Written by [user id=4365] on 06.06.2014 at 23:13

Written by Erik M. on 06.06.2014 at 23:11


Totally disagreed. Well, it's subjective obviously, but for me this is a lot better than Watershed... as my rating should indicate.

This one feels very forced at a lot of points for me and lacked a sense of flow. That's about it really

Now that Opeth in general finally clicked with me after years of trying to get into it, I get the same feeling about this record too. First I thought it just because of how it sounds, but then realized I'm fine with the production - it's the songwriting that I find not so appealing. Some choices, misplaced dissonance that makes me lose interest and comes across messy.

I come back to this record every few years to see if it's grown on me, and every time I go away feeling hugely unsatisified. The sound and components are there, and there's the odd good moment, but the songwriting is such a mess. Feels like it has every prog-problem under the sun. Amazed they went on to write Watershed, considering how great that turned out.

It certainly doesn't help that the first song is the best. Makes the rest of the album a bit anticlimactic.

Written by Zap on 13.07.2018 at 12:47

It certainly doesn't help that the first song is the best. Makes the rest of the album a bit anticlimactic.

I prefer Reverie/Harlequin Forest, though that might be because I listened to Ghost Reveries before Still Life. That totally amazing riff-change @ around 2:50 is basically the same as the best moment from Serenity Painted Death.

Written by Metren on 13.07.2018 at 17:17


I prefer Reverie/Harlequin Forest, though that might be because I listened to Ghost Reveries before Still Life. That totally amazing riff-change @ around 2:50 is basically the same as the best moment from Serenity Painted Death.

But I thought the best moment from Serenity Painted Death was how it ends so abruptly and jarringly

Written by Zap on 13.07.2018 at 18:43

But I thought the best moment from Serenity Painted Death was how it ends so abruptly and jarringly

Nah, it's definitely that thing I said

It's definitely inferior to the previous ones except for Deliverance maybe but I still manage to really enjoy this.

My favorite Opeth album.

Revisited this album a few times last week and it still really impresses me. Such solid, thought-out, but still inspired songwriting and possibly the best sound they've ever had, even if I do love the rawish production of their early stuff. Can't say I agree at all with people who don't consider it in the top 4 Opeth albums.

I think blackwater park is the absolute Opeth's breakthrough, but they reached a pinnacle in their career, that pinnacle is Ghost Reveries. Every second of this album is 10/10 worthy

Somewhat memorable, good musicianship, with many tracks remaining in my head to this day. Yet the structures sound over-intellectualised and with the inclusion of a new guy, this album shows off his input, forsaking the stuff that worked for Opeth before Still Life/some Blackwater Park. Joining the voices above that mentioned a loss of interest, I faced that too with this album, and spirit of boredom to boot.

It's quality musicianship as always from this band, there is no doubt that they are highly talented at what they do, but like most other Opeth album's I can't help but find myself becoming bored, I know it's proberbly just me but I find the music too dull in parts.
I admire some of thier complex instrumental sections, but at times it drags on a little, and I can become Distant from the songs, I would prefer more melody to keep me intrested.
I found some parts to the album supurb such as the song Revierie/ Harlequin Forest which is one of my most admired Opeth songs.

The first Opeth album I ever listened to 13 years ago. It took me some time to fully appreciate their sound, but slowly they have become my all-time favourite band (pre-Heritage).

9.8/10 for me - Beneath The Mire, Atonement and Hours Of Wealth are slightly weaker than the other songs.

If there was ever a perfect 10 album (along with Blackwater) then this is it. As for Opeth being "mainstream" and "everyone" knowing them, well yes, they are flipping beyond amazing, so everyone should know them.

Upon relistens this one has clicked more, making Watershed sound like hot garbage

Everything here is amazing, and undoubtedly Opeth's peak. The production especially would have to be close to the best in all of music. While the whole thing is enjoyable, a few of the songs are little weaker but still good, and many are amazing with many sublime passages of (unadulterated) musical perfection.

"The Baying of the Hounds" and "Reverie/Harlequin Forest" are battling it out for my favourite track here. Both are perfection, the former for its riffs, melodies, and passages, and the latter for its excellent atmosphere and headbanging intro.