Best Opeth Songs
Opeth is unique.
Their songs mix progressive splendor with heaviness in such a way that you can recognize the band immediately after hearing just a couple of notes.
I've been a fan of the band for more than 10 years and consider Mikael Akerdfelt to be a musical genius.
Even if I think their music is too complex to fairly make a list of top songs, I'm willing to give it a try.
So there you go, The Best Of Opeth in songs: 10.
Advent (Morningrise) The acoustic passages are not as elaborate as some of their later works, but the song has great transitions and a very adventurous structure.
The emphasis on contrasts that Opeth is famous for starts to be more evident here.
9.
Face Of Melinda (Still Life) Great song with a more simple structure (by Opeth standards).
No screaming vocals here, but the energy is built up at the end, when the song goes into an acoustic break, followed by a dramatic riff that brings the heaviness but maintains the melancholic vibe.
A highlight on the Still Life album 8.
Bleak (Blackwater Park) Perfect intro with dissonant acoustic guitars.
The initial verses are heavy and create a dark preface for the following section, a melodic vocal passage courtesy of Steven Wilson (of Porcupine Tree fame).
That vocal line is worth the price of the whole album 7.
Windowpane (Damnation) I love the guitar solos here, they're simple and full of feeling and melody.
The midsection with the keyboards and clean guitar progressions is my favorite part of the song.
Watch the Lamentations DVD version of it too, it translates very well live, very organic.
6.
The Leper Affinity (Blackwater Park) Were you impressed too when you heard the melodic section with the subtle transition from electric to acoustic? I thought they weren't going to be able to pull it off live.
Check out the concert at The Royal Albert Hall to prove me wrong.
5.
When (My Arms Your Hearse) It starts off with full force and goes into a great journey.
Melodic vocals and an acoustic passage that culminates with my favorite part of the song: the ending section.
The riff with the ascending motif and the vocal lines: When can I take you from this place? When is the word but a sigh? When is death our lone beholder? When would we walk the final steps? When can we scream instead of whisper? When is the new beginning, and the end of this sad MADRIGAL.
Very emotional, a perfect ending for a great song.
4.
Karma (My Arms Your Hearse) Maybe I should have put Demon of The Fall here instead (trust me, it was a tough decision), but the acoustic midsection of this song was one of the things that made me fall in love with Opeth when I bought this record and checked them for the first time.
That section is just so great I have to listen to it over and over again whenever I spin this disc.
3.
Hope Leaves (Damnation) My favorite song of this album since is very heartfelt and beautiful.
It gives me a warm feeling every time I listen to it.
I think I read in an interview that this song is also Mikael's favorite off Damnation 2.
Ghost of Perdition (Ghost Reveries) If you want to show somebody what Opeth is all about use this song.
It has all the elements that make Opeth's music so great.
The atmosphere, the acoustic passages, the drama.
And the perfect ending.
1.
The Lotus Eater (Watershed) It has everything an Opeth song should have and more! This song struck me as a proof that the band was capable of more progression.
The structure, the vocals and the solos are excellent.
Just listen to the instrumental midsection with the keyboards and clean guitars.
If you know what section I'm talking about you understand.
Weird but catchy, unusual but completely enjoyable.
Mesmerizing...
I think is impossible to do justice to a list like when it comes to the best Opeth songs.
Maybe some of you disagree since I left out favorites like "Demon of the fall".
Opeth is very intimate and emotional and I think their music triggers different reactions on different people.
Maybe I'll read this list again tomorrow and completely disagree, but that's part of the beauty.
Their songs mix progressive splendor with heaviness in such a way that you can recognize the band immediately after hearing just a couple of notes.
I've been a fan of the band for more than 10 years and consider Mikael Akerdfelt to be a musical genius.
Even if I think their music is too complex to fairly make a list of top songs, I'm willing to give it a try.
So there you go, The Best Of Opeth in songs: 10.
Advent (Morningrise) The acoustic passages are not as elaborate as some of their later works, but the song has great transitions and a very adventurous structure.
The emphasis on contrasts that Opeth is famous for starts to be more evident here.
9.
Face Of Melinda (Still Life) Great song with a more simple structure (by Opeth standards).
No screaming vocals here, but the energy is built up at the end, when the song goes into an acoustic break, followed by a dramatic riff that brings the heaviness but maintains the melancholic vibe.
A highlight on the Still Life album 8.
Bleak (Blackwater Park) Perfect intro with dissonant acoustic guitars.
The initial verses are heavy and create a dark preface for the following section, a melodic vocal passage courtesy of Steven Wilson (of Porcupine Tree fame).
That vocal line is worth the price of the whole album 7.
Windowpane (Damnation) I love the guitar solos here, they're simple and full of feeling and melody.
The midsection with the keyboards and clean guitar progressions is my favorite part of the song.
Watch the Lamentations DVD version of it too, it translates very well live, very organic.
6.
The Leper Affinity (Blackwater Park) Were you impressed too when you heard the melodic section with the subtle transition from electric to acoustic? I thought they weren't going to be able to pull it off live.
Check out the concert at The Royal Albert Hall to prove me wrong.
5.
When (My Arms Your Hearse) It starts off with full force and goes into a great journey.
Melodic vocals and an acoustic passage that culminates with my favorite part of the song: the ending section.
The riff with the ascending motif and the vocal lines: When can I take you from this place? When is the word but a sigh? When is death our lone beholder? When would we walk the final steps? When can we scream instead of whisper? When is the new beginning, and the end of this sad MADRIGAL.
Very emotional, a perfect ending for a great song.
4.
Karma (My Arms Your Hearse) Maybe I should have put Demon of The Fall here instead (trust me, it was a tough decision), but the acoustic midsection of this song was one of the things that made me fall in love with Opeth when I bought this record and checked them for the first time.
That section is just so great I have to listen to it over and over again whenever I spin this disc.
3.
Hope Leaves (Damnation) My favorite song of this album since is very heartfelt and beautiful.
It gives me a warm feeling every time I listen to it.
I think I read in an interview that this song is also Mikael's favorite off Damnation 2.
Ghost of Perdition (Ghost Reveries) If you want to show somebody what Opeth is all about use this song.
It has all the elements that make Opeth's music so great.
The atmosphere, the acoustic passages, the drama.
And the perfect ending.
1.
The Lotus Eater (Watershed) It has everything an Opeth song should have and more! This song struck me as a proof that the band was capable of more progression.
The structure, the vocals and the solos are excellent.
Just listen to the instrumental midsection with the keyboards and clean guitars.
If you know what section I'm talking about you understand.
Weird but catchy, unusual but completely enjoyable.
Mesmerizing...
I think is impossible to do justice to a list like when it comes to the best Opeth songs.
Maybe some of you disagree since I left out favorites like "Demon of the fall".
Opeth is very intimate and emotional and I think their music triggers different reactions on different people.
Maybe I'll read this list again tomorrow and completely disagree, but that's part of the beauty.
