So, if I love Opeth...I should check out?

Over the past year or so I've become an Opeth FANATIC. In the beginning I just liked the mellower stuff, but now I love all of it.

However, I have 0% knowledge about all the different variations of "death metal" out there.

Any other groups mix together progressive rock style stuff with death metal? (when I say progressive, think Pink Floyd, not Dream Theater). How about a mix of clean & growl vocals? Female vocals?

I'm really digging all the eras of their stuff, from the heavier (My Arms, Your Hearse) to the mellow (Damnation).

So, hip me to some cool stuff....

You might like In Grief.

You might also like Enslaved. Anything starting at Below the Lights and after. They are labeled as Black/Viking/Scandinavian Metal mainly because how they started, but their latest release Vertebrae especially doesn't fit that category IMO. I would start with Vertabrae and Ruun as they have stronger progressive elements.

They actually toured with Opeth this past summer.

Yeah, I forgot, Cynic, Atheist, and later Death would float your boat. ESPECIALLY Atheist. Imagine fusion jazz mixed with death metal.

I'm afraid I cannot recommend to you anything as boring as later Opeth. I will do my best with good recommendations.

First of all:

maudlin of the Well.....imagine the general idea of Opeth with the growled vocals/heavy parts, then clean vocals, soft parts, but in more progressive songs, more varied instruments (horn, piano, a few other things)...occasional, occasional female vocals...doom metal influence as well....and all in all just an extremely surreal and bittersweet vibe...this was a fantastic, fantastic band. You want 'Leaving Your Body Map' and 'Bath', I do not care what anybody else says/thinks/whatever, regarding the band, just check it out, and let it absorb. For what it's worth, the former I mentioned is one of my favorite albums of all time. There is also a loose concept between the two which involves writing/composing from the dream state, or the astral state more specifically.

Camel (but knowing you you are already very familiar, which is good)
Dan Swano (the Moontower album)
Lengsel (The Kiss, The Hope..a lot of 'light/shade' but not tacky and obvious, and some 'post rock' influence is there as well, incredible progressive album)

OH yeah and Extol.

One more you might try is a band called Agalloch. A couple of years ago a friend suggested them to me. I have The Mantle, and to be honest, it didin't do much for me, but you might like them. They mix in gothic doom, progressive, and folk (yes, folk) music. I also heard good things about their latest release Ashes Against the Grain.

I may have to dust off their cd and give them another chance.

Joe wrote:

You might also like Enslaved. Anything starting at Below the Lights and after. They are labeled as Black/Viking/Scandinavian Metal mainly because how they started, but their latest release Vertebrae especially doesn't fit that category IMO. I would start with Vertabrae and Ruun as they have stronger progressive elements.

They actually toured with Opeth this past summer.

excellent recommendation. you need to check out later Enslaved stuff.

Very cool. Thanks for the recs gang. I'll try to find some online samples to check out and will report back.

Bloodbath

The motW stuff is much more of an album thing to be heard, really, but here's a couple to give you a good idea anyway:

In Grief - Not the same powerful clean vocals as Opeth but the music is very well done.

Joe wrote:

You might also like Enslaved. Anything starting at Below the Lights and after. They are labeled as Black/Viking/Scandinavian Metal mainly because how they started, but their latest release Vertebrae especially doesn't fit that category IMO. I would start with Vertabrae and Ruun as they have stronger progressive elements.

I also will agree with Joe on the Enslaved recommendation. Also, you could check out Dark Tranquillity.

Watched some Enslaved videos on youtube, I'm digging it. Which album would you recommend starting with?

I'll get around to some of the other bands tomorrow. Thanks again for the input.

These are the Enslaved CD's I like best:
Vertebrae, Ruun, Isa, Below the Lights, Monumension, and Frost. I like them so well, I actually have all their CD's on my want list.

detuned wrote:

Watched some Enslaved videos on youtube, I'm digging it. Which album would you recommend starting with?

I'll get around to some of the other bands tomorrow. Thanks again for the input.

For what your looking for definitely start with their latest release and work back. Anything prior to Below the Lights may not be your cup of tea.

Edit: Pantera actually has them listed in the order to start.

Below the Lights is my personal favorite.

mc666 wrote:

Below the Lights is my personal favorite.

+1

I like their recent releases as well, but I feel that Below the Lights incorporated just enough of everything that kept it heavy and dark.

Farmakon