having Akerfeldt sing in a soft high pitched voice in sync with the piano for example on The Devils Orchid, it sounds like Steve Wilson, not Mikael Akerfeldt.

Somnus

MetalDog wrote: »

I'm probably gonna get shouted down for this, . . . .but I really like Damnation!
Haven't made up my mind fully on Heritage just yet, I need to give it a few
more listens.

Damnation is a fantastic album. Haven't listened to it in ages, must get it out again.

nyarlothothep wrote: »

Ghost Reveries was a much needed jolt of energy

I always felt Ghost Reveries never got the attention it deserved. It's a masterpiece of an album for me. So atmospheric and just awesome.

nyarlothothep wrote: »

With Heritage, I can hear the Wilson influence again, having Akerfeldt sing in a soft high pitched voice in sync with the piano for example on The Devils Orchid, it sounds like Steve Wilson, not Mikael Akerfeldt.

As far as I know Steve only did the 5.1 mix for Heritage. So he wasn't involved in the production of Heritage. I think it's more a case of Mike just changing his writing style.
But I do get what you said about the SW sound of Damnation. Hadn't noticed before as I haven't listened to it really since getting into PT

nyarlothothep

Dr.Poca wrote: »

Damnation is a fantastic album. Haven't listened to it in ages, must get it out again.



I always felt Ghost Reveries never got the attention it deserved. It's a masterpiece of an album for me. So atmospheric and just awesome.



As far as I know Steve only did the 5.1 mix for Heritage. So he wasn't involved in the production of Heritage. I think it's more a case of Mike just changing his writing style.
But I do get what you said about the SW sound of Damnation. Hadn't noticed before as I haven't listened to it really since getting into PT

I didn't know that, ah well, I blame Wilson for Mikael doing that.

You're right about Ghost Reveries, the atmosphere is just unsurpassable, its the pinnacle of the medieval imagery/associations they evoke with their music and the fusion of this with a neo classical style of Satanic ambience which casts a long shadow over the songs is genius. Ghost of Perdition is my favourite song out of their repetoire by a lightyear, completely epic, evocative of LOTR in the folk sections and it has a cinematic widescreen ending.

PickledLime

MetalDog wrote: »

I'm probably gonna get shouted down for this, . . . .but I really like Damnation!
Haven't made up my mind fully on Heritage just yet, I need to give it a few
more listens.

God no, Damnation is fantastic. The guitar solo towards the end of Windowpane is sheer bliss.

iroced

I really like this Heritage. Mike has been talking about doing this kind of album for years and he did finally realise his dream. I like the "no compromise" position he took, unlike many bands that are reviving some 70ies spirit (seems to be trendy at the moment), It's actually disconcerting at some points, as it's using rests, very calm moods. It kind of goes against the nowadays trend where bands go towards the most violent/dense music. Here, it's more minimalist playing with sounds and ambiances rather than with structural complexity (with tons of different riffage, breaks, etc...), which is what they used to do. In some ways, it could remind me some of Devin Townsend work (Ki for example). Also, I find that Mike voice matches pretty well this smoother music.

I'm quite curious to see what the next album is going to be like...