Imhotep - Videos/Interviews

Opeth part 1/4

This part deals with having children in kindergarten, playing live, sound and response on "Heritage".

NOTE: due to various formats, some parts may not be in synch all the time. The sound in the interviews changes here and there as well.

Produced by Imhotep Productions

interviewers
Roy Kristensen & Alexander Skottene Twiss

interviewees
Mikael Åkerfeldt
Fredrik Åkesson
Martin Axenrot

interview Mikael filmed by Heidi Bakland
interview with Fredrik and Martin filmed by Trine Lindh Justad
live material filmed by Roy Kristensen

live-photos by Trine Lindh Justad (www.eternal-terror.com) and Heidi Bakland
band photos and single shots from the Official website

www.opeth.com
www.roadrunnerrecords.com/artists/opeth
www.imhotep.no
www.youtube.com/imhotepno
www.eternal-terror.com
www.roadrunnerrecords.com
www.unionscene.no

Roy Kristensen 20.06.2012 08:16

RE:Opeth part 1/4

Opeth was one of my favorite bands and all the CDs from "Orchid" to "Watershed" I consider masterpieces. But this one is simply NOT Opeth. The only things that fool one into a false belief that this is nothing more than Michael Akerfeld project are PARTS of track 2 and 3. He plays it like it's a natural progression, but would you say the same thing if Metallica's next album after AJFA was Some Kind of Monster or Megadeth's follow up to Countdown was Risk? How about Fear Factory's Transgression immediately after Obsolete or Machine Head's Supercharger after More Things Change? If this is natural progression then we are missing at least one album in between. It is a calculated move to leave metal behind. Look at the artwork and consider how Akerfeld just left Bloodbath and what he SAID about it, that he is TIRED of playing death metal. To me that signals a departure from metal Anathema style. Most of all, this album is incredibly mediocre for Opeth or otherwise. They should change the name to Dopeth. It is a major snorefest. Every element, save Michael's clean vocals, that made Opeth so compelling and unique has been excised from the sound.They didn't just change their style: they ripped off Opeth's balls and fed them to progressive rock monster. Pink Floyd makes heavier albums than this. But I doubt Pink Floyd, Camel, Pendragon or Rush would put less effort into this CD. There's one name for this: LAZY. Easily, the biggest dissapointment of 2011. It bored me to death and the phantom antichrist had to resuscitate me. I gave many spins in different settings and I stand by my initial opinion: this sux. I'm selling my copy on amazon TODAY. Opeth (1993-2011) RUST in Peace, indeed.

Dethster4life 28.06.2012 23:23

RE:Opeth part 1/4

Weeeeeelllllll... I sincerely beg to differ. I mean, you have "Damnation", so why the big fuzz about an album without growling? Ok, so the 70's influences are way more apparant in here, but still (life)? Pink Floyd did not make heavier albums than "Heritage", sir. And that's a fact!

Roy Kristensen 29.06.2012 23:58

RE:Opeth part 1/4

I don't know man. "The Wall", songs "Run Like Hell" and "Trial" among others. Stick next to "I feel Dark" or "Devil's Orchard" and call me in the morning. Love "Damnation". It was all accoustic and clean because it was meant as "Deliverence" nemesis. But it still sounded like Opeth. Take away Michael's vocs from "Heritage" and it sounds like someone else. Its not just lack of growls, its lack of Opeth on an album thats Opeth only by name. Its comparable to you suddenly shaving your head bald. Technically, still Roy...

Dethster4life 30.06.2012 08:05

RE:Opeth part 1/4

Oh, I've always had short hair until three/four years ago and I have even been almost bald. I was still the same and I liked Deathspell Omega just as much, heh! Anyways, I think "Heritage" sounds like Opeth, even though it's not exactly "Ghost Reveries"-Opeth. Mikael's way of writing and finding melodies ain't that different in my opinion. And I haven't thought Pink Floyd while listening to "Heritage". It's probably my lack of hearing, ahem...

Roy Kristensen 30.06.2012 11:52

RE:Opeth part 1/4

He, he, I tried long hair myself, but when it got to the neck it was so annoying I had to cut it. Plus my wife will not let me wear it even a little long when it is she insists on me getting it cut. I didnt mean it SOUNDS like Pink Floyd, only that when you compare for heaviness, "Heritage" sounds weak, espcially next to "Trial". To each his own, but I always considered Opeth to be a light (clean vocs, gentle, even "poppy" passages) v. dark (growls, death metal) band, it made for fascinating listen. Like listen to "Grand Conjuration" (the trippy video helps) how he innocently sings the verse and then scares the crap out of you with growls and evil riffs. They surgically split this dynamic on the sister Deliverance/Damnation which I loved but was glad when they went back to the dichotomy on the next album. Heritage is like one sad, dark album, but where is THE METAL?! Where's the heaviness? I guess there's a little of that in "I feel dark" which is why this song is not bad, but Opeth is not supposed to be not bad, its supposed to be awesome. Now they are just an average prog rock band. I hope this is temporary insanity (I doubt it) and the next album will be Opeth proper. I guess Im not as openminded as I thought I was, but what the hell...

Dethster4life 30.06.2012 14:14

RE:Opeth part 1/4

All right, dude, I gave it another chance, being in a crappy mood, I listened on my headphones and I must admit, once you abandon your expectations of Opeth, this album is actually pretty good. It's certainly NOT lazy, quite complex as a matter fact and theres still plenty Opeth on it that sometimes sounds like "To Bid You Farewell". I understand what he meant by saying they went back to the beginning, now. It's still nowhere near the excellence of "Blackwater Park" or "Still Life" to say nothing of "My Arms Your Hearse" but it IS Opeth worthy and Akerfeld is still musical genius for coming up with all these movements. You got me to change my mind but I already cancelled amazon sale before it happened!

Dethster4life 01.07.2012 20:55

RE:Opeth part 1/4

Yeah, it's not another "Blackwater Park", that's for sure. Personally I love it when band take chances, like Morbid Angel did. They didn't succeed completely, but they did do something out of the ordinary. Slayer did their best to "shock" us back in the day with "South Of Heaven". Deathspell Omega went from quite tradition black metal (Nordic sounding) to epic and monumental tracks to intricate jazz inspired insanity on "FAS", which by the way is my second favourite album of all times. And yes, Opeth is different and daring. And the great thing is that Mikael has opened up the path, meaning that they can come up with basically anything next time and we will swallow it. Ok, not if they made pop music, ha ha....

Roy Kristensen 02.07.2012 08:59

RE:Opeth part 1/4

Wow, this is a hell of a grower! Songs I kinda liked I know love and those I didnt I like! That crazy jazz jamboree in "Nepenthe" (2:30-3:47) is unreal! Yes, I DO want them to get out of their comfort zone! If only Dark Tranquillity would get the hint!

Dethster4life 03.07.2012 21:58

RE:Opeth part 1/4

Ha, you certainly changed your mind a lot in the space of a few days! This album is definitely a grower. For me, I'm a relatively new Opeth fan so didn't have any previous expectations. I immediately liked Devil's Orchard, Slither, Marrow and Heritage. The more complex songs - Feel the Dark, Haxprocess and Folklore took a while but now I love them. Still can't handle Nepenthe or Lines and there are bits of Famine that are ok. I've been listening to it non-stop for almost a year, so I guess you could say I'm a fan ;)

Chezdon 05.07.2012 04:02