Opeth - The Last Will And Testament

Oh snap! This is a welcome surprise, curious to what this one will be like

I'm curious to see how people will react to Opeth doing growls again. On the one hand I can see everyone loving it because Mikael did a growl. On the other, it's probably still gonna sound closer to In Cauda Venenum than, say, Blackwater Park, so maybe a bunch of people will still hate it.

Progressive *metal*, please.

Are those the actual titles? Interesting. Haven't listened to the first single but I plan to soon.

Written by Zap on 02.08.2024 at 09:12

I'm curious to see how people will react to Opeth doing growls again.

I hope it's not a letdown. I don't think they will be able to recreate BP, so sticking to modern progressive metal is only logical direction I can see Opeth will head to.

So happy to hear the growl back, look forward for this release and their show in Montreal.

I already have such high expectations with this album. Growls are back, and the first single sounds incredible!

Hey, the growls are back! Made my day.

Listening to the single, it feels like a natural continuation of Ghost Reveries. Curious how the whole thing will pan out. I recall reading an interview with Mikael, maybe last year, where he stated he was done with growls and felt good about it. Obviously not. I wonder why they changed style again? Because of the fans, or because something else?

Written by Kuroboshi on 03.08.2024 at 16:43

I wonder why they changed style again? Because of the fans, or because something else?

Honestly, I sort of guessed that if they were ever going back to using growls, now would be the time. Since Covid Mikael seems to have really improved his growls live and he seems to have more fun with them (even throwing in some growls during songs from the post-Watershed era).

No matter how much hype it gets inflated to, Opeth won't be able to recreate what fans are drooling over here.

I find it funny that everyone is talking about growling, and no one says a word about music. As if growling guaranteed the quality of the album.

Written by Daniell on 05.08.2024 at 08:53

I find it funny that everyone is talking about growling, and no one says a word about music. As if growling guaranteed the quality of the album.

Written by Daniell on 05.08.2024 at 08:53

I find it funny that everyone is talking about growling, and no one says a word about music. As if growling guaranteed the quality of the album.

Exactly.

I didn't particularly have an issue with them dropping the growls, it was the lack of heavy guitars and sudden change to boring 70's prog that killed them off for me.

I'm interested to hear what the album sounds like, but I'm not expecting a sudden return to the giddy days of BW.

Written by Daniell on 05.08.2024 at 08:53

I find it funny that everyone is talking about growling, and no one says a word about music. As if growling guaranteed the quality of the album.

I found the music from the single a lot more enjoyable than the last ones as well. It's a bit more chill in atmosphere, and not so progressy, which works for me. It feels more coherent, somewhere in between the new stuff and Ghost Reveries, which feels great to me. Hope the other songs follow this style.

Written by Kuroboshi on 06.08.2024 at 11:25

I found the music from the single a lot more enjoyable than the last ones as well. It's a bit more chill in atmosphere, and not so progressy, which works for me. It feels more coherent, somewhere in between the new stuff and Ghost Reveries, which feels great to me. Hope the other songs follow this style.

Thank you good sir

Written by Daniell on 05.08.2024 at 08:53

I find it funny that everyone is talking about growling, and no one says a word about music. As if growling guaranteed the quality of the album.

I've listened to §1 almost non-stop since its release and it has become my favorite Opeth track since at least Harlequin Forest. I may actually enjoy §1 more than any single track on Ghost Reveries or even Blackwater Park. And I don't mind elaborating on that. Basically, it's a beautifully sinister-sounding piece of music, expertly crafted to be just that. The intervals performed by guitars and vocals are quite uncommon, empty-sounding, as they jump from note to note without a minor or major interval in sight (with a few exceptions). To my ears and mind, it feels ethereal, ghostly. It feels like an old abandoned mansion looks, if that makes sense. The sliding-guitar notes and slowed-down "draped in death" spoken word parts add to the macabre atmosphere. The growls are essential as well, not because Opeth's music needs growls to be good, but because this specific track truly benefits from having them.

Written by Metren on 06.08.2024 at 14:51

The intervals performed by guitars and vocals are quite uncommon, empty-sounding, as they jump from note to note without a minor or major interval in sight (with a few exceptions).

This. Great to see a band create a sinister atmosphere by doing more than spamming the tritone.

First single is better than Opeth's last 4 albums combined and I do like some of the stuff from the previous 4 albums. But I listen to Opeth for the heavy riffs, growls and atmosphere. Hope that Opeth can move forward now from this 70's prog rock era.

Growls, yes. But the new single is METAL again. This is old school Opeth riffing that has been missing since Watershed,

Written by Daniell on 05.08.2024 at 08:53

I find it funny that everyone is talking about growling, and no one says a word about music. As if growling guaranteed the quality of the album.

Fanboys are desperate after all these years of jumping around of progressive rock from 70's. Kids want to taste meat again.

Written by Stormm on 16.08.2024 at 15:37

Kids want to taste meat again.

Please don’t let the children taste meat.

New single out today. Not as strong as §1 but still pretty good. I think this album is shaping up to be similar in quality to In Cauda Venenum if not a little better.

I actually prefer this newest single, but I'll stick to one listen for now and wait for the album to come out to put in on repeat. In any case this is shaping up to be a great album.

Written by nonZero on 06.09.2024 at 12:52

New single out today. Not as strong as §1 but still pretty good. I think this album is shaping up to be similar in quality to In Cauda Venenum if not a little better.

Oh no... and we're back to the prog finger gymnastics 🤮

Written by A Real Mönkey on 16.08.2024 at 19:17

Written by Stormm on 16.08.2024 at 15:37

Kids want to taste meat again.

Please don’t let the children taste meat.

Children often taste each other's meat.

I just can't get into this era of Opeth. "It's not you, it's me." I don't really vibe with progressive music. It has its place in creating new genres and pushing boundaries, but I don't care to listen to it for entertainment. It's always felt colder, more academic. And that's what this album feels like to me. A cold, academic romp through "progressive metal." Yes, Mikael is growling. It doesn't take a trained ear to realize his technique is different these days. I suspect that he's tired and may have injured his voice some time over the last ten or so years. The growling just doesn't sound the same.

There are some really cool songs on here. There is some incredible musicianship. It's sort of a return to form, but not really. We'll never have another Deliverance or Still Life from this band again. That ship has sailed and I'm fine with it.

They seem to have forgotten about melodies on this album.

Written by Cldrc on 21.11.2024 at 12:07

This one is obviously better than their previous

Perhaps it's obvious to you, but it's not that obvious to me. There are songs on Pale Communion (Faith in Others) and In Cauda Venenum (All Things Will Pass) that blow this whole album out of the water.