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Jake Kobrin View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Opeth - Heritage
    Posted: September 14 2011 at 13:48
Not only has this album been released a while ago in some foreign countries (such as Israel according to a friend of mine) but it's now streaming for free on the NPR website. http://www.npr.org/2011/09/11/140288664/first-listen-opeth-heritage

I was graced with a reviewer copy so I got to hear it a bit early and I posted my review on here around then. I basically stated my opinion there, although it has grown on me since. 

I'm interested in hearing everyone's opinions. 

On another note, I played the album for a friend of mine who's an old school progger, who worships Yes, etc. and is incredibly disappointed with the modern prog scene (and he knows all of the modern big wigs.) He hates the death metal type of vocals, so he was never able to get into Opeth in the past. I played this album to him and to my surprise he liked it! I know him as the "meeehhhhhhh" guy because he says that about everything. Any time he likes something that means he really likes it haha. 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 14 2011 at 19:52
Thanks man, I feel like the only person who hasn't downloaded this already. Enjoying my first listen.

You are quite a fine person, and I am very fond of you. But you are only quite a little fellow, in a wide world, after all.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 14 2011 at 20:15
I like it.
Opeth but clean, what's not to like?

I was hoping they'd explore more of the jazz/folk/blues he mentioned...but hey, Im liking it. 3.75 stars right now.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 14 2011 at 20:15
Very cool.
I've been looking forward to hearing this album.
Now that I've heard it, I'll have to get a copy next week when it's available here.
Trust me. I know what I'm doing.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 14 2011 at 23:21
Originally posted by JJLehto JJLehto wrote:


Opeth but clean, what's not to like?

Maybe the aimless songwriting and atrocious lyrics? 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 15 2011 at 00:25
Originally posted by Jake Kobrin Jake Kobrin wrote:

Originally posted by JJLehto JJLehto wrote:


Opeth but clean, what's not to like?

Maybe the aimless songwriting and atrocious lyrics? 


Never cared a lick about lyrics.

As for the songwriting, well I guess so. Depends on if you like it amirite?
If you don't (which I know you don't) then it's aimless. If you do, then it's drifty and atmospheric.

I enjoy it, not a top 5 Opeth album but their discog is so good that still makes it a very good album.

It's certainly better than DT's ADToE
There, that'll cause some fun.
Though it's true Big smileTongue
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 15 2011 at 04:08
I had very high hopes for this album. After the third listen, I'm dissapointed. It's not that it's bad (it's not), it's just... boring and surprisingly uninspired. The songwriting is indeed crappy, there are severall good moments, but they are all lost among lesser ones. The longer tracks fail miserably. Most remarkable moments for me are the short rocker "The Lines in My Hand" and the amazing final two-and-a-half minutes of "Folklore".
Bigger on the inside.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 15 2011 at 05:39
Originally posted by Kotro Kotro wrote:

I had very high hopes for this album. After the third listen, I'm dissapointed. It's not that it's bad (it's not), it's just... boring and surprisingly uninspired. The songwriting is indeed crappy, there are severall good moments, but they are all lost among lesser ones. The longer tracks fail miserably. Most remarkable moments for me are the short rocker "The Lines in My Hand" and the amazing final two-and-a-half minutes of "Folklore".


Exactly this, on all points, I find it an agreeable listen but there's not much beneath the surface.
Mike can write decent songs and if he remembers how to, the new sound certainly has potential for a future release.


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Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 15 2011 at 07:57
I like Opeth. I even like the cookie monster vocals, but when I heard they were doing a 'clean' album, I thought it may be along the lines of Damnation, but what I've heard bears little to no resemblence.

What I've heard so far has intrigued me, although I'm not blown away. It could be a slow grower, but they've not done anything I've disliked so far.
Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy!
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 15 2011 at 08:01
Originally posted by Bonnek Bonnek wrote:

Originally posted by Kotro Kotro wrote:

I had very high hopes for this album. After the third listen, I'm dissapointed. It's not that it's bad (it's not), it's just... boring and surprisingly uninspired. The songwriting is indeed crappy, there are severall good moments, but they are all lost among lesser ones. The longer tracks fail miserably. Most remarkable moments for me are the short rocker "The Lines in My Hand" and the amazing final two-and-a-half minutes of "Folklore".


Exactly this, on all points, I find it an agreeable listen but there's not much beneath the surface.
Mike can write decent songs and if he remembers how to, the new sound certainly has potential for a future release.




Thirded, minus the "crappy" and the "miserably". Tongue
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 15 2011 at 08:25
I'll let you know when its actually out here and I get it.
Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 15 2011 at 15:24
^ Good man.  There's just something special about having the CD and cranking it up in my car.
PROG ON!!!
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 15 2011 at 22:26
Originally posted by Blacksword Blacksword wrote:

I like Opeth. I even like the cookie monster vocals, but when I heard they were doing a 'clean' album, I thought it may be along the lines of Damnation, but what I've heard bears little to no resemblence.

What I've heard so far has intrigued me, although I'm not blown away. It could be a slow grower, but they've not done anything I've disliked so far.


Many have said that, but you do know he never once implied it'd be like Damnation. Simply "clean" and it was us fans who ran with it.
I'm glad it's clean but not another damnation, that album is good we don't need another.

It has been a slow grower for me. My first opinion was the same "good but this isn't great" and each listen I've enjoyed more.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 15 2011 at 22:27
Originally posted by peart_lee_lifeson peart_lee_lifeson wrote:

^ Good man.  There's just something special about having the CD and cranking it up in my car.


Ah but I do Big smile and plan to play it when for part of my 7 hour drive Big smileBig smile
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 16 2011 at 06:22
I must give credit to Akerfeldt for taking a risk and exploring other avenues. This album is mostly about the '70's. 'Heritage' is an aptly named title. Some fantastic acoustic strings incorporated in the some of the songs as well as the organ. No question, some filler tracks IMO, but overall a pretty good album. I'd like to see DT take a risk something along this line instead of recycling the same old. I think that's asking too much.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 16 2011 at 06:46
Originally posted by Bonnek Bonnek wrote:


Originally posted by Kotro Kotro wrote:

I had very high hopes for this album. After the third listen, I'm dissapointed. It's not that it's bad (it's not), it's just... boring and surprisingly uninspired. The songwriting is indeed crappy, there are severall good moments, but they are all lost among lesser ones. The longer tracks fail miserably. Most remarkable moments for me are the short rocker "The Lines in My Hand" and the amazing final two-and-a-half minutes of "Folklore".
Exactly this, on all points, I find it an agreeable listen but there's not much beneath the surface.Mike can write decent songs and if he remembers how to, the new sound certainly has potential for a future release.


It's a real grower. I would say, and I have thought about it, that this is probably the best re-invention of a band since PT released In Absentia. Yes, I see it as a gateway album, a means to en end, but after a dozen listens I could confidently give it 4.5 stars. It is a classic rock album with many Prog elements. There are chunks of Red by Crimson, some Gentle Giant and even some Camel but these are fused with 70s bands like Deep Purple/Rainbow, later Zep and even Rush.

Terrific listen with real depth, well done Opeth.

The recording and mixing is flawless too!
A great way to throw off the death metal heritage of the band.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 16 2011 at 06:48
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 16 2011 at 07:06
Originally posted by JJLehto JJLehto wrote:

Originally posted by Blacksword Blacksword wrote:

I like Opeth. I even like the cookie monster vocals, but when I heard they were doing a 'clean' album, I thought it may be along the lines of Damnation, but what I've heard bears little to no resemblence.

What I've heard so far has intrigued me, although I'm not blown away. It could be a slow grower, but they've not done anything I've disliked so far.


Many have said that, but you do know he never once implied it'd be like Damnation. Simply "clean" and it was us fans who ran with it.
I'm glad it's clean but not another damnation, that album is good we don't need another.

It has been a slow grower for me. My first opinion was the same "good but this isn't great" and each listen I've enjoyed more.
I never really understood the Damnation paralels people were making with Heritage. Right form the start when Akerfeldt anounced it was going to be a none metal album, his description still screamed hard rock, akin to what Pain of Salvation are doing with the Road Salt albums. And to be honest I'm very glad about that since I dont like Damnation.
 
Still only heard a few of the samples on YouTube but I think I'm going to like Heritage when I get it next week. 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 16 2011 at 08:03
Originally posted by Tony R Tony R wrote:

 It is a classic rock album with many Prog elements. There are chunks of Red by Crimson, some Gentle Giant and even some Camel but these are fused with 70s bands like Deep Purple/Rainbow, later Zep and even Rush.

To me it sounds like Opeth minus the extreme aspects, but now that you mentioned it, Slither does remind me of Burn by Deep Purple a bit. This is merely the step I was expecting after Watershed and Throat of Winter. Nothing groundbreaking, although at least an honest attempt to try and stride new ground, unlike the new DT as someone mentioned. Also I agree that the song structures are still questionable indeed. 

Really I have no desire to hear Heritage ever again, which probably has more to do with me being worn out of Opeth after a decade. 

On a side note* I've never seen anyone (admins included) even remotely close to a million posts until now. Crazy stuff! 


Edited by TheClosing - September 16 2011 at 10:08
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 16 2011 at 08:44
Originally posted by TheClosing TheClosing wrote:

 

On a side note* I've never seen anyone (admins included) even remotely close to a million posts. Crazy stuff! 


I've got a fantastic business opportunity involving a bridge in the New York City metropolitan area.  Interested?
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