bet

so good it had to be posted twice

puked of how good it was

SO GOOD, I couldn't be happier at this moment.

nuff said

I hope somewhere bigpleb is smiling about this

Holy shit here we go

My neck

My back

My pussy

Growls back

the growls are back

Fucking awful

I bet this is at least ok

The mad lads actually did it.

This sounds like a mix of Ghost Reveries and Pale Communion which are my two favourite Opeth albums so sign me the fuck up.

Akerfeldt must be running low on dosh!

Why do people keep saying this is like Ghost Reveries? It couldn’t be more like Watershed imo

what year is it?

It was brand new

Funnn

until now I hadn't listened to a new Opeth track for legit 10 years
it was fine I guess

3.6 roentgen. Not great. Not terrible.

Death growls are too bright and polished in the mix.

I don't know why people are surprised that Mike's doing growls again considering the fact that he still performs mostly death metal Opeth songs live.

His growls (mostly lower register) were in very bad shape from 2011 until relatively recently. Not sure what happened but they’ve made a heroic comeback, these past two years particularly. Makes sense why he feels comfortable putting them on tape again.

Woow where did this come from?

Pretty awesome song.

you can already tell once the album drops, thread's gonna be a shitshow

you love to see it

Isn’t that why we’re all here

Ian Anderson and Joey Tempest guest spots? What are we in for?

Did I wait 15 years for this thinking it would never happen again. no....... and YES

we growlin

In the words of Danny Brown- growlin' and screamin', screamin' and growlin'

The new drummer has probably a lot to do with what appears to be a partial throwback to the old style.

The Prodigal Åkerfeldt.

wow, Axenrot isn't in the band anymore?? Holy shit I'm out of touch. Oof, that is a huge blow

LET'S GOOOOOOOOO

fuck it, i'm all in, LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOO

even if it is just a cash grab probably

oh hell yes. We are so back

Interesting.

song itself is ok, but glad to see this direction. hopefully there are more exciting tracks and this one comes off better in context in the new album

Song rules

Snoozer as usual, wow what a shocker

The Progdigal Åkerfeldt.

YouTube had the greatest comment. MAGA. MIKAEL ÅKERFELDT GROWLS AGAIN!

>The Progdigal Åkerfeldt.

Nice.

Song goes hard. I'm pumped.

Hold up.

What is this track list?! How do I even pronounce it

I wonder what the full length version of this one will be like (as opposed to this "radio edit"). It was cool but definitely didn't feel like it needed to be longer

But then again I remember feeling the same when I heard the edited, single version of The Grand Conjuration back in the day and I love the full length version now so who knows

opeth? more like nopeth.

[2]

Fucking finally. Miss the prog rock / death metal dynamic of this band. Band sounds interesting again

"wow, Axenrot isn't in the band anymore?? Holy shit I'm out of touch. Oof, that is a huge blow"

I don't believe they ever said why but seemed like it was probably vaccine related. Vaxenrot. New drummer is really good though

this was unexpected. I'm not really sure what to make of the new track (not a fan of radio edits in general)

It's hard for me to judge the song on its merits because I am just so happy that, yes, the growls are back lol

This feels like a bit of a Ghost Reveries revival to me. I love that it still retains the flamboyancy of their more prog-rock direction but actually feels a little dangerous again.

Legitimately thought I was done caring about Opeth, but we are SO back

Grow up guys, this reads like a Disney trailer comment section.

appropriate, considering opeth is a disney prog band

^this tbh. keep those ghost revs comparisons coming

Quintessential disney prog yeah

is this prog

Excuse me Devin Townsend has a hold on Disney prog ever since he released Why?

"What is this track list?! How do I even pronounce it"

The § symbol stands for "section" and is used in legal documents. This is a concept album about a WWI soldier's will and testament.

It's okay. *thumbs up*

Sounds very Watershed. Intrigued for sure

im moreso just annoyed that they chose not to use them for 16 years when he was clearly able to all this time

I like how I knew who exactly this was referencing before I clicked, Ive been here too long

ok I'll bite. whats wrong with ghost revs johnny

Would rule even without the growls. Opeth fanboy I am. Won't be AOTY but still hype as all hell.

@reliquished - there was never anyone else

Song is growing on me

Really enjoying the drumming

Holy fuck I never thought this day would come

Man this is good. I listened to both the radio edit and album versions. Very excited for this album.

when you see the headline and know exactly who the band is before clicking.

Stoked about this

the capacity of human intelligence...

truly limitless

It is still not totally back to riff centric growl city but man is this a leap in the right direction

It's basically ICV with growls

(which I'm totally onboard with, mind)

^ what he said

I don't think the issue with Opeth's change ever had as much to do with losing the growls as it did losing the overall interplay between heavy/soft energy and imo this definitely starts to bring it back. It ain't no masterpiece but for sure has me stoked once more for a new Opeth album.

song whips

Hello opeth, my old friend

Oldpeth

I've come to fuck witchu again

Ugh, 'Disney prog.' You guys can be kinda obnoxious sometimes.

I mean realtalk, gotta agree that Disney prog is a better label for shit like Ne Obliviscaris and Hevy Devy

but outside of the arguably best-ever Opeth 1-2 at the start (would take Advent/Silent Water over it but still), Ghost Revs is overly polished and full of cheap thrills imo. Not a 'bad' album, but dullest, most streamlined version of the heyday Opeth formula for me, feel it warrants a lot of the 'slick' flack thrown at BWP but doesn't pack half the atmosphere (or tbf for me, nostalgic value). Very much their 'blockbuster' record, and not that much a stretch to go from their to Disney

also their most Tool-esque record, and you know how that cookie crumbles

Johnny, I will never get over how dry your taste in rock/metal is, but yet you eat Korean pop up. It is a strange combo.

I don't jam *that* much K-pop (by the standards of most active fans), and tbh don't think my taste in guitar music is that dry despite cold shouldering a bunch of self-serious 21st century prog acts? Top-of-my-head names ig are Oxbow, Sleepytime, early Nightwish, Melt-Banana, Protest the Hero and however much stoner metal - will defs fw performative/theatrical/screwball acts if they've got the sauce

I'm really losing you on this Disney prog concept
Listen to Cockroach King and tell me NeO is Disney prog lmao
On that note I understand the sentiment on Ghost Reveries losing a bit of atmosphere in that I feel like sommmmmetimes it tries to hard to have atmosphere by elongating the fuck out of the tracks. I love the album but it's definitely a noticeable gripe.

LET’S GOOOOOOO! [420]

@Johnny You also held up the Ocean's record from last year as how prog 'ought to sound' and that record is dry as fuck (still good, but def way more reserved than most stuff I like). To be fair this boils down to a fundamental difference between us: you hate 'obvious' song structure/climactic songwriting whereas I often do like it if is executed in a way that clicks with me. And I think pretentious is one of those useless words that gets way too much mileage. Some acts slapped with that label aren't pretentious at all, just doing what makes sense to them.

wait WHAT lol i said no such thing about the new Ocean, that shit is boring as hell and the last thing i'd want from prog. climax-oriented songwriting is fine in my book as long as it doesn't scan as lazy/unimaginative/deja vu (as it v often does to me). didn't mention pretentiousness, but would agree that flamboyant/kitsch acts who stretch suspension of disbelief on bombast often don't qualify (PtH my homegame example, albeit with some degree of pretension in their early concepts (which i still think are endearing and well-intended BUT))

We haven't been this back in decades, guys

@Johnny, ah it must have been one of your facetious comments.

Ghost Reveries is extremely Disney Prog tbf. It doesn’t have to be a pejorative term, but it’s undeniable almost all the edge, structural experimentation, and interesting harmonic interplay of releases like Morningrise had been sanded off by that point, replaced by overly padded verse/chorus writing and an earnest musical theatre style deportment

Aw I like Ghost Reveries' Phantom of the Opera kitsch

Ghost reveries has great riffs, I will hear no more slander

I did say it didn’t have to be pejorative - I like GR too. It’s just not unfair to call it Disney Prog lol.

NGL I guess I too took the term Disney prog as an inherent insult
In any such case I suppose I dig Disney prog then

Moreso a response to the thread as a whole; Disney highkey produced some BANGERS, didn't take that specifically as perjorative

edit: or, no harm no fowl

Disney Prog is to gauche Euros as Tradie Prog is to uncouth Aussies

When I think of Disney it makes me think of theater kids and Panic at the Disco
The only two things I hate in this world

Was going to skip this cause I'm kind of sick of Opeth but someone made me listen to it. I was pleasantly surprised. Solid 7/10 song, nothing too crazy but it was nice to finally get some growls going... I hope it's not a bait-and-switch and the album has more of a metal feel

Kicks ass.

Mikael said on Tik Tok this is the only song with "growls" sorry fellas

what a fucking troll

Finally listened and really feels like the kind of Opeth song you could only hear post Life Is But a Dream

Pretty good. Don't know how I feel about the song itself but Mikael's growls sound fucking phenomenal. Really curious how the rest of the album is going to be.

you joined 15 years ago and only made 4 comments?? God damn

>it must have been one of your facetious comments.

Pretty sure that's the default.

okay thats fucking unexpected

this is the most erratic, shizophrenic and experimental shit opeth has dropped maybe ever, holy shit

i fucking kneel

Yeah this is a nice surprise, very excited for the full album!

Sweet

the tool of reddit metal

yea honestly

The riff on Grand Conjuration @5:52 defeats any Tool noodling by a mile.

Toodling

I gotta tool ya can noodle heheh

Of course lol

That will actually annoy the hell out of people, way more than if it was just another pseudo psychedelic growl-free prog rock joint.

It does annoy a lot of people, doesn't it?

more like buttrock amirite

Song is cool. The riffs aren't that memorable but the overall composition makes up for it a little bit. maybe that's what they're going for on this one, less riffs for riffs sake and more thru composition? atmosphere is definitely there, takes me back to getting into GR and watershed for the first time as a teen

putting growls on one song only is a dumb choice

Bro called Opeth reddit metal lol

really just shows how negative and boring this site has become about everything, its just a race to the bottom in terms of who can be the most detached and cynical for some people here.

you're the ray of sunshine this site needs Fluggy

I really am.

I hope theres more growls on the record from an article i read it would seem there is . Article said Mikael felt it appropriate to bring it back due to the cocnept and story of the record. Combined with the shows they recently played and the new drummer and Mendaz pushing him a bit to bring it back or get heavier again.

I know it's a crazy thought, but instead of speculating, we could devote our time to other things until the album comes out.

I plan on doing an Opeth relisten Egg in the meantime and dive into Agalloch more. Overall Im keen for whatever they have made growls or no

Agreed, I will also attempt a new Agalloch dive.

Im seeing them next month so

There's no way there's only growls on the first song and none for the rest of the album. That just doesn't sound right to me. I'm calling it, there will be 3 songs with growls.

what in the, agalloch, new, what, where?

Agallochs touring Australia, im doing a dive on them to get a better grip

wait, what??? I'm so jealous right now holy shit. I didn't know about this

maybe its time to get into agalloch then, never really got their appeal.

Im keen

Flug, check ashes or marrow first

I’m nifty keen

Everyone recs a different Agalloch album, it's very confusing.

All I can say is don't start with Pale Folklore.

I just think those two are probably the most accessible

Nice to hear some metal back in the mix, but the song's kinda meh. Not going to let myself get excited until the album drops.

@Egarran I'm not the biggest Agalloch fan, but I like Pale Folklore. It has some aggression that's sorely lacking in the rest of their discog. There's a remastered version that's a much more pleasant listen.

this was very nice

Meh

Steven Wilson PT metal type beat with a little throwback Opeth flavor

Way too polished

lmfao

I wasn't exactly clamouring for their return, as I have accepted Opeth's transition into sometimes good (Heritage / ICV) dad prog, but we'll see if they stick the landing here

fortunately(?) I'm detached enough from newpeth these days that although my curiosity is piqued, anticipation isn't high

After a few listens, the song is fine. A bit of a mashup of the Watershed sound with their newer prog albums. Not hearing a lot of evolution, growls are cool I guess, but I'd rather have some interesting and compelling songwriting with those unexpected moments of genius that got me hooked back in the day.

The newer drummer is awesome though

Why does he always have to follow the riff with his clean vocals up down, down up, up down, down, up again? This whole thing gets very tiring after awhile. But the growls were nice to hear even though the song isn't my favorite. I will still jam it until it clicks and I am very excited for the album

oh they got a new drummer!
Axenrot was a big barrier for my enjoyment of newpeth, so I better check this out

i found this rather dull

Enjoyed it very much

@denboy

Wow really? I always thought axe brought the heat every album. New drummer rules though

Yeah, not denying he got chops, just not my style of drummer at all

I am stooooooooooked

This is so good. Drums sound fantastic

Damn- this new drummer is 30 years old playing with titans. What a champ

after a couple of listens, the song is pretty great, can't believe it but I'm super hyped for a new Opeth album for the first time in forever

Safe to say it's like a mix between Sorceress and Watershed.

ALSO safe to say: I don't care for it.

These guys ended at Watershed.

Yeah, and now they are back.

The growls sound great. He's definitely still got it.
Absolutely can't stand everything else about the track though. Way too theatrical and bombastic.

Even with the growls this sounds a lot like sorceress. Hopefully it’s better than that tho

I had been missing some theatrical bombast.

Really enjoying this

These guys ended at Watershed. [2]

watershed bestpeth

Having a renewed falling in love with Heritage, such an impeccably sounding record.

Heritage >>> all post-BWP '00s opeth

(Watershed great though)

you might be onto something there, johnny

I agree also. Heritage is so good

i dont get the hype. It sounds like it was originally a clean prog song with growls layered after the fact. Bored to tears tbh

Johnny, I know you don't like GR, but that one's better than Heritage, but I can see where ur coming from

sene, nah I don't think so, that's selling it very short

Not getting the hype = not understanding basic math.

Im just down for more opeth and hope the album brings that old atmospheric magic

Best song I've heard from them since the red album

Damn

As annoying and tasteless as ever.

Have a hug, big guy.

I like the song, more and more in fact. Have been avoiding listening to it too often, want to hear the album in full first, without too much interference.

I am currently refusing to listen. Cannot be sure how long that'll last tho.

Mr President, the growls are back

I was enjoying their prog rock strike but if the growls are back I'm all for it. Won't listen till release (if temptation doesn't win).

PS: Many Opeth fans are right now in "looks like meat's back on the menu boys" Uggahhhhhhh!

The last will and testament of FAAAAATHEERRRRRRRRR

'i dont get the hype. It sounds like it was originally a clean prog song with growls layered after the fact. Bored to tears tbh'

this argument could also easily apply to ghost reveries

This is now Pika's hill.

“this argument could also easily apply to ghost reveries“

Gotta disagree! There are pieces of GR that sound like clean prog but that album is able to naturally fuse different sounds and has the spirit of old skool opeth all over it with plenty of legit death metal grit, whereas this new tune is totally bereft of those qualities

these 'disney prog' comments are some of the most terminally online shit I've read in a while lol well done

Disney prog is what comes to mind when I hear newer devin townshend

^ this

whatever this is, it sounds like Opeth is turning a page toward something different again. I think the marriage of their most recent style infused a bit with the GR-era could turn out interesting and fresh. In any case, I and probably many others, just wanted the pure 70s prog worship shit to be over, and sounds like it finally is. RIP in peace ahrd

Another new track just released:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ph5o3xpJ_8

shits wacky

Another ace track. New album is gonna be huge.

guitar solo reminded me of Beneath the Mire. I liked In Cauda Venenum, looks like I'll dig this too.

This could be a return to form for them.

I say that even though I enjoy their more recent progressive rock orientated outings.

Yep exactly, first time I’m looking forward to an Opeth album in a while