At first listen I thought it was weaker than Heritage and felt like a 2 out of 5. But it kinda sounded better after a couple of listens. I guess my review sums it up. It's just stale, nothing more, nothing less. Has been done before and better as I've stated in my review. It's not an Opeth album. It's just an average progressive rock album. For instance, if want better modern prog rock I would rather listen to this:

Couldn't agree more with that review, 'stale' was what first came to my mind too. I'd give it 3, maybe 3.5. It's competent. I still think Heritage is better though.

I gave Watershed a recent listen and had a fairly similar experience with it. It always felt more like a filler transitional effort in the grand scheme of things but songs like Coil, Porcelain Heart, and Heir Apparent really help it stand on its own merits. Of course, my opinions differ as I have a soft spot for Ghost Reveries and there's never been an Opeth album better than Damnation in my eyes.

New one has some really cool ideas and passages on it - all that goofy shit going on in the second half of "River" is really cool, Eternal Rains is just nice, and some other treats. That whole half step minor key middle eastern shindiggery is dead to me though and plenny o that abounds on this album.

I like this one a LOT more than Heritage. Maybe it is just me but the ideas seem more thought through and flow better

Yes I'd agree, just generally better songwriting and not just galleries of riffs.

Ok here's the deal on Pale Communion. Yes, it's better than Heritage. It's nothing like Ghost Reveries except for maybe the ballads on that one, I don't understand the continual comparison to GR. What really surprised me is how melodic and focused the songwriting is. This is definetly closer to Damnation than Heritage was, in atmosphere and in songwriting. It's got the same overwhelming bleakness that every Opeth album has but it is even more effective, to me, on PC because it's juxtaposed against more colorful music than ever before - flutes, strings and synths everywhere. And River is in a fucking MAJOR KEY.

This is a decidedly UNproggy prog album. It's about as prog as Rainbow was cira Rising. There is way more focus on cinematic songwriting and catchiness than exploring the outer sonic darkness.

Some of Mike's best songs are on this one: eternal rains, river, moon above sun below and faith in others are all some of the best songs he's ever written.

There's a section of voice of treason were he almost goes into a death growl but instead just husks his voice up a bit, it's effective

I definitely don't like the direction Opeth is headed. I want "Blackwater Park" back... but there's only so much of that a band can do before it gets stagnate also... If they wanted to go softer, at least they could've taken more of a "Damnation" approach. Oh well.

The guys lost it. Even if Mike was always the main songwriter (especially since MAYH), he clearly went nuts with the 70's prog shit. Peter at least had some vote and focused him a bit, when he left the band it went to the toilet. Lopez could have made a WAY better job than Axe on this new direction.

Man, I was invited to play Damnation live with some friends. Hell, that album is actually quite decent.

I'd have to agree that their metal stuff was better than the prog stuff. I doubt they will ever top Watershed. That's their pinnacle IMHO - perfect atmosphere, monstrous riffs, good variety of vocals, haunting lyrics. Even the ballad on that one is good.

I forgot they even put this out... slipped under my radar. Downloading it now from iTunes. So strange... I own all of Opeth's stuff. Every album and live DVD anyway, and I think they put on the best live show I've yet to see (well, from a musicianship standpoint anyway). After Heritage, though, I'm worried that they're no longer interested in writing music that I find mentally engaging. Not that Heritage was bad... just... not what I want to hear.

Boo, buy the real thing! Well, Pale Communion is a large improvement over Heritage, I think you'll like it. Let us (me) know.

Fair statement. Everything on Watershed is near perfection. It is a true prog album: getting better with each repeated play. Opeth whole discography is always on my playlist after more than a decade of listening to them. Class act.

Pale Communion was my pick for album of the year last year and I still stand by that. It may not be my favorite Opeth album, Still Life holds that honor, but it is an absolutely brilliant album. Great songwriting with loads of emotion.