Opeth Live in Los Angeles With Pictures
By
Charlie Steffens, aka Gnarly Charlie,
Contributor
Sunday, March 26, 2006 @ 7:53 PM
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At The Wiltern Theatre |
Long live Swedish death metal!
In all its black mystique and unpretentious grandeur, Opeth played three hours of music during a highly anticipated, sold-out show at The Wiltern in Los Angeles. This memorable night of music was appropriately named An Evening with Opeth.
While not bathing in the fleeting light of rock stardom, Opeth is a band, which really defies any description like “death”, “black”, or even progressive metal. Opeth vocalist/guitarist Mikael Akerfeldt said that he and his bandmates grew up on “proper metal”, like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Scorpions, Deep Purple and Uriah Heep. There is no doubt that the band has the color, flavor and bite of these legendary hard rock bands, yet Opeth’s music and stage presence possesses something indescribable. It is real music, with real musicality -- full of exciting twists, passages and doorways in lyrical structure alone. Sonically the band is nothing like what’s playing these days, but the heredity from other bands, like Deep Purple, is apparent. The quintet had moved out of their relative obscurity a bit last year when it released Ghost Reveries, which won a good amount of critical acclaim, but more importantly Opeth fans love the record. Being billed on last year’s Sounds of the Underground tour (after turning down a slot in Ozzfest ’05) alongside heavy music bands who’ve raised the metal bar, Opeth woke the unconscious opening some eyes and giving hungry headbangers a sore neck here and there.
In all its black mystique and unpretentious grandeur, Opeth played three hours of music during a highly anticipated, sold-out show at The Wiltern theatre. This memorable night of music was appropriately named An Evening with Opeth. A dramatic display of lights set the mood dark and ominous before the first notes ripped out of the amps. It was impressive, and somewhat unexpected, that singer Mikael Akerfeldt plays guitar so well, with fluid guitar leads accentuated and accompanied by guitarist Peter Lindgren’s axemanship. The keyboard sound of Opeth was manned by a somewhat showy player, Per Wiberg (formerly of the Spiritual Beggars) whose hair- flying, key-stroking movements were matched by his Uriah Heep sound and style of playing. The fusion of bass and drums was brilliant. I was kind of bummed that in my photographic angle I couldn’t catch these two, who were a very rock-solid rhythm section providing brilliant timekeeping -- concise and unexpectedly off the beat. Akerfeldt sang melodic and mellow, contrasted with occasional fierce death roars.
Although the band has been playing dates with Devil Driver, Dark Tranquility and the Devin Townsend Band on its current tour, the Wiltern show was a real live three hours of Swedish death metal with no intermission that was satisfying and will be remembered as a “real live one.”
Moonlapse Vertigo
The Night and the Silent Water
The Amen Corner
White Cluster
The Leper Affinity
A Fair Judgment
Deliverance
Windowpane
Closure
Ghost of Perdition
Baying of the Hounds
The Grand Conjuration
Opeth is:
Mikael Åkerfeldt-guitars, vocals
Peter Lindgren-guitars
Martin Lopez-drums
Martin Mendez-Bass
Per Wiberg - keyboards
Click on the thumbnail shots for large pictures.
Photos by Charlie Steffens, aka Gnarly Charlie
mo_jo - 4/24/2006 11:20:27 PM
..i just heard Ghost Reveries. Dug it. Gotta get it.. Cool vocals and cooler melodic guitarwork..
Blobber - 4/5/2006 4:06:12 PM
Arizona? There ain't no metal there 'cept for some peyote-eatin', alcoholics in their 40s at an Indian Reservation outside Yuma. I can't remember the name of the band, but those drunk injuns can wail! KILL, KILL, KILL...KILL THE WHITE MAN!
_67destruction - 4/4/2006 3:18:32 PM
_67destruction - 4/4/2006 3:16:39 PM
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! These guys did my castration last year. CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Three men accused of running a sadomasochistic "dungeon" in rural Haywood County were in custody Friday, charged with performing illegal castrations. Investigators from the office of Sheriff Tom Alexander said the men admitted performing at least eight surgeries on six consenting clients over the past year, including castrations and testicle replacements. None of the men — identified as Richard Sciara, 61, Danny Reeves, 49, and Michael Mendez, 60 — is licensed to practice medicine, officials said. "It's extremely bizarre," District Attorney Michael Bonfoey said in a telephone interview Friday. "It's incredible the amount of ways that people can find to run afoul of the law, that's for sure." The men were each being held on $150,000 bond at the Haywood County Jail in Waynesville, Bonfoey said. If they remain in jail over the weekend, he said, they will make a first court appearance Monday. According to Alexander's office, detectives who searched the home Wednesday found medical supplies that included scalpels, sutures, bandages, local anesthetic and artificial replacement testicles known as "neuticles." Also seized were videotaping equipment, videotapes, compact discs and DVDs that the sheriff's office said had recordings of the surgeries. Two plastic containers holding what appeared to be frozen testes were sent to a forensics lab for testing. The suspects were arrested Thursday without incident. Each man faces 18 charges — five counts of felonious castration without malice, five counts of felonious conspiracy to commit castration without malice and eight counts of misdemeanor performing medical acts without a license. "This right here beats anything I have ever seen," Alexander told the Asheville Citizen-Times, which reported that victims may have come from as far away as South America. Photographs and videos made at the "dungeon" south of Hazelwood were apparently featured on a locally produced sadomasochistic Web site, officials said. Alexander's office first investigated the house in 2004, but concluded there was nothing illegal going on because all the participants were over 18 and apparently willing. Bonfoey said he urged the sheriff to take another look at the home after a recent conversation with a citizen who made "strange statements" about the place. The renewed scrutiny helped lead to the new charges, Bonfoey said. Bonfoey said the law distinguishes between malicious and non-malicious castration, but that the consent of the castrated makes no difference. "Assuming that the victims consented to this — and we don't know that for sure yet — that doesn't make it a defense," he said. "We can't have people who are not medical doctors lopping off limbs and other body parts." Investigators said other surgeries performed at the home included urethra rerouting and penis removal. Each of the felony charges carries a maximum sentence of three years, three months, Bonfoey said. Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Gilded_Cunt - 4/2/2006 12:23:53 PM
nkmnrcn -- I read you're from Arizona! Awesome. I run an online magazine, for local & national bands, called "ARIZONA EXTREME METAL". You should check it out...we're just getting started, but already have a few interviews under our belt...our latest interview was with KREATOR.
www.myspace.com/ArizonaExtremeMetal
*Our temporary site until our website gets done.
Gilded_Cunt - 4/2/2006 12:20:28 PM
More respect to Opeth for turning down Ozzfest! Ozzfest has become a marketing tool and a trend "fest", with absolutely no meaning other than to "sell out".
As far as vocals, I enjoy Cradle of Filth's vocals and Children of Bodom. That is the reason why I listen to Black/Death metal because of the vocals. Although I HATE God Forbid, Lamb of God, etc.... Their quality is just "different".
The show in Arizona was killer...only disappointment was that they didn't sign autographs afterwards. Maybe next time....
nkmnrcn - 3/31/2006 5:56:21 PM
Hey Trevor, great points. I wish there was some type of Swedish / Finnish Metal Fest here in the states. It would definetely outsell, outperform musically, etc. Ozzfest has turned into a venue for Jack's horrible taste in music. I am tired of seeing the same money grubbers at Ozzfest, you all know who they are. I love Ozzy and they have had lots of great bands come through, but lately it has gotten so weak it's not even funny. Why don't they (Ozzfest.com) hold an open forum and let the fans pick their faves old and new ??? Anyway, I just saw Opeth here in Phoenix (Tempe) a couple of weeks ago and even though Mikael was sick he and the band sounded great. I haven't been able to remove Ghost Reveries from my CD player since I got it. What a great band! I am soooo glad they said no to Ozzfest which has turned into shitfest.
Avengerkillerof - 3/30/2006 2:21:05 PM
It's hard to put into words, just some work for me because the music is so strong and some don't. I would prefer all of them to lift the vocals though. It's just a personal thing. You see things in their vocals perhaps I'm closed minded to, that's always a possiblity.
trevor12 - 3/30/2006 1:45:28 PM
I think that's all true! I generally agree with your opinions in these rants, just wanted a little insight into the thought process regarding the vocals.
Avengerkillerof - 3/30/2006 10:47:50 AM
I don't enjoy poor vocals at all. I'd prefer hear the quality of the vocals lifted to the level of the music those bands make. Like I said, some of the bands I mentioned have enough going on musically for me to enjoy them and buy their cd's. Seems to me from what you just stated, you and I draw the same kind of line but on some different bands that we differ on "getting past". You're also a lot more forgiving when it comes to vocals.
trevor12 - 3/30/2006 10:10:41 AM
...actually it took me at least a year to get past Opeth's vocals and really enjoy the band, but now I'm a huge fan.
trevor12 - 3/30/2006 10:04:14 AM
See, I "get past" and actually enjoy the vocals for Opeth, Shadows Fall, In Flames and Children of Bodom. For each of those bands, I see talent in the vocalists, an ability to go back and forth from growly, death or thrash vocals to clean. Also, the guitar work in these bands I find to be head and shoulders above most others, and the vocals work with the music. Now, Lamb of God and Cradle of Filth, I find the vocals so obnoxious and grating, I can't listen to them. Dimmu Borgir, not a fan, but they do put on an interesting enough show. I'm on the fence about Arch Enemy, haven't been able to bring myself to buy a CD from them yet. I just find where you draw the line to be interesting.
Avengerkillerof - 3/29/2006 2:18:34 PM
Loaded question..Let me answer it this way, I think Children of Bodom and Arch Enemy are great bands, I have their back catalogues also but I can't stand the vocals. Lamb Of God and Shadows Fall..I can't get past the vocals to buy the stuff. I guess it's how they approach the music. Opeth I can handle. In Flames I can't. Then again, Dimmu Borgir and Cradle of Filth are great bands and for many those vocals suck. It's in the musical approach for me. It's too difficult to delineate into words, it's an aesthetic quality.
trevor12 - 3/29/2006 2:05:10 PM
The opening band on the main stage at Ozzfest is really just a waste of time, you get 20 minutes and most people are disinterested. What would be really cool is a Swedish/Finnish metal festival with bands like In Flames, Children of Bodom, Opeth and Soilwork all touring together. Avengerkiller, just out of curiosity, do you dislike Opeth because of the vocals?
Avengerkillerof - 3/29/2006 11:26:22 AM
In Flames have also said no more Ozzfest for them.
trevor12 - 3/29/2006 9:58:13 AM
I hadn't heard that they turned down Ozzfest, that's a great move. I like this band more all the time. I hope more bands start turning down Ozzfest and more fans boycott it this year.
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