Release Date: Jun 3, 2008
Label: Roadrunner
Genres: Scandinavian Metal, Progressive Metal, Goth Metal
Number Of Tracks: 7
Opeth take more steps in a new direction than in assuring that they maintain their meticulously high standard.
Featured review by:
UG Team, on june 16, 2008 4 of 5 people found this review helpful
Sound: Perhaps it’s in the water, perhaps it’s Roadrunner’s relentless promotion, but whatever the reason may be, the hive mind of the metal legions has been solely dedicated to the release (or, for the more impatient of us, leak) of this, the newest ‘observation’ from Opeth. They’ve got a new drummer, a new guitarist and as always, they have quite a name to live up to. Of course, it is not just the Opeth name that sets expectations for this album, but the unbelievable hype that’s been generated by people as the disc eventually leaked to the internet. Business as usual, perhaps, for a band this big but this album is an entirely different beast to what you might expect. The immediacy of opening track ‘Coil’ is one that left me quite taken aback, as if I had skipped to the middle of a song rather than just put on a CD. After what is quite a tranquil and pretty opening number, what appears to be normal service resumes, However even though the familiar sound of flattened-5th badassery is present, there is most definitely a wholly different atmosphere to that of ‘Ghost Reveries’ or indeed any other album.
Even though this album is soft to the point of it being a prog rock album with death metal playing second fiddle, the feel of these songs is entirely different. The easy way out would be to attribute this to the two new members, Fredrik Åkesson on guitars and more specifically Martin Axenrot on drums. It must be said that the Latin subtleties of previous drummer Martin Lopez is missing, but what Axenrot lacks in exotic influence, he brings forward in the form of a domineering and über-confident attitude. His ominous presence on the music can be felt as soon as he is heard on the fervent dirge introducing ‘Heir Apparent’, and is felt for a fair while after the more doom-laden passage closing ‘Hex Omega’. Now, my own personal yearning for the reunion of the Lopez-Mendez groove machine aside, Axenrot performs absolutely astonishingly. Actually, it would be unfair to say that any one of Opeth has not hit the level of excellence displayed by Axenrot as far as their own personal performance goes. Åkesson’s moments comes mostly in the form of his guitar solos, which put an interesting technical spin on some of the music and bring in a melodic style not found in Opeth before.
Despite the noticeable and significant impact that both of these new members have had on the sound, it is I feel in the keyboards and piano of Per Wiberg that the most important atmospheric change occurs. Wiberg has truly broken in as an established and vital piece of Opeth’s puzzle. On ‘Ghost Reveries’ he would lurk in the background, adding some stuff here and there to enhance the mood, whereas on ‘Watershed’ he very much is the mood. There are a surprising number of occasions where the rest of the band sits back while Per takes centre-stage with a lead melody or a solo, or surprisingly enough when miscellaneous instruments such as oboes and violins will get a moment. Opeth have always been ones to experiment, but the amount of different textures to be found on this album is quite impressive. They have branched out excessively and found themselves in some weird territory, which results in quite a few of the songs reaching a point where there is no apparent direction. As is displayed perfectly on ‘Hessian Peel’ (funnily enough, the only song to break the 10 minute mark), a brief acoustic interlude followed by a piano solo reaches a horrible anti-climax, at which point Opeth decide to bring out the metal which, as quality as it is, appears to be purposeful only as a means to continue the song. This tendency to drift around aimlessly (and I swear, ‘Porcelain Heart’ is the most rigidly structured meandering song I have ever heard) plagues a few songs on this album. When you look at the Opeth of old, the songs were drawn out but always had a definite direction to head in, and while parts of ‘Watershed’ do not have that, it is far from lost in songs like ‘Burden’ and ‘The Lotus Eater’.
Quite a shock, indeed. While the album is undeniably Opeth’s most progressive album, the way in which some of the songs progress (if they do at all) is not as convincingly professional as we have come to expect from Opeth. Don’t get me wrong though, this complaint, as significant as it is, does not apply to the entire album and the first four tracks especially are immaculately crafted and executed. Every song has its moments; in fact almost all of the music found here is vastly enjoyable. Whether it’s ‘Hessian Peel’s diverse playground for bassist Martin Mendez to shine through, or the highly energetic blastbeat/clean vocal combination of ‘The Lotus Eater’, this album does have all of the makings of a quality progressive metal album, and it is simply the bands position in an experimental phase that prevents it from reaching their usual level of excellence. // 8
Lyrics and Singing: When talking extensively about Opeth, it is incredibly unusual to get so far without even mentioning the name of Mikael Åkerfeldt, but it is always a safe bet that his vocal performance will always blow you away. ‘Watershed’ is no exception. His death growls, while heavily underutilised, are better than they have ever been, with an astoundingly low tone reached, further extending his impressive range. Taking up a more prominent role here are his clean vocals, which are as great as ever. However, the way they are produced in quieter sections can be quite undefined, and sink further into the middle of the mix than lead vocals really should be. It is no big problem, although a little more power in some of the longer and more repetitive sections would have done wonders.
Now, one department where this album meets and even exceeds expectations is in the lyrics. The booklet that comes in the bizarrely packaged special edition does not contain any lyrics, instead opting for suggestive imagery and some mysterious code. However, fans transcriptions have been accepted fairly quickly as what is being said by Mikael, and the lyrics are absolutely fantastic. They take the familiar Opeth imagery and poetic feel and mould it around one very large and incredibly intriguing concept. While I’m sure definitive meanings for all of the lyrics will be discovered over time, ‘Watershed’ seems to be a concept album concerned with a family plagued by bad luck and the death of a mother figure. Throughout the album there appear to be different perspectives used and events referenced (most notably the ‘conversation’ between Akerfeldt and guest vocalist Natalie Lorichs) which all add up to quite an involving and moving experience. // 9
Impression: Well, what can I say? ‘Watershed’ has been receiving universal acclaim, and ratings as a career highlight from many fans, however there is a certain coldness about it and a slightly unfocused feel particularly on the latter half of the album that puts me off. There are leads and vocal parts all over this album that are typical Opeth, however there is just a mystery X factor that is holding back the full emotional rollercoaster that albums like ‘Blackwater Park’ displayed so well. ‘Unsatisfactory’ may be too harsh a word as this Opeth do deliver the goods, just in a somewhat scattered form. Even on that oh-so-exciting first listen, after 3 years of waiting, after the frankly exhilarating album highlight ‘Heir Apparent’, the album as a whole does not feel quite right. I have faith that this road Opeth are one will lead them to more great heights, however ‘Watershed’ is not one of them. // 7
Reviewed by:
unregistered, on june 23, 2008 2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Sound: The sound, on it's own, is a unique blend of all of Opeth's great predecessors, Blackwater Park, Ghost Reveries, Still Life, and Deliverance. With the bland of the eerie, Watershed manages to convince the listner that Opeth has not forgotten it's ways, despite the success of Ghost of Reveries. From the misleading intro, Coil, to the beautiful finale in Hex Omega, Opeth proves once again they are the best metal band going today.
01. Coil - a beautiful acoustic introduction with vocal performances by a Swedish singer and Mikael Akerfeldt. Coil contains a beautiful chorus and does what it's suppose to introduce Watershed
02. Heir Apparent - perhaps the heaviest Opeth song written thus far. With the combination of keyboards, frantic guitar works, and manic growls from Akerfeldt, Heir Apparent manages to take the throne as one of the best songs Opeth has ever written. Truely a wonderful highlight of album.
03. The Lotus Eater - Akerfeldt was reported in saying that this was his favorite song of the new album, and I can understand why. If people want to try and grab a taste of the direction where Opeth is headed for, listen to the Lotus Eater. With eerie jazzy keyboarding and a spectacular chorus delivery, Opeth manages to be 3 for 3 here.
04. Burden - like Harvest, A Fair Judgement, Reverie/Harlequin Forest, Burden fills the emotional side of Akerfeldt/Opeth. By the acoustic end you will smile, due to the showing off guitar work expressed in the song. The last two minutes of this song is perhaps the most beautiful I've ever heard Opeth sound.
05. Porcelain Heart - the first single, and perhaps the weakest of the new album. Despite it being my least favorite of Watershed, that doesn't make it a bad song. On the contrary, it's a very good song. "Rest your head now, don't you cry, don't ever ask the reason why" is some of Akerfeldt's best clean vocal performance.
06. Hessian Peel - the main even in the album. There is not much to say about this song other then the word Breathless. From the misleading clean guitar work to the manic growling, Hessian Peel has potentially taken the throne of my top 3 Opeth songs of all time. A true Opeth classic that never becomes dull with the 2nd, 3rd, 100th listen.
07. Hex Omega - the closure of the album and it's an impecabble one at that. The final chords to watershed alone destroy anything that is playing in radios today. // 10
Lyrics and Singing: Akerfeldt never disappoints his fans with cheesy lyrics or bad vocal performances. In fact, Watershed is Mikael at his best. Though not as dynamic like Still life or eerie like Ghost Reveries, I like to think Watershed is in a category of its own. Watershed combines the darkness of Deliverance and the beauty of Blackwater Park and turns it into one dynamic gem of its own form. // 10
Impression: I must be honest, I listened to this album before it was released. With its first play on my Ipod, I vowed on June 3rd I would be at my local CD store to support the best band going today. Watershed is not just music, it's an experience. // 10
Reviewed by:
siegel, on june 16, 2008 2 of 4 people found this review helpful
Sound: Opeth's 9th "observation", Watershed, is finally here, three years after Ghost Reveries, and I had no idea what it would sound like considering the huge difference in style from Deliverance/Damnation to Ghost Reveries. Two songs were released as singles, Lotus Eater and Porcelain Heart. I have to say that I was a bit nervous the first time I heard these songs. The Lotus Eater was unlike any other Opeth song, with Akerfeldt rapidly alternating screams and clean vox and an upbeat keyboard groove coming from out of nowhere. Porcelain Heart seemed to be missing some death growls and was a tad short for Opeth's standard ten minute format. After a few more listens, though, I saw the genius of these songs and realized that Watershed was going to be another masterpiece, which I can now say is true. The arguably "more death metal" new band members, Axenrot on drums and Akesson on guitar, threatened to take away some of the progressive element, but it all worked out well. Axenrot, while noticeably different in style from Martin Lopez (definitely more blastbeats) is extremely capable and knows when to tone it down and when to turn on the jets. Akesson brings the element of shredding to Opeth, but it is tasteful and in moderation and fits very well into the songs. Also, this is the album where keyboardist Per Wiberg really shines. There is a lot of keyboard in this album, but at no point do you think "Ugh, get rid of the friggin keyboard there." Whether it's just backing chords or the times when he plays a melody unaccompanied by other instruments, I'm really digging the keyboard. Mendez also delivers the goods with many well timed bass grooves. Right, so here's a little song by song analysis:
01. Coil - a short acoustic opener with guest vocals by Natalie Lorichs (her only appearance and yes, Akerfeldt also sings on this song). Beautiful song with great singing and a sweet acoustic riff heard a couple of times.
02. Heir Apparent - possibly their heaviest song ever. I'd describe it as Master's Apprentices on steroids. If you aren't headbanging and/or playing air guitar at some point during this song, something is terribly wrong. Gnarly dimented riffage, a creepy acoustic interlude, and a brilliant outro melody make this an Opeth classic.
03. The Lotus Eater - unlike any other Opeth song, for reasons mentioned earlier. The middle part with a mellow yet dark guitar thing followed by some groovin keyboard jamz is very cool, but the best part is after this when the song kicks back up with an out of left field riff and a very interesting vocal melody that eventually fades into some shady characters speaking in different languages. Cool song.
04. Burden - the "ballad" of this album. It took a few listens to get used to this, considering it's softer and at times simpler than the usual Opeth song, but then I saw that this is a masterful song that many would not expect to be the kind of thing Opeth excels at. At first it is carried not by a clever guitar lick but by keyboards and some very good singing. It then escalates into a guitar/keyboard jam with less structure than usual, but it is still awesome. It ends with acoustic guitars playing a cool upbeat folkish thing and then slowly being detuned while still playing, creating an ominous effect. Great song.
05. Porcelain Heart - with no screams and a more definitive direction than typical Opeth songs, it is easy to see why they made a video for this. Don't get me wrong though, this is still a great song with a lot to offer. It really shines in the two soft parts where Akerfeldt is pretty much by himself singing and playing guitar. The second of these soft parts is particularly goosebump inducing. Another great song.
06. Hessian Peel - from the solitary bass note it begins with, you know this is going to be epic. It starts with a happy little melody that seems innocent until a crooked note is thrown in that foreshadows the coming storm. After a good six minutes or so of being soft and pretty with one of my favorite clean vocal performances of the album, it erupts into some mammoth riffs and the rest is history. The longest and definitely one of the top songs of Watershed.
07. Hex Omega - last song. Like Porcelain Heart, it has heavy riffs but no screaming and the best parts are the soft parts. I would describe the clean part as transcendent yet immense, if that makes any sense what'soever. It ends with a slow and glorious riff, and that's the album. Very good way to end it. // 10
Lyrics and Singing: Opeth's lyrics are the kind that don't always seem to make sense, but are definitely well thought out poetry, and I'm not looking for life lessons from a death metal band, so this is the way it should be. My favorites here are probably those of Porcelain Heart. More important is the singing. This album really emphasizes Akerfeldt's clean voice, which is present in large doses in all but Heir Apparent. For those unfamiliar, Akerfeldt has an uncannily good voice for someone in a death metal band. On the other side of the spectrum, his screams are great like usual, although there are a good bit less than say, the Deliverance album (I think his vocal cords are slowly dying, so maybe that's for the best) My only miniscule complaint is that after "fields of sorrow" in Coil, "ocean of sorrow" in Burden was a tad repetitive. For that reason (but mostly because some people disregard perfect 10 scores, which this deserves), I'm giving a 9 here. // 9
Impression: Watershed holds it's own and more against any other Opeth album (not that there's any need to compare masterpieces). The point is that this is a thoroughly mind-blowing artistic statement that stands above most metal and music in general. A cool thing about this album is that it is Opeth's first record that is truly diverse in it's sound from song to song. If I had to pick my favorite tracks, I'd say Heir Apparent and Hessian Peel, but they are all top notch. Please buy this. It is worth way more than the $12.98 I paid at Target (that deal ends very soon, so hurry). // 10
Reviewed by:
undeaded, on june 16, 2008 0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Sound: There are few bands that could be considered peerless in the music scene but Opeth are one of the ones that are leagues and bounds ahead of anyone considering themselves to be tagged with 'Progressive Death Metal'. So it's no wonder that when there's rumours of an Opeth album in the works, the whole metal community waits with baited breath and hope for the outcome. This album was held up by high expectations of the incredible standards we've come to expect of Opeth. Following up 'Ghost Reveries' was never going to be an easy task, but, and sorry to ruin the ending, Opeth come out triumphant. Mixing the 1970esque Prog-Rock album 'Damnation' and the the heavy sounds of 'Deliverance', 'Watershed' stands at the ground for leaving behind the full on death metal assaults, but using the rough vocals to accentuate the music. The album is both deceptively soft and deceptively rough and while Mikael Åkerfeldt is happy to share duties with native pop vocalist Nathalie Lorichs on 'Coil', the blastbeats are ever present in songs such as 'Hessian Peel' and 'The Lotus Eater' although used sparingly to form the dynamics and textures we are so used to with Opeth. // 9
Lyrics and Singing: Mikael Åkerfeldt has all the credentials to sing clean and growl in a melodic death metal band and Opeth takes many of it's sounds from the Gothenburg metal and moulds it to a prog rock song structure (or lack thereof). Åkerfeldt sounds as strong to this day as he ever was. His growls are distinctive and switches to clean, melodic singing to give the songs their dynamic feel and tempo changes of the prog rock genre. The lyrics themselves are laced with metaphors and imagery. Many seem to be addressed to certain people with lines such as 'Why did you leave me?' and 'You follow the siren in your head', which gives the lyrics a personal meaning to Åkerfeldt. The lyrics however seem to tell a story without being too explicit, leaving a lot up to the imagination. // 8
Impression: Opeth will always be the bastion of 'progression' in any type of metal. There is no other band like them and while people may find the death part of progressive death metal hard to listen to, those who revel in it will be in for a treat as Mikael Åkerfeldt with his soaring riffs, imagery, textures and tempo changes take you on a ride through Watershed. It feels like a new beginning and a step in a different direction in progriseveness for Opeth. We can only wait and see. // 9
Reviewed by:
Burning_Angel, on june 16, 2008 0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Sound: Oepth are quite the enigma in Metal. I have no doubts, that, had any other band released Watershed, they probably wouldn't be considered metal. More progressive rock, I think. The album seems to have a loose concept, and is extremely, eerie sounding. There's elements of Death metal, metal, progressive rock, jazz, and even some blues in there. It starts with Coil, a nice acoustic opener, and Mikael Akerfeldt sings beautifully in the first half. The second half is sung by Nathalie Lorichs, and the first Opeth song to feature a guest, female vocalist. After this, we get the heaviest song on the album, Heir Apparent. Although it's heavy, of course, there's a good dose of acoustic thrown in, which contrasts the heaviness quite well. The Lotus Eater is the weirdest track, I think. It starts heavily, and in typical Opeth fashion, winds down toward the middle. Then a little break, and a jazz fusion part that completely took me by surprise. And the ending is just, awesome. Burden is entirely acoustic; almost a prog rock ballad, with some great soloing, and a really awesome ending. Porcelain Heart, I think, is the weakest track. It alternates between a doomy riff, and a beautiful classical guitar, and there's a nice mellow solo. Now! My favorite track, Hessian Peel. The first half is all mellow (save one riff), there's some beautiful vocals, and orchestral instruments. The second half is heavy, has an excellent solo, and one of my favorite Akerfeldt riffs ever. Finally, Hex Omega, It alternate between heavy and mellow, and is a great closer to the album. The bonus tracks are great too, if you have the Special Edition. // 10
Lyrics and Singing: Mikael Akerfeldt has always been one of my favorite lyricist's. This album is no exception. The lyrics fit the eerie atmosphere perfectly, and are very dark. Mikael Akerfeldt's vocal performance on this album is probably his best ever. His clean singing has gotten better throughout Opeth's lengthy career, and the singing is even better than on Ghost Reveries (which, I thought, was his previous best). His singing is very emotional and melodic, and his growls are, as usual, top notch. The growls aren't used much however; that's one of my few gripes with the album. // 10
Impression: Watershed has actually taken the throne from Still Life and My Arms, Your Hearse, as my favorite Opeth album. The songs aren't quite as long winded (the songs are more around mayh in length), and they aren't repetitive in the least. All of the songs are great, but standouts would be, Hessian Peel, Burden, The Lotus Eater, and Heir Apparent. Even Porcelain Heart, the weakest track, is still good. As I said, the only thing I wish, is that there were a bit more growls. If it were lost or stolen, this is an album that I would actually take the time to go out and purchase again. In short, get it. It's my pick for best of 08, already. // 10
Reviewed by:
unregistered, on june 17, 2008 0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Sound: I have had high expectations to this album, and have waited for too long. The waiting, has been worthwhile and to this date, I feel Watershed is one of Opeth's greatest works. The album is very fragmented though, due to their amount of movements have outnumbered it's potential. But nothing is perfect, and as far as complaints go, my subjective and personal opinion is that Watershed could have lasted longer. It could have been more structured, but due to my appreciation of unnatural movements, it's just the thing for me. // 9
Lyrics and Singing: Not much to say about the lyrics really, because no lyrics came with the Special Edition. But luckily, Mikael Åkerfeldt's voice came in digital-sound format directly in my post. His voice is as beautiful as always and of course: Brutal as always. But I prefer his calmer moments with haunting, semi-dissonant acoustic background music. As I have read in several interviews, he has told "he is not a good clean singer blahblah", but Mikael? // 8
Impression: 01. Coil - a very beautiful opener. Relaxing but short. Too short.
02. Heir Apparent - powerful contrast to the opener. Starts out with partly odd-timed dissonance, leading fluently into a haunting melodic line. There are some nice movements in this song, and Mikael's vocals are top notch. The acoustic passage and the outro is fantastic. Also includes an encore if I dare name it. Haunting song, one Opeth's best.
03. Lotus Eater - Opeth's shot at blastbeats with an apparently schitzopheric drummer. Look's like blastbeats just aren't Opeth-friendly, but I have to say, the rest of the song is mindblowing. Not to mention the insanley off-the-hook and cool jazz-funky wah-guitar/synth riff in the middle leading into one of Watersheds more interesting melodic riffs. Powerful ending too. I find myself rewinding to the jazz-funk riff now and then. It just have to be heard!
04. Burden - "Oh, hello '70s-Opeth, I really love your solo on Burden!" Yeah, I do. A haunting solo which can contest Dream Theater and Joe Satriani. Not on techinque, but on the feel. It is one haunting song, with an ending even more haunting. No fear, you will get your sleep tonight, because Burden also includes one synth-solo which bring Opeth even closer to Dream Theater and Porcupine Tree. And about that ending: I'll let someone else spoil it for you, because it is actually very strange and obscure.
05. Porcelain Heart - I really hope you did not watch the music video with a consumer-friendly cut of the song. Get the CD and listen to the real shit. Porcelain Heart is another very haunting piece from my Swedish neightbours. Very strange composition in the beginning with alternating heavy and calm (another haunting one) acoustic some times before it develops into a repetition which does not feel boring at all. Porcelain Heart comes packed with both a sudden ending and a nice acoustic bridge! (Also another haunting one, just the way I like Opeth) Porcelain Heart may or may not be boring, but non-proggers are most likely to skip it, and watch the music video with MTV-friendly women.
06. Hessian Peel - several minutes of acoustic goosebumps are just what I needed when I arrived at track 6. Very nice buildup: Calm acoustic, drums and bass coming in, the vocals hovering above and the keyboards float like waterlilies, and suddenly, some classical piano "kicks" in. The following is a weird rythm of bass-pulses which happen to be followed by Opeth's most extreme riff to date. Marduk anyone? Anyways, from that point, Hessian Peel is a ride of joy and energy which I have never heard Opeth kick before. A great solo and a nice outro leading into the epilogue.
07. Hex Omega - I could as well have listened to Dream Theater instead of Hex Omega, but apparently this song attracts me. It has a nice middle-eastern flavour to it. It is a very interestic song, but loses a little of the calm and serenity which usually comes from an Opeth song. But I am not one to blame someone for making their own music. A good song anyways. A well deserved 7 because of a very climatic ending.
Bonuses from the Special Edition:
08. Derelict Herd - not a very interesting song. Cool hook but not much else.
09. Bridge Of Sighs - cover of Robin Trower. Never heard the original, but at least from what Opeth has showed me, it is a psychedelic 70's song with good vocals and guitar work.
10. Den Standiga Resan - Opeth cover of a Marie Fredriksson song. Very beautiful folk-track with some interesting guitarwork.
So, despite a few flaws, Watershed is an album which is intersting from start to finish and has a lot of musical ideas which Opeth must work more on. They are really up to something big. Except for that, there is not much bad things to say about it. Though, I still believe a few non-proggers out there would want their money back for being too impatient to let art grow on them. Opeth is not just about the metal. Opeth is art. // 8
Reviewed by:
BringMeTheCalm, on june 16, 2008 0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Sound: Oh yes. It's arrived. Chances are if you're reading this, you already own the album or have heard it through other means. However, for those of you that haven't, you're in for a treat. Opeth's ninth studio album further proves that Opeth are not a band for convention. On this effort, Mikael Akerfeldt and Co take a different approach to their sound than on other albums. This may be partially influenced by the inception of two new members: Frederik Akesson and Martin Axenrot on guitar and drums respectively. The performance by each of them on this album proves that they are able to live up to the quality of Lindgren and Lopez (the former guitarist and drummer respectively). Overall, this album has a softer, more melancholic sound than previous efforts. However, when Opeth unleashes their brutality in such tracks as Heir Apparent, it crushes the face of the listener in full force. In fact, Heir Apparent, possibly Opeth's heaviest song to date, feels as if they took all the heavy parts from previous albums and placed them into an incredible 8:50. This isn't to say that the softer songs are bad, quite the opposite. Burden, the "overblown ballad" is incredibly good. Several of the songs are more progressive and experimental such as The Lotus Eaters and Hessian Peel. Each song on the album shows Opeth advancing in an entirely new direction. This album may take a few listens to grow on you, but when it does it will be well worth it to hear these amazing peices of music. // 10
Lyrics and Singing: Mikael Akerfeldt, always a great singer, really brings out his best clean performance to date with the vocals on this album. He ranges from catchy, to melancholic, to haunting with ease. The growls, although used much less than on previous albums, are also excellent. I do, however, wish that Mikael used some more growls, despite the greatness of his clean voice. Lyrically, this album is also different than previous efforts. The lyrics are not printed in the booklet of the album except in a bizzare sort of code that one must crack in order to figure them out. However, the lyrics that can be heard (many, due to Akerfeldt's great voice) seem to deal with a recurring theme of a death in the family. This album may be a concept album, but that isn't confirmed at this point in time. Overall there is a solid vocal performance and solid lyrics like one would expect from Opeth. // 9
Impression: The album, as previously stated, is much less brutal than Opeth's past catalouge, but there are still moments where the heaviness is apparent. From this great album, Heir Apparent, The Lotus Eaters, and Burden are some of the real stand out tracks. Overall, this album leaves the listener with a great impression. If you've never heard of Opeth, I strongly recommend listening to this CD. Even if you don't like their previous stuff, you're almost sure to find something here you like amidst the sea of experimentation. // 10
God's Guitarist
: yeh im really digging it...like all their stuff since BWP. its definately not as focused as previous albums, which is a nice change i think because whilst they are definately not formulaic i think they're tricks were becoming a tad ahh predictable or maybe overused IMO - akerfled, saying the music is reflective of his current mind: "a little ****ed up, musicly" which i think sums it up pretty well haha
album still has some incredible opeth moments in each song for sure. i read the first review and agree with that mostly. POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 05:19 am / quote|
chimpinatux
: I will by this tomorrow, no doubt about it POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 05:30 am / quote|
skyfire322
: Opeth never ceases to amaze me. I thought that the departure of Lopez and Lindgren would be detrimental to them, but with the additions of Martin Axenrot and Akkeson, I was surprised. Everyone said that Fredrik would overplay the guitar, and no one really heard Axe's drumming (not a very well known drummer). They both exceeded my expectations and as Mendez says in the documentary on the Special Edition DVD "I believe this is the strongest Opeth line up... Ever."
The covers are amazing. I cannot stop listening to Bridge of Sighs. Thats one of my favorite songs of all time, and to hear Mikael's voice soar over their beautiful rendition of it, made it that much sweeter.
I,Voyager
: I like duncang's review, but I think overall it deserves more than an 8...
If only comparing it to Opeth's previous efforts, I'd agree, but since it kicks the shytt out of pretty much any other album released in months, it seemed like the overall score was bit too reserved. POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 05:45 am / quote|
I like duncang's review, but I think overall it deserves more than an 8...
If only comparing it to Opeth's previous efforts, I'd agree, but since it kicks the shytt out of pretty much any other album released in months, it seemed like the overall score was bit too reserved.
Agreed.
I also disagree with his claims of Porcelain heart and Hessian Peel lacking direction. As well as lacking some vague, "mysterious X factor." Which, as much as I like duncang and value his opinions, is completely a joke of a statement to make about anything. If you can't find any better descriptor than that, you need to clarify your thoughts before writing a review. POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 06:13 am / quote|
*these metal bands...sorry XDDD POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 07:36 am / quote|
Mahoru
: My 3rd favourite Opeth album for the moment. I'll explain everything this week, since I'll also write a review. POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 08:18 am / quote|
LedFan1211
: Great review guys. If you haven't yet please buy this album. POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 08:48 am / quote|
Magero
: Probably should write a review of this as I have some vast conflicting emotions.... POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 09:38 am / quote|
Hannakins
: I can't wait to get thissss. POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 10:28 am / quote|
Janneee
: have to buy this album :P POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 10:44 am / quote|
ever dying
: Sorry duncang.. I don't quite agree with you..
But if you feel this way, I would ask you to listen again?
Delanoir: My thoughts are perfectly clarified. The fact of the matter is that music evokes emotions that cannot be described in words and I think I have done well in putting most of the potential reasons down. It's the same reason that I have never reviewed an album by Tool, because the things their music do to me are not at all possible for me to put into words. It wasn't optional for me to do this review, so if you don't mind, don't tell me that I should have done anything before writing it because I have deadlines to meet.
korinaflyingv: Unfortunately my opinion has become more and more negative as time has gone on, I now would take back that ANY of this album is 'immaculately crafted'.
ever dying: I've listened to the album around 12 or 13 times, and with each listen I have become more disappointed. POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 01:25 pm / quote|
duncang wrote:
(A message offering rebuttal to people asking questions.)
Even though I agree with your views on the album and you make perfect sense through your address to said people in your comment/post, it'd be best if you would lay off addressing future naysayers, since more conflict would likely come your way. You are perfectly entitled to your own opinions, but this page would probably turn into some great debate about just your review. That's never a good thing.
Watershed doesn't really do anything for me. It's a great album, but I myself prefer My Arms, Your Hearse, Ghost Reveries, and Damnation. These albums just have some mystical quality about them that Watershed couldn't capture. This album will probably grow on me, but, for now, I'll just have listen to it again. POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 02:14 pm / quote|
aznrockerdude
: I read on Prog Archives that this album isn't as good as the other ones because it's too 'light' for metalheads and too heavy for everyone else.
But since it has the least 'death metal' growls of all their albums (apart from Damnation), it may be what some people were waiting for... POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 02:17 pm / quote|
Opethfan1
: one of their best i would say. i love the direction they went with this album. the special edition is amazing i love the DVD and unreleased tracks. POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 02:18 pm / quote|
ReiDSaN
: Sorry to be a foolish metal tourist, but what is a "blastbeat" ? POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 02:25 pm / quote|
duncang wrote:
My thoughts are perfectly clarified. The fact of the matter is that music evokes emotions that cannot be described in words and I think I have done well in putting most of the potential reasons down. It's the same reason that I have never reviewed an album by Tool, because the things their music do to me are not at all possible for me to put into words. It wasn't optional for me to do this review, so if you don't mind, don't tell me that I should have done anything before writing it because I have deadlines to meet.
Alright, fair enough. I was under the impression that writing this review was of your own choice and whim. POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 03:05 pm / quote|
mrrman
: didnt care for the band at Progreesive Tour 2008, too much yelling...found them annoying but liked the music POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 03:22 pm / quote|
Cynoxx
: They've done it again. Opeth is really one of the most talented bands around. Mikael is incredible in "Burden". It gave me shivers. Brr. POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 04:44 pm / quote|
The Black Salts
: I really have to go out and buy this. POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 04:56 pm / quote|
I like duncang's review, but I think overall it deserves more than an 8...
If only comparing it to Opeth's previous efforts, I'd agree, but since it kicks the shytt out of pretty much any other album released in months, it seemed like the overall score was bit too reserved.
Agreed.
I also disagree with his claims of Porcelain heart and Hessian Peel lacking direction. As well as lacking some vague, "mysterious X factor." Which, as much as I like duncang and value his opinions, is completely a joke of a statement to make about anything. If you can't find any better descriptor than that, you need to clarify your thoughts before writing a review.
I pretty much agree. It was a good review but the scores were lacking. I like this album more every time I hear it! POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 05:36 pm / quote|
gm jack
: The big question is why are some of the instruments done as poor quality keyboard patches, rather than getting studio musicians?
Also, the keyboards are a bit too up front. I prefer them as they were in Ghost Reveries, where they were used to great effect. Here, they just seem to have been pushed in.
That said, it isn't a bad album, but itn't as good as some of their other work. POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 05:58 pm / quote|
Sorry to be a foolish metal tourist, but what is a "blastbeat" ?
A beat which uses a fast succession of a single bass stroke, followed by a single snare stroke (or vice versa). Think of it as a typical early-thrash-metal drum beat (Sepultura's a good example), but sped up. A lot! =P
If you require an aural example, try listening to some Nile... (:
On an a more Opeth-ish topic...
Only heard Porcelain Heart from this one so far, sounds different but promising!
But I don't think they're ever going to top Blackwater Park. Am I right...? POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 06:21 pm / quote|
Sorry to be a foolish metal tourist, but what is a "blastbeat" ?
A beat which uses a fast succession of a single bass stroke, followed by a single snare stroke (or vice versa). Think of it as a typical early-thrash-metal drum beat (Sepultura's a good example), but sped up. A lot! =P
If you require an aural example, try listening to some Nile... (:
On an a more Opeth-ish topic...
Only heard Porcelain Heart from this one so far, sounds different but promising!
But I don't think they're ever going to top Blackwater Park. Am I right...?
Yeah, Blackwater Park is THE Opeth Album. Ghost of Perdition is equal to Damnation POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 07:22 pm / quote|
Avedas
: Best album ever. POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 07:49 pm / quote|
And yes, they did top Blackwater Park Well, I think so. If they didn't with this, they will with the next effort - The 'immature' 'scattered' sound of the album is probably not helped by the departure of Axe and Peter. By the next album, We'll hopefully have this new line-up set in stone, stable, and ready to release Opeth's maturest, AND most diverse album. And that means Blackwater Park + Watershed. Imagine how ****ing amazing that would be.
Oh yeah, and Watershed is the best album of 2008 so far.
I see this stage of Lindgren's departure as a similar story to the departure of Tarja Turunen from Nightwish. A very different new sound was inevitable, and the new albums were bound to be immature with the bands very likely not 'fully settled in' yet. And this is true of Watershed by Opeth and Dark Passion Play by Nightwish.
I feel that Nightwish will next release the best album of their career, and Opeth shall do the same, for the same reasons, hopefully.
We shall see...
Oh, and DO NOT judge this album on Porcelain Heart (or Hex Omega for that fact). They are the two poor songs of the album, the rest of it is ENTIRELY the opposite end of the spectrum - Way more diverse and infintely progressive. What Porcelain Heart is ever doing inbetween Burden and Hessian Peel (Two AMAZING songs), I will never know. POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 08:02 pm / quote|
And yes, they did top Blackwater Park Well, I think so. If they didn't with this, they will with the next effort - The 'immature' 'scattered' sound of the album is probably not helped by the departure of Axe and Peter. By the next album, We'll hopefully have this new line-up set in stone, stable, and ready to release Opeth's maturest, AND most diverse album. And that means Blackwater Park + Watershed. Imagine how ****ing amazing that would be.
Oh yeah, and Watershed is the best album of 2008 so far.
I see this stage of Lindgren's departure as a similar story to the departure of Tarja Turunen from Nightwish. A very different new sound was inevitable, and the new albums were bound to be immature with the bands very likely not 'fully settled in' yet. And this is true of Watershed by Opeth and Dark Passion Play by Nightwish.
I feel that Nightwish will next release the best album of their career, and Opeth shall do the same, for the same reasons, hopefully.
We shall see...
Oh, and DO NOT judge this album on Porcelain Heart (or Hex Omega for that fact). They are the two poor songs of the album, the rest of it is ENTIRELY the opposite end of the spectrum - Way more diverse and infintely progressive. What Porcelain Heart is ever doing inbetween Burden and Hessian Peel (Two AMAZING songs), I will never know.
Don't you mean Peter and Lopez's departure? Axe is the new drummer.
And I doubt Peter's leaving had much at all to do with the change in sound. Lopez, yes. But not Lindgren. Mikael said himself that Peter hadn't written much of anything for the band in over 10 years. However, I suppose that on the inverse, the fact that Fredrik actually does come up with usable material, and a very different kind, certainly makes some kind of impact.
And I truly enjoy both Porcelain Heart and Hex Omega, they just aren't as breathtaking as songs like Burden or Hessian Peel. POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 10:24 pm / quote|
killatm
: Why is everyone bashing Porcelain Heart. I think its a great song. Burden in the best song on Watershed IMO. POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 11:01 pm / quote|
I read on Prog Archives that this album isn't as good as the other ones because it's too 'light' for metalheads and too heavy for everyone else.
But since it has the least 'death metal' growls of all their albums (apart from Damnation), it may be what some people were waiting for...
Nothing like sitting in the middle and finding it just right... plenty of heavy and light in one beautiful package. But then, my tastes are all over the board. I agree it's short on the growls, but there aren't really any points where it feels like they could be that they aren't to me.
It's strange... I love this album, yet I keep nitpicking at it. I'll try to get my thoughts organized and post my own review.
The reason people bash Porcelain Heart is because it's fairly random in it's various segments (love the oboe - English horn duet though) and it meanders a lot with no apparent goal. It's a nice song, and it would be a masterpiece for most bands, but as Opeth goes it's on the weak side. POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 11:30 pm / quote|
KVX10 KING V
: This is exactly the step Opeth needed to take. It brings them back to the Blackwater Park days. The guitar tone is much improved since Ghost Reveries, and the clean/acoustic work is unparalled. I do find there is a lack of growling. The metal is pounding, the drums kick ass, and the solos are some of the best Opeth has put forth. Kudos. POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 11:44 pm / quote|
Vantage
: This album is the sex. POSTED: 06/16/2008 - 11:56 pm / quote|
kuovsk.anekask
: I was amazed when I first listened to the album, Axe's drumming style is so much more agressive. I miss the Lopez beats but at the same time I love the new ones. The blast beats are interesting, I don't think Opeth has ever used them before, and they use them quite tastefully (not to excess).
I find there isn't much difference in the guitar work, just a little bit more technical, I assume thanks to Fredrik.
I particularly like the way the keyboards have been used, and the session musicians (especially the oboes/cor anglais in Porcelain Heart - beautiful). They really help make each song so great.
I did find a couple of the songs to change very abruptly between sections, it sounded a bit weird. Not so much structure, but the trade-off is that they aren't repeating the same riff forever, which is my main criticism of older Opeth albums.
And IMHO there is no "best" Opeth album. They're all brilliant in their own way. Each album has something in common with it's predecessor but also explores completely new territory. Same with this album. Overall I think it's yet another incredible album from Opeth, and of course I'm wondering what on earth they're gonna do next - no doubt it will be yet again completely different. POSTED: 06/17/2008 - 07:26 am / quote|
zinzan91
: Great album! Some awesome songs on there. POSTED: 06/18/2008 - 12:19 am / quote|
JoshXXXXX
: honestly, the first time I listened to this album, I was trying to figure out what the hell Opeth had done. I really didn't like the majority of the album (save for Heir Apparent and Porcelain Heart). However, upon a few more listens and greater attention to detail, I grew to absolutely love it and take a greater appreciation for what they had done.
The greatest part about this album has the be the progressiveness and the diversity of the songs here. I love that Opeth is always changing and experimenting, however, I can see why the sound would turn a lot of people off. After listening to this though, I'm curious as to what Opeth will do next.
While the death vocals are great as usual, I don't feel that they've changed all that much, however, Mikael's clean vocals are just immaculate in this album, esp. on their cover of Den Standiga Resan, which contains his best vocals to date.
I must also mention that I have absolutely nothing against the new guitarist and drummer, and Per's keyboard playing. Compared to Ghost Reveries, the keyboards here are just ****ing great (Burden anyone?).
The only cons about the album are many of the transitions in the songs. Lots of awkward changes. And I bet everybody agrees with me here on this one, the fact that the bonus songs are on the DVD of the Special Edition instead of a normal CD is just bullshit. I was able to extract the audio though, but it's just so much more trouble.
In this album though, I would say that Heir Apparent and Burden stand out the most, and if anybody here got the special edition, Den Standiga Resan should also be included. I don't believe there is a bad song on this album, although Porcelain Heart is a bit boring at times, Mikael's vocals saved the song. POSTED: 06/28/2008 - 03:52 am / quote|
McMetal
: Like what JoshXXXXX said at the beginning, i didnt like this album that much the first time i listened to it, but I listened to it more in depth and i really like it. Watershed is one of the better Opeth albums for sure. POSTED: 06/30/2008 - 02:04 am / quote|
steve_a7x
: its one of those cds that when you buy it, you just cant stop listening to it, opeth are by far the best band, they are alot better than bands such as metallica, they are such amazing song writers. 10/10 for this album. POSTED: 06/30/2008 - 06:36 am / quote|
Shazazmic
: I want to lay this album down by the fire and do naughty, naughty things to it. POSTED: 06/30/2008 - 07:17 pm / quote|
Tumble-weed
: A must buy and a worthy contendor for album of the year. POSTED: 07/06/2008 - 03:57 pm / quote|
tomvidar
: Damn, I just realized I forgot to login on my account before posting a review. POSTED: 07/07/2008 - 07:37 pm / quote|
Why is everyone bashing Porcelain Heart. I think its a great song. Burden in the best song on Watershed IMO.
+1 burden is so amazing. it owns. and porcelain heart is an amazing song. if it wasn't for that song i wouldn't have bought this album. i never was huge into opeth until i heard about this new album. its just genius. POSTED: 07/13/2008 - 08:39 pm / quote|
pkweon
: just too awesome to describe a must buy! POSTED: 07/22/2008 - 08:22 am / quote|
Maggotkiller
: This cd confuses me I love it with a passion its probably in my top 5 albums of all time but its just a confusing piece of musical history especially coil and burden which ironicall are in my top three favorite tracks off the album but its so different from any of their previous work and i like them more like this POSTED: 08/11/2008 - 12:29 am / quote|
DIV ON!
: amazing album POSTED: 08/17/2008 - 11:26 am / quote|
roksta101
: awesome album...! hex omega is haunting...
burden's keyboard solo destroys.. POSTED: 08/19/2008 - 03:42 pm / quote|
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