Opeth - "Watershed"

[robnobcorncob]

Well I'm on about my third listen or so by now... and damn. It's awesome. Ghost reveries was a step in a more prog direction compared to the Deliverance album and Watershed is a step beyond that.

However, the heavy stuff... IS HEAVIER. The production is on par with Ghost Reveries (Same young producer, Jens Bogren at it again. Killer stuff) and it's more techinical overall. A darker record. Great to hear an album by a (melodic death metal? prog-metal ? ... ) band that isn't filled with blastbeats and face-ripping solos from start to finish *Cough* ARCH ENEMY *cough* however the new stuff is a bit more technical but it's not excessive.. the new guitarist (Fredrik Akkesson) is amazing and Axenrot has proven himself as a worthy drummer on his first record with the band.

It comes out June 4th I think. I'm listening to the leak (studio master, 192 kbps) and It's definitely worth buying a copy!

Clearly one of the best metal albums of 2008 along with "ObZen" by Meshuggah.

[DaNextSlash]

Sounds interesting. I do have their Blackwater Park CD and although I have maximum respect for their song writing ability, most of their stuff go in one ear and out the other...either that or it goes over my head..

On the topic of CDs and Progressive Metal. I recently discovered a band called Persefone. Unknown band from an unknown country...but the music....I'm loving it.

The CD contains 3 tracks and a Megadeth cover. Each of the 3 tracks are 22-24mins in length and tell the story of the greek goddess getting dragged into the underworld blah blah...each song goes into the other so its just a hour long song almost...

Very Opeth-esque in nature, but I like it more. Heaps of piano and acoustic as well as death metal vocals and even xylophones chucking in COB keyboard solos and more Symphony X guitar and keyboard trade offs and you get a hell of a mess....but a nice sounding cool mess

If I could describe the sound it would be the child of Opeth, Symphony X and maybe Nightwish or any other "metal" band with a clean female vocalist...only when Persefone/Persephone is bitching about the Underworld.

Either way, this band has become my new band to listen to for a while, or I'm just a sucker for Greek Mythology...

[lukanize]

Ive heard some of the leaks and some songs on youtube and my first impression was the only heavy sounding song was heir apparent and it was a cool song. Seemed to be alot more clean parts in their songs.

I'll reserve my full judgement for now though.