Yes. Good description!

I need some time to let it sink in. I'm slow when it comes to fully grasping new music. But it does already feel more like Deep Purple Opeth with growls than Opeth Opeth with their old magic.

But it’s growing on me fast. It helps to view it as an experiment where the theatricals are on the forefront.

I’ve been listening to it extensively, tried to go into it with tampered expectations and that helped me not getting lost in my own hype

You're probably not alone. I'm also not super excited about it. I'm glad they made a step back to what made them great butI agree that it lacks severely in the songwriting department.

¶ it's boring to finish the sentence

I guess I'm gonna be the contrarian, I don't like the new Opeth album, it sounds like Dream Theater with growls..growls isn't what made old Opeth awesomex it was the song writing...This is like Dream Theater so technically perfect