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Posted by: fatb0t Sep 19 2008, 03:44 PM

Last night I saw High on Fire and Opeth, here's my review:

High on Fire - I've listened to this band briefly before, one of my friends is reallly into stoner metal - so I've definitely listened to most of their albums a few times. The singer comes out with no shirt on, pot belly out, he is STOKED. He has tremendous amount of energy which is pretty cool because I just got to the show. The crowd wasn't very receptive. I must say as a guitarist, he has close to no skill. His solos were at best abhorrent, just nonsensical tremolo picking of random notes as fast as humanly possible. Consistently out of key, but I got what he was trying to do, he was just trying to convey his energy to the crowd - which he kinda failed at. Over all, they were okay.

Opeth - Wow...Mikael Åkerfeldt blew my mind. The set list? I have no idea - it was just an amazing show. The light show Nokia theatre put on for them was pretty impressive. It was a lot better than what I've seen for most bands. The band actually did a GOOD sound check, unlike High on Fire. Everything was perfect as far as volume levels. It wasn't ear blasting loud where you can't hear any distinction in tones. Everything was very clear and articulate, yet you could still feel the sound thumping in your chest. They played a lot from Deliverance which is one of my favorite albums. Mikael was pretty cool as a front man. He consistently talked to the crowd in a humorous manner, evoking laughter for most of the evening. He made fun of his songs, he made fun of other bands, he was sarcastic. He tried to get his drummer to do a solo after the new guitarist did a solo and he absolutely REFUSED to do it. It was pretty funny. I was watching these two guitarists Mikael Akerfeldt and Fredrik Åkesson using chord fingerings that were beyond my comprehension - totally alien. The technical skill of this band is really under estimated. The switch between DEATH METAL to finger picking beautiful melodies seamlessly is a very impressive feat and I believe Opeth has pioneered this idea. Mikael's voice was ON this particular evening, from the most brutal death metal to the loftiest singing (mainly songs from the damnation album). Mikael gave several speeches about the band and how long it took them for anyone to give a crap about them. How they toured with Morbid Angel... all types of cool stuff. The audience was going insane for Opeth. I mean, massive angry circle pits to mellow lighter in the air ballads. The energy was unparalleled. Over all an amazing show.


Anyone know what scale (harmonic minor or major) they compose in the most for their finger picking melodies? They used some really interesting chords that'd I've love to wrap my theory brain around....

Posted by: Mark. Sep 19 2008, 03:49 PM

Sound like an awsome time ! I really must see Opeth someday
About the chords I think it mostly are just some extended chords or something, add9, 11 etc
But I also heard mike say in some vid on youtube that he uses major chords quite alot because he thinks they sound evil, and in opeths case I can fully aggree with that

Posted by: Guitarman700 Sep 19 2008, 04:03 PM

sounds great, but i have to dissagree on High On Fire, must have been an off night, because whenever ive seen them, they just killed, and matt pike really is a great guitarist, he just doesent play the way most metal players do. sounds fun though, i would kill to see opeth!

Posted by: fatb0t Sep 19 2008, 04:24 PM

Truth be told, he looked HAMMERED. Like, insanely drunk - and he was drinking on and off stage. My guess is he was tanked...

Posted by: Guitarman700 Sep 19 2008, 04:50 PM

Hmm. yeah that seems a fair estimation. at gigantour, Alexi Lahio was drunk as hell, but that made him play BETTER!

Posted by: opeth.db Sep 19 2008, 07:04 PM

2 Words - Opeth Rules

I saw them a few months ago with Dream Theater. Great show. I also discovered a really good band called "3" who opened the show with "Between the Buried and Me"
http://www.myspace.com/3

Listen to the jam "The End is Begun" very original if you ask me.

Posted by: Smikey2006 Sep 19 2008, 07:45 PM

:D:D:D im seeing this show on sunday! Opeth and High on Fire at centenial hall in London Ontario! Thanks for the great review im super excited!

Posted by: Stevie·Ray·Vaughn Sep 19 2008, 07:56 PM

At Smikey -->
I'd say you could come visit me while you're in London, but it just so happens on that same day I am heading to Detroit to see Iced Earth

Posted by: Smikey2006 Sep 19 2008, 07:57 PM

is it iced earth with Into Eternity? Because im seeing that on monday somewhere else.... im not sure where but my friends are driving so i was like grab me a ticket and throw me in back

Posted by: RIP Dime Sep 19 2008, 08:03 PM

I love both of those bands!! \m/ Sounds like a good night, hope you had fun!
It doesn't surprise me that High On Fire wasn't accepted well from an Opeth crowd, they are dirty, awesome stoner metal, with an emphasis on VOLUME, and Opeth fans are definitely used to a more kinda polished, clean type of music, with a heavy concentration on the musicality, clean guitars, and dynamics. Just totally opposing band mentalities. But one thing for sure, if I was there I'd enjoy every minute of it!
Matt Pike has a unique style, I can always tell that it's him playing within the first 3 notes, I'll choose to listen to him over any of the million sound-alike shredders out there. And did I mention High On Fire is loud?

Posted by: ZakkWylde Sep 19 2008, 08:06 PM

Opeth shows are amazing, especially when they are headlining and I would like to see an Opeth melodic piece lesson in addition to the heavy Opeth lesson we already have here...

As for High On Fire; I've seen them live and listened to their music and I have to say they are an incredibly bad attempt to be a metal version of Motörhead with bad songs and even worse vocals.

Posted by: fatb0t Sep 19 2008, 08:21 PM

Any instructors here listen to Opeth? I'd love to hear your input on what scales they compose in. I know for sure a lot of songs are in the major scale but - some stuff is pretty out there, I can't put my finger on what scale it is.

Posted by: steiner666 Oct 29 2008, 07:40 PM

sounds like an awesome show, which any opeth show is guaranteed to be. all 3 times i've seen them they've been top notch, and i'm very much looking forward to my fourth.

and I never really thought Opeth was that popular of a band until i registered here Mike should do a lesson for the site or something

Posted by: opeth.db Oct 30 2008, 01:10 PM

Agreed! Maybe Marcus Siepen can make a call for us!!

Posted by: OrganisedConfusion Oct 30 2008, 01:15 PM

I'd have loved to see High On Fire again. Great band

Posted by: Toni Suominen Jan 16 2009, 11:24 PM

I'd love to see Opeth again, in fact I was supposed to see them a couple of weeks ago, but when we were in the bus heading to Helsinki (where the gig was) my dad calls me and says that the show has been cancelled. Oh, what a cruel world!

Posted by: Mandos Jan 17 2009, 12:01 AM

Toni, I saw them the day after in Stockholm and i was amazing. Even tough all of them were ill, especially Mikael Åkerfeldt who took medication on stage.

Posted by: Toni Suominen Jan 18 2009, 11:25 AM

Damn, I envy you so much But thankfully they are coming here again next month, so I'm gonna see them then!