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OPETH “FEEL THE DARK” OF HERITAGE (NEW SONG!)

 Tuesday, September 6th, 2011 at 2:30pm by

September 27th might be the grandaddy of all metal release days of 2011, but there’s one big release coming out exactly a week before, too. It’s the album that metalsphere pundits are calling “not metal.” The album that Mikael Akerfeldt says is an ode to his prog rock influences. The album with awesomely ridiculous (and ridiculously awesome) cover artwork. Opeth’s Heritage.

Listening to the previously released song “The Devil’s Orchard” and this here new jam “I Feel The Dark,” one thing comes to mind: old school Opeth fans gonna be P-I-S-S-E-D pissed about the band’s sound on this record. I take the opposite viewpoint: I think it’s exciting and bold that they’ve decided to ditch boring growled vocals altogether in favor of something more dynamic and challenging. I really can’t wait to hear the full album.

-VN

Thanks: Nic Toumayan

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  • Andrew

    “Boring growled vocals” because clean vocals don’t get boring?

  • Andrew

    “Boring growled vocals” because clean vocals don’t get boring?

  • Håkon Ellingsen

    Apparently the new album is up on Grooveshark.

  • Håkon Ellingsen

    Apparently the new album is up on Grooveshark.

    • Andrew

      It looks like it is but I haven’t been able to listen to the tracks to see if its legit.

    • Andrew

      It looks like it is but I haven’t been able to listen to the tracks to see if its legit.

  • Kuranes

    Where is this jam?

  • Kuranes

    Where is this jam?

  • RomuluXX

    So…where’s the song?

  • RomuluXX

    So…where’s the song?

  • Charlie Brown
  • Charlie Brown
  • Adam

    “Boring growled vocals”? Mikael Akerfeldt is one of the best growlers in metal. The exact opposite of boring.

    I’m excited for Opeth’s new approach. I enjoy all of Opeth’s albums.

    • Andrew

      Agree 100%

    • http://www.facebook.com/kurt.horimoto Kurt Horimoto

      +1

    • Fartfanoogin

      I agree but he definitely isn’t as good a growler as he used to be. He’s even admitted it.

  • Adam

    “Boring growled vocals”? Mikael Akerfeldt is one of the best growlers in metal. The exact opposite of boring.

    I’m excited for Opeth’s new approach. I enjoy all of Opeth’s albums.

  • http://www.facebook.com/FlannelBastard Dylan Jones

    Vince, I really don’t like how you word things.  Opeth’s growls aren’t boring, and you look like a twat.  While I’m really looking forward to the album and have accepted no growls, there’s so many points in the two songs I’ve heard that would have been better with his signature growls.  Regardless great songs.
    As always, Flannel Bastard.

  • Sapien

    Akerfeldt’s clean vocals = sexy as fuck.

  • tytan

    Whole album leaked few days back and I tell you it’s great. (Personal favourite so far: Slither)

    • Cgmetallica1981

      Thank god somebody else actually likes Slither. Everybody says it’s really cheap for an Opeth song, but really it is meant to be a tribute to Dio. It’s a good song either way.

      • Frankenblog

         And let’s hope the people that downloaded the leak go out and actually buy a hard copy of the CD. Don’t be dicks. Seriously.

        • Come On Amarth

          I’m seeing them live and buying merch and shit, which, I was told makes a band more money. Not that I won’t be buying a vinyl if it’s worth it. I like this one better than the one they released in July.

      • Frankenblog

         And let’s hope the people that downloaded the leak go out and actually buy a hard copy of the CD. Don’t be dicks. Seriously.

      • Frankenblog

         And let’s hope the people that downloaded the leak go out and actually buy a hard copy of the CD. Don’t be dicks. Seriously.

  • Dred Furst

    I’ve heard it and it’s already better than every Opeth album, IMO. Glad they ditched the metal for 70′s prog rock.

  • HorseBlanket

    Watershed, aside from a very few moments, was such cliched Opeth, it bored me to tears. It’s great that they’re at least moving on from The album has lots of nods to their influences, some of which are almost lovely plagiarism (second half of Marrow of the Earth = Bo Hansson).

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=6410765 Nick Benigno

    so does it sound even more like porcupine tree then?

  • Anthony Stine

    I prefer melodic Opeth over their harder stuff anyway. This should be great.

  • http://twitter.com/orbsonb Ben Robson

    the whole album leaked over the weekend…i’m actually a tad disappointed on first listen – it sounds less unique than i’d hoped. other than the oldschool production (no drum triggers, fuzzy 70′s-sounding distortion etc), it really isn’t stylistically different from Damnation. It’s a bit more rock-oriented and there are more heavy moments, but I was expecting full-on prog madness. Maybe that’s my fault for making assumptions, but it seems to me like Opeth could have done more with this idea than they did…I suppose I should give it some time to sink in.

    i still enjoyed it, and Mikael’s singing voice has never sounded better.

    • blackjustice

      It took me a few spins to get into it but if you’re open with things it grows on you for sure.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Zach-Gates/14209777 Zach Gates

    I’m kind of split when it comes to Opeth. They’re awesome musicians, and they make engaging music, but they don’t nearly scratch the “metal” itch for me any more. It’d be like if your favorite stand-up comedian slowly transitioned to poetry. Maybe he’s great at it, and on its own merits it’s well done, but you went to him for laughs and aren’t getting them any more.

    I found this track fairly dull, honestly. For my money, Katatonia does this act better.

    • Frankenblog

       What the fuck are you talking about? Katatonia and Opeth are two totally different food types. What’s wrong with you? This wasn’t even an intelligent comparison.

    • Frankenblog

       What the fuck are you talking about? Katatonia and Opeth are two totally different food types. What’s wrong with you? This wasn’t even an intelligent comparison.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Shaun-Reeves/100000774753955 Shaun Reeves

    Ha his growls are amazing, however so is his clean singing. I have more respect for Opeth than any other band, and I’ve liked everything they’ve done. This isn’t my favorite, but it is still another great release from them imo. And I’m sure they’re not giving up heavy entirely. Michael loves death metal way too much for that to happen

  • spacelord

    “old school Opeth fans gonna be P-I-S-S-E-D pissed about the band’s sound on this record”

    Really? I have listened to the album in all its hideous entirety, it is rubbish. I love Opeth, I’ve been listening to them since ’98, Damnation is one of my absolute favourite albums, but I cannot help to feel betrayed, not by the new approach they have taken, but by the LOW fucking quality of the record itself (musically and lyrically). You call it exciting and bold? I call it pseudo-prog wankery at its finest.

    • Dubs

      You think this is prog wankery and you’ve been listening to Opeth for how long?!

      • Frankenblog

        “Betrayed?” Are you fucking joking? Opeth have caused you such emotional turmoil because they took it a step further to pay tribute to their roots? You’re making no sense. The record kicks ass. Because it’s good. It’s good just to spite you, Spacelord. Because it’s you they were targeting.

      • Frankenblog

        “Betrayed?” Are you fucking joking? Opeth have caused you such emotional turmoil because they took it a step further to pay tribute to their roots? You’re making no sense. The record kicks ass. Because it’s good. It’s good just to spite you, Spacelord. Because it’s you they were targeting.

      • Frankenblog

        “Betrayed?” Are you fucking joking? Opeth have caused you such emotional turmoil because they took it a step further to pay tribute to their roots? You’re making no sense. The record kicks ass. Because it’s good. It’s good just to spite you, Spacelord. Because it’s you they were targeting.

    • slaytanic_mechanic

      How can you feel betrayed by a group of people who owe you absolutely nothing? They can do what they want.

      • spacelord

        wow so many butt-hurt people. I say betrayed, because, YES, musically they have become utterly disappointing. But if you “prog” fanboys like it, go ahead buy it, I really do not care.

        By the way, that’s 13 years, t-h-i-r-t-e-e-n years I have been listening to Opeth. And if you’re going to quote me, do it correctly, son, “pseudo-prog wankery”.

        Cheerio.

        • Friedchiplets

          “Hey! See my dick? Nah, nah, it’s bigger than yours?”

          “Oh yeah? See this? Ha ha!”

          Please, dear Satan, do not let MetalSucks turn into Blabbermouth. C’mon kiddoes. Time to pick up your game around here. Things are getting a bit stale.

        • Freddy

          son, i am disappoint.

        • Freddy

          son, i am disappoint.

        • Freddy

          son, i am disappoint.

    • slaytanic_mechanic

      How can you feel betrayed by a group of people who owe you absolutely nothing? They can do what they want.

  • JoshuaD

    Opeth have always been diverse. I don’t thnk the new album will alienate any of their longtime fans. Opeth’s back catalogue is amazing and I think the new album will fit among them perfectly. The new material sounds like a natural progression from Watershed. Opeth continue to astound me with their music and it really doesn’t matter if they are playing extreme metal or not.

  • AGHAST

    It’s like this retard Vince totally forgot about a little album called “Damnation” and thinks this is something new for Opeth. When in reality it’s just Akerfeldt thinking he’s too cool and progressive for death metal these days.

    • Bdbld69

      In reality you, and Vince, are both morons!

    • Bdbld69

      In reality you, and Vince, are both morons!

      • http://profiles.google.com/maxamarcus maxamarcus

        In reality, most people are morons compared to Mikael Akerfeldt.

    • SeaXofXlies

      I’m sure its moreso that he’s getting older and worse at death metal vocals. I’ve also read that he feels he has nowhere to go with his harsh vocals, but plenty of room to improve his singing. I imagine after 20 years of doing harsh vocals, and not getting really any “better” at it (no that he could be any better, the world might implode) since Still Life he would be tired of overworking his throat when he could focus on something he wants to improve at. He’s never striked me as someone who aims to impress or please, its pretty clear that he plays music for himself, so logically he would do whatever he wants and improve and move in directions he’s interested in. Also, this album doesn’t and was never supposed to sound like Damnation. 

  • The_I

    I like this even better than The Devil’s Orchard. Though I wish they’d kept some of their gloominess with the new prog sound, I’m still really excited for this album.

  • Anonymous

    Being huge fans of King Crimson and Yes, this sounds great.  Pre-ordered the album & seeing ‘em live in 2 weeks.  Stick a finger in my ass I’m ready to cum.

    • Lucifersmile

      This is NO King Crimson or Yes.

      • Anonymous

        The main acoustic riff sure seems inspired by early KC, with song structure more akin to 70′s Yes and Deep Purple. And you can’t stop my cum, it’s literally lobbing.

      • Anonymous

        The main acoustic riff sure seems inspired by early KC, with song structure more akin to 70′s Yes and Deep Purple. And you can’t stop my cum, it’s literally lobbing.

      • Anonymous

        The main acoustic riff sure seems inspired by early KC, with song structure more akin to 70′s Yes and Deep Purple. And you can’t stop my cum, it’s literally lobbing.

    • Lucifersmile

      This is NO King Crimson or Yes.

    • Lucifersmile

      This is NO King Crimson or Yes.

  • blackjustice

    Opeth Presents: Music to fuck to: Volume II

  • Joe

    I want to like this but I cant. I can barely pay attention to it as it’s just so boring and slow =

  • Joe

    I want to like this but I cant. I can barely pay attention to it as it’s just so boring and slow =

    • Frankenblog

      (Fart noise)

      You’re boring and slow.

    • Frankenblog

      (Fart noise)

      You’re boring and slow.

  • Joe

    I want to like this but I cant. I can barely pay attention to it as it’s just so boring and slow =

  • Anonymous

    I’ve enjoyed some Opeth, but to ditch to growls all together is downright fucking stupid. The variety is what made it awesome. All of a sudden growls bore you Akerfeldt?

    Get off your high horse and belch out some gutturals you pompous Swedish prick.

    • Andrew

      Gonna have to agree. After listening to the whole new album it definitely isn’t bad, but its definitely missing something. There are some parts in some songs where doing a transition into something more heavy with growls would just be awesome, but instead it just goes even slower.

      It isn’t bad, it just doesn’t really get me going.

    • Andrew

      Gonna have to agree. After listening to the whole new album it definitely isn’t bad, but its definitely missing something. There are some parts in some songs where doing a transition into something more heavy with growls would just be awesome, but instead it just goes even slower.

      It isn’t bad, it just doesn’t really get me going.

    • Andrew

      Gonna have to agree. After listening to the whole new album it definitely isn’t bad, but its definitely missing something. There are some parts in some songs where doing a transition into something more heavy with growls would just be awesome, but instead it just goes even slower.

      It isn’t bad, it just doesn’t really get me going.

      • SeaXofXlies

        I don’t think it’s supposed to “get you going” its a slow album, and not at all like damnation. Its unexplored territory for Opeth. I’ve not heard much like Heritage, and I can easily appreciate the change, even though he is hands down my favorite death metal vocalist. The whole album sounds almost like a descent into insanity. It’s very sporadic and gets very sparse and disconnected at times, but it all sounds intentional and well done. 

  • Anonymous

    I’ve enjoyed some Opeth, but to ditch to growls all together is downright fucking stupid. The variety is what made it awesome. All of a sudden growls bore you Akerfeldt?

    Get off your high horse and belch out some gutturals you pompous Swedish prick.

  • Guy

    Feel The Dark is probably my favorite track of the whole album. The rest… not so much.
    Not that I hate Opeth or think this new direction would be bad. I actually like this prog style. It’s just that I think it could have been way better. There are lots of elements that are used to create an atmosphere (like pauses in the song, a little bit doomy in my opinion) which I think aren’t always that beneficial for the song. In my opinion it destroys the pace of a song. Somehow it feels as if they had really could ideas but failed to connect them in a way that I like. I mean, there are really cool parts in there (harmonized vocals and the folk guitar) but it could have been used more extensively. All in all very good ideas that sometimes just swim in mediocrity. And I say that as a huge Opeth fan.

  • Guy

    Feel The Dark is probably my favorite track of the whole album. The rest… not so much.
    Not that I hate Opeth or think this new direction would be bad. I actually like this prog style. It’s just that I think it could have been way better. There are lots of elements that are used to create an atmosphere (like pauses in the song, a little bit doomy in my opinion) which I think aren’t always that beneficial for the song. In my opinion it destroys the pace of a song. Somehow it feels as if they had really could ideas but failed to connect them in a way that I like. I mean, there are really cool parts in there (harmonized vocals and the folk guitar) but it could have been used more extensively. All in all very good ideas that sometimes just swim in mediocrity. And I say that as a huge Opeth fan.

    • http://twitter.com/rhfmatt rhfmatt

      Agree with this 100% including Feel the Dark being the best song.  And Opeth has been my favorite band since Blackwater Park released.  I hated this album at first, but have since just accepted and appreciated it for what it is, not what I wanted it to be.  It’s a natural progression I suppose.

    • http://twitter.com/rhfmatt rhfmatt

      Agree with this 100% including Feel the Dark being the best song.  And Opeth has been my favorite band since Blackwater Park released.  I hated this album at first, but have since just accepted and appreciated it for what it is, not what I wanted it to be.  It’s a natural progression I suppose.

    • http://twitter.com/rhfmatt rhfmatt

      Agree with this 100% including Feel the Dark being the best song.  And Opeth has been my favorite band since Blackwater Park released.  I hated this album at first, but have since just accepted and appreciated it for what it is, not what I wanted it to be.  It’s a natural progression I suppose.

      • Poopenshaft

        Fokelore is an even better song imo

  • Guy

    Feel The Dark is probably my favorite track of the whole album. The rest… not so much.
    Not that I hate Opeth or think this new direction would be bad. I actually like this prog style. It’s just that I think it could have been way better. There are lots of elements that are used to create an atmosphere (like pauses in the song, a little bit doomy in my opinion) which I think aren’t always that beneficial for the song. In my opinion it destroys the pace of a song. Somehow it feels as if they had really could ideas but failed to connect them in a way that I like. I mean, there are really cool parts in there (harmonized vocals and the folk guitar) but it could have been used more extensively. All in all very good ideas that sometimes just swim in mediocrity. And I say that as a huge Opeth fan.

  • Shawnmdmalley

    I think its fuckin amazing!!!! If i didnt just jerk off two minutes ago, i almost came my pants when i scrolled down and saw this post lol Fuck me silly, Opeth is fuckin awsome, especially after a nice fat doobie ;p

  • Shawnmdmalley

    I think its fuckin amazing!!!! If i didnt just jerk off two minutes ago, i almost came my pants when i scrolled down and saw this post lol Fuck me silly, Opeth is fuckin awsome, especially after a nice fat doobie ;p

  • Shawnmdmalley

    I think its fuckin amazing!!!! If i didnt just jerk off two minutes ago, i almost came my pants when i scrolled down and saw this post lol Fuck me silly, Opeth is fuckin awsome, especially after a nice fat doobie ;p

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1647552151 Nathaniel Carlson

    I love that people are getting so butthurt that they aren’t doing another death metal album and that there’s going to be no growls. And that said people have the presumption to assume that it’s because Mikael has an impossibly large ego that he wanted to do this instead of realizing that maybe, just maybe, not all bands want to be like Slayer and pump out the same steady stream of crap for the entirety of their career. Haha

    I also love the people saying they already did this on Damnation. Sure, there were no growls there either, but the overall sound and feel is completely different, so… nope. You lose. lol

    Personally, I really like what I’ve heard from the album, though in all honesty, that guitar tone is rather… different, to say the least. It took a little while for me to get used to. It may not be death metal, but that doesn’t mean it’s not good.

    • slaytanic_mechanic

      You had a lot of good points but you can go fuck yourself for the slayer swipe.

    • slaytanic_mechanic

      You had a lot of good points but you can go fuck yourself for the slayer swipe.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1647552151 Nathaniel Carlson

    I love that people are getting so butthurt that they aren’t doing another death metal album and that there’s going to be no growls. And that said people have the presumption to assume that it’s because Mikael has an impossibly large ego that he wanted to do this instead of realizing that maybe, just maybe, not all bands want to be like Slayer and pump out the same steady stream of crap for the entirety of their career. Haha

    I also love the people saying they already did this on Damnation. Sure, there were no growls there either, but the overall sound and feel is completely different, so… nope. You lose. lol

    Personally, I really like what I’ve heard from the album, though in all honesty, that guitar tone is rather… different, to say the least. It took a little while for me to get used to. It may not be death metal, but that doesn’t mean it’s not good.

  • SourDeez

    Dynamic? So it’s dynamic to take a multi-faceted sound, and then do away with all aspects of it except for one? 

  • Rzue426

     How can people LOVE Damnation but not like this? Knowing there wasn’t going to be many growls on this new album, I knew what I was getting.  I’ve only heard the 2 songs thus far, and have yet to see why people are up in arms? This is going to be a great album.

  • Rzue426

     How can people LOVE Damnation but not like this? Knowing there wasn’t going to be many growls on this new album, I knew what I was getting.  I’ve only heard the 2 songs thus far, and have yet to see why people are up in arms? This is going to be a great album.

  • Lucifersmile

    This is dad rock. After listening to the whole album about 3 times, I hate it more than the last time I listened to it. Boring as fuck, dinosaur rock worship. Words can’t explain how boring this album is. If you like Deep Purple, you’ll be creaming in your flared trousers. Worst album cover of 2012 also.

    • Poopenshaft

      1) you’re dumb
      2) It’s 2011
      3) you’re dumb

    • Nigbot

      Would you prefer it to be modern metal? You with all those breakdowns and stupidly low tunings?
      I personally think it’s extremely different from a lot of the bullshit that came out this year.

    • Nigbot

      Would you prefer it to be modern metal? You with all those breakdowns and stupidly low tunings?
      I personally think it’s extremely different from a lot of the bullshit that came out this year.

  • Lucifersmile

    This is dad rock. After listening to the whole album about 3 times, I hate it more than the last time I listened to it. Boring as fuck, dinosaur rock worship. Words can’t explain how boring this album is. If you like Deep Purple, you’ll be creaming in your flared trousers. Worst album cover of 2012 also.

  • Lucifersmile

    This is dad rock. After listening to the whole album about 3 times, I hate it more than the last time I listened to it. Boring as fuck, dinosaur rock worship. Words can’t explain how boring this album is. If you like Deep Purple, you’ll be creaming in your flared trousers. Worst album cover of 2012 also.

  • Anthony

    I’m not pissed about their approach. I just think the album is kinda boring as a whole. There are some good parts, but it basically just sounds like the slower parts from Watershed. Damnation shits all over Heritage.

  • ITTOA666

    I fucking love this. He’s one of my all time vocalists. LOVE his clean voice.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_VK6XFCAIGX5JTQ2Z4X6HK3FR7M jmreal

    A lot of people on here call themselves Opeth fans, but that must mean you are not afraid to leave behind your safe stack of metal music for something that you don’t have a label for. And if you can’t do that, then I don’t know how you can listen to Opeth.

    I’ve been an Opeth fan since I found Orchid in a Century Media catalog, about late 1996 early 1997.  I had no idea what the hell it was and had never heard of them, but I loved them immediately. 

    And I’ve always loved everything they’ve done since, but they have always changed for every album.  You should have heard people bitch and scream when My Arms Your Hearse came out.  People all screamed that it wasn’t hard enough and the songs weren’t long enough.  How stupid, right? That album is an Opeth classic now.

    I can remember a musical world without Opeth and it was dull.  They are so different and unique.  Heritage seems like this astonishing beautiful album, being released to a world that likes to play it safe, that likes songs that tie up neatly, and that are easy to understand.

    Well, Opeth is not easy to understand.  It’s not about being slow or fast; there’s a lot more going on in these songs, subtlety, depth and innovation, heavy and dark without any of the heavy and dark cliches, a mixture of styles and forms that defy being tied up neatly or put in a box.  Opeth are growing beyond every label you could put on music, and it was bound to happen.

    Anyway, a lot of albums that went on to become classics were hated when they came out, so I don’t care what people think.  Open your mind or die bored.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_VK6XFCAIGX5JTQ2Z4X6HK3FR7M jmreal

    A lot of people on here call themselves Opeth fans, but that must mean you are not afraid to leave behind your safe stack of metal music for something that you don’t have a label for. And if you can’t do that, then I don’t know how you can listen to Opeth.

    I’ve been an Opeth fan since I found Orchid in a Century Media catalog, about late 1996 early 1997.  I had no idea what the hell it was and had never heard of them, but I loved them immediately. 

    And I’ve always loved everything they’ve done since, but they have always changed for every album.  You should have heard people bitch and scream when My Arms Your Hearse came out.  People all screamed that it wasn’t hard enough and the songs weren’t long enough.  How stupid, right? That album is an Opeth classic now.

    I can remember a musical world without Opeth and it was dull.  They are so different and unique.  Heritage seems like this astonishing beautiful album, being released to a world that likes to play it safe, that likes songs that tie up neatly, and that are easy to understand.

    Well, Opeth is not easy to understand.  It’s not about being slow or fast; there’s a lot more going on in these songs, subtlety, depth and innovation, heavy and dark without any of the heavy and dark cliches, a mixture of styles and forms that defy being tied up neatly or put in a box.  Opeth are growing beyond every label you could put on music, and it was bound to happen.

    Anyway, a lot of albums that went on to become classics were hated when they came out, so I don’t care what people think.  Open your mind or die bored.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1195550656 Mitch McGregor

    so…when a band uses the same sound for more than two albums it’s boring, but when they go back to their roots and explore the sounds that made their own sound it’s betrayal? God some guys need to get their heads out their ass…. 

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1195550656 Mitch McGregor

    so…when a band uses the same sound for more than two albums it’s boring, but when they go back to their roots and explore the sounds that made their own sound it’s betrayal? God some guys need to get their heads out their ass…. 

  • królik

    I miss Bloodbath :D

  • metalhead616

    The album is quite good. But it aint a typical Opeth album.  Its a brave genius strike.
    I miss the growls, too. But I think that the Songs are really nice to hear, but far away from ‘heavyness’.
    I would miss some groovy
    “The Baying of the Hounds” like shit…

    But the album is better than any pussy acoustic songs akerfeldt did before….
    its  kinda  clean opeth riffing… thats nice but only for this Time. This Year no album I waited for really got me.
    So Opeth has also the right to be just good in writing songs like that. 
    And it hasnt to deliver brutalness.

    I remember a post where we have seen the musical changes of bands.
    I could imagine a gayer version of it and more pop style songs..
    so be happy

    it’s more prog rock but it is good…!

    become mature folks!

     

     

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Charles-Conover/100002902988403 Charles Conover

    well. having listened to the record, I can say its definitely unlike anything they released so far. The closest comparison available as pointed out would be Damnation, but that would be about it. Perhaps this record should have been named Watershed, because it will indeed be the watershed moment between fans that embrace the new sound and those who do not. I currently cannot decide where I stand. The new sound is neat, don’t get me wrong. It’s a good record for the most part. But nowhere during the listening session did my jaw drop open as it did upon listening to Watershed. I feel like that record essentially perfected Opeth’s sound, and perhaps that is why they have chosen to move in this direction… But honestly speaking, I feel like they should have retained some of their heaviness. Something about the new recording is just… Not there.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Charles-Conover/100002902988403 Charles Conover

    well. having listened to the record, I can say its definitely unlike anything they released so far. The closest comparison available as pointed out would be Damnation, but that would be about it. Perhaps this record should have been named Watershed, because it will indeed be the watershed moment between fans that embrace the new sound and those who do not. I currently cannot decide where I stand. The new sound is neat, don’t get me wrong. It’s a good record for the most part. But nowhere during the listening session did my jaw drop open as it did upon listening to Watershed. I feel like that record essentially perfected Opeth’s sound, and perhaps that is why they have chosen to move in this direction… But honestly speaking, I feel like they should have retained some of their heaviness. Something about the new recording is just… Not there.

  • Z00ber

    Sounds great, I am happy Opeth are coming out with something my wife will let me play in the car without complaining about Mikael’s “demon voice”.

  • Kuranes

    I’ve been an Opeth fan since 1998.  This change isn’t really a surprise; the Robin Trower cover they did on the Burden single suggested they were leaning this way.  I’ll miss the growls but I can still dig this.

  • Cmergy

    THIS IS NOT OPETH ANYMORE!! ITS NOW BLOPETH

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=689309746 Mrigank Bhowmick

    If this song had a pussy I would worship it and then make slow love to it the whole day (and all of the night)

  • TJ

    I’m not that impressed by this, it’s a cool sound to be sure, and I think it will be an interesting album. But to call it innovative and challenging is really out of the question. This is really just the follow up to Damnation, but with more synth, lets not dress it up as something it isn’t. Blackwater Park is and always will be Opeth’s masterstroke. If you like new Opeth more than old Opeth, then you’re really an Agalloch or Katatonia fan, or hell… maybe you’re even a Ghost fan and you just haven’t realized those bands are doing this sound better for longer (well ghost is new but regardless). To say this song is more dynamic than, say, The Drapery Falls, is insane. 

  • TJ

    I’m not that impressed by this, it’s a cool sound to be sure, and I think it will be an interesting album. But to call it innovative and challenging is really out of the question. This is really just the follow up to Damnation, but with more synth, lets not dress it up as something it isn’t. Blackwater Park is and always will be Opeth’s masterstroke. If you like new Opeth more than old Opeth, then you’re really an Agalloch or Katatonia fan, or hell… maybe you’re even a Ghost fan and you just haven’t realized those bands are doing this sound better for longer (well ghost is new but regardless). To say this song is more dynamic than, say, The Drapery Falls, is insane.