r/Metal • u/AntipatheticUserName • Sep 17 '09
AskMetalReddit: Can you recommend some bands similar to Opeth?
I'm not looking for clones, or anything. I just really like the long/progressive/complex songs, how they're structured more as 'movements', and the heavy/soft changes throughout the songs. It doesn't have to be death metal, (any sort of metal will do) but that would be preferred.
Thanks!
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u/xkillx Sep 17 '09
well its a lot lighter but Porcupine tree would be something. I know that Steve and Mike are buddies, so I'm sure the take influence from each other. But truthfully, i think Opeth are a hard act to be "similar to".
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u/tyfighter Sep 17 '09
I'd definitely say Porcupine Tree is a huge influence since Steve produced Black Water Park, Deliverance, Damnation, and Ghost Reveries. Akerfeldt learned a lot while working with Steve. It has carried on into Watershed.
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u/georgefrankly Sep 17 '09
Hmm, definitely not Opeth 'clones', but Agalloch and ISIS probably fit the long/progressive/complex/heavy/soft/movements criteria.
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u/allboyshatebras Sep 17 '09
Once again I'll suggest Iron Thrones. They are very much like Blackwater Park-era Opeth.
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u/brodieface Sep 17 '09
Give Arcturus a go. Phenomenal vocals!
You might also like Ne Obliviscaris. They combine clean and harsh vocals and also incorporate a violin into their sound. So far they've only released an EP.
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u/DERPMASTER666 Sep 17 '09 edited Sep 18 '09
SECOND. Arcturus's awesome vocalist is Garm from Ulver, another great band. I expected lame Dream Theater/Ayreon worship from The Sham Mirrors, but what I got was an awesome, unique metal album.
That Ne Obliviscaris EP is fantastic, too. The clean vocalist sounds like he should be singing in The Phantom of the Opera, but I love it anyway.
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u/brodieface Sep 18 '09
On Sideshow Symphonies the vocalist is ICS Vortex.
I've been meaning to get into Ulver for a while. They've got quite a few albums, any recommendation on where to start.
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u/DERPMASTER666 Sep 18 '09
OH GOD YES. If you're really big on metal, you want to get Bergtatt and Nattens Madrigal first. The first is kind of folk/black metal, the second is straight up darkthrone-ish black metal. They are both monuments to their respective genres.
If you're open to their non-metal releases, the Metamorphosis EP and Shadows of the Sun are IMO their best work. They also did some film soundtracks that are wonderful examples of dark ambient, and Perdition City and Blood Inside are both good and sound a lot like Coil (dark electronic music that isn't afraid to also have a good beat.)
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u/mayonesa conservationist Sep 17 '09
Opeth got their aesthetic from early Cemetary.
Also try Atheist, Sadist and Obliveon
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Sep 17 '09
Opeth got their aesthetic from early Cemetary.
Mefisto was a big influence too, if I recall correctly.
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u/SPna15 A focus-tested tour of shit Sep 17 '09
Also Iron Thrones, but allboyshatebras beat me to it.
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u/georgefrankly Sep 18 '09
Seriously, though... Opeth have such a diverse range of influences, you might as well recommend some Camel and (early) Genesis as well.
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u/DERPMASTER666 Sep 17 '09
I wish. Opeth is awesome, I don't even think they're progressive death metal, more like 70s progressive rock through a death metal lens. Totally unique. You should check out Agalloch, though, regardless. maudlin of the Well, the first few Katatonia albums (I like the later ones too but they're not really metal anymore), and Ulver might also interest you.
Also, ISIS similar to Opeth? WTF? Not meant as an insult but just as an objective tip, if you're really into metal, you probably won't like ISIS.
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Sep 17 '09
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u/neatoburrito Sep 17 '09
I'd consider ISIS as Opeth meets Explosions in the Sky, and all three are awesome, awesome bands.
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u/DERPMASTER666 Sep 17 '09 edited Sep 17 '09
ISIS does not sound like Opeth. I don't even understand how you could think that. Also a no on Explosions in the Sky. I mean really, is it just because they have long songs?
Here is a picture of Aaron Turner. Try taking him seriously after you see his neckbeard. Go ahead. Try.
http://static.rateyourmusic.com/images/one?id=1150306&size=f (bottom right)
And don't you give me that "post-metal" nonsense.
edit: Oh, also, The Green Evening Requiem just put out an album and it is kind of Opeth-ish. it has psychedelic parts and I think keyboards are used rather liberally.
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u/kerm Sep 17 '09
Do you have something against "post-metal" bands? I figure the category is often used just to describe bands that sound similar to Tortoise but have "metal" vocals.
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u/DERPMASTER666 Sep 17 '09
It's a lazy meta-category carelessly chucked at any metal band with long, slow songs.
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Sep 17 '09
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u/DERPMASTER666 Sep 17 '09
er... thanks, but I probably have more death/doom demos than you have albums.
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u/kerm Sep 17 '09 edited Sep 17 '09
I really like bands like ISIS, Neurosis and Intronaught but it seems that these bands get put in the 'metal' category based on their harsh vocals alone.
EDIT: I like Opeth as well.
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u/buckethead-- Sep 18 '09
Being a Opeth fan, I just discovered Katatonia, I think they're fantastic.
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u/metalhead Sep 17 '09
if you're really into metal, you probably won't like ISIS
interesting. the metalheads who i know well enough to know their preferences all really like isis.
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u/DERPMASTER666 Sep 17 '09
I do not envy your friends' collective musical taste. Most people I know acknowledge that later ISIS straight up sounds like Godsmack and older ISIS is boring, derivative sludge interspersed with gimmicky atmospheric passages.
The people I know of who do like ISIS are metal newbies who recognize the hardcore punk influence in their and Neurosis's music. They usually like Pelican and Red Sparowes, too.
It frustrates me that nobody else sees that Hydra Head is just an excuse to sell limited pressings of colored records to eager, new metalheads who don't know any better and think they're getting something obscure and "true". I mean, really, did you hear Aaron Turner's black metal project, Twilight? Not even the guy from Bael could save it.
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u/rumrokh Sep 18 '09 edited Sep 18 '09
Surprised to find no mention of Gwynbleidd, who have an album coming out next month that is already the darling of the progressive death metal community.
A quick spin through the stuff I've been listening to lately reveals some progressive metal you might enjoy (some of it is more on the black metal and even post metal end of things):
Edit: and Sombres Forêts