Opeth - WATERSHED (early) notes/review

Here's my early review of this guy..I honestly don't expect it to go much further..it's hardly a horrible album and it has some new and diverse elements; but ultimately..like Porcupine Tree's album from last year, I ask myself, how often do I want to go back and play this?..I'm doubting it'll be that often, and I also doubt if it'll end up not top 10, but even top 20 for 2008. Not sure if that says more about depth and quality of this year, or the album itself. "Lotus Eater" at least is one of the best songs the guys have done, I'll give it that much at a minimum.



Opeth - Watershed

Coil - clean..sorta an acoustic prelude track..'I can see you running through the fields of sorrow"..female vocals

Heir Apparent - nice piano from heavy riff beginning..nice mellotron textures..then flute..love the acoustic guitar phrasing in the middle..big guitar melodies..interplay is awesome

The Lotus Eater - very different for them in a good way..clean vox over blast beats?..great transitions..love the jazzy key solo in the middle..catchy as hell..great vocal performance..interplay between the guitars and vocal toward the end stands out..the crescendo is intense..no clue about the voices at the end

Burden - Clean, folky, psychedelic ballad..with spanish kind of acoustic guitar at the end

Porcelain Heart - single.."I cling to my past..I promise to stay..I went far away"..like the guitar leads..the rhythm reminds me of REVERIES "ah ah ahhhh, ah ah hhhh, ah ah ahhhh, ah ah ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"..bassoon?..."don't ever ask the reason why"

Hessian Peel - acoustic intro with a light electric guitar lead..mellotron melody is good..jazzy drums..crushing part about 5:45 in..'lock the children away from home...years of trial"..lot of subtle cymbals..intensity picks up around the 9minute mark

Hex Omega - teasing builds that last for 20 seconds and go quiet..more mellotron-happiness or sadness rather..big, grandiose, slow guitars.

3.5 Stars
7/10