More than any other Opeth album so far, "The Last Will And Testament" has convinced me through its composition. The playfulness, the heavyness resulting not from inhuman noises and incredibly deep tuned guitars (which both have their place somewhere, don't get me wrong) but from the choice of notes and chord progressions! This album is really refreshing in contrast to a lot of newer metal music.
THIS IS A FUCKING MASTERPIECE. You really outdid yourself this time Mikael. This is the first time in my entire life when I havent listened to BWP for over a week and thats because The Last Will And Testament has spoiled me
Love this comment :) You just increased my enjoyment of it and I haven't even heard it yet lol. (I know what you mean though about BWP, it was definitely Ghost Reveries for me lol back in the day)
The drumming on this record is masterful in every aspect. The precision, flow, feel, articulation, originality. Waltteri sings with the drum kit! Love it!
@@eburns4690 My countryman from Finland Waltteri Väyrynen. He has a similar groove as Axe. But still my favorite Opeth drummer is Martin Lopez. His style is my favorite..
@@gringostarr69 oh totally Lopez was opeth best drummer, no wonder why he was on so many albums. Thanks I wanted to check out some of his other drumming
this album is practically the perfect synthesis of the old Opeth and the “new” Opeth. i love everything about it. it’s jarring, it’s beautiful, and it’s very mature in it’s narrative elements too. i’m so god damn happy Opeth exists at the same time that i do.
This was Great, but honestly......i Would love a version of this Album released with no narration, and no talking parts....So only the actual Singing of the lyrics and the instruments. Its good but the album is not as melodic as i expected, not enough hooks or those beautiful catchy melodic parts i can hum or sing on my own time like their past records., add to that narration and it makes it even harder for songs to be memorable. That way i can read the narration of the story as the song is playing and only hear Mikaels lyrics...... its cool for a first listen in concept, but personally im not a fan of Narration in music as it does not have that..."Replay-ability factor" for me personally. Make this happen please!!!!! I love you guys. Great concept album, amazing Vocals, and i love the instrumentation.....
I’m really impressed with Waltteri’s drumming. He has such a relaxed and effortless style, and the way he flows through the songs is amazing. His approach to the cymbals is uniquely his own-he doesn’t always hit on the 1 or 2, which feels fresh and, at least to me, original. I’ll admit, when I first heard that Martin was replaced, I was pretty let down. But at the same time, I was excited to see where the band would go from there. For me, The Last Will and Testament is a true concept album-I don’t skip a single track. Every cut is fantastic! Well done.
@@Chris-zi6kilol as much as I love the guys in the band and the band itself, I really only care about 7 of their records, but they are some of the greatest albums ive ever heard !
Thank you for doing this commentary video. I wish this was done for every record, but it's so bad ass to get more of an insight to the album straight from you. Much appreciated sir 🙏 🤙🏼
I might be one of the few that actually like the lighter era of Opeth beginning at Heritage. It's so creative and enthralling. In Cauda Venenum is a great album.
I mean obviously a lot of people like it because they still function as a commercial band. Both styles of Opeth are good, just in different ways. The earlier stuff gets the adrenaline flowing & a song like Faith in others moves you from a more emotional aspect. I just happen to be lucky enough that i enjoy almost all of Opeth's body of work. But regardless of the style, Mikeal always seems to hit the ears in a new way & I guess a concept album like this fits as his music is indeed like a book yelling (this is a typo but it seems appropriate to leave it in :P ) long stories.
Amazing album Mikael. Although I love the last four albums HEAVY OPETH mixed with your amazing "clean" vocals is my favorite. Thank you so much for the music. I have been a fan since Orchid and Opeth is one of my FOAT bands. Also, thank you for making this commentary.
I've been digesting this album from the start, and it only gets better with each listen. There is so much to dig through and this really helped me pick apart the smaller details in each song. My early impression is that this is definitely in the higher echelon of Opeth's records.
What a awesome album at the first listening, another masterpiece from Opeth/Mikael. I can't wait for the second listening. Great to hear Mikael's commentary too ! Cheers.
The Last Will and Testament is a monster-piece of musical mastery. Every second of each track is like hearing all of the stages of Opeth's music throughout the years with a fresh new flare. The storytelling is theatrically presented in a way that feels as if I am listening to a play while watching a song. The return of the harsh vocals on this album is incredibly placed at the right moments and accompanied by the wide range of clean vocals, lending to the record's overall emotion of the narrator's innermost expression of himself. Musically Opeth never disappoints and this remains true for The Last Will and Testament. I hear metal infused with jazz and classical. Moments of Mideastern grooves and staccato in melodies that embody the very essence of the album's story. I could go on and on. Easily top album of the year for me and for Opeth, a late-career masterpiece
This really started the week off magical. I really appreciate how generous you’ve been with fans sharing the writing experience. Genuine as always Thanks 🙏
Absolutely beautiful album. This is a wonderful example of evolution. There are no two very similar Opeth albums. Each album has its own distinct flavor. Started as a raw, vintage prog death/black metal, then dived deeper into the prog metal territories until they reached the point where they went full on prog rock with Heritage and kept on developing that style until they perfected that world. This album was where they decided to take all that experience of over 30 years of evolution. The result is a cinematic, heavy, experimental and a diverse musical experience. Their sound is complete! 👌🏻
@@paulmueller1680 those are the two worst..tho i still like em. but ur correct in saying this ha. ive clicked with em for sure. but ive clicked out of them being amazing opeth albums..where in cauda is AMAZING/top tier, and pale is really good.
Thank you very much Mickael Akerfeld for this beautiful work, I loved that you yourself explained each track to us and how the composition developed, thanks again.
Guys, how often does it happen in your lives that one of your favorite bands puts out a new album after a longish interlude, and then that album not only doesn't disappoint, but absolutely rocks your socks off?! God, I love Opeth 😁
I’ve been thinking the same thing for the past week, this is such a rare occurrence and we are so lucky for it. And the best part is that Michael is still relatively young, he might have a few more masterpieces under his belt.
I fulfilled a lifelong dream of mine when I saw them recently. Amazing show. Made me love them even more than I already did. Thank you Mikael, thank you Opeth!
i honestly wasn't sure about the return of death metal elements but after a few listens, i really do love the way they mesh with the In Cauda Venenum sensibilities
Love listening to Mikael talk about his song writing process and some of his analysis. Paragraph 4 might be my favorite track on this album, I love every Opeth album and this continues the evolution...this prog with growls is a different level, killing it. I love the song 'River' (Pale Communion) and the way it progressively gets heavier as the song goes on, I can only imagine if it had ended with a killer growl. 🤣
I don't know if Opeth guys have these ideas themself or if their PR/social media team is behind these. If it's the media team, you hired exactly the right guys who know what people enjoy and want to connect with the band and music. Commentary about the album, talking about behind the process, playthroughs of band members. Golden content that social media allows people to produce if they will. Just like Steven Wilson, Ghost and Steel Panther have turned their social media appearance as interesting and fun performances instead of marketing team's sales pitches and old school record label promotion. Everybody wins in content like this. Same with the albums that changed the style. I had nostalgia already for the "old style" and I didn't get so into the newer style, but I thought the style was cool and later I found really good connection with them. Initially it felt like a bit shakily finding the groove but the later records were very whole. And personally I didn't even realise at first that Opeth was suddenly not growling. Like I loved Damnation, I don't think it has growling and nobody was upset, one of the best albums. The songs were as they should be, they didn't need growling. I think artist should walk their own path regardless of what people expect. I wouldn't have wanted Opeth to be AC/DC and doing the same album again and again, I'd run out of interest (just like when Megadeth went back to their roots it just didn't hit the same). I don't mean to throw shade on those bands, they're good at what they do and I like them as well. However with Opeth it was enjoyable to watch people do what their inner forces push them towards. That something creative that doesn't let you do other than what flows through you and wants to get expressed. And this new album feels fresh in an exciting way as well. To me Watershed already sounded like the end of that path and the change was needed, even though it had good songs. This sounds like another fresh path. Even if I didn't like it, it's the way things should go. Like when I heard §1 for the first time, I wasn't sure if I liked it. But there was some honesty and excitement that teased me right away and after a couple of listens I definitely liked it. To summarise I'm glad artist make the decision they feel they need to make to be honest with themself and express what they are channeling, even if it upsets fans. I'm really looking forward to buying this album in the near future and fiddle with the booklet and browse the art work. The album itself was so much better experience than the individual songs released, it was so cohesive and nice.
Idk man, I kind of love the mistque with artists. Doing all of this shit and the play throughs is too...standard these days and is typical. Sort of boring honestly. Following the heard type. Steven wilsons content now is exactly what hes been against since the 2000s. Sometimes I wonder if these guys love the smell of their own shits.
18:31 This part here is one of the best things I've heard in a long time. The dark melody, Mikael's clean voice fitting perfectly with the guitar, everything! I definitely LOVE this outro. When I listen to this song, I already hope it gets to the end and I have my eargasms.
Ive been listening to Opeth for as long as i care to remember,and ive always waited exited for any new music,that they produce, ive just sat on the bus listening to this new lp and all i can say is OH MY !! Blown away as always
What a beautiful album. Mike is such an interesting person that makes interesting music. Also that solo at the end is one of the better guitar solos I've heard in a long, long time. Not even just the notes and how they are played, but the tone itself is really magical. Makes me think of Jason Becker. Actually to be more precise it reminds me of "end of the beginning". Just cuts through the mix and screams. It's really beautiful.
Always do what you want to do!! I love everything you do everyone emphasizes that you’re screaming again and I love it but I loved all your clean vocal records too
Un grand merci les amis pour cette œuvre magistrale j'attendais de recevoir l'album et comme toujours avec vous je ne suis pas déçu quel son puissant et les compos sont terrible un grand merci aussi au chanteur pour le retour de la voie gutturale qui me manquait un grand merci un fan qui vous a vu a Toulouse au havana café 😉🤘👊✌️
What I most enjoy about this album is how the hard riffs and bleak and sinister sound from the older albums perfectly blends with the, at times even lightfooted, proggy elements from the previous four albums. Personally, I prefered the older albums until watershed and could not really connect with Heritage, Pale Communion, and Sorceress (except few pieces of music from each album) - although I tried. However, since In Cauda Venenum, I pretty much enjoy Opeth again and The Last Will and Testament is even better, probably becoming my all-time-favorite Opeth album. ...and Waltteri's drumming perfectly fits in! Great work! I am looking forward to watching you perform live next year!
After a few listens, I have an impression that you, albeit unintentionally, made a perfect 50/50 album: half of the tracks (2,4,5,7) are musical theater without a typical song structure while the other half (1,3,6,8) are more stand-alone pieces with more integral songwriting (at least by Opeth standards XD). I personally prefer to listen to music that feels like songs, but I appreciate that one can immerse themselves in this album and that it doesn't feel too chaotic. Time will tell how high it will land in my Opeth hierarchy, but my consistent experience with your music is that it's like wine: sour and abrasive at the beginning but it becomes fine and tasteful as time goes on. Thank you for staying awesome!
thank you for always trying to stay true to yourself and not pander to anyone! you're an inspiration! I love the new album! thank you to you and the band! and the new drummer is brilliant 🖤
Thank you Opeth for this epic album, your hard work and amazing skills as a collective of talented and passionate musical artist's that connect on a heightened level is awe inspiring and magical. For every UA-cam channel pop up doing analytical critiques on musical artists album releases that feel their opinion has relevance, importance or weight ...For the love of Odin...please just stop. X-ing out of at least 6 UA-cam channels I've never heard of this morning in regards to critiquing this album is clearly evident that some folk have no lives. How about just enjoy what musicians bring to the table and acknowledge the amount of effort that go's into making an album. or alternately STFU. Thanks Opeth, keep on keeping on.
I felt the same way, it’s so dense and complex musically that it’s a challenge to take in on the first listen. Sorta feels like a blend of in cauda venenem and watershed but really I don’t know of any other album that sounds like this, very unique.
I love that Mikael is a true artist who will never compromise his vision for what others want out of him. I'm loving this album so far, it's got one thing that I think the last 4 were missing and it's not the growls but the evil, dark, ominous atmosphere. Some "newer" songs had it as well like Cusp of Eternity but for the most part the albums were much lighter. The sound of this album is what makes me love it
Really interesting to hear him say that hes moving on from the sound of the more prog rock on the last couple of records. Im wondering what the future sound will be, i think blending the eras of opeth like this record would be awesome
Went to his show recently montreal canada. This guy is so authentic and zen he could be a tai chi pro. I thought i was alone to love this band as my favorite but OUR CROWD WAS CRAZY. Sold out and we all knew the lyrics we were on fire. Hope he got his 2 cups of tea like he said after the show.
This Record, for me, growed from good to excellent. I always thought Watershed was one Song chopped into several tracks, because of the overall mood of the Record. But here there's also the story around it and i like to think that §1 is more of an Intro to the whole Testament (§§ 2-7) and the last Song as the Twist, like Mikael said. Opeths Thick as a Brick.
Mikael is the dark lord of prog
Can't argue with this.
With a sense of humor 😂
I dare say the prodigal son of Rush, the Gods of Prog.
LOL He is the guy who comes to school with the costume but is super grounded.
Commentary:
§1 [5:54]
§2 [19:20]
§3 [27:41]
§4 [37:39]
§5 [51:23]
§6 [59:22]
§7 [1:08:58]
A Story Never Told [1:18:16]
Thank you!
Thank you. I was dreading having to search for each one!
Thank you, brother 🙏
applaud this man
King
More than any other Opeth album so far, "The Last Will And Testament" has convinced me through its composition. The playfulness, the heavyness resulting not from inhuman noises and incredibly deep tuned guitars (which both have their place somewhere, don't get me wrong) but from the choice of notes and chord progressions! This album is really refreshing in contrast to a lot of newer metal music.
After a few listens, the album just gets better and better. I have a feeling it will end up as one of my very favorites.
So true.
Nothing can surpass the majesty that is Ghost Reveries
yep, the same thing happened to me with Cauda Venenum. I love that album. This one is badass too.
My first favorite was Still Life. Damnation topped that. Then Ghost Reveries... I'm ready for a new fave 🙂
Stop kidding yourself. This is complete garbage. Only the old Opeth is the good Opeth.
THIS IS A FUCKING MASTERPIECE. You really outdid yourself this time Mikael. This is the first time in my entire life when I havent listened to BWP for over a week and thats because The Last Will And Testament has spoiled me
Nice. That says a lot.
Love this comment :) You just increased my enjoyment of it and I haven't even heard it yet lol. (I know what you mean though about BWP, it was definitely Ghost Reveries for me lol back in the day)
It was the same deal for me but with still life, I’ve had TLWAT on repeat for over a week and I like it more with each listen
This is a little much lol. Acting like you're speaking with Mikael directly and listening to an album every week for multiple decades in a row.
@@jarlwhiterun7478since birth mind you 😂
The drumming on this record is masterful in every aspect. The precision, flow, feel, articulation, originality. Waltteri sings with the drum kit! Love it!
Same exact words!
which drummer are they using again? cause it sure sounds like watershed
@@eburns4690 My countryman from Finland Waltteri Väyrynen.
He has a similar groove as Axe.
But still my favorite Opeth drummer is Martin Lopez. His style is my favorite..
@@gringostarr69 oh totally Lopez was opeth best drummer, no wonder why he was on so many albums.
Thanks I wanted to check out some of his other drumming
this album is practically the perfect synthesis of the old Opeth and the “new” Opeth. i love everything about it. it’s jarring, it’s beautiful, and it’s very mature in it’s narrative elements too. i’m so god damn happy Opeth exists at the same time that i do.
If you just want the commentary parts :
5:56
19:20
27:43
37:39
51:24
59:25
1:08:59
1:18:16
thank you, Gojira
I was literally just listening to you, Gojira
Gojira and Opeth fans unite 🤘🏾
The Holy Trinity:
§4, §5 and §6
.
.
.
But to be honest, all the songs are flawless! Another Opeth masterpiece was born! 🔥🤘
What an album and what a great way to present it! Mikael, thank you for this masterpice🤘
It's pretty cool to have the master storyteller himself talking about the journey he's taking us on.
Master might be pushing it lol
@@radicalstanza3614Yeah you’re right. He probably meant “our lord and savior”
Mikael’s a legend :)
@@radicalstanza3614 I stand by my words, cultish though they may sound.
@@alchase-iw8nb he's an all-time great composer in my opinion. I just don't see him as an elite storyteller.
This was Great, but honestly......i Would love a version of this Album released with no narration, and no talking parts....So only the actual Singing of the lyrics and the instruments. Its good but the album is not as melodic as i expected, not enough hooks or those beautiful catchy melodic parts i can hum or sing on my own time like their past records., add to that narration and it makes it even harder for songs to be memorable.
That way i can read the narration of the story as the song is playing and only hear Mikaels lyrics...... its cool for a first listen in concept, but personally im not a fan of Narration in music as it does not have that..."Replay-ability factor" for me personally.
Make this happen please!!!!! I love you guys. Great concept album, amazing Vocals, and i love the instrumentation.....
Actual Tracks:
Track 1: [0:00]
Track 2: [13:50]
Track 3: [22:36]
Track 4: [30:40]
Track 5: [43:56]
Track 6: [53:26]
Track 7: [1:02:31]
Track 8: [1:11:05]
I’m really impressed with Waltteri’s drumming. He has such a relaxed and effortless style, and the way he flows through the songs is amazing. His approach to the cymbals is uniquely his own-he doesn’t always hit on the 1 or 2, which feels fresh and, at least to me, original. I’ll admit, when I first heard that Martin was replaced, I was pretty let down. But at the same time, I was excited to see where the band would go from there. For me, The Last Will and Testament is a true concept album-I don’t skip a single track. Every cut is fantastic! Well done.
What a pleasant surprise to have this commentary in between songs. Thanks for putting in the effort and helping us understand the album better!
Fantastic album with quite a few "oh wow" and "holy shit" moments. Well done!
Great record Mikael, after all these years Opeth still manages to surprise you and take you to strange, awesome places.
Listening to the masterpiece with the commentary of the mastermind behind it 🤘🏻🤘🏻🔥
This album is so fucking good Thanks Opeth for another masterpiece to add to the other 13!
lol 😆 they ain’t all masterpieces bruh
@@Chris-zi6kiDon’t argue with the Opeth glazers, they will come after you!
@@Chris-zi6kilol as much as I love the guys in the band and the band itself, I really only care about 7 of their records, but they are some of the greatest albums ive ever heard !
Thank you for doing this commentary video. I wish this was done for every record, but it's so bad ass to get more of an insight to the album straight from you. Much appreciated sir 🙏 🤙🏼
I might be one of the few that actually like the lighter era of Opeth beginning at Heritage. It's so creative and enthralling. In Cauda Venenum is a great album.
I mean obviously a lot of people like it because they still function as a commercial band. Both styles of Opeth are good, just in different ways. The earlier stuff gets the adrenaline flowing & a song like Faith in others moves you from a more emotional aspect. I just happen to be lucky enough that i enjoy almost all of Opeth's body of work. But regardless of the style, Mikeal always seems to hit the ears in a new way & I guess a concept album like this fits as his music is indeed like a book yelling (this is a typo but it seems appropriate to leave it in :P ) long stories.
Amazing album Mikael. Although I love the last four albums HEAVY OPETH mixed with your amazing "clean" vocals is my favorite. Thank you so much for the music. I have been a fan since Orchid and Opeth is one of my FOAT bands. Also, thank you for making this commentary.
I've been digesting this album from the start, and it only gets better with each listen. There is so much to dig through and this really helped me pick apart the smaller details in each song. My early impression is that this is definitely in the higher echelon of Opeth's records.
Congrats on the amazing release guys, I hope you do a full album tour in the future!
Brilliant! Absolutely loved listening to the album whilst Mikael explained what each song meant and how it was created, really insightful! ✨️
What a awesome album at the first listening, another masterpiece from Opeth/Mikael. I can't wait for the second listening. Great to hear Mikael's commentary too ! Cheers.
An absolute masterpiece you created there Mikael! Thank you so very much! This will get me through the cold dark winter :)
This album is an epic masterpiece.
The Last Will and Testament is a monster-piece of musical mastery. Every second of each track is like hearing all of the stages of Opeth's music throughout the years with a fresh new flare. The storytelling is theatrically presented in a way that feels as if I am listening to a play while watching a song. The return of the harsh vocals on this album is incredibly placed at the right moments and accompanied by the wide range of clean vocals, lending to the record's overall emotion of the narrator's innermost expression of himself. Musically Opeth never disappoints and this remains true for The Last Will and Testament. I hear metal infused with jazz and classical. Moments of Mideastern grooves and staccato in melodies that embody the very essence of the album's story.
I could go on and on. Easily top album of the year for me and for Opeth, a late-career masterpiece
Absolute gem of a musician and personality
This really started the week off magical. I really appreciate how generous you’ve been with fans sharing the writing experience. Genuine as always Thanks 🙏
Still staying true and not selling out. Thank you!
Absolutely beautiful album. This is a wonderful example of evolution. There are no two very similar Opeth albums. Each album has its own distinct flavor. Started as a raw, vintage prog death/black metal, then dived deeper into the prog metal territories until they reached the point where they went full on prog rock with Heritage and kept on developing that style until they perfected that world.
This album was where they decided to take all that experience of over 30 years of evolution. The result is a cinematic, heavy, experimental and a diverse musical experience.
Their sound is complete! 👌🏻
Fantastic words my friend 🙏 I agree with everything you said!
Evolved backwards
You Mikael Akerfeldt are the responsible of the happiest moments in my life when it comes to music, this album is brilliant. Just like the other 13
Heritage and Sorceress are the only two that haven't clicked for me yet.
@@paulmueller1680 those are the two worst..tho i still like em. but ur correct in saying this ha. ive clicked with em for sure. but ive clicked out of them being amazing opeth albums..where in cauda is AMAZING/top tier, and pale is really good.
@@paulmueller1680same, Heritage and Sorceress are the ONLY 2 albums that haven’t clicked with me yet at least.
Mikael, the "Chess" song you're referring to that inspired the intro to Paragraph 3 is the hit single "One Night In Bangkok" sung by Murray Head.
Huh. I heard that song for the first time like a year ago and was semi-obsessed with it for a few days 😂
@kikas-tem-zukas-boas todos sabemos o quanto Mikael gosta de rap
When he said that, that's the first thing that came to my mind. Wild.
Fascinating that he knows it
Thank you very much Mickael Akerfeld for this beautiful work, I loved that you yourself explained each track to us and how the composition developed, thanks again.
Guys, how often does it happen in your lives that one of your favorite bands puts out a new album after a longish interlude, and then that album not only doesn't disappoint, but absolutely rocks your socks off?! God, I love Opeth 😁
I’ve been thinking the same thing for the past week, this is such a rare occurrence and we are so lucky for it. And the best part is that Michael is still relatively young, he might have a few more masterpieces under his belt.
§4 is my favorite of the album. 5, 6 and 1 are also awesome
You all did a masterful job. So many original ideas with excellent execution and production. Thank you so much. It was worth the wait.
I LOVED how you did your Scot-inspired lower voice in paragraph 1
I fulfilled a lifelong dream of mine when I saw them recently. Amazing show. Made me love them even more than I already did. Thank you Mikael, thank you Opeth!
Mikael!! I bought the CD today!! Love from 🇯🇵
§5 one of the best Opeth songs ever written!
I totally agree!
And §6 is up there too
Indeed! Fantastic song! My favorite from the record, since the first listening! 🔥🤘
Let's not go overboard now 🙄
I especially like §5, but I could never mark a single song as the best, Opeth has too many great songs
i honestly wasn't sure about the return of death metal elements but after a few listens, i really do love the way they mesh with the In Cauda Venenum sensibilities
Love listening to Mikael talk about his song writing process and some of his analysis. Paragraph 4 might be my favorite track on this album, I love every Opeth album and this continues the evolution...this prog with growls is a different level, killing it.
I love the song 'River' (Pale Communion) and the way it progressively gets heavier as the song goes on, I can only imagine if it had ended with a killer growl. 🤣
Love you man, loved the album.
Cant express my gratitude on this album enough, i love this album
Thanks Mikael and thanks Opeth for sharing this with us! 🥲🖤
This is what I was waiting for since Watershed 🙏
Exactly 👍
I don't know if Opeth guys have these ideas themself or if their PR/social media team is behind these. If it's the media team, you hired exactly the right guys who know what people enjoy and want to connect with the band and music. Commentary about the album, talking about behind the process, playthroughs of band members. Golden content that social media allows people to produce if they will. Just like Steven Wilson, Ghost and Steel Panther have turned their social media appearance as interesting and fun performances instead of marketing team's sales pitches and old school record label promotion. Everybody wins in content like this.
Same with the albums that changed the style. I had nostalgia already for the "old style" and I didn't get so into the newer style, but I thought the style was cool and later I found really good connection with them. Initially it felt like a bit shakily finding the groove but the later records were very whole. And personally I didn't even realise at first that Opeth was suddenly not growling. Like I loved Damnation, I don't think it has growling and nobody was upset, one of the best albums. The songs were as they should be, they didn't need growling. I think artist should walk their own path regardless of what people expect. I wouldn't have wanted Opeth to be AC/DC and doing the same album again and again, I'd run out of interest (just like when Megadeth went back to their roots it just didn't hit the same). I don't mean to throw shade on those bands, they're good at what they do and I like them as well. However with Opeth it was enjoyable to watch people do what their inner forces push them towards. That something creative that doesn't let you do other than what flows through you and wants to get expressed. And this new album feels fresh in an exciting way as well. To me Watershed already sounded like the end of that path and the change was needed, even though it had good songs. This sounds like another fresh path. Even if I didn't like it, it's the way things should go. Like when I heard §1 for the first time, I wasn't sure if I liked it. But there was some honesty and excitement that teased me right away and after a couple of listens I definitely liked it. To summarise I'm glad artist make the decision they feel they need to make to be honest with themself and express what they are channeling, even if it upsets fans.
I'm really looking forward to buying this album in the near future and fiddle with the booklet and browse the art work. The album itself was so much better experience than the individual songs released, it was so cohesive and nice.
Idk man, I kind of love the mistque with artists. Doing all of this shit and the play throughs is too...standard these days and is typical. Sort of boring honestly. Following the heard type. Steven wilsons content now is exactly what hes been against since the 2000s. Sometimes I wonder if these guys love the smell of their own shits.
A genius Mikael, awesome album, I loved how it sounds and I just finish listening to it, and I want to hear it again.
It's a great record, one of the truly metal greats in a while, you should be proud, and we are most certainly grateful
I love this album so much. §3 is my favorite. The bass and rhythm of it just captured me. Thank you for the insight of this song and all the others.
The harp player story is fantastic. What an opportunity!
Such an exciting evolution. Love every record in every era in different ways. If this is the direction going forward, then hell yeah.
18:31 This part here is one of the best things I've heard in a long time. The dark melody, Mikael's clean voice fitting perfectly with the guitar, everything! I definitely LOVE this outro. When I listen to this song, I already hope it gets to the end and I have my eargasms.
“There is a rising tide of sorrow” is on loop in my head, vocals, musically, beautiful.
@@Azbycxd Exactly, dude! This incredible part was playing on loop in my head for days.
Ive been listening to Opeth for as long as i care to remember,and ive always waited exited for any new music,that they produce, ive just sat on the bus listening to this new lp and all i can say is OH MY !! Blown away as always
§4 and §5 is probably my favourite two track sequence in a very long time. So epic and intricate. Truly amazing.
Paragraph 2 just fantastic
17:25 is one of my favorite moments in the entire album. The vocals and melody are just incredible. My only complaint is that it's over too soon.
@M4EOzzy I can't stop listening to this one at first and the outro especially
@@M4EOzzy That part is soo Jethro Tull'y. No coincidence Ian starts narrating afterwards
What a beautiful album. Mike is such an interesting person that makes interesting music.
Also that solo at the end is one of the better guitar solos I've heard in a long, long time. Not even just the notes and how they are played, but the tone itself is really magical. Makes me think of Jason Becker. Actually to be more precise it reminds me of "end of the beginning". Just cuts through the mix and screams. It's really beautiful.
Always do what you want to do!! I love everything you do everyone emphasizes that you’re screaming again and I love it but I loved all your clean vocal records too
What an incredible record!!! Thank you so much for this fantastic music. See you on tour!
That solo at the end of track 8... hauntingly beautiful!
Un grand merci les amis pour cette œuvre magistrale j'attendais de recevoir l'album et comme toujours avec vous je ne suis pas déçu quel son puissant et les compos sont terrible un grand merci aussi au chanteur pour le retour de la voie gutturale qui me manquait un grand merci un fan qui vous a vu a Toulouse au havana café 😉🤘👊✌️
The harp in paragraph 4 is just *chefs kiss*
This album is pretty much perfect.
What I most enjoy about this album is how the hard riffs and bleak and sinister sound from the older albums perfectly blends with the, at times even lightfooted, proggy elements from the previous four albums.
Personally, I prefered the older albums until watershed and could not really connect with Heritage, Pale Communion, and Sorceress (except few pieces of music from each album) - although I tried. However, since In Cauda Venenum, I pretty much enjoy Opeth again and The Last Will and Testament is even better, probably becoming my all-time-favorite Opeth album. ...and Waltteri's drumming perfectly fits in!
Great work! I am looking forward to watching you perform live next year!
Still in disbelief how good this record turned out. Bloody phenomenal
After a few listens, I have an impression that you, albeit unintentionally, made a perfect 50/50 album: half of the tracks (2,4,5,7) are musical theater without a typical song structure while the other half (1,3,6,8) are more stand-alone pieces with more integral songwriting (at least by Opeth standards XD).
I personally prefer to listen to music that feels like songs, but I appreciate that one can immerse themselves in this album and that it doesn't feel too chaotic.
Time will tell how high it will land in my Opeth hierarchy, but my consistent experience with your music is that it's like wine: sour and abrasive at the beginning but it becomes fine and tasteful as time goes on. Thank you for staying awesome!
Thank you for another masterpiece. Opeth, the soundtrack of my life.
Thank you for doing this!
Awesome album. Really awesome work. Thanks for your music. Greetings from Germany.
This album is so good, new material that is hooking us at the first listening
This album dropped at an almost cosmically divined time in my life. Thank you so much Opeth. 🖤
This is a fantastic idea. Would love to hear your thoughts on previous albums. This one is a monster of layers. I can't get enough. Thank you.
thank you for always trying to stay true to yourself and not pander to anyone! you're an inspiration! I love the new album!
thank you to you and the band! and the new drummer is brilliant 🖤
Man I want this for all the Opeth records. This is awesome and I cannot wait to see you guys live (again). Please come back to Portland Oregon!
Thank you Opeth for this epic album, your hard work and amazing skills as a collective of talented and passionate musical artist's that connect on a heightened level is awe inspiring and magical. For every UA-cam channel pop up doing analytical critiques on musical artists album releases that feel their opinion has relevance, importance or weight ...For the love of Odin...please just stop. X-ing out of at least 6 UA-cam channels I've never heard of this morning in regards to critiquing this album is clearly evident that some folk have no lives. How about just enjoy what musicians bring to the table and acknowledge the amount of effort that go's into making an album. or alternately STFU. Thanks Opeth, keep on keeping on.
Brilliant album with such a powerful sound ! Greetings from France !
Opeth growls again! And its STILL killer
Was about to listen to the Album and saw this. Thank you so much guys! 🤘
Guys, you nailed it so hard. It's unbelievable. You do deserve an Emmy. 🤘❤️
I didnt understand the album on first listen but im really starting to love it now
I felt the same way, it’s so dense and complex musically that it’s a challenge to take in on the first listen. Sorta feels like a blend of in cauda venenem and watershed but really I don’t know of any other album that sounds like this, very unique.
It's a fire guys a great body of work. I love the variety of grooves. You're not afraid of variety, and I love that.
the album is special and mikael's commentary is priceless!
Thank you Opeth for another masterpiece in your collection.
I love that Mikael is a true artist who will never compromise his vision for what others want out of him. I'm loving this album so far, it's got one thing that I think the last 4 were missing and it's not the growls but the evil, dark, ominous atmosphere. Some "newer" songs had it as well like Cusp of Eternity but for the most part the albums were much lighter. The sound of this album is what makes me love it
I think that Heritage is pretty dark, but it's very subtle and subdued.
What a cool video. Love the album. Love the honesty.
This is fantastic! I wish every band did this for every album!
Masterful stuff. Love it Mikael & crew.
Simply amazing piece of art..Thank you.
32:22 best segment of the album. The harp, the flute and the grandiose guitar chords. Just beautiful.
I love the insight into Mikael's creative process.
@opeth thank you for this amazing album. You guys are the fucking best.
this is an absolute masterpiece , my best album of the year!
Incredible release! Metal album of the year? Def gets my vote
Really interesting to hear him say that hes moving on from the sound of the more prog rock on the last couple of records. Im wondering what the future sound will be, i think blending the eras of opeth like this record would be awesome
Thank you for another great album. I have all of them so far and will have to get this one too.
Went to his show recently montreal canada. This guy is so authentic and zen he could be a tai chi pro. I thought i was alone to love this band as my favorite but OUR CROWD WAS CRAZY. Sold out and we all knew the lyrics we were on fire. Hope he got his 2 cups of tea like he said after the show.
Your speaking voice is lower than I expected. Makes those light yet projected highs even more impressive
This Record, for me, growed from good to excellent. I always thought Watershed was one Song chopped into several tracks, because of the overall mood of the Record. But here there's also the story around it and i like to think that §1 is more of an Intro to the whole Testament (§§ 2-7) and the last Song as the Twist, like Mikael said. Opeths Thick as a Brick.