ON NEW ALBUM WATERSHED, OPETH KEEPS IT SIMPLE, ALBEIT BRUTAL, AND BANDLEADER MIKAEL ÅKERFELDT PRESENTS US WITH SOME OF THE CHEESIEST LYRICS SINCE JOURNEY
Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008 at 2:37pm by Kip WingerschmidtYes, that’s right- Journey. I will give specific examples below…
I wish I could say that Opeth is still carving new territory in the symphonic progressive death metal arena, but truth be splooged, they — or more accurately, Åkerfeldt & Co., are starting to sound like a watered-down version of the band’s former self. Which, as any old-school Opeth fan might suspect, is still mostly awesome.
Yes, for a group/visionary of this musical magnitude, it will take a while before the new new Opeth is actually not worth checking out, although in this case I will admit up front that the compositions are noticeably simpler throughout, and the lyrics — well, I’ll get to the lyrics, and it ain’t gonna be pretty.
The absence of former guitar player Peter Lindgren and drummer Martin Lopez is indeed apparant on the band’s new studio offering Watershed (released TODAY in the U.S.), and yet, as to be expected, continuing bass player Martin Mendez sounds as buttery as ever. New guitar player Fredrik Åkesson (formerly of fellow Swedes Arch Enemy) fills/fits in just fine (although the overall simplifying of the compositions makes me wonder about Lindgren’s contributions to previous masterpieces), and thankfully keyboard player Per Wiberg definitely holds his own (especially in some unexpectedly groovy keyboard-driven parts), never getting too in the way.
Drummer Martin “Axe” Axenrot (who also appears on recent live recording The Roundhouse Tapes, and has been in the band since halfway through the Ghost Reveries tour) is the weak link here, performing *adequately* throughout, but this is frickin Opeth fer chrissakes! Where is the epic mastery over the trap kit? Gone are the fluid filles of Lopez’ reign and in their place are (too often) a bonehead’s dum-dum-dubba-dum…
Admittedly Axe holds his beats quite solidly, and his jazzy groove fits in, mostly. But his style overall is a little bit meathead, which is strange coming from a slight man who, with his dangerously straight blond locks looks like a teenaged female gymnast. I will take the silky-smooth percussive perfection of Martin Lopez any day of the week. What’s that guy up to these daze anyway??
However, my hateful musings are hardly to say that the new Opeth album is not without strong merits on most of the tracks. The best of the more straightforward tunes in this collection carry a great deal of weight largely due to their focus — here, Åkerfeldt sustains longer sections that stick to a more cohesive musical theme from beginning to end of a song, as opposed to exploring all the way through the melodic lexicon in a given piece, which admittedly worked wonders on Still Life and Blackwater Pork but fell somewhat short on quite a bit of Ghost Reveries. And so in a way, Watershed’s “simplicity” (including the appropriately repeated sections) kinda works…but jeez louise, the freakin lyrics — at least the majority of the cleanly sung (i.e., intelligible) ones — are a bloody joke!
Let’s discuss in super-sexy detail…
The album opens with a pretty-enough folk intro entitled “Coil”; acoustic guitars/bass/synthy strings/round robin male/female vocals retain a sense of optimism despite the overly melodramatic tone of the lyrics:
“She told me why…
She told me life [lies?] always take care of this…
I told her how I’ve always stayed…
Always waited [waiting?]…for nothing.”
I would like to start my examination of the lyrics on Watershed by promptly calling bullshit on this first stanza; “waiting for nothing“? Seriously, give me a break — that is a greater load of circular heady horseplop than when I tried to sneak in a reference to some world superpower’s failure as a “lack of success” on a 10th grade history class paper and my teacher (anonymously) read it out loud as an example of what not to do.
Next stanza:
“When I get out of here…
When I leave you behind….
I found that the years passed us by…
And I can see you, running through the fields of sorrow…”
Pretty, terse and melodramatic, which is indeed a running theme throughout this album’s tracks (or at least the ideas behind the majority of the lyrics).
Never mind that Akerfelt’s tense changes halfway through this stanza (I get, I leave, I found) — or is it simply the fault of his Scandanavian pronunciation which seemingly employs both a long ‘i’ sound and a past-tense ‘ow’, one after the other? In any case, the picture these words paint (especially when they are echoed by a wistful woman using proper tenseage, mind you) sound more like an introductary flashback to Les Mis Part Deux (rumored to be staged in ‘09 by fledgling dramaturgeologist Fred Durst), but despite all musical accolades due, Akerfelt is no Jean freakin Valjean, and furthermore…where’s the fuckin brutality??
Oh there it is, on track numero dos! After a too-lengthy single-chord heavy start, “Heir Apparant” eventually busts into some seriously deep growling syncopated riffage, and the tune keeps its brutal groove going through a handful of different tempos/moods — even during a brief yet lyrical flute (i.e., synth) into acoustic guitar interlude, there is a strong sense that a firestorm is a brewin…and aside from the overly simplistic ‘chorus’ this track never stops delivering. And the surely prizewinning lyrics on this one are disguised by the unintelligible growl, so it’s got that goin for it too!
The same encouragement can certainly also be employed towards the next track, “The Lotus Eater”, which is pretty much the most ‘progressive’ of the bunch, but that never gets in the way of this badass, thunderous song. The uptempo clean singing/heavy growling back-and-forth verse is fucking fierce, and the organ-heavy funk bridge is groovy as all hell…maybe the new Opeth has a future on the jamband circuit (aka the white man’s funk world)?
Thankfully the music on “The Lotus Eater” amply overshadows the lyrics, but here’s a gem buried within:
“You are stuck in a beautiful future
Changing and waiting and seeking the truth of it all.
Fleeting in sorrow
Pushing your spirit away,
Seeking the weakness of dislike,
Whispered from the heart.
To be, we’re all in the mourning,
To despair…”
Blah blah friggity BLAH.
Unfortunately the lagging, meandering (and aptly titled) “Burden” is a major piece of maudlin dead weight (thankfully the only true clunker on Watershed), and its centerpiece placement makes the middle of the album feel like it’s quickly sinking. However it does have a wicked Hammond-esque keyboard solo about halfway through (and some solid, if not rambling, guitar work), so listen up for that diamond in this rough one.
Despite its deliberate midtempo crawl, the anthemic “Porcelain Heart” brings the album back on track, even though it really only contains two main parts. However, the bridge rocks one of the strongest and hardest riffs on Watershed. But again the lyrics kinda make a player wanna hurl:
“I, lost all I had (one April day),
I, turned to my friends (nothing to see),
I, wrote down a name (and read it twice),
I, wallow in shame.
I, said that I love (eternal skies),
I, cling to my past (like childish dreams)
I, promised to stay (and dwell my grief)
I, went far away…”
Or is it simply the whiny melodrama of the vocal delivery of said lyrics that irks me so?
The album drags a touch once more with “Hessian Peel”, which has a rather slow verse that ultimately proves to be among the most melodic on the album. But again (and perhaps the most on the whole album) the lyrics make me wanna take out a contract on Akerfelt’s need to create something ‘profound’:
“Will the children cry
When their mother dies
And in the Autumn of their lives
Will they feel the same?”
Come on — really? This sounds like an excerpt from a poem written by a poor 14 year-old girl hiding from the Cossacks in a dilapidated basement. Drama!
“Hex Omega” is a rather strong finish to Watershed, with probably the most solid and gratifying riffage on the album, as well as a few well-apportioned varying moods throughout the track. And in this case the lyrics actually had me pretty intrigued as to their meaning:
“Two years
In your heart
One moment of doubt
Two lives
Torn apart
One second from now”
Wait a second — is this a break-up song (album)? Hmmm…
And it is important to mention as well that this is actually the very first Opeth album to be produced entirely by Åkerfeldt himself, which, as could be expected, yields mixed results. No doubt Åkerfeldt has had a major hand in the decisions on each of the band’s albums thus far, but it is clear here that he is experimenting with a neophyte producer’s zeal and open mind, which is awesome when it hits and disappointing when it’s too extreme or seemingly unpurposeful (the extra-hard panning/fading of certain instruments, as well as a guitar de-tuning mid-progression definitely left this listener wondering).
The best thing about Watershed is that similar to every Opeth album thus far (save the single-toned “chill” album Damnation), this is a work that continues to reveal new sides of itself upon multiple listens: I definitely liked it the first time through (which is more than I can say for other recent, highly-anticipated albums — at least by me), despite finding it pretty easy to navigate through/wrap my head around (when I would have preferred a bit more density/complexity from an Opeth record)… And yet, since, I have found myself defending and re-defending the album to…myself? Because I know somethin ain’t entirely right here.
For my money, more than half of Watershed is pretty awesome, but the remaining snooze-a-thons continue to confirm the sad truth that we already knew: the Opeth of yesteryear — the band of ‘no they didnt’ superhero-dom — is on its way OUT.
(three out of five hornz)
-KW
One could say that the lyrics are more melodramatic than in the past when it was obvious he was pulling the thesaurus off the shelf at every turn, but that doesn’t bother me all that much; if I want masterful poesy, I’ll head to my bookshelf.
Musically, this is a definite upturn from Ghost Reveries. I don’t know why, in hindsight (yeah, 20/20, blah) that album received so many laudatory reviews. It’s easily their weakest album from start to finish (the lighter songs were nowhere near as dark as those of Damnation; where was the venom? and the start/finish of Beneath the Mire? Yuck.), save for a couple of tracks (The Baying of the Hounds is brilliant) and assorted moments.
Watershed isn’t as brutal as certain past releases, but it flows well. And I like Burden, but then again, I’m old. Though I wouldn’t have minded another dose or two of brutality. As with all albums, have to give it a few dozen spins or so with the headphones on before making a final judgment, but I’m digging this a hell of a lot.
Personally, I liked this album a lot. The best Opeth album? No. Damn solid though. I’ve always found Opeth lyrics to be melodramatic. I think Akerfeldt has just started singing more on recent albums, so we’ve started to notice what he’s saying. I think that Opeth is really becoming an old fashioned prog rock band in a lot of ways, and that’s going to turn off a lot of people, because it means meandering excess. When done well, as I think it is on this album, I still enjoy that. I do fear that Akerfeldt will lose sight of the metal side of Opeth in the near future.
Also, bring back Steven Wilson on production!
I don’t know… these lyrics look like typical Opeth to me. They’ve always been overdramatic/melodramatic lyrically… and I like em like that.
I feel like a lot of the European bands have lyrics similar to this. I wonder if it’s because English tends to be a second language to them.
Seriously, how about some In Flames lyrics, like Episode 666?
Welcome here, the squirrel-wheel begins
fasten the left hand belts
Remember not to think too much
and your trip will be numbingly pleasant
Non-caring is the easiest way
but to secure a passage to the 2nd plane
you have to complete level one
Their dead-smile lips turn on their TV
while urban gravestones scrape the skies
Rising over marionette cities and marionette skies
This is episode 666
destination chaos
Each and all an actor blind
Oh, and for the record, I like this Opeth record a lot.
Definitely nowhere near as good as Blackwater Park, but it’s still pretty much better than about 90% of any other music ever.
Bring back Swano to produce!
I liked Ghost Reveries…i’ve probably played that more than all the rest of their catalog (sans maybe Morningrise, which is the album I got into them at)…i remember when MAYH came out, i wasn’t exactly into it at first, and same is here…
except difference there is i had feared Opeth were going to jump on the “brutal” bandwagon, and sacrifice ingenuity, melody, and juicy riffs for said “brutality” in the future…Blackwater Park (and then Still Life, which was before, but available here in the US after) appeased those fears…
but this kinda gives the fear in a different light…i like Heir Apparent, Porcelain Heart, and Lotus Eater…everything else on the album…just doesn’t stand out…even after 2 weeks of casual listening (and yeah you know how it’s been 2 weeks if it just came out today)…it just feels kinda incomplete…and god…im sorry Mikael…but boring!…agh!…
yes, this album makes me fear Opeth might be starting to become…boring…old man’s music :/
every band has it’s arc…i’ve actually been wrong about Opeth’s in the past, several times…so i definitely won’t write them off…but if someone were to ask which one to grab first, or hell, which ones to buy vs download…i’d have to put this at the bottom of the list/download before you buy territory…and who knows…a year from now i might love this album, it might be just what im listening to aside from this and my own moods that are affecting my judgement…but still…it really was never this hard to get into more than half of an Opeth album…even the then “weird” MAYH…
I dunno about it being straightforward; i think there is more variation in riffs on this album than most anything else they’ve done (as great as their earlier catalog is, their songs do follow the “if its good enough to do once, do it 6 times” mentality with riffs). Agree 100% that Axe is the weakest link; competent drumming, but nothing on par with what Martin Lopez brought to the table (stupid heroin!).
Lyrically, Kyle’s right, have you ever read the lyrics to anything else this band has written? It’s all a little silly.
As far as the band of “yesteryear” being on the way out; it’s great how everybody romanticizes the past; their albums that didn’t get much love at the time are now suddenly holy. I’d be bored if the band kept rehashing blackwater park.
99.9% of the time metal lyrics are retarded. I mean, c’mon Cannibal Corpse? Who takes those guys seriously. I really only listen to music, well, for the music!! This record owns, even if it is their weakest it’s still better than most of what’s out there right now.
I still need to get this! AHH!
Will the children cry
When their mother dies
And in the Autumn of their lives
Will they feel the same?”
Isn’t that a White Lion song?
Total asshat review….
“I will take the silky-smooth percussive perfection of Martin Lopez any day of the week. What’s that guy up to these daze anyway??”
Sorry you didn’t hear the news, but Lopez got sick and was having panic attacks, and was unable to perform. Axe was the next best choice, and in most real opeth fans’ opinions did a fantastic job on the new album.
“…where’s the fuckin brutality??” (in reference to Coil)
Sorry your attention span is so fucking short that you can’t handle a soft (and short) intro to a very Metal album. That’s always been the style of Opeth, nothing has changed.
As far as the Lyrics, have you ever listened to anything by Opeth? Whining about “breakup songs” and “dramatic lyrics”? That’s ALWAYS been the opeth style, once again, nothing has changed.
Complaining about repeated riffs? Ever listened to Deliverance? Opeth repeats riffs all the time, that’s they’re style, nothing has changed.
The only argument that can be made about this album as far as change goes is that it’s MORE progressive than many of their recent albums (IE: Ghost Reveries). It’s like a hybrid of their new style and their old style, while bringing in some new elements with Per’s keyboard playing and some Wind/String instruments.
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the new album, but it’s not because the album is bad. You simply don’t have the mindset to fully appreciate this band. Check out the official Opeth forums, and see what the real fans have to say. They’re eating it up, and it’s getting MUCH better reviews than Ghost Reveries by all the fans.
Go listen to some shitty Cannibal Corpse or something… Opeth > You
Um, like, OMG! HELL-OOOO!! I mean, I know, right? Ugh.
Totally.
Meta said it perfectly, The album is beautiful and all the complaints about it seem like they could be said about any Opeth,and you probley shouldnt be a fan of any of their music. As for Burdan being a “maudlin dead weight”, Watch the bonus dvd that comes with the special edition and you will learn that Akerfeldt wanted to do an overblown 70s style ballad becuase he likes that shit and thought it would be fun, another thing that makes Opeth different and great is they dont give a fuck if its too cheesy for you, they are gonna do what ever the fuck they want
Still haven’t listened to this one yet.
Bands who dwell on melodramatic content definitely annoy me.That might explain why it’s been a few years I hear about Opeth’s excellency and I have trouble listening to more than a few of their songs.
I might give this one a chance but if this makes me feel depressed rather than somewhat energized the way death metal makes me feel…I wonder what’s the point in listening to it.Maybe I’d appreciate the music more,without these fucking lyrics atop.
Maybe I’ll convince myself to give it a shot,but yeah,that’s not a strong maybe…
Watershed is an excellent album. Your review is a bit harsh although thoughtful. I disagree with a lot of it. how you can call this a more straightforward record makes little sense. its just as complex as ever. and the new guitar player is way better than Peter as far as his gtr solos. I just love the way he plays with such conviction. Ax is awesome as well although probably not as intricate as Martin. Also the production is fucking killer – just crushes most of the shit production in metal nowadays.
@Noch
“Bands who dwell on melodramatic content definitely annoy me.”
Opeth probably isn’t a band you’ll enjoy much, save for a few tracks.
Opeth has always had a pretty minor tone to it. Most of the songs sound either Sad, or Evil. You have to understand that different people listen to music for different reasons. The times I’ve enjoyed Opeth most was when i was going through a breakup from a serious relationship. Opeth is an extremely emotional band, and is best listened to when you’re able to appreciate that emotion.
Sorry to spam, but just wanted to post 1 more thing.
The lyrics picked out in the review are definitely the simplest on the album, but it kind of gives a false perspective. Here are the lyrics to Heir Apparent, should give a little clearer idea how non-cheese this album really is:
So many years to clean the slate
Endless despair within its wake
His touch soiling what used to be clean
His gaze burning on the edge of our dreams
No more
And again he rides in, it’s September and he covets the gullible
Skeletal wish – hunter
A thousand lies, cast from the throne of secrecy
Hear him spewing forth a meaning to miserables lies
See the twisted hand of doubt seal the affair
The insect trust – believer
Your body a vehicle to
Pearls before swine they are nothing but blind
Submit to nothing and swallow my spit of scorn
Invisible king – dying
Procession of woe, struck down by sorrow
A burden so great weighs heavy on old and withered beliefs
The swift solution crumbles beneath the mock notes of a masterpiece
Death in his eyes – waiting
Spiralling judgement, provoked in the rains
This futile test drowned in the levee of deception
In the year of his sovereign
Rid us of your judgement
Heir apparent
Journey eh? Well, I don’t know if any of the examples are as bad as “so now I come to you with open arms”, but I agree they aren’t the bestest evaah, but then again they are Opeth. Have you read the lyrics to Forest of October? I cut those Swedish bands slack on the lyrics department because English is their second language. I can only imagine how terrible my lyrics would be if I tried to write them in Spanish.
Anyways, interesting review. Drummers are…well drummers. I will miss the Martin’s contributions. He couldn’t tour with the band and quit. Hey, does anyone know what the Martins’ sideproject sounded like? So full of promise, but then again doesn’t Mike A write all the music in Opeth? Too bad the new guy isn’t as good as the old guy. But then again, it is just a drummer. The guitarist is another matter. Peter is so hard to replace. Maybe he just needs more time to gel with the band. After all, it took Megadeth a while to get a guitarist that could gel after Chris Poland left.
I wrote off Opeth after Ghost Reveries (I thought it was weak when it came out), but I might give this one a try.
Uh oh. I smell Spam.
While you’re taking it on the chin regarding your review (I have yet to finish mine), you can add my voice of dissent as well. The jazz influence on this record is more prominent. It’s more progressive. It’s a softer album but the soloing is phenomenal. The lyrics are just as corny and cliched as always.
The drumming, though, is actually pretty straightforward. It’s solid drumming just not very flashy (except a few minutes into “Porcelain Heart” where he just goes crazy – a highlight).
I actually think this record is better than their last four or five. It sounds better, the compositions get more interesting with every listen and the music generally sounds more heartfelt than it ever has.
I don’t belong to an “Opeth board.” But that’s my take.
this album is beautiful. atleast 4.5 horns for me. It’s Opeth being Opeth, and the lyrics are the same as they’ve ever been, and i like em!
accusing Opeth to be overly dramatic and cheesy? are you out of your fuckin mind? have you ever read the lyrics of still life? that’s probably the most melodramatic shit ever written in metal (including My Dying Bride). Opeth have always been about this poetic emotional dramaticism. it’s like bashing Amon Amarth because they write too much about vikings.
Burden is a “major piece of maudlin dead weight”!? it’s the greatest ballad that king crimson never wrote. and why the fuck are you reviewing opeth if you don’t like 70s prog anyway.
yeah, it’s less brutal and more proggy and mature. it’s understandable why mike wanted to go in a different direction after 5 similar sounding albums.
Kip, thanks for writing this review. I’ve seen a ton of hate in the comments, but I come to MetalSucks for a reason: intelligent, caustic reviews.
Sure, Opeth are gods. But this CD is a fucking dud. I don’t ever expect to hear BWP again (I know I should like SL and MAYH more, but fuck you, I don’t), but I like what I like.
There sound has been shifting over the past several albums, and it’s now undeniable that they’re going somewhere else, and I don’t know that I want to follow that.
I had a great girlfriend a few years back who got really into Opeth’s music… then she read the lyrics to “Bleak” and laughed so hard she cried. I was never able to get her back into metal after that experience. Mike’s lyrics suck.
Axe is a weak link? cmon. His double bass, tightness and power are WAY better than Lopez’s. Lopez was funky but could get sloppy, especially live. This review sucks.. Watershed is fuckin incredible.
i DO like your review, it was an awesome read, but i just dont agree with everything, especially the cheesy part! but hey man, its the internet, we can say whatever the hell we want, and cheers to that!!
3 out of 5?! It’s fucking Opeth for Satan’s sake. who cares about the lyrics. Opeth is in a league by themselves no matter what. fantastic album
ps. comparing Opeth to Journey is absolutely ridiculous.
\m/
Its like all the angst and love i have had for this album has been poured right into print here. The creepy thought that “opeth” as we once knew is probably never going to be anymore is more disheartening than anything i have experienced in the recent times.
Wish it were untrue. Wish things would fall back into place again.
Rooting for Lopez and Lindgren to come back.
Excellently written review. Rock on.
“The creepy thought that “opeth” as we once knew is probably never going to be anymore is more disheartening than anything i have experienced in the recent times.”
At the same time, there’s a new Opeth that we’re seeing for the first time, and a lot of us are really enjoying that.
You’re all living in the past FFS. How can you expect a progressive metal band to not progress?
As a drummer, I’d have to say Axe’s performance was actually better than I thought it was going to be, as he shows more versatility than was expected. I think he disposed of any fears I had of Lopez leaving. As per the reviewer’s comments about him fearing that Lindgren’s leaving made the music more simple…um, dude…if you did any research, you’d know that Lindgren hadn’t been a significant part of the writing in Opeth for a long time, and hasn’t really had much input. So, I’d say your point is not valid. Lastly, Akesson’s addition has brought, according to Akerfeldt, a more metal soloing style, as seen on the leads in “Heir Apparent”, which Akerfeldt has said he never truly excelled at. Akesson’s addition has been seamless and the band is using more dissonance in its melodies now, actually making this album more technical and progressive, as a result. Good try at lambasting this band though…I realize hating on a popular band is trendy. Too bad this band and album owns.
the part where you wrote the lotus eater lyrics are completely wrong atleast this part
You are stuck in a beautiful future
thats really
you are stucc in a route of confusion
and i have no idea how anyone got that other interpretation.. that just sounds gay..
but i will say that Porcelain Heart.. even though i like it.. is very catchy and mainstream
and none of you have to listen to my opinion but thats just what i think..
this is one of my favorite albums now mainly because its a different side of opeth i havent seen much of, they are becoming something different but i dont think that in a bad way