Opeth: From Orchid to Ghost Reveries Quiz

Answer: "Orchid"

"Ghost Reveries" was intended to be a concept album, but with the addition of "Isolation Years," Mikael felt that it no longer fit the bill. Of course, this is open to interpretation. One can still see the concept flowing through the first seven tracks. "Still Life" centers around a man exiled from his village because of his lack of faith.

He returns for his love, Melinda, who has become a nun in his absence. The songs follow his desire for her, and his inner-struggles. The final two songs depict the discovery of his affair, a savage assault in which Melinda dies, and he kills many of the assailents.

He is captured and hung, whereupon he meets the ghost of his love, Melinda. "My Arms Your Hearse" follows the ghost of a man who remains with his love after death.

Answer: "Reverie"

Yes, "Reverie" is in the Pre-gap of "Harlequin Forest," hence the track listing "Reverie/Harlequin Forest." This means that if you skip straight to track 6 on your cd-player, it will skip "Reverie" and go straight to "Harlequin Forest." "Reverie" is actually the instrumental part that plays for just over a minute (1:04, I think).

In certain players, this may be listed as the last 1:04 of track 5 (eg. according to the application on my computer).

Answer: Martin Axenrot

Axenrot is the newest drummer of Opeth, replacing longtime drummer Martin Lopez. Anders Nordin is the drummer for the first two albums, while Lopez was the drummer for the next six albums. Lopez will be sorely missed.

A side note: Peter Lindgren has also recently left Opeth, and Fredrik Åkesson has taken his role. Quite a line-up change!

Answer: "Requiem"

Yes, "Requiem" was cut too early in production, and the first 1:25 of "The Apostle in Triumph" is actually the ending of "Requiem." Mikael Akerfeldt did apologise to the fans for this. Why it was not fixed on the re-release, I am unsure.

"Eternal Soul Torture" is an early demo track that was included on the re-release of "Morningrise," and some part of it were used for "Advent." This is also true of "Into The Frost of Winter." If you listen closely to both, you can hear some transitions that sound very much like those on "Advent."

Answer: "Lamentations"

"Closure" is off of "Damnation" and the ending was altered for the live set of "Lamentations." The ending was much more jazz influenced, drawn out, and built up to the awesome closure that's on the album (pardon the pun). The band name Opeth was derived from the word Opet, the name of an empire in Wilbur Smith's novel, Sunbird.

Answer: Per Wiberg

Steve Wilson has played piano for Opeth on several albums, "Blackwater Park," "Damnation," and "Deliverence." Anders Nordin played the piano piece "Silhouette" on "Orchid."

Answer: "Black Rose Immortal"

"Black Rose Immortal" is Opeth's longest song, clocking in at 20 minutes and fourteen seconds. This track was intended for "Orchid," but did not make it, so it was recorded and released on "Morningrise." "The Drapery Falls" is from "Blackwater Park" and "The Grand Conjuration" is from "Ghost Reveries." "Still Day Beneath the Sun" was a limited pressing that contained two tracks, the title track and "Patterns in the Ivy II" (previously released on another pressing of "Blackwater Park").

Answer: 1990

1994 was the year "Orchid" was recorded, '95 was when it was released, and '96 was when "Morningrise" was recorded and released. Both of these early albums have a different sound to the current incarnation of Opeth, partly due to the work of Johan DeFarfalla and Ander Nordin (bass player and drummer at the time, respectively). Allegedly, DeFarfalla was let go because he wanted a larger presence of bass on the albums.

The early albums have a much more prominant bass, would be interesting to know what Opeth would sound like now had he got his way!

Answer: David Isberg

David Isberg. Apparently, he failed to tell the original members that he was hiring a new bassist, Mikael Akerfeldt. This created a pretty awkward situation which resulted in every member leaving except for Isberg and Akerfeldt, what a way to start a band!

Answer: Åkerfeldt, Lindgren, Lopez, DeFarfalla

Isberg, Åkerfeldt, Nordin, Döring is the original line-up. Åkerfeldt, Lindgren, Nordin, DeFarfalla was the line-up for their first two albums, "Morningrise" and "Orchid." Åkerfeldt, Lindgren, Lopez, Nordstrom was the line-up for one album, "My Arms Your Hearse." Akerfeldt played the bass for the aforementioned album.

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