Hopefully MAYH will grow on me one day. Everyone's always raving about how great of a song "When" is, but I can't figure out why for the life of me. Perhaps I'll "get it" after many more listens.
Anyway, I am getting really, really excited for the new release. August (being optimistic) is not that far away at all. There was an interview in Guitar Magazine with Mikael recently where he answered a question along the lines of "what songs define Opeth the best?" He said something like "well older songs like Deliverance and The Drapery Falls, but any one of the songs from the album we are recording."
Oh man am I excited.
Here's the interview:
Quote:
OPETH
GW:What do you want to acheive as a guitarist, and how do you go about getting your sound?
MA:I mainly focus on writing songs, so my technique has become less important over the years. I like to be versatile both in my playing and songwriting, so for me the best way to progress is to listen to loads of different kinds of music and get influenced. I don't practice; I play guitar in order to come up with some cool licks. My setup is simple: I have a Boss GT6 that can hold all my sounds. I believe your sounds is in your fingers, which should react to the pulse of your heart and the hissing in your head. No machine can help you if your body's producing shit.
GW:What recorded performance represents your personal best?
MA:"Hope Leaves" [from Damnation] is a song I'm very proud of. It turned out better than the demo, which was phenomenal to start with. My best recorded solo is the clean one in "Windowpane" [from Damnation] or my part in "Harvest" [from Blackwater Park]. I like off-the-wall stuff.
GW:What song best represents your band?
MA: We're recording a new album right now, so probably any of those cuts. But older stuff like "Deliverance" [from Deliverance] or "The Drapery Falls" [from Blackwater Park] are typical Opeth-sounding songs.
GW: What guitarists on the tour or among your peers do you most admire, and why?
MA:The bands on this tour are new to me, apart from Clutch and Strapping Young Lad. I guess I've gotta say [SYL's] Devin Townsend, and I think Jeff Loomis of Nevermore deserves more credit as a guitar player. I'm into different types of players these days than the typical ones. I really like Andy Latimer, Jerry Donahue, Blackmore...and Yngwie, of course!
GW: What is the future of metal?
MA: Perhaps more pretty bands that aren't really metal? I've no idea, and I don't give a flying fuck about the future of metal, as I'm sure the next big thing is gonna suck as hard as what's big now. I'm a grumpy old-schooler that still cradles my old records and has little interest in the "metal" of today.
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