Mikael Åkerfeldt: We're no Jeff Loomis

[Jongpil Yun]

I lol'd quite a bit at that line. Skip to about 3:00.

"We like solos too, but we're no Jeff Loomis."

Åkerfeldt listens to Nevermore then?

 

[Zepp88]

Yeah, from the Lamentations DVD. They've played some shows with Nevermore, and I'm sure Loomis made their jaws drop

 

[Stealthdjentstic]

Cool, they seem right out of the 70's eh?

 

[Manbient]

hah, that's an old ass interview. They toured with Nevermore on their first north american tour in i think 2000.

 

[Harry]

Never seen that before actually, cool interview

 

[Apophis]

cool

 

[winterlover]

ha! thats awesome

 

[Zepp88]

Okay, now that I've gotten to watch the video this isn't from Lamentations, it's from something different

But he says the same damn thing on Lamentations

 

[Espaul]

IMO Åkerfeldt is a better solo guitar player than Loomis.

Loomis is way better technically and much faster, but most of his solos are tasteless and boring. Åkerfeldts solos on the other hand really brings the song what it needs. Always!

I know I'm gonna get burned for saying this...

 

[Elysian]

IMO Åkerfeldt is a better solo guitar player than Loomis.

Loomis is way better technically and much faster, but most of his solos are tasteless and boring. Åkerfeldts solos on the other hand really brings the song what it needs. Always!

I know I'm gonna get burned for saying this...

nah, i agree, though loomis's soloing was much much better on This Godless Endeavor.

 

[tequila_sauer]

Nevermore and Opeth toured together in 05 for TGE and Ghost Reveries respectively. Into Eternity was the opener. It was an amazing show. Nevermore stole the show. It was that performance that put them over Meshuggah as my favorite band.

 

[Drew]

Nevermore and Opeth toured together in 05 for TGE and Ghost Reveries respectively. Into Eternity was the opener. It was an amazing show. Nevermore stole the show. It was that performance that put them over Meshuggah as my favorite band.

Caught that tour - I actually preferred Opeth, though Nevermore did put on a hell of a show.

 

[eegor]

It was that performance that put them over Meshuggah as my favorite band.

I don't think any performance by anyone can top Meshuggah for me. I do wish I could have caught that concert, though. I saw Opeth last month and they fucking destroyed me.

 

[st2012]

IMO Åkerfeldt is a better solo guitar player than Loomis.

Loomis is way better technically and much faster, but most of his solos are tasteless and boring. Åkerfeldts solos on the other hand really brings the song what it needs. Always!

I know I'm gonna get burned for saying this...

To each his own but I find Loomis' solo's to be the definition of tasteful shredding.

 

[soliloquy]

am i the only one who doesnt see the big deal that surrounds opeth? what so godly about em in terms of metal. as of late, it seems that they are THE gods of metal and thats it...so what exactly did they do that revolutionized the entire metal world and took it by storm...?

sure, their mellower stuff seems to be interesting, but just coz of their ballads they are gods...? i dont get it...:S

 

[Metal Ken]

Åkerfeldt listens to Nevermore then?

They toured with them back in 2005. I Saw them in tampa.

 

[Manbient]

am i the only one who doesnt see the big deal that surrounds opeth? what so godly about em in terms of metal. as of late, it seems that they are THE gods of metal and thats it...so what exactly did they do that revolutionized the entire metal world and took it by storm...?

sure, their mellower stuff seems to be interesting, but just coz of their ballads they are gods...? i dont get it...:S

Lately they've been a bit ehhh, but if you were around at any time when the first 5 were coming out you would understand. There was nothing like that at all, they had songwriting chops for days, and their ability to be so seamless with their clean and heavy sections was unparalleled. The metal scene is quite different now than it was in the late 90's, and for me anyway, Opeth was easily my favorite metal band. So much atmosphere, and so many cool ideas that were far left of the path most metal was taking at the time.

I do think though after BWP they lost something. All of a sudden power chords are showing up everywhere, instead of the unique chords and layering they used to do with the distorted guitars. They also lost the emotional weight if you ask me. Opeth was never supposed to be a really "heavy" band, and when they tried to sound heavier, i think it didn't work. Have a listen to any of the first 5 if you haven't, and think about the way they are putting their songs together and the really unique atmosphere and guitar arrangements. That's what did it for me.

They toured with them back in 2005. I Saw them in tampa.

Like i said, this was before that. This was in 2000 on their first NA tour, in which they also toured with Nevermore on the DNB tour

 

[soliloquy]

Lately they've been a bit ehhh, but if you were around at any time when the first 5 were coming out you would understand. There was nothing like that at all, they had songwriting chops for days, and their ability to be so seamless with their clean and heavy sections was unparalleled. The metal scene is quite different now than it was in the late 90's, and for me anyway, Opeth was easily my favorite metal band. So much atmosphere, and so many cool ideas that were far left of the path most metal was taking at the time.

I do think though after BWP they lost something. All of a sudden power chords are showing up everywhere, instead of the unique chords and layering they used to do with the distorted guitars. They also lost the emotional weight if you ask me. Opeth was never supposed to be a really "heavy" band, and when they tried to sound heavier, i think it didn't work. Have a listen to any of the first 5 if you haven't, and think about the way they are putting their songs together and the really unique atmosphere and guitar arrangements. That's what did it for me.

well, when i was introduced to metal, i was introduced to it in a MUCH different way than most metal fans. where most people were introduced to stuff like iron maiden, metallica, pantera and megadeth, i was listening to stuff like Haggard, therion, theatre of tragedy, the gathering, shape of despair, the sins of thy beloved, tristania, bathory and bunch of other gothic/symphonic/atmospheric/classical bands that had an immense atmosphere to them. and at the same time, they were doing dual vocals as well along with other instrument arrangements. from guitars that were mainly power chords just to create rhythm, and their solos were very basic and far from shredding. they used classical instruments for solos if need be. their vocals were seamless in terms of transition. from clean operatic male/female vocals-almost angelic, they switched to growling and demonic vocals.

and then when i was introduced to opeth, i didnt really see what others saw. sure, i found that unique that mikael(or how ever you spell his name) is the only vocalist being able to do both vocals. thats something i hardly ever see, but opeth isnt really pioneers in that.

as for opeths first few albums, i've heard of most of em from beginning to end, and have given em a few listens each, and still i say taht each album only had like one or two songs that kinda tickled my interest, but nothing really. and i still say that their song 'the grand conjuration' is the song that stays in my memory as their most different song from all their others. and even then, people seem to say that the opening riff is something epic and amazing and highly memorable and all that...i dont really see that to be honest. its just a normal riff that isnt really all too amazing.

yes, i do give opeth that they change their time signatures around mid riff/solos, and their progression in songs is pretty cool...but thats pretty much it...

 

[killiansguitar]

I agree as well, i much, much, much prefer Mikael Akerfeldts soloing style over Loomis'. I just dig Mikael Akerfeldts style period, whether it be soloing or just just riffage. Definitely a guitarist that should be remembered long, long after his death.

 

[eegor]

I think his tone is better too, but that's partly due to my passive bias. I'm not an EMG guy. I'm into the more organic type of sound than the digital-ness of Loomis' sound.