Watershed some light

To all appearance, high ratings are quite fair, as the album is the most progressive thing Opeth have ever done. Now lots of prog fans (in spite of Metal/Death Metal fans)can discover this great band. "Watershed" is Opeth's best album to date and one of the most cohesive and progressive releases of 2008, IMHO. Listen to it carefully, and don't do justice only after 2 or 3 spins.

Paper Champion wrote: To all appearance, high ratings are quite fair, as the album is the most progressive thing Opeth have ever done. Now lots of prog fans (in spite of Metal/Death Metal fans)can discover this great band. "Watershed" is Opeth's best album to date and one of the most cohesive and progressive releases of 2008, IMHO. Listen to it carefully, and don't do justice only after 2 or 3 spins.

Actually I don't think that it's very progressive in the true sense of the word. I've listened to it *many* times, and while I think that it's a step forward for Opeth because they broadened their style a little bit and gave the keyboards more room (hey, there's even female vocals!), the music itself is a combination of what they did before and a stronger orientation towards emulating some of the classic 70s prog bands (Camel most of all). "Regressive" would be more appropriate a label - the difference between me and Certif1ed is that I don't see this as a flaw. A band IMO don't has to constantly re-invent themselves and try to come up with totally innovative stuff. Sometimes it's better to simply refine your style and write good songs.

Currently I'd give the album 4 stars - 4.5 really, but some minor glitches prevent me from rounding up.

Hmm, apparently you can buy some Opeth from the Burning Shed, but not Watershed.  

stonebeard wrote: Hey everybody: Watershed has an average rating of over 4. Cert's review was a drop in the ocean so stop sh*tting yourselves about it. he has the right to review the album in whatever way he wants as long as he actually reviews it, which he did. so shut the f**k up!

No, let's argue about it! 

stonebeard wrote: NaturalScience wrote: stonebeard wrote: Hey everybody: Watershed has an average rating of over 4. Cert's review was a drop in the ocean so stop sh*tting yourselves about it. he has the right to review the album in whatever way he wants as long as he actually reviews it, which he did. so shut the f**k up! No, let's argue about it!  OK! Cert obviously dos not like Mikael Akerfeldt. Because he does not praise Mikael Akerfeldt constantly, I can only assume he's a xenophobic Briton who hates everything that ever came out of Sweden. Not only that, be he has a general malcontent for all things Scandinavian, including Pain of Salvation, Ingmar Bergman, and Ricola. Based on this undeniable fact, I vote he be kicked out of Prog Archives and forced to wear a sign around his neck saying The Daily Mail is the word of God.

nice

Slartibartfast wrote: Hmm, apparently you can buy some Opeth from the Burning Shed, but not Watershed.

^Furthermore, why does it matter if it's "progressive" or not? A good album is a good album, a bad album is a bad album. And if it's on here, it must be "progressive" to some extent. I don't think it's up to the reviewer to decide whether it's "progressive" or not, or more specifically to rate the album by how "progressive" it is. There is more to music than that. I think to listen to music solely or largely because it is housed under the term "progressive" is absurd. I listen to music for so many other reasons and listened to a lot of the bands on here before I realized that they could be considered "progressive ______." The term can be superficial and/or elitist. It can even cause people who like the music, who are suppsedly the "open minded" ones to be more insular than those who listen to the radio.

^ well, it put a smile on my face. I know what I like, and such reviews are a very good indication that I'm right. Only really good artists get bashed like that ... I'm sure that back in the 70s there were similar reviews of extreme bands like Magma (no, I'm not comparing Opeth to Magma folks - in case you were wondering). It's the old "you call that music?" routine ... it's so childish and immature that you just can't take seriously.

I'm new (well, sort of -- I joined a while back, made a few posts and then stopped), so I was wondering what everyone's opinion of my very extensive review was.  Also, I mentioned something earlier that no one responded to, and I was wondering if anyone else noticed it as well: the jarring transitions seem intentional, which conveys the whole feeling of being emotionally bipolar.  It makes the main character seem very insane, and although it threw me off at first, I actually find it now to be a centerpiece attraction of the album.

As for Cert, I think the statistics on his profile speak for themselves, with tech/extreme coming in at an average of 2.30.  As for his comments on here, I won't dignify them with a response, because I can sense arrogance in an instant, and I want no part in such a discussion (when there is arrogance, there is no real discussion).  Such people in my view need a few good slaps to teach them a lesson in humility.


Edited by agProgger - June 11 2008 at 22:25

I just get turned off very quickly by arrogance on the net, because I've had too many arguments and discussions with people of the sort, and they lead nowhere.  Such people need a lesson in humility and what the rest of us consider productive discussion.  I'll edit it to be less personal, though.