The Opeth Bleak Trio: Mikael, Demon, Surprise Guest Possibly Known as Keyboard Guy

[@Croneth]

Thats Steven Wilson from Porcupine Tree

[@Croneth]

Also Chrysalis is a good " new Opeth " song that features keyboard guy

[@MusicCatsandCoffee]

NO. Guess what video I'm posting on Friday??? LOL. I filmed it right after this one but definitely didn't realize it was the same voice. :D

[@Croneth]

@@MusicCatsandCoffee he helped produce 4 Opeth albums and is good friends with mikael

[@rosendoza]

This is why I was hoping for the live performance where he sings the "clean" part rather than Steven Wilson. The bass is much more clear on live version as well

[@dead_girl__]

@@MusicCatsandCoffee is it Anesthetize? Please say it's Anesthetize

[@jettrainbow]

"eternal rains will come" would be a good one. beautiful song. plenty of keyboards.

[@Taunic]

YES. She needs a taste of Pale Communion Opeth.

[@deminybs]

I effin love that album, plus all the others obviously....but that one too!! 😂

[@monseigneurlerichelieu7739]

Wholeheartedly agree! Great song.

[@soakedbearrd]

Great song from a underrated album

[@nourgaser6838]

Pretty sure it's Steven Wilson singing, he's also the producer of that album if I remember correctly; was Steven Willson and Michael's first collaboration, and then they worked together on multiple albums on Opeth's discography, there was even a band by Michael and Steven but they only released one album (Storm Corrosion). Legendary collaboration!

[@Jim.G]

Yes, at that point it was also Steven providing the little bits of piano/keyboard that were on the album.

[@nourgaser6838]

Yaaay Opeth!! Seeing this pop up just made my day.

[@geetbehera3593]

There's a really melancholic tragic but equally beautiful song in this album, that very few people listen to and fewer reacts to, "Dirge for November".

[@FiveSerpentsTeeth]

Lauren, you need to start reacting to Steven Wilson/Porcupine Tree. Such an amazing musician

[@TheFbiFilesRepeat]

Never heard, good?

[@bobbyanderson7133]

Great video Lauren! Listen to me please. The Opeth song you're looking for is Isolation Years. It's the closest to pop that Opeth will get, and absolutely beautiful.

[@chrisdepp7665]

Hi Lauren! Great reaction! Moon above, sun below is a great keyboard guy song! No demons! Anything from the album Damnation is non-demonic, A fair Judgement has some nice piano and no demons also!

[@alexandremarchand8815]

There was no official keyboard guy until a few album later (first time was on Ghost Reveries in 2005 while Blackwater Park was released in 2001). The sound you thought was a keyboard is actually produced using a Ebow. It's a device that you can use while playing guitar that produce infinite sustain on the notes you are playing and it was used a few time on this album (like in the opening and ending sections of The Drapery Falls). Steven Wilson is the other voice on that track. He produced a few Opeth albums and contributed with some vocals, piano, guitars etc. He also wrote the lyrics to the first Opeth song you reacted to, Death Whispered a Lullaby.

[@bruxxy6814]

Could you please do a reaction to moon above sun below from the same poll? I'd love to have your take on the new opeth sound :) I'm pretty sure you'd love it

[@michaelpisciotta6001]

I never see many requests for it and maybe you did it already and I didn’t see it, but The Devil’s Orchard is a really good song. It’s a newer one and has no demon voice if I recall.

[@heenymeety406]

As you may noticed later on, Steven Wilson and Mikael Åkerfeldt are really good friends. Mikael has contributed to a lot of Porcupine Tree songs, Steven has obviously produced a few of Opeth’s records. If you want keyboard like songs from Opeth you should check out songs from newer albums.

[@markblaauw4961]

Great. So now we're going to explore some newer Opeth? Sorceress, The Wild Flowers, Cusp Of Eternity are some suggestions. But please be sure to choose the live ones from Redrocks. You speak English, they sing in English so you will understand what they're singing about 😀. But really, those live registrations are so good, better than what you hear on CD. With keyboardguy in the spotlights. What more do you want. Win win situation 😀🤘

[@MusicCatsandCoffee]

I am very stubborn when it comes to live. I have to do studio versions first.

[@markblaauw4961]

@@MusicCatsandCoffee ok 😊👍 I'm curious for your reaction anyway.

[@16dbuse]

Cusp of Eternity live with the orchestra is absolutely incredible.

[@16dbuse]

Another great reation to an equally great song. Chrysalis from the Sorceress album is a great song, and might be something you're looking for. I like their earlier stuff, but the Sorceress is a great album.

[@bernhardkrickl3567]

I really like that you are so honest and tell it like it is if you don't enjoy something in a song. Also, I like it very much that you always listen to the song a second time without the camera watching and then give your second thoughts. Keep that, you are the only one doing that afaik.

[@HattemAlHajry]

Whenever I listen to the ending of Bleak, I can't stop my mind from playing the intro of Harvest in my head

[@thomashansson3236]

You have the best Opeth reaction vids.!

[@MusicCatsandCoffee]

I doubt that, but thanks. :)

[@BleaK1211]

There is a 5.1 version of this song in the 20th year record they released IIRC. Please find it and listen to it with a good headphones capable of surround sound, the extra notes you can hear will amaze you. This is a great song and that version is even greater. It's also where I got my nickname.

[@massacrationable]

You should see Bleak live at the Roundhouse tapes. Imo it’s even better!

[@ctdrums6693]

You should check out “Harvest” from this album.

[@neromalpelo6891]

Please react to Black Rose Immortal by Opeth. 50% Demon, 50% Super-emotional Mikael, 100% Masterpiece.

[@Jablan11]

The middle section of this song is why their logo is my profile picture

[@omarjimenezo]

Eternal rains will come from opeth has a heavy keyboard guy presence there, you should try 😄

[@dryferr5557]

Steve Wilson helped produce this Album. Also helped with vocals on this track

[@TheFbiFilesRepeat]

Helped? He sings alot in this

[@Jim.G]

From their most recent album- want super Floyd vibes, listen to "Garden of Earthly Delights" followed by "Dignity", the first two tracks. (Put together, those two songs are still under 10 min, their newer songs tend to be shorter) More of my new Opeth favorites that people haven't mentioned: "River", "Faith in Others", "Universal Truth", "Lovelorn Crime", "All Things Will Pass" For a real Halloween season vibe, though, do a pair of songs from Ghost Reveries. "Hours of Wealth" followed by "The Grand Conjuration" (and finish with Isolation Years, if you want, it's the end of the album). Yes, Grand Conjuration has got the demon- but it's the season for it, right? Plus, it's one of the best demon songs in their catalogue.

[@geetbehera3593]

River is underrated in reaction scene

[@nourgaser6838]

I second all these recommendations! Hope she does some of them.

[@bobbyanderson7133]

Isolation Years really is something else and it's crazy that hardly anyone mentions it.

[@snordal]

A really nice and pleasant murder song.

[@geetbehera3593]

That ending chaotic sound might be symbolic of murderer being able to suss the life out of his/her victim after a chaotic tussle

[@bobbyanderson7133]

That's how I see it. When the growling comes in at the end, it's a bit more ferocious than earlier, and it's like pure rage being released. He was channeling some Bloodbath vocals there.

[@geetbehera3593]

@@bobbyanderson7133 agree

[@jonkwape3097]

Yeah, Newpeth finally, I'm excited

[@bryanmack5410]

I don't care if you hate Opeth. I like your commentary and how you name them whatever you want, and stay consistent.

[@charliesusterich8744]

Great reaction. Perfect song.

[@anumili08]

All Things Will Pass. From their latest albums. Nice keyboard sections and no demon. Also the voice was Steven Wilson from Porcupine Tree, who produced Blackwater Park.

[@parvinderrathore1991]

"Opeth - All things will pass", the last by Opeth & definitely one of the best of Newer Opeth (without growls ofcourse).

[@alexbinder2102]

Moon Above, Sun Below!

[@wesleyb1458]

Part of it is Mikael. and Steven Wilson has a few lines as well in the back and forth of the clean vocals.

[@davidturner734]

I always tell people Opeth is sophisticated death metal.

[@MusicCatsandCoffee]

That's a perfect description!

[@omarjimenezo]

Also, there is a cover of this song from Yossi Sassy Oriental Orchestra, and the singer is a girl, they did a really amazing job you should give it a try also ☺️

[@AbhijeetSingh-ed3lw]

Forget Newpeth do Porcelain heart......All cleans btw.. :)

[@bobbyanderson7133]

Bleak is the kind of song that has to grow on you. It was the first song of theirs that I heard - and I hated the growling. I hated growling in general back then. I would listen just to get to the cleaner vocals. Over time - and many listens, the growling became necessary. When he comes in at the very end, musically speaking, the song had been calling for it for minutes. He comes in, roaring like a lion...I used to hate growling, and I hated the growling on Bleak. I love it now. Others have mentioned Steven was the other voice - Mikael could have done it himself, and does it live. I heard the live version first, and didn't realize it was someone else at first when hearing the cd version. The part that you asked if it was a keyboard - they're using an e-bow, which is a device you hold over a guitar string, and it makes the string vibrate, thus sustaining the note indefinitely. As I said on the other comment - Isolation Years. It's what you're looking for.

[@fiiuslair]

Some keyboard guy songs: Eternal Rains Will Come Strange Brew Spring MCMLXXIV Nepenthe Moon Above Sun Below

[@carlosherrera9092]

He is steven wilson from porcupine tree

[@Luemm3l]

if you want to have a switch from more clean to less growly voices, maybe check out Khemmis.

[@natesnotes101]

Still Day beneath the sun next please

[@dutchmastah07]

Good one

[@morlokkurak4763]

If you're not a fan of the "demon" voice, Opeth's last three albums are your best bet. They are, 1. Pale Communion 2. Sorceress 3. In Cuada Venenum The last album has two versions. One in English and one in Swedish. Your choice.

[@16dbuse]

Drapery Falls should be next song you listen to from this album. It's hard to get any more epic than this album, most bands will never make 2 epic songs let album full of them. The ending flows right into the next song beautifully.

[@markblaauw4961]

Lauren already reacted to that one 😀🤘

[@geetbehera3593]

Dirge for the November

[@16dbuse]

@@markblaauw4961 good shit, thank you. I hadn't seen that.

[@bobbyanderson7133]

@@geetbehera3593 I love it, but I don't think she would. She's trying to get away from the growls, and even though it starts off with a frail sounding vocal, he growls quite a bit in it.

[@soakedbearrd]

I like your loyalty 😉

[@UnderStanding_with_Javid]

No, you are true without knowing that you re true

[@bulletproofvita]

Keyboard guy 😂

[@thenoble39]

"Surprise guest"? Awwwwwwwww. Cute..........my reaction could be interpreted as condescending. Sorry 😬

[@sergio8536]

Opeth has A LOT of musics without that "demon" vocals (haha), I don't know why people keep indicating musics with that to u, if u said that u don't like it so much... All musics of Damnation album, the newer albums, the music called Harvest...

[@natesnotes101]

Oh yeah, your music volume needs to be turned up a lil

[@natesnotes101]

I'm trying to blast some opeth here

[@lucianoastudillohenriquez2866]

:)