The Swedish Gods of Metal: Opeth

Cristi wrote: LAM-SGC wrote: What is a boomer? And who are you addressing? I Will reply anyway.Yes, there is a big difference between fact and opinion,most people know that. Your thread title is just your opinion. The fact is that the metal community here in Sweden disowned Opeth many years ago. Why do you think the stadium was two thirds empty when they were support band for Iron Maiden many years ago. But when In Flames supported Judas Priset here the stadium was almost full from the beginning. I must assume that boomer is something rude and that you are just a rude person. But just because you think your opinion is right doesn't make it fact. Also, this is just music, so calm down and chill out boomer. How is In Flames doing in Sweden? Are they popular? More respected than Opeth? Because In Flames has definitely lost identity, even worse than Opeth, they went so far away from what they once were, they're unrecognizable now.

Still very popular, but obviously not as much as years ago. I saw them a couple of times between 2004-2006,and they were great. then again once in about 2012-2014, and they were awful.

The ressurgence of Swedish power metal again in recent years is really interesting, Sabaton, Ghost, Lancer, Anaranthe, Wolf.That said, power metal in Sweden has never gone away but it dipped a lot about ten years ago. Fewer gigs, fewer bands.But Sabaton and Ghost gave it the injection it needed.

Of course the extreme, HC, black and death metal styles all have massive followings with hundreds of bands and loads of gigs every week,Incarnit are great,another band with two of my friends in it. They did a USA tour last year, and now they are in Poland.

But recently, the most interesting stuff, in my opinion is the new wave of retro, doom,stoner, fuzz, drone, acid, 60s & 70s-hard rock styles with bands like Avatarium, Lykantropi, Deerslayer, Truckfighters, Hällas, Nattramn (No not the 90s Nattramn - I asked my friend Rickard, singer in Nattramn having a drink at our metal club after the gig on Saturday, what he says to people who criticize him for using that band name and he lifted his long finger and said, "I say fvk them" ;) )

And of course the old school of 60s, 70s retro in Sweden with bands like Abramis Brama, Graveyard, Horisont.
Also, lots of goth, synth and industrial metal bands are still really popular, my favourites for years are Draconian (goth, death) and Deathstars (goth, synth).


Edited by LAM-SGC - February 13 2020 at 07:09

As someone that's been personally involved with and played and recorded in the progressive, technical, and avant metal scene for years...

^ I don’t think he said anything rude enough to warrant that response. Opeth is one of my favorites, metal or not

It will surprise you to know that in Sweden Opeth aren't even close to being considered the Swedish Gods of Metal. Swedish metalheads gave up on them many years ago. Unlike most countries Sweden has dozens of great metal bands of all genres in the first division, there isn't one metal band that Swedes consider to be above all others. The old school Holy Trinity here is still considered to be Candlemass, Bathory and Entombed. But nowadays, the top five would be Mesuggah, At the Gates, In Flames, Amon Amarth and Sabaton. Not to mention all the great new retro, doom, fuzz,drone,stoner bands that are now rising quickly in these post-Hipster years.   

The Swedish gods of metal are obviously Meshuggah.  However, Opeth takes a close 2nd.  :)

Ghost Reveries came in the mail and I gotta say, its one of my favorite albums ever made, leaving a review sunday :D

Opeth have always been strange experience to me, love Orchid there is something very fresh about that album and I re-listen from time to time, but never got too much into the next 7 albums, ok’ish for a heavy playlist but did not really get me boiling as albums.

Then came Watershed and I was hooked again for a while, but was very indifferent towards Heritage and Pale Communion , albums I found to be for the most part uninteresting (just as Wilson solo albums often was to me) to the point where I never bothered with Sorceress and to this day haven’t heard. Then did check out In Cauda Venenum and liked it, in my opinion some of the worst prog cliché is now gone and we are getting what to me is a better more clean rock output with its own unique thing – yet far from the Metal animal Opeth once was.   

My copy of Still Life on vinyl came yesterday and it sounds incredible, ghost reveries should be here tomorrow!

Becoming one of my favorite bands...


Guess who is buying a ticket to see them live tomorrow :)

Love al eras of Opeth, ICV is one of their best albums