i dont need growls, i dont need blasts, i dont need ferocity. just gimme something better than whatever the fuck sorceress was

Hope Mikael is more inspired this time

we want growlz

I hope they can at least get back to the quality of Heritage. At least most of the songwriting on that album actually made sense

Really dig the colours and general spooky fable vibes, the banner of the Facebook page is very cool.

Please rule

I'm still hyped as fuck. But judging purely from the album cover (which I really like) I think it's continue in the same vein as Pale Communion/Sorceress. Which is ok, but as much as I'd love the growls and the death metal to return, I'd even be happy with a Damnation/Ghost Reveries/Watershed style album without any growls. That would be so epic. Still looking forward to this : )

Fun Fact: This is the first time since 2001 that Opeth and Tool are releasing studio albums in the same year. Both those albums released in that year were epics (Blackwater Park and Lateralus) So we'll see if their new albums come close to those legendary albums.

Releasing it in Swedish is a clever step. At least this time listeners will be factually incorrect saying you're not trying something new.

They'll likely still be completely right saying you're insipid and uninspired.

This is gonna be a return to form, I can feel it.

cool.

"This is gonna be a return to form"
hopefully

damn...calm down guys. Still to complete their full discog lol m/

"This is gonna be a return to form, I can feel it."

Don't jinx it plz. Thx.

Just give me some classic heavy/melodic Opeth dynamics and I'll be a happy man.

Don't need the growls + they're never gonna return anyway.

I just can't help but get caught up in the hype, dammit Mike :[

New single should be out in the next 2 weeks then like Sorceress...hopefully.

I dig the artwork but virtually every Opeth album cover rules.

We'll see, wouldn't mind more jazzy/off the wall Axe drum segments being thrown in.

"In Cauda Venenum" is one of my favorite The Dear Hunter songs.

Yeah Pleb, I'm really digging the artwork for this one. There's kind of a sinister vibe to it, can't quite explain it.

If you zoom in on the horse carriage driver, his face is kinda creepy. And also there's some weird figures to the right of the house as well.

Album cover looks like alternate box art for Clue

"There's kind of a sinister vibe to it, can't quite explain it. If you zoom in on the horse carriage driver, his face is kinda creepy. And also there's some weird figures to the right of the house as well."

How about zooming out instead? https://bit.ly/2JWtk9g

lol imagine how big that painting would be if that was an actual zoom out

@Sabrutin yeah their cover photo is badass too : D

Opeth might be my favorite band of all time, but I don't know how to get excited about a new release from them after the past 4 albums. Do you guys really believe this will be a return to form? I guess "form" being Ghost Reveries at this point.. Would be completely blown away by a MAYH pt 2. I mean, I guess we'll all have to wait and see, but I would eat my shoe if they released an album that blew me away on the same level as anything from Orchid to BWP.

We need a new Venenum album already

[2] that would be something worth getting excited about

no reason to suggest this will be good in any way

Hjärtat Vet Vad Handen Gör is a good title, I feel growls coming

If it's as good as Heritage or Pale Communion I'll be happy.

THE GROWLS ARE BAAAAACKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

- pleb

As much as I appreciate Sorceress and Pale Communion for getting me into Opeth, I wouldn’t mind some growls at all if they put them into their new album.

I like the aesthetics much more for this album than heritage, pale communion, and sorceress combined. the swedish titles are a nice idea and the black metal sounding album title (am I the only one who think it sounds like something a BM band would use?)

@Rowan I dream about it every night.

@Eons if Mikael channels his inner Abbath then this will be an easy 5.

He need to channel his inner ABBA more though

Id prefer ABBA-isms over a lot of the bland stuff on Sorceress.

Excuse me, he's the man.

He's been a little iffy lately, but he's the son of northern darkness/king of Blashyrkh.. so

Yeah album title sounds very very black metal. I'm considering seeing them live this year, so let's see what Akerfeels has in store this time

and don't forget:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2QraDehqXA

He's the man

I don't think it will be a return to form but at least they can stop making those fucking songs where there's a 2-minute intro, which leads nowhere musically, song changes completely randomly, and then the song changes again and it's like you've just heard 3 songs but only certain parts of the three songs just thrown together randomly.

It works for some bands but with this band, what they used to do well was create an atmosphere and mood. So, it doesn't really make sense for them.

Remember when they released the last album and the title track, Sorceress, was basically a song with a 3-minute long keyboard wank in the beginning and then the song changes completely and it's like, ''Oh the song has really started now, hmm... What the fuck was that intro and how is it relevant to the song?'' And the answer is it isn't relevant, it's just random shit. It isn't even interesting in a weirdo, intriguing way like a band like Can used to do on their classic albums.

Yeah the keyboard intro to Sorceress is pretty bad, there's like no transition either.

So abrupt.

"We need a new Venenum album already"
[3] Hell to the yeah.

If they'd go back to doing ghost reveries but all cleans I'd be game for it. There's plenty of room for prog rocking in that style, but I'd really like some metal riffs back.

"Remember when they released the last album and the title track, Sorceress, was basically a song with a 3-minute long keyboard wank in the beginning and then the song changes completely and it's like, ''Oh the song has really started now, hmm... What the fuck was that intro and how is it relevant to the song?'' And the answer is it isn't relevant, it's just random shit. It isn't even interesting in a weirdo, intriguing way like a band like Can used to do on their classic albums."

chug chug chug chug chug chug chug chug CHUG CHUG CHUG CHUG CHUG CHUG CHUG CHUG

I'M A SKINNER

Oh yay, not....

If it's anything like the last couple albums- keep it.

Hahaha the riff is bad agreed.

@Zaru For sure, if they went full Leprous I'd be into that, just not another rehash of the last 3 please

Is the track name listing the only difference or are lyrics in different languages between the two?

Allting Tar Slut

OMG HYPE.
Interesting. Swedish and English...

Most likely going to be another snooze fest like the previous three albums.

Cool news but I really did not like Sorceress.

well good thing this wasn't a news article about sorceress.

I’m just saying my expectations aren’t too high after that album lol

Still Life 2 incoming

2 different-language versions? The fuck is this 99 Luftballons bullshit

havent even heard Sorceress. they used to be my favorite band, RIP

@Key 1/10 chance THE SCREAAAMMMSSSSS ARE BAAAAACKKKKK.

Sorceress had some good moments, mainly the pastoral sections, but it was their worst album yet and grew off me a bit over the years. Really hoping they shake things up here but not sure they will. Song titles seem pretty bland, but cool that it'll be released in two languages. Album cover is very nice.

the album artwork is sweet

Yeah the album art is really nice. Loving the spooky vibe.

Only just seen the two figures hiding behind the trees on the right, spooky indeed.

crossing my fingers Pleb

imagine the first single starts out with some Ghost of Perdition screams. i expect a list

Sput would implode and I’d have to marry Mikael out of principal.

im hoping for a swedish folk murder mystery concept album.

They should include an Opeth themed Clue board game as a deluxe edition of the LP

‘Who murdered Mikael with the 70’s prog knife in the death metal kitchen?’

they should make a psych folk album

"In Cauda Venenum (Latin for "The poison is in the tail") is the upcoming thirteenth studio album by Swedish progressive rock band Opeth"

Wikipedia is assuming opeth's musical direction without having listened a single song? THAT'S SO COOL

they should make a psych folk album

I'm into jethro tull actually.

cautiously optimistic

Really hope this is good.

YESSSSSS!!!

Yeah I probably shouldn’t be after the last 2 albums but I’m hyped af. If it’s Heritage-level quality then I’d consider that a success. Not expecting the growls to return, just song-writing with more personality than PC or Sorceress. Agreed with Pleb that some well executed jazzy rhythms certainly wouldn’t go amiss.

best made tacos of the earth!

DIABOLICAL BEANS!

I will inevitably listen to this and I hope it isn't too painful. Idk why you guys are asking for growls/harsh vocals because unless they are guest vocals (even then) they would probably be phoned in so hard and that would defeat the purpose.

Couldn't care less.

album art looks like something made on illustrator by pasting various stock assets

really looking forward to not listening to this

Fell off Opeth pretty hard after Ghost Reveries. I'm curious what this will sound like.

Love that art, hope its a good album.

Hmm, art makes me feel like it's going to be like the ones before it, still well and truly in proggy territories.
What would releasing it in two languages add to the experience?

double the $$$

Yeah, seems like it. Or krkrkr in their case.

hoping they ditch the cheesy hard rock and just release on a dark and sinister avant neo-folk album. like amber asylum with more opeth dynamics thrown in. idk thats just what ive always wanted. something like a heavier storm corrosion

they won't

or u can just not listen to them

Yeah. Heritage and Watershed were both very mega awesome. PC was ok, Sorceress was their first ever true misstep.

Different languages need different interpretations for vocal melodies and rhythms so that could make one version better than the other one I guess

shakira almost always sounds better in spanish, for example

thats craazyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy dude

Hahahahaha Asdfp!!!

I guess that is true kalk.
I'm happy we're getting new Opeth anyway.

"They haven't had a good album since Ghost Reveries just stop already"


Watershed says hi

I think I'd rather not know what Mikael is saying, so I'll probably just jam the swedish version lol.

suerte que en el sur hayas nacido, y que burlemos las distancias

It’s always amusing seeing guys coming into these threads just to say ‘don’t care’ or ‘won’t listen to this’ and the like, why are you even here then? Sad.

'suerte que en el sur hayas nacido, y que burlemos las distancias'

exactly

If this is as good as Heritage I'm gonna got nuts. That's a top 6, possibly top 5 album from the band.

^^^^

agreed ahrd

Cool album art but this will be a 2.5 at best I’m sure

Luc, Pleb, and Key know. Heritage is crazy underrated and up there with their best.

I can only hope that this will be good

Swedish & English? I'm betting it's gonna be a folk-heavy album. Cautiously excited.

this is probably gonna be unlistenable wankery.

I have always felt that i'm in the minority of those who actually enjoyed Pale Communion. Some really good sustenance from start to finish. Sorceress was my first real disappointment with Opeth, so they have the opportunity to bounce back quickly this time.

I hope this isn't another album of warbles and poor transitions

Will be another solid 2.5

Cant wait to be underwhelmed once again

needs moar Opeth

I dunno how Opeth is “unlistenable wankery” when they don’t even wank as hard as the bands everyone accuses them of ripping off. Whether or not you enjoy the music, that’s a stretch

ABBA are fucking wankers agreed

Stop calling them progressive by the way, maybe when they were among a handful of other prog metal bands in the 2000's / 90's they were somewhat challenging but now they are straight up ripping off progressive bands from the '60s-'70s which is literally anti-progression.

i thought progressive meant like, the songs progress thru moments n shit

“ABBA are fucking wankers agreed”

If you wanna ignore Yes, King Crimson, EL&P, Mahavishnu Orchestra, and whoever else they’ve been compared to

Album title has Venenum in it so the album will be good by proxy

[x + 1]

I also see that they're doing the foreign language gimmick on this new album

yes opeth sound a lot like abba

Who

Otep

I'm an Allting Tar Slut for Opeth growls

The live album last year was cool but it kinda showed why Akerfeldt doesn’t do the growls too much anymore. I’m cool without them at this point.

who cares about the growls, it's the songwriting bih

Looks like I'm going to have to clean the underside of my desk again

Will suck big ass

2 different-language versions? The fuck is this 99 Luftballons bullshit [2]

Lmao that's something I usually expect from mainstream singers like Enrique Iglesias or Shakira.

Can't say I'm expecting this to blow me away, but I'm part of the small group of dudes that have no problem with Sorceress. Really dig the mellower, ''occult folsky'' moments of that album, and that's one of the things I'd like to hear more from Opeth/Akerfeldt in the future cause yeah the metal and growling are going to remain in the past...

Album cover doesn't raise any hope or expectation personally, but thank godness we aren't judging the band by that merit lol.

"this is probably gonna be unlistenable wankery."

this times a trillion. gonna be 50 hours of guitar noodling and akerfeldt singing Finnish nursery rhymes backwards.

If they keep going down their current route this new album is probs gonna be the first Opeth album with an average under a 3.

5/5 album incoming.

Imagine if they just rip off 80 minutes of free-balling southern acid rock with zero percussion and bass guitar, just recycled acoustic lynyrd skynyrd riffs.

Gods, I was strong then.

Well if this doesn't melt the site, I don't know what will.

Loving the artwork btw.

hopefully no more 70s prog influenced mediocrity

Their artwork is always cool save for maybe two or three of them. This is a great one. Don't care about the music tho

I'm of the unpopular opinion that the Sorceress' art was terrible and hokey. A peacock for Death Metal? Fuck off.

The Deliverance and Damnation art I've personally never been too impressed with. Sorceress' was bad too, agreed.

Tbf the peacock was pecking dismembered heads for food and it had evil eyes. Pretty m/ hard kvlt shit

I can't be the only one getting a Storm Corrosion vibe from the artwork/song titles, right???

Looks like a spooky album incoming.

iirc Mikael said this one was gonna be a bit heavier and more "twisted" so you could be right!

Mikael also claimed that Sorceress was gonna be 'complex' and 'different', so take it with a grain of salt haha.

Well, he wasn't wrong there.... It was different alright.

Sounded like Opeth on autopilot for the most part to me.

Granted I've jammed that one only twice beginning to end but to me, it sounded like they tried to branch out and try something different, but it was so boring the little experiments left no real impression.

There was no dynamics man, Opeth is all about the dynamics.

Exactly, and the production didn't help it either. If they can fix those two things on here that will be a massive improvement already.

Yeah it was brickwalled to hell, although I'm told the vinyl sound is excellent.

Production was terrible agreed. Really enjoyed the record as a whole but the production prevented me from spinning it too often. Looking forward to the new one with high hopes tbh.

And nah, the vinyl sucked big time too... Muddy and indistinguishable af.

They should ask Steven Wilson to get on board for production again.

They should ask Steven Wonder to get on the keys again.

lul

So I've made a deliberate effort to not listen to anything post-Watershed. Once they got soft on us, I immediately lost interest in new material and haven't given it a chance. I wonder if, while still hating wanky 70's-throwback pandering, I might find any merit in them. Maybe I'll give it a shot. I hope this new one brings back some heaviness though.

Do yourself a favour and check Heritage first, not the next two.

Heritage it is then...

I've got to be one of the few minorities that thinks Sorceress was a fucking blast. Wouldn't mind a return to form though.

hum...I like A LOT the opener...it falls after, though

Opener to what, Heritage?

No other album sounds like Heritage and that's a fact, such a cool record.

"Opener to what, Heritage?"
nonono, Sorceress. First time on Heritage as we speak.

Ghost Reveries Part 2, plz thx

Heritage was very polarizing when it came out, but retrospectively speaking it is a pretty damn solid record, and it has aged very well too...

From an aesthetic standpoint, I feel some Ghost Reveries vibes in the artwork. I'm pretty sure that the chandelier from Ghost Reveries' artwork can be found inside that fucking mansion.

Pretty sure I heard 'I Feel the dark' before though

To me Heritage is perfect. Adventurous, jazzy, tonnes of atmosphere, it has a soul, a quirky one.

If they make a true successor to Heritage and dropped the hard rock/metal elements and Mikael didn't oversing, it could be amazing.

They still have the potential to come up with another classic that’s for sure.

I want the vibes of their older stuff with the experimentation of their newer stuff. Heritage is a nice inbetween.

Either way, I want the Swedish version.

HERITAGE! HERITAGE! HERITAGE! Seriously though it’s good, wouldn’t mind if this album follows along similar lines.

Heritage it is!

singing =/= oversinging

Eh. It'll probably be at least decent. Heck even Sorceress was mostly ok. Probably won't be amazing though.

Odd how people used to loathe Heritage but now they have grown a soft spot for it. I reckon the same will happen for PC and Sorceress eventually

Nah, Heritage is quality stuff. PC isn't on the same level and neither is Sorceress

Same thing was said for Heritage in the first few years that it came out though

heritage and watershed, ye

I’ve never loathed Heritage, it just has way more personality than their other ‘prog rock era albums’, i.e. it isn’t anywhere near as derivative. Anyone who can’t tell the difference needs to reconsider their tastes tbh. It’s not a case of ‘no growl = bad’ or at least it shouldn’t be. Damnation is one of their best records by the way.

"Odd how people used to loathe Heritage but now they have grown a soft spot for it. I reckon the same will happen for PC and Sorceress eventually"

i loved Heritage from day 1

also agreed Demon. it's way more imaginative than PC but most of all it just sounds better. the production on Heritage is one of their best ever

''the production on Heritage is one of their best ever''
YES

Lovin this praise for Heritage. Controversial opinion inconing: Heritage > PC > Damnation.

People complained about Heritage when it came out because it was different, but looking back, it's almost more similar to their older stuff than it is to their newer stuff.

Heritage is about as excellent as skinning your knees and vomiting blood.

almost as pleasant as plain chopped iceburg lettuce on a cold winter's night.

So pumped for this. Love the art. Honestly always been a fan of Heritage and Pale Communion became one of my favorite albums of Opeth's. It's super underrated and features some really terrific songs (plus feels like a proper Opeth album, growls or no). Sorceress, however, 3 years later just still isn't really clicking. I think there are some individual songs that are great such as Will O The Wisp and Era (and hell I like the T/T live in particular). But on the whole, it feels a bit all over the place and forgettable. Hoping the new one rules.

literally as enjoyable as dragging my balls though broken glass

^^^ x123

I do that all the time get rekt

"Heritage > PC > Damnation."



pit of misery dilly dilly

"Heritage > PC > Damnation."

I mean, your opinion is worth less, but you're entitled to it nonetheless.

Iceberg lettuce is a scam.

more like chewing ice

Ghost Reveries Part 2, plz thx [2]

It's gonna be a Damn Pale Heritage

At the very least it's going to be well performed, especially the rhythm section. Though admittedly there's a high chance Nuclear Blast will make it sound ass

''there's a high chance Nuclear Blast will make it sound ass''
Yes I so hope they won't do that again...

Wasn't a fan of Heritage until I saw it performed live, then was pretty blown away. Def a live album.

Leak is out

How is it?

It's honestly really good to hear the death growls again. Heavy ghost reveries moments.

Hahahaha!

"Heavy ghost reveries moments." I actually believe this. Not the death growl part though lol

'It's honestly really good to hear the death growls again. Heavy ghost reveries moments.' (2)

Almost finished my first listen. This album is an enchanting journey. So, so much better than their prior two. Even Heritage better watch its back. Wonderful return to form.

are there really death growls on it wtf?

Yeah about half the record

dude don't play with my heart like this i swear

Lol no there arent

No death growls. It's as heavy as Heritage, perhaps even softer. Some jaw dropping solos though.

does it sound like damnation at all

It's the furthest thing from Damnation (thank goodness lol)

It's VERY cinematic too. It's unlike anything they've ever done

interesting

It's definitely the most experimental album they've ever done with some positive and some negative results imo

its def heavier than heritage

I'm excited to see where further listens take me. On first listen "Charlatan" is the only one I couldn't really get into. The rest could be some of the best songs they've ever written.

its def their best mixed album out of the last 4

Agreed 100%!

Just heard the 2 singles and well, I'm not an Opeth expert but they sound great to me.

Out of the last four!? But Heritage had a spectacular mix! So that means a lotttttt.

Yep, Heritage's production is amazing. If the new one is better it must be incredibly well produced/mixed

Uhm tough to imagine a better sounding modern rock/metal album than Heritage and Pale Communion since I'd say they are both some of the best sounding music of the genre(s) since pretty much decades, not to mention I already saw that new one is badly mastered on CD (which thankfully isn't what I ordered anyway, fingers crossed Nuclear Blast). Still, the singles sound much better than Sorceress so it's a start.