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[!!!CPAOI!!!]

I did a search for Opeth topics and only found one way back in 2005.  There are some pretty serious headbangers on this forum and I wanted to open a discussion on this band's work.  They seem to have an extremely polarizing effect on metal fans, so I think a dialogue on their music and it's relevance in the metal world would be something actually stimulating to talk about amidst a slew of really stale threads.  I'll post my opinions if this thread actually goes somewhere (I really hope it does).  Cheers.

[Will]

Mikael blows me away with his ability to seamlessly bounce from cookie monster type vocals to clean vocals and back again.  It took me forever, but after much prodding by both one of my coworkers and my old bass player to check these guys out, I finally did, and I have to say I've been impressed.  I really think this band has a lot more to offer than your average metal band...so there's my two cents

[Gridgm]

there are better bands in the genre...but not by much...i like the latter stuff better than the earlier stuff despite what people say about them recycling material (i also love that bit jsut after the ten minute mark in deliverance)

[Dimmukane]

used to like them, when I thought the Gothenburg scene was king.  I still enjoy them, Ghost Reveries has some really sick drumming on it.  But nowadays, I tend to listen to less repetitive stuff, or Arsis - A Diamond For Disease.  That song is 13 minutes long, repeats itself just as much as Opeth, but somehow remains catchy.  It's much heavier, though.

[Scytale]

I love Opeth, especially "Morningrise", that album would be in my all time top 10. I can appreciate their entire catalogue but I enjoy their first three albums the most.

While Mikael's vocals are good the thing that I enjoy the most about Opeth is the song writing. A lot of their albums are incredibly well put together.

[Storm Rider]

Opeth is good and all, but I just feel they're way overrated. Like, I listen to them plenty, but I don't understand why so many people are like 'OMG BEST BAND EVAR'. Agalloch essentially does the same thing (folky post-metal) way better.

And I fucking love Arsis. I haven't listened to their newest yet, but A Celebration of Guilt is amazing. They sound so brutal without even tuning down very far.

[!!!CPAOI!!!]

Mikael blows me away with his ability to seamlessly bounce from cookie monster type vocals to clean vocals and back again.

I agree. His clean vocals are good, but what realy impress me are his death vocals.  They completely lack the "cookie monster" grunt that makes a lot of other death vocalists sound lame.  It's just intense, I think he really stands out as one of the best death vocalists out there.

used to like them, when I thought the Gothenburg scene was king.  I still enjoy them, Ghost Reveries has some really sick drumming on it.  But nowadays, I tend to listen to less repetitive stuff, or Arsis - A Diamond For Disease.  That song is 13 minutes long, repeats itself just as much as Opeth, but somehow remains catchy.  It's much heavier, though.

I don't think it's a good idea to lump Opeth in with the Gothenburg scene.  Sure they arose from it and influenced/have been influenced by it, but what they put together is so much more complex in terms of songwriting, mood, dynamics and theme than most Gothenburg acts.  I'm not saying that they're "too good" to have them tied in with your opinion on Gothenburg metal, I'm saying they've partaken a little too deeply of the prog juice to really be comparable.

Secondly, Arsis melt faces and destroy minds. But you're right, Arsis are MUCH more brutal and I wouldn't listen to Arsis in place of Opeth because they're accomplish two completely different things musically.

Opeth is good and all, but I just feel they're way overrated. Like, I listen to them plenty, but I don't understand why so many people are like 'OMG BEST BAND EVAR'. Agalloch essentially does the same thing (folky post-metal) way better.

And I fucking love Arsis. I haven't listened to their newest yet, but A Celebration of Guilt is amazing. They sound so brutal without even tuning down very far.

I agree that people need to get off of Opeth's collective dick, but that doesn't affect my love of the music.  But I could see how Opeth could be someone's favorite metal band, they're doing something great (IMHO) in a way that nobody else is.

Which brings be to my next point: I really don't like it when people say that Agalloch is "better" than Opeth.  As a huge fan of both bands I feel that, while they both produce long songs with dramatic mood shifts, the mood projected by their respective music is competely different.  The way they approach songwriting is different, as are the lyrical and musical themes.  I don't hear but traces of Agalloch's folk fixation in most of Opeth's work, and Agalloch simply aren't as technical or visceral as Opeth.  Additionally, Agalloch's atmospheric post-rock fixations don't really crop up in Opeth's work, who I would still classify as a progressive DM act.  Basically, I feel like they get lumped in together because they play exended, proggy versions of their respective styles of extreme metal, and that this isn't a good basis for doing so.  Compare their similarities?  Go ahead.  Assume enough similarity of sound to choose one over the other?  I think you're crazy.

Argue with me 

[KharBevNor]

My real problem with Opeth is not their music, it's their over-ratedness. Hard facts guys:

1. Opeth aren't very original, and the praise for them steals a LOT of thunder from better acts. Listen to songs like 'Enigma' or 'Twilight' by Edge of Sanity, or early Amorphis, or Ulvers first two albums for their inspiration, listen to Agalloch and Woods of Ypres for their contemporaries.
2. Most of Opeths songs are made by writing 2 or 3 standard length songs and clumsily bridging them together. Blackwater Park would work just as well if it was 16 tracks.
3. There is nothing technically more impressive about Akerfeldts vocals than there is about Dani Filths.

That said, they have some damn good tracks and you would be doing yourself a favour if you caught Opeth live. I haven't, I confess, actually been bothered to check out anything past Blackwater Park.

[!!!CPAOI!!!]

My real problem with Opeth is not their music, it's their over-ratedness. Hard facts guys:

1. Opeth aren't very original, and the praise for them steals a LOT of thunder from better acts. Listen to songs like 'Enigma' or 'Twilight' by Edge of Sanity, or early Amorphis, or Ulvers first two albums for their inspiration, listen to Agalloch and Woods of Ypres for their contemporaries.
2. Most of Opeths songs are made by writing 2 or 3 standard length songs and clumsily bridging them together. Blackwater Park would work just as well if it was 16 tracks.
3. There is nothing technically more impressive about Akerfeldts vocals than there is about Dani Filths.

That said, they have some damn good tracks and you would be doing yourself a favour if you caught Opeth live. I haven't, I confess, actually been bothered to check out anything past Blackwater Park.

I can't really argue with the 1st point (I'm not familiar with those other acts with the exception of Agalloch) or the 3rd (I haven't heard Dani Filth sing) but I take issue with the 2nd.  I don't find their bridging to be clumsy at all, and part of what makes an Opeth track for me is how each section complements the other elements of the composition.  I've never listened to an Opeth song that I thought should have been divided into several distinct parts.

[Dimmukane]

I'm not lumping them in with the Gothenburg scene.  I liked Opeth at the same time as I thought the Gothenburg scene was awesome.  That's all.  And the whole thing with Arsis is, if I'm going to listen to something repetitive, it might as well be heavier and more interesting.  The guitar break in A Diamond For Disease is fucking nuts, very few riffs come close to its awesomeness.

[timehat]

I can't really argue with the 1st point (I'm not familiar with those other acts with the exception of Agalloch) or the 3rd (I haven't heard Dani Filth sing) but I take issue with the 2nd.? I don't find their bridging to be clumsy at all, and part of what makes an Opeth track for me is how each section complements the other elements of the composition.? I've never listened to an Opeth song that I thought should have been divided into several distinct parts.

I think they probably could stand to split their songs up or at least reduce the amount of straight repetition. I really like Opeth, but I think that Mikael Akerfeldt is a pretty terrible songwriter in some aspects. If you want to make a really long song, I think it's best to come up with several ideas for restatement of your materials rather than crafting completely new sections to repeat without change 8 or 16 times until you hit the 13 minute mark.

[BeoPuppy]

I fall for opeth every time.

And I really don't like them. At all.

But every time there are Opeth fans near, or there's a discussion such as this and I think:'13 million Opeth fans can't be wrong!' ... and then I listen to them again and think:'Oh, wait ... they can.'

To me they are an example of a band whose hype is better than their music.

[Misereatur]

I'm a pretty big Opeth fan, I think I've spent more time listening, talking about them, and actually buying all of their albums then most of the Opeth fans I know. And tell you the truth? Even I think that they're getting more attention then the deserve.

Also, is anyone else disappointed with the last album, Ghost Reveries?

[Scytale]

I don't find their bridging to be clumsy at all, and part of what makes an Opeth track for me is how each section complements the other elements of the composition.  I've never listened to an Opeth song that I thought should have been divided into several distinct parts.

I agree with CPAOI here.

I actually think Opeth are incredibly good at structuring songs. "My Arms Your Hearse" is a perfect example, that album is one of the most cohessive concept albums I've heard. In fact, I would say It's one of the only concept albums I've heard where the music actually drives the story rather then the lyrics. The way that albums put together with the cyclical lyrics, the interludes (with the unspoken lyrics) to represent the change of the seasons and the music in the songs portreying the emotions of the characters is incredible.

I get choked up during the transitionary part of "When", (the part following "In dismay, strangest twist upon her lips. Graven face, she said my name." ) you can just feels the narators pain as he relaises she's trying to move on, the music becomes almost a dirge as the clean singing comes in then the music picks up again and starts becomming more frantic, he starts pleading to in desperation ("When can I take you from this place"). Then just as it peaks you go straight into the slow tempo of  the interlude"Madrigal" where the narator slips into self pity as the Spring ends and summer begins. then you get the  transisitions into "The Amen Corner" which keeps Madrigal slow pacr and slowlys builds in intensity as he starts gets disgusted with her for turning to Religon to deal with her grief ("Finding solace in the words I do despise"). Then it conitunues as he realises how much she's changed and he starts feeling sorry again, the acoustic part hits ("The bond we never spoke of, once stark and enticing, now slowly smoldering to dust"). 

Well you get the idea not once in that album is there a riff out of place or unneccisary repition. I could go on and on about MAYH for hours so I'll stop now but suffice to say, anyone who criticises Opeths song writing seriously need to have a sit through MAYH. Every riff on that album adds to the story it's incredible.

So yeah I'm an Opeth fan and I think they deserve all the credit they get, at least on their first three albums, they are near flawless IMO.  "Still Life" and BWP are good but they just don't evoke the same feelings as the early stuff. "Deliverance" and "Damnation" they were sort of testing the waters for "Ghost Reveries" I'd say and as for GR, I'm still unsure how to take it, it's deffinately their most progressive album and I think Per makes a fine addition (I absolutely love the mellotron sound he gets). I'm very interesting in the direction they head now as GR definately harkens the start of a new 'era' for Opeth,   

[Scytale]

Also, is anyone else disappointed with the last album, Ghost Reveries?

Excuse the double post but you must have posted while I was typing my reply, as I mentioned above Ghost Reveries is definately them shifting their sound away from extreme metal and more towards the prog rock side of things. You could sort of seem them building to this. It is dissapointing that there stepping away from the sound I love from them but it's also going to be interesting to see what thy come up with I think the tracks that make up the middle of that album "Beneath the Mire",  "Atonement" through to "Hours of Wealth" are a pretty good indication of where they'll be heading.

[Misereatur]

I wasn't expecting not to like GR, somthing about it didn't sound right to me. I should give another listen but I dont know, I think signing to roadrunner was a bad idea. To me it goes somthing like this:

Peaceville albums > Music for Nations albums > Roadrunner album.

GR isn't a bad album, it's just not good as the rest of Opeths albums.

[Scytale]

I wasn't expecting not to like GR, somthing about it didn't sound right to me. I should give another listen but I dont know, I think signing to roadrunner was a bad idea. To me it goes somthing like this:

Peaceville albums > Music for Nations albums > Roadrunner album.

GR isn't a bad album, it's just not good as the rest of Opeths albums.

What about the Candlelight albums?

[Misereatur]

Totallt forgot that Orchid, Morningrise and My Arms, Your Hearse were realesed by Candlelight.

In that case:

Candlelight and Peaceville albums > Music for Nations albums > Roadrunner album

[thepugs]

I enjoy them fairly regularly, but like people have said, they're not the pinnacle of metal achievement or any such nonsense.  I prefer their newer stuff a little more than their older stuff, actually (which goes to show you my bad taste in metal).

[Felix_]

My real problem with Opeth is not their music, it's their over-ratedness. Hard facts guys:

1. Opeth aren't very original, and the praise for them steals a LOT of thunder from better acts. Listen to songs like 'Enigma' or 'Twilight' by Edge of Sanity, or early Amorphis, or Ulvers first two albums for their inspiration, listen to Agalloch and Woods of Ypres for their contemporaries.
2. Most of Opeths songs are made by writing 2 or 3 standard length songs and clumsily bridging them together. Blackwater Park would work just as well if it was 16 tracks.
3. There is nothing technically more impressive about Akerfeldts vocals than there is about Dani Filths.

That said, they have some damn good tracks and you would be doing yourself a favour if you caught Opeth live. I haven't, I confess, actually been bothered to check out anything past Blackwater Park.

I really can't agree with most of this whatsoever.

Opeth surely aren't the most original band that has ever written and recorded music, but there isn't anyone else who sounds remotley like them within the metal genre. I don't think that praise from them steals any "thunder" from bands like Edge of Sanity, early Amorphis, Agalloch, the first 2 Ulver records, or Vancouver's shitty and incredibly overrated within the underground Woods Of Ypres. Opeth have their influences within the metal genre, and surely they wear them on their sleeve, and most of those influences are early 90's Swedish death metal (see Entombed, Dismember, Cardinal Sin, etc.) but they are influenced just as much if not more by 70's progressive artists such as Camel and Comus.

I wouldn't say that they clumsily put songs together whatsoever. I believe, after listening to them since the "Morningrise" record, that they have exhibited an ability to write 10 minute songs that are seamless if not, on the off chance, brilliant in their song structure. I really don't think that this band has released a poor record, and while I've seen them many times live (each performance was excellent), I'd hardly consider myself a "fanboy" because they aren't void of my criticisms and I don't believe they've written anything as strong as "My Arms, Your Hearse", but I do think that they are a special band and that they deserve all of the attention and acclaim that they garner so I don't think that they are overrated.

I don't mind Dani Filth's vocals for the most part, aside from the fact that he uses them far too much and too often and doesn't allow the music any breathing room. I think Akerfeldt's vocals are exceptional though, and there are few vocalists in the metal genre that are better distorted vocalists and even fewer than are better at regular emotive vocals as he is and continues to be. It's nice that he can replicate them perfectly in the live setting as well.

You should hear the Opeth records you've missed, they aren't the best from their discography, but they are definitely worth listening to.

[Scytale]

Opeth surely aren't the most original band that has ever written and recorded music, but there isn't anyone else who sounds remotley like them within the metal genre. I don't think that praise from them steals any "thunder" from bands like Edge of Sanity, early Amorphis, Agalloch, the first 2 Ulver records, or Vancouver's shitty and incredibly overrated within the underground Woods Of Ypres. Opeth have their influences within the metal genre, and surely they wear them on their sleeve, and most of those influences are early 90's Swedish death metal (see Entombed, Dismember, Cardinal Sin, etc.) but they are influenced just as much if not more by 70's progressive artists such as Camel and Comus.

Dan Swano also produced their first two albums which could explain the EOS similarties.

[David_Dovey]

I don't understand the reverence a lot of people ave for the first two Opeth albums. To my ears, Morningrise is akin to a baby horse trying to stand up and walk for the first time, sometimes being able to break into a full run, but stumbling a lot of the time also. Move forward to My Arms Your Hearse, and the horse is now running like the wind, unstoppable.

Opeth are a band that keep getting better and better. Perhaps the new album isn't the best of their career (For me, that's Blackwater Park) but it definitely stand head and shoulders above the (IMO) less-inspired thrash/Gothenburg style of the first two albums.

[Scytale]

Opeth are a band that keep getting better and better. Perhaps the new album isn't the best of their career (For me, that's Blackwater Park) but it definitely stand head and shoulders above the (IMO) less-inspired thrash/Gothenburg style of the first two albums.

There is nothing Gothenberg or thrash about the first two albums (Fewer clean vocals does not equal Gothenberg) and Thrash inspiration??. Orchid sounds jazz inspired if anything (listen to the drumming and bass) and Morningrise is definately their most fok inspired album.

To me Morningrise is amazing, the defining moment of their career. "The Night and the Silent Water" is my favorite Opeth song, the last 7 minutes of that is pretty much musical Nirvana for me (From "Am I like them, those who would mourn and then turn away" onwards). Nectar has also got to be up amongst the 5 best songs they've written as well and damn Black Rose Immortal (which was originally meant for Orchid), even Mikael calls that song their Opus...

Just because its not "Heavy" like MAYH doesn't mean people should shun their early stuff or write it off as uninspired.

I'd say my top 5 Opeth songs are:

1. The Night and The Silent Water
2. The Apostle In Triumph
3. When
4. Nectar
5. Under the Weeping Moon

[David_Dovey]

There is nothing Gothenberg or thrash about the first two albums (Fewer clean vocals does not equal Gothenberg) and Thrash inspiration??. Orchid sounds jazz inspired if anything (listen to the drumming and bass) and Morningrise is definately their most fok inspired album.

I hear an awful lot of harmonised and tremolo picked riffs, particularly on Morningrise, in other words hallmarks of MDM/Gothenburg, and some riffs on there just make me think "Metallica". Hell, even Akerfeldt has (ableit in an indirect way) mentioned that that's what the early Opeth sound was on the "Lamentations" DVD.

Just because its not "Heavy" like MAYH doesn't mean people should shun their early stuff or write it off as uninspired.

That as nothing to do with my reasoning for preferring Opeth's later work. In fact it has nothing to do with it. "Damnation" is my second favourite Opeth album... I just think the things that make Opeth great and completely unique among metal bands is more readily apparent on the later albums, and there was a quantum leap in maturity and songwriting skill at the time of MAYH, which has been continuing ever since.

[amok]

To me Morningrise is amazing, the defining moment of their career. "The Night and the Silent Water" is my favorite Opeth song, the last 7 minutes of that is pretty much musical Nirvana for me (From "Am I like them, those who would mourn and then turn away" onwards). Nectar has also got to be up amongst the 5 best songs they've written as well and damn Black Rose Immortal (which was originally meant for Orchid), even Mikael calls that song their Opus...

Well goddamn, you stole my answer yeah, Morningrise is the best. My only gripe with that CD was that "Black Rose Immortal" was 5 minutes too long for the hell of it. They could easily have sliced off the last bit of the track (after he whispers 'Black Rose Immortal') and tacked it on afterwards as a separate song. The whole 20+ minute ensemble just feels a bit too long to my ears, not that there's anything wrong with any of it.

The Night And The Silent Water is by far their best song and the last track from that one is sublime, too.

[jeph]

Far as I'm concerned, the only "essential" Opeth albums to own are Blackwater Park and My Arms, Your Hearse. None of their other material (save "Ghost of Perdition" off of Ghost Reveries) really grabs me. That being said, Blackwater Park is probably one of my favorite albums of all time.

[!!!CPAOI!!!]

I was wondering when you were going to weigh in.  Blackwater Park is definitely my favorite album by the band, but I think that applies to a healthy majority of people (not everybody of course).

[Cartilage Head]

 Overall, the album with the most songs that I adore is probably Damnation, but my favorite album would have to be Still Life.

 My top five songs would have to be

 1. Still Day Beneath The Sun.
 2. Patterns In The Ivy II.
 3. The Moor.
 4. Weakness.
 5. Face Of Melinda.

  Opeth is one band that I will most likely be a fan of for quite some time. Like I've said before, there is no musical act like them in the world.

[Storm Rider]

I will admit, my opinion of them did improve after seeing them live at Gigantour. Their playing was pretty solid (I admit I didn't recognize every song, but they closed with The Leper Affinity, which kidcked ass), and Mikael was really good at chatting up the crowd. He spoke English pretty well, and kept apologizing for the acoustic songs, saying 'I'm a pussy, and I like pussy shit songs'. The opening thing, where he asked the crowd if 'you even know who we are' was pretty funny too. Basically, I would totally hang out with the dude given the opportunity, which I wouldn't say about any of the other frontman at the show*.

*For the record, I would have punched the guys from Lamb of God and Sanctity in the face for being self-absorbed douches, and I probably would have shaken Dave Mustaine's hand and asked for an autograph but not much else. With Angela Gossow I would just try to avoid drawing attention to my boner out of fear of disembowelment, and Blitz... I have no idea how I'd react to meeting Blitz.

[Misereatur]

With Angela Gossow I would just try to avoid drawing attention to my boner out of fear of disembowelment

I think we all agree on this.

[David_Dovey]

I'd let Angela disembowel me *sigh*

And yeah, the Aker-banter is pretty much the best in the business. Such a funny prick. There's a few good vids on YouTube if you can be bothered looking.

[BeoPuppy]

... are we talking about this lady? If so then a world of 'no'on the boner and the disembowelment.

[David_Dovey]

That's probably the worst photo I've ever seen of her. I wasn't too into her until I saw Arch Enemy live... Wow.

[Scytale]

If you're going for hot metal chicks it's deffinately got to be Cristina Scabbia from Lacuna Coil. I've never really found Angela Gossow to be all that attractive really. For me Michael Amott is the best thing about AE, that guy is one hell of a guitarist.


If you're talking about metal chicks I'd like to meet, just for the fan boy part of me I'd have to say Jo Bench from Bolt Thrower, I really love BT's music and her attitude about the music scene and her commitment to the band are really impressive. Not to mention she's not a bad bass player. Props have to goto BT, for not hyping up the fact they have a Female member unlike some Metal bands...

 

[David_Dovey]

Well, yeah, if we're going for HOT metal chicks, it's all about Cristina, but I'm not sure that live she'd impress me as much as Angela did. At least not in the same way that Angela did... She really is something to behold onstage. She's really short as well, which makes it all the more impressive. What can I say, I've got a thing for chicks who can rock the fuck out and (probably) are able to kill me with one hand?

[BeoPuppy]

... Lacuna Coil's music is really not all that great, I find. Whatever eyecandy they might manage to usher to the front.

[amok]

They're also shit live.

They had some good songs 5 years ago but they really should've given up instead of milking it.

[BeoPuppy]

Anyway. The front-lady would be great in porn. Lord knows, she already knows how to suck.

[Cartilage Head]

 Opeth, anyone?

[jeph]

I'm learning "Ghost of Perdition" now in my spare time!

[Dimmukane]

I'm learning "Ghost of Perdition" now in my spare time!

I would, but I can't be bothered to change my tuning to Open D or whatever that one's in.

[Felix_]

Far as I'm concerned, the only "essential" Opeth albums to own are Blackwater Park and My Arms, Your Hearse. None of their other material (save "Ghost of Perdition" off of Ghost Reveries) really grabs me. That being said, Blackwater Park is probably one of my favorite albums of all time.

Not even "Still Life"?

[timehat]

Far as I'm concerned, the only "essential" Opeth albums to own are Blackwater Park and My Arms, Your Hearse. None of their other material (save "Ghost of Perdition" off of Ghost Reveries) really grabs me. That being said, Blackwater Park is probably one of my favorite albums of all time.

Not even "Still Life"?

I also used to be in the same boat where I felt that "Blackwater Park" was head and shoulders above the rest of their albums, (this is about 5 years ago or so, when the album came out) but at this point, I'm not so sure. Like I said before, I think Opeth really has some weak compositional skills in the sense that they rely heavily on exact repetition of riffs for which are often shoved up against other riffs without much thought to transition until you have a 13 minute song. I find that "Still Life" as well as "Ghost Reveries" suffer from this problem the least. However, I feel that the biggest problem with "Ghost Reveries" is that the keyboards sound like a total afterthought and as a result, it sounds like Opeth has made little stylistic progress. If they can combine the compositional prowess of the latest album and "Still Life" while integrating the keyboards such that it actually functions as an important part of the dynamic, I think they will have a totally amazing album.

[BeoPuppy]

I'm learning "Ghost of Perdition" now in my spare time!

I would, but I can't be bothered to change my tuning to Open D or whatever that one's in.

He probably has a .... hoamie. (As opposed to Roadie, get it?)

What amazes me is that he manages to have spare time.

[jeph]

I'm learning "Ghost of Perdition" now in my spare time!

I would, but I can't be bothered to change my tuning to Open D or whatever that one's in.

I'm not actually sure it is in DADGAD- I've tried tuning like the tabs suggest and playing the chords, and it doesn't sound right. I've found you can't really trust online Opeth tabs, they tend to be inaccurate rather a lot.

[MadassAlex]

Buying the notation is definately the best way to go. You could always play with the tuning yourself and attempt to get it correct, at least in relation to one of the strings you have correct.

[jeph]

I prefer learning by ear. S'more fun!

[kid_militia]

without the internet, I would never have known that opeth had been so "overhyped." I apologize for the quotations, but in my area I know so few people who listen to them that I dont even mention them during discussions of music. myspace would make me think otherwise though. hi I have a billion profile views or something.

[Joey JoJo]

Personally, I love Opeth. To me they're a league unto their own. They've never ceased to amaze me live, I'd go so far as to say they're one of the best bands I've ever seen live. The musicianship is absolutely superb, and the many contrasts in styles within a single song, and the effortlessness it is pulled off with is extremely impressive.

As for the hyping, I'd rather a band I love get hyped rather than a band I can't stand. Opeth are well deserving of their success.

[Kadlin]

I've seen them live twice.
First time I saw them I fell asleep.
So since I missed them pretty much for the first time, I decided to go again.
I was so extremely bored.

They're very overrated, a talented band but just overrated as hell.