Opeth, Windowpane - A Classical Musician’s In-Depth Analysis
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 20 ส.ค. 2024
- #opeth #windowpane
This song plays with the possibility of two significantly different perspectives: on the surface the topic appears to be the face in the windowpane. But, looking deeper and taking the music into account, well … join me to find out!
Here’s the link to the original song by Opeth:
• Opeth - Windowpane (Au...
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Amy Shafer, LRSM, FRSM, RYC, is a classical harpist, pianist, and music teacher, Director of Piano Studies and Assistant Director of Harp Studies for The Harp School, Inc., holds multiple degrees in harp and piano performance and teaching, and is active as a solo and collaborative performer. With nearly two decades of teaching experience, she teaches privately, presents masterclasses and coaching sessions, and has performed and taught in Europe and USA. - เพลง
As usual, please write here your questions only.
Would the title ‘Windowpane’ have anything to do with it being an underground nickname for a batch of the psychedelic drug LSD?
@@johngeddes7894 Funny, that's the first thought I had when I heard the title.
@@johngeddes7894 NO
Most of Opeths albums are a masterpiece. But I dont agree with that the Drapery Falls is the next step. I would probably say Harlequinn Forrest (live at Albert Royal Hall, or studio if you prefer). Or Ghost of Perdition (live at Red Rocks amphiteater, or studio). Or Blackwater Park (studio album). Or u just continue with the next song on Damnation that you listen to: In My Time of Need. But the song that Ive listened to most of all songs (that ever has been written), and that has helped me through very dark times is "Deliverance", hands down (But its through my own interpretation of the song).
One of the most extreme journeys that Opeth has to offer is Coil + Heir Apperent. I recommend listening to them together.
The death-metal album Deliverance and the softer Damnation was meant to be released as a double disc. But the record company wouldnt do that. It was however released as a double disc in 2015 called Deliverance and Damnation. I think it was meant to reflect two different sides of emotions.
Great analysis!
Have you thought of the concept, it is his own reflection? He feels dissassociated with and "doesnt recognize" in a sense? Just my personal view on the song.
The Drapery Falls would be good next step into Opeth’s catalogue.
The Drapery Falls intro and Outro is peak
I totally agree that The Drapery falls would be a good next step!!
In the early 2000's I bought Blackwater Park at the store on a whim. Took it back home and listened to it while I did stuff around the house. Drapery Falls made me stop what I was doing sit down and really listen. Then I went back to the first track and listened to the whole first half of the album again. Drapery Falls and Ghost of Perdition are in constant battle as my favorite Opeth song. Drapery Falls always has the advantage of being the first one that really caught me and made me a fan.
To truly understand who Opeth are and what they are capable of, listen to _any_ of the following songs:
-Harlequin Forest
-The Drapery Falls
-Ghost of Perdition
-The Moor
-Bleak
All good choices.
I would add "Face of Melinda" and "Serenity Painted Death" to the list. Then again, I'd add almost every Opeth song to the list.
Yes, great list
All great songs, and great representations of the band.
"Melancholic" is a very apt description. Opeth has changed their sound through the years, with the later albums going away from the heavy, distorted vocals. I adore this song, and the album it came from is beautiful. Another wonderful track in a similar vein is "Harvest" from their Blackwater Park album. Other albums you may enjoy in their catalog are Pale Communion, Sorceress, and In Cauda Venenum. Enjoy the journey!
Oh yes, Harvest is absolutely beautiful! It's consistently one of my favorite Opeth tracks.
I also recommend Harvest. Also Burden, both great songs from Opeth.
Harvest is the song that got me into Opeth. They were also huge for my growing to love death-metal as I was not really used to the growling vocals at the time. Harvest was a great introduction. Their performance of Harvest at Royal
Albert Hall in 2010 is the only version I listen to now though. It's just too good.
You forgot Heritage. Their most underrated album imho
@@wcw07 I personally think it's their worst and weakest album.
I am one of those crazy ones into music theory, so I love when you explain the harmonic relationships and characteristics. Particularly when you clearly get passionate and excited about what you discover in a song. The harp demos are always really helpful in illustrating your harmonic lessons and insights. Great analysis. I loved your conclusion, which I think is a powerful sentiment, whether that was their intent or not. The beauty in art is in our own interpretations and how they help us feel and grow.
as a Norwegian the soundscape is Nordic-noire (perfect for rainy days spring or autumn)
example: Bjørn Eidsvåg - Floden
Mikael is quite influenced by Swedish folk melodies and chord changes
If I remember correctly, Mikael's grandma passed away during the composing/recording sessions of this album and had a great impact on the lyrics and feelings... so even though I've read a lot of interpretations of the lyrics from Windowpane, I just can't take away from my head something like looking through the glass on a coffin.
Fascinating analysis, thank you. I am guessing that many would be interested in your take on The Drapery Falls, which is perhaps the most representative song of Opeth's canon.
Exquisite analysis Amy! Ghost Reveries is probably my favorite Opeth album but Damnation definitely holds an even more special place in my heart. I can remember playing this record over and over, during a very dark time, and the melancholic beauty that Opeth conjures up with that album was definitely a loyal companion and a great comfort.
It was also a mysterious record in that I had no idea what was going on and the music felt quite hard to digest for me at times. As a closeted musician at the time, and with absolutely no confidence in my own abilites to decipher, understand or even write my own music, it was an album that solidified how much of a non musician I really was (despite my dreams of writing songs similar to Windowpane and others). Listening to it now, today, I can hear more. I can follow along and understand your theoretical breakdowns of the parts (I even wish you went deeper!) and I have a pretty good idea of what it all means and why it works.
In other words, it's an album, and a song, in which I can trace so much of my own progress and really use it as a reference point, both as someone overcoming (to the extent that you do) depression and alienation, but also as a musician totally void of confidence, to someone who now has their own TH-cam channel dedicated to music and songwriting.
So, thank you, for such a wonderful breakdown and interpretation. I really enjoyed it.
Truly an artfull song and a very thought provoking analysis. Thank you.
I am a staunch Opeth fan and find very few other progressive (folk) metal bands tobhave their depth and refinement. they have a breadth of expression and an experimental habit. This song is one of their most melancholic and languid.
I strongly advise you to explore more of their work. it has evolved over their career from inexperienced genius and harsh through expert and experienced progressive harsh music to this album (damnation) which is a mellow album with heavy jazz influnce produced and released in parralell to the deliverence which is their harsh album. from there they have become less harsh in vocal style (to the disappointment of some) but always remain true artists.
My favourite tracks are Majesty, Closure, Harlequin Forest and Ghost of Perdition. Take care as all in that list except for Closure showcases Micheal's gutteral vocal style in concert with his clean lyrical style.
This is a very interesting take on the lyrics of the song. Opeth tends towards dark themes in their lyrics, so I think a lot of the popular interpretations may be colored by that.
It's important to know that most of Opeth's first 9 albums are concept albums and each song is part of a larger narrative, including the album that this song comes from. The album is called Damnation because (in my understanding of the lyrics) it's about the protagonist ending his own life (and thus he will not go to Heaven according to some religious beliefs). Or perhaps the damnation is the depression / loneliness he is feeling. I have to assume that people who think this song is about a ghost or child abuse don't know that this song is from a concept album, or have not looked at the lyrics of the album as a whole.
The lyrics of the other songs make it clear that the protagonist has lost someone close to them, and is feeling depressed and alone. My interpretation of this song is that the protagonist is viewing the people around him but not feeling connected to them. He needs help, some connection or something to hold on to, but he is not getting it.
Thank you for your perspective and honest opinions on your channel. As a hobby musician I enjoy your videos a lot. Especially when you disagree with more popular opinions.
Opeth in my eye is beautiful despair and melancholy cast in music no matter what style of music they played through the years. They have always been a bit jazzy, even with their more heavy songs. The musicians were always top notch with the special mention of my all time favorite rhythm group Martin Axenrot as drummer (sadly not anymore) and the super groovy Martin Mendez on bass.
My favorites are "Face of Melinda" with jazzy, nice acoustic parts (Mikael Akerfeldt event named his daughter Melinda) and "Demon of the fall" which is enriched with a lot of death metal characteristics (and is full of totally awesome riffs to play on guitar).
Opeth enjoyer / guitar player here. So much different perspectives and so much knowledge from this video
I think I find your interpretation quite compelling . Now that I read the lyrics, they do align quite nicely with the mood of the music. It's very contemplative. For me, it evokes a very specific scene and feeling, that of reflecting on the past while looking absentmindedly at something happen; an unknown persons' face on a random window while walking down a street.
These in depth videos are the main reason I have subscribed, and this one did not disappoint! I love how you both analyse describe the "musical journey" of the song, and what goes into achieving it. I have not gone trough the lyrics myself, but I've always felt this song was more about introspection, rather than "just" observing someone else.
You also seem to have had fun with this piece, and as someone with Opeth as my favourite band the past decade, I find that extra enjoyable!
Opeth, especially older material, is certainly in the realm of progressive death metal. But even within their death metal material, you can make out the strong melodies and harmonies and just musicality in general. Their softer material is always a treat and a journey. Mikael is a great composer. Thank you for spending some time on them!
You put all of your heart and mind into each video. I have the impression you do more thinking for your videos than half the population of America at any one time.
Opeth: a rainbow of emotions
Liked what you had to say. This song is similar to jazz in that there is some ambiguity as to what the tonic chord is.
Played around with that Gbmadd9 (avoiding hashtags) chord. 9th chords are tailor made for jazz, being kind of limbo chords, they can go a lot of places, whereas 7ths really want to go to the tonic chord. I found it went nice as Gbmadd9 to Abdim to Dbaug to Db. A couple of those, went down to A Dbm Bm D and then F G A change it to Am back down to G F and E, and then back to Gbmadd9. It'd be tough to fit lyrics in there anywhere, but it sounds nice.
When I think of this song, I think "lilting". Opeth are masters at transitional textures that evoke emotion (from beautiful to brutal and everything in between). Michael is a genius musician and composer.
Great analysis Amy! I feel like i'm getting smarter all the time listening to you.
Wonderful video. The depth of your explorations of these songs, your expertise in bringing to light the technical and theoretical elements, while eloquently conveying an almost synesthetic way of thinking and and experiencing the music lends a richness and extreme uniqueness to your videos compared to other song reactions on facebook. Much appreciated. Opeth is my favorite band, and I do consider them among the finest modern composers. I humbly hope you read this comment and also that sometime you will do another song of theirs, preferably an actual metal song (Harlequin Forest, Ghost of Perdition, Bleak, or The Moor are my suggestions)
It was really fascinating to listen to your analysis of this song. Opeth is my favorite band, so I already appreciate the beauty of the music, but hearing parts of this song played on the harp gave me a new appreciation for it! I could totally agree on the section before the guitar solo being the foundation for its own song.
I also never really gave much thought to the lyrics, and liked how you explained the way you came to understand them. I rarely seek out understanding the lyrics unless I want to sing the song, because usually just the sound is enough for me. And in the case of Opeth, the lyrics are quite abstract and poetic and difficult to draw a clear story from. But storytelling is definitely a strength of Mikael's writing, and I hope you check out more of their music soon!
Amy, I'm soo happy to explore your channel on youtube. It's a very different and fun experience for me to watch someone's face and mimics that's listening a music she's not familiar or hearing it very first time in her life! Seeing you analyzing for them is like listening a teacher in a music class for me.. Thanks for your great effort and patience for being open to a genre of music that's not taken so serious for most of the classic music communtiy..After watching your Opeth review, I thought someone should suggest you the German band 'Haggard'. Found in 1989 it's a very underrated group but they're one of the pioneers of the symphonic /gothic metal. The song 'Awaking the centuries' made them famous in 2000's so I'd wish you review the piece.
You're the gem
I love this in depth analysis!! This is what i've been looking for!!❤❤
Thank you Amy! Fantastic reaction. I would really like you to listen to something more heavy from Opeth too. Their repertoir is astoundingly diverse, but always recognisably Opeth.
I agree with you, "Windowpane" is melancholy but at the same time warm and comforting. The whole Damnation album is of the same ilk and that's why it's especially this album that I remember from Opeth above all.
The windowpane is a mirror, and the music says so... mind blown 🤯
From a long-time big fan of Opeth's works.
Not much to add analysis wise. Just wanted to say you gave me a newfound appreciation for this song. I tend not to analyze, or even read the lyrics to songs I enjoy. Your breakdown and interpretation of this song allowed me to hear it as something other than depressed and regretful. You just earned a new subscriber.
I hope if you ever return to this band you consider checking out the live version of Reverie/Harlequin Forest.
Hello, I suggest checking out Opeth - Ghost of Perdition, might be shocking at first but I think it shows whole spectrum of their sound and influences. This song is Opeth in nutshell. Greetings (sorry for my bad english)
This is a very compelling interpretation of this song, I too personally didn't get a really dark mood from it, just a bit of melancholy.
Opeth's lyrics feel vague, because they like to focus on the imagery and the feel that the music creates, not the story.
People interpret this song as something dark and depressive probably because that's often Opeth's style. Their songs in general are often inspired by the occult and the gloomy/dark mood that topic generates, not because they necessarily have anything deep to tell.
I found your channel tonight. Wonderful stuff I have to say. I'm enjoying :]
Just commented on the other video, but this is such a great extra treat! I LOVE that you said, "Rainy day sound" because that's exactly how I feel about this particular album. And yes, Opeth has some REALLY hard stuff, but they have a huge library of soft, folk/jazz/rock-inspired progressive music as well, and it makes me so happy to see someone analyzing their softer stuff as well.
And as I commented on the other video, I would be floored if you did an analysis on Face of Melinda, another (mostly) acoustic/soft song that in my opinion is more technical!
EDIT: Just wanted to add that I love your interpretation of the lyrics, and watching this analysis has filled me with joy and even more appreciation for the music! (also I listened to a good portion of Vespers and I can hear what you mean!)
Thank you for this, Amy. I learnt a lot!
I'm from Protugal and we have a lot of lonely elder people, as such the lyrics to Windowpane always found me imagining myself in the shoes of one of these elders who spend their days looking through the window in a contemplative demeanor, you look at them but you can't really grasp if they are looking at you or not, really moody piece, beautiful guitar leads, I find the piece melancholic but not at all depressing.
The synth strings are from an instrument called the "Mellotron" which is quite fascinating to learn about and lends itself very well to a melancholic mood
Incredible analysis and interpretations. Well done!
I was surprised to see such an in-depth look at this song, while I've considered it to be excellently written I never thought to think about it in the manner in which you did. Looking at how Opeth's note choices throughout the composition pair with the idea of the song was very interesting. For me this song is very important, and I think the solo sections combined might hold a high place in some of my favorite guitar solos of all time. Steven Wilson did an excellent job with the production of this album too, which is probably why this might be one of Opeth's most-perfect albums in my opinion with perfect list of songs, front to back, all excellent. It would also explain the careful attention to detail in the song's composition as Steven Wilson is very well-versed in different musical ideas and probably theory as well... thus elevating Mikael's excellent song writing ability.
Also, if you're wondering where the heavy metal you were expecting went, an example would be Blackwater Park, which is the album where Opeth really broke through. Windowpane is from Damnation which is where they sort of took a break from the heavier death metal sounds they engaged in and focused more on their own jazzier and progressive rock style. Opeth has quite a history with their albums and continued to try and be innovative or at least introduce a new sound. If you want to experience one of their heaviest tracks I'd recommend listening to Heir Apparent, which I assume would provide the sense of dread you were expecting when you decided to listen to this band.
hi there you really should give Blackmore's night a listen they are a neo-medieval folk rock band think they may surprise you.
My goodness. How refreshing with an actual musical analysis of this masterpiece of a song. Bravo! I find it amazing that Mikael Åkerfeldt, who wrote this song, cannot read music nor does he know any music theory and yet he crafts these wonderful melodies. If you want to try something that is really different, I would suggest the band Cardiacs.
The string bits are the melotron. Pain in the arse instrument, it uses magnitic tape. Very haunting sound I guess. Great video lass
I agree with you, I think it captures a melancholic rainy day. That’s the thing about their music, it has roots in nature.
Would love to hear your reaction to their songs “face of Melinda” or “credence”.
I personally have never read too deeply into Opeths lyrics because the music itself gives me such a strong sense of story. Though the lyrics can also be interpreted in many different ways as the writing style is quite open ended in most cases. This song in particular seems to mean something different every time I listen to it.
same for me here... sometimes even just Mikael's humming and some guitar is enough to be engaging
Mikael just spouts spooky nonsense, but that's why we love him
Your musical knowledge and interpretation of different pieces is impressive.
You're very good in conveying your thoughts in a warm manner, too.
I really like this song. I had heard metal songs from Opeth before (probably earlier stuff) did not know they had also this sound. Lyrics I would interpret similar to the way you do. The person seeing the face on the window is moved by personal experience that colors his perception.
I really appreciate such a deep dive into the structure and theory of Opeth. Please check out more from them! I would also be very interested in a similar dissection of music by Animals as Leaders, which is an instrumental progressive metal group that incorporates elements of many other genres, including jazz, classical and Spanish guitar, and others. The group consists of two guitarists playing 8-string guitars and a drummer. Their music is very rhythmically complex, which is often at the forefront of any breakdowns I've seen, but I quite love their harmonic and melodic choices as well. I would suggest that you listen to On Impulse or Apeirophobia.
Beautiful analysis of a beautiful song. Watch out for Devin Townsend and Voivod for more adventurous melodies, rhythms and harmonies.
with your entering the realm of Swedish metal, i would suggest looking at some sabaton some time soon, and I do find it hard to say pick this song or this song first because all their music is so geared towards the story being told, but if I must i suggest these 3 as good ones to start in no real particular order of preference: bismarck, steel commanders and Christmas Truce.
Fantastic!
Excellent analysis, Amy, I very much enjoyed that. I do have a small technical question, because I'm curious.
You identified that F# chord as a "minor ninth chord". In cypher notation this could be written as F#m9, and I believe this implies a 5-note chord, with a structure of 1-b3-5-b7-9. However, the arpeggio you demonstrated omits the 7th and has only 4 notes, 1-b3-5-9. At least in jazz, this would be called be a "minor with added ninth chord", cypher F#m(add 9), and it works as a different harmonic entity because it doesn't have a dominant function, it's more of a modal chord.
What I'd like to ask is if classical harmony theory makes this distinction or if it considers this 4-note chord as a "minor ninth chord", with an omitted 7th? Just to clarify, I'm asking generally, not about the specific usage in this song. Thanks!
If we are going to be very technically precise, you are indeed correct! But my goal on this channel is to keep things on a level which can be understood by most of my audience. So, I try to avoid being obsessively pedantic. Good point though!
@@VirginRock Thank you very much for your reply. I understand, and I apologize if I was being pedantic 😉. Cheers!
I didn't know this song until your reaction. I do am familiar with Opeth and I've listened to a couple songs with mellow parts and heavy vocals. So I listened the song by myself before watching your video and I got to the same conclusion as you. The only difference being that in my mind the person behind the window was a young girl casually staring while resting her face on her arms and the man walking being some guy in casual clothing with a hoodie because of the rainy/foggy weather. This song hit deep in me personally, I felt it. The guy walking by on his own mood and realizing that all he was describing was his own inner situation.
That being said I don't know how some people came up with child abuse 😅
I almost completely agree with your interpretation of the lyrics, however I consider that the face mentioned in the lyrics of the song is the reflection of the same person who is seeing his own face.
Thank you very much for this video. I have really enjoyed, as a musician, the analysis of one of my favorite songs
I'm not hearing jazz here, maybe a tad in the guitar solos vibe, but no swing.
Definitely hear odd meter. Lots of metal songs that are on the lighter side, or drone like, have arpeggiated chords in odd time.
Opeth use a lot of mellotron strings, choirs and flutes actually. Since the original mellotron used magnetic tape which kinda has rolloff in high and low frequencies and stronger middle. This adds dark and somewhat dramatic character to the sound. Well, at least to me.
Mikael says himself he writes lyrics for the listener to interpret their own meaning....
I absolutely loved this analysis. subbing, liking... & if you had such a button ... loving x
The End by the Doors
Welcome to the rabbit hole that is opeth. Please do sorceress next. Great opeth song
Check out the drummers current band called Soen. ✌️
Opeth is a warm blanket for a lot of us. Not the first analogy I would use, but it fits...sometimes 😈
I personally picture it as an adult man sitting in a car/bus/tram looking out through the window contemplating life on a rainy evening, his own face is reflected in the window when the streetlights light up the face, which constantly come and go.. I know the second verse indicates it is other people's faces he is seeing, which also works with the car/bus/tram motif but for me in my head it is his own face contemplating his own life and thoughts wander to issues in his own life from childhood to other painful moments that shaped him and his prejudices that he knows are wrong logically but just can't shake and his pain is projected on other people.. It might be a weird interpretation but it's what my brain comes up with :D I can't really see the Ghost or Child abuse in the present interpretations, for me it is very introspective and reflective..
Just saw the end and it is very interesting that Amy came to similar ideas of the person reflecting on his own life and projecting it on to others while in a slightly different way just like good lyrics should be :)
Hi Amy. i love your fresh analysis of rock! I would like to suggest adding guitar virtuoso Jeff Beck to your list, and specifically his first fusion rock album Blow by Blow. I would recommend ‘Cause We’ve Ended as Lovers as your first listen and analysis. I will be watching! Thanks.
nice analysis amy
As far as I know Opeth's music, highly cohesive albums are sort of their trademark, with concept albums being that cohesion taken to the extreme. It is unclear whether Damnation is one. However, when assuming a broader, album-wide (or even double-album as its "sister record" Deliverance was recorded at the same time) context, interpretation presented makes even more sense.
This has me ready for a harp cover.
I always had the same impression as you of the lyrics. A guy seeing an old man in a window as he's passing by and wondering about his life and how it must be like to be lonely in old age.
If anything "depressive" has to be good or bad (positive or negative) to be something great - I recommend Chopin (Szopen), one of my musical idols (I will call him that because I can't play the piano). Chopin often compares the beauty and sadness that comes from music to Opeth's music, maybe the scale of "dramaturgy" is a bit different, but I appreciate both composers.
So much fertile ground in their catalog. For some other more "relaxed" tracks try Will O the Wisp, River, Harvest. Some of the newer stuff is much more progressive rock than metal. A nice little funky groove in "Goblin". For the earlier more metal tracks there are some good recommendations below, but also Blackwater Park, The Moor, and many others. To not cover the gamut would be akin to leaving stones unturned. Great reviews! Thank you.
I have a question, but first I wanted to mention that there's a behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of this album and the previous one, and I am pretty sure I remember one throwaway comment Mikael Akerfeldt made describing this song as being inspired by the feeling you get when you look into a windowpane but can't see the details on the other side, only light and shadow on the window, and you see a person's silhouette there but you can't be quite sure if they're really at the window, or if it's just their shadow, or which way they're looking or even if they're looking at you. I'm a lifelong Opeth fan and this song is one of the more mystery-laden Opeth songs, I'd say. I think much of it comes from the perspective of how we tend to impose our own ideas upon our environment, and how much of what we see in those "windowpanes" is just ourselves. It's a recurring theme on Opeth's album covers to have a person framed inside a window or silhouetted in a building in the art.
My question is, with all this idea of "imposing what you feel on what you see," do you think that relates to the way the two main chords, the C# and F#min7 of the song tends towards this "we don't know what key this really is in" idea?
To me it's like the context of the song almost doesn't exist until an observer imposes something that makes sense to them on it. I think of how that guitar solo section you mention that sort of shifts the "home" to F# ends with this run up to higher notes and fading on a note that feels like it's pushing me to go even higher beyond it, aaand then the way the acoustic section following that sort of places its own emphasis on that same change near its end with Mikael's long held note "on ~the~ inside" doing the same kind of push back down on "the" but then back up on "inside."
To me it kind of recalls the interplay between fantasy and reality, and how your mind will fill in missing details from what you can see with these hopeful or fantastic ideas, only to eventually be brought back down when reality hits; and also conversely how sometimes you'll fill the gaps of your knowledge with your own dark thoughts, which sets up the light of the real world to sort of bring you out of that self imposed doom and gloom. Do you think I'm reading too much into this song? These are just some of the things I've thought about this one over the years! The way these two main chords constantly interplay and sort of frame each other differently throughout the song's different sections has always been my favorite part about it. Thanks for the videos on this song, it's been nice to watch these.
Damnation/Deliverance is a full journey
I interpret the sentence "might be staring directly at me" as the turning point in the piece. If we picture the whole song as a windowpane, that might be when it starts to show a reflection, at least for me.
It's kind of similar in style I'm just realizing, to 'Take Five' by 'Dave Brubeck'.
Another melancholy type track I can think of that I personally enjoy but I don't think a lot of people know about unless your a fan of his; 'Leo Kottke - A Bigger Situation' off of 'No Vocals, One Guitar.'
Amo l’arpa ❤
You should do what your doing with the Beatles with Opeth and go through all their albums and songs :)
Try Yes, Heart of the sunrise
Great lyrics are going to mean different things to different people. Open up emotions yet not have specific messages. These are great lyrics. I think the Idea of the "Windowpane" separating perspective thematically fits quite well with the music. The first time I listened to the Damnation album, I listened to it 3 more times.
I wish you could react to Soundchaser by Yes
Nooooo!! "Close To The Edge" by them first!
Fantastic Analysis I just discovered your channel and it's fantastic!
For me, I don't know why but Windowpane is about not corresponded love, it doesn't have to be romantic love, even family love, may be an uncaring parent? or an uncaring son? a lover? or self love... yourself? it's very out there I feel, and it's really interesting how it makes you reflect on your own loneliness as... well a reflection :D
I think the thing with it being about a child comes from the verse:
'Inside plays a lullaby
Slurred voice over children cries
On
The inside'
It may be an older man's face in the window, but it sounds like there is something more going on inside the home. When I think of 'Slurred voice over children cries'...makes me think of an alcoholic parent.
you could try also The Watchmaker from Steven Wilson, you gonna like, 100%
I would have to disagree with the classification of this song as a rock song. While metal was an outgrowth of rock, by the point that Windowpane was released, metal had developed its own language sperate from rock. I'm not really sure how I would word that correctly. Windowpane is soft and melodic but it is written and structured like a metal song, just an acoustic one. A lot of experimentation and new sub genres were happening in the late 80's and early 90's. My Dying Bride's Turn Loose the Swans completely redefined doom metal. More experimentation with melodic juxtaposed to the brutal. Beauty and beast vocals. Damnation, the album that opens with Windowpane, was them exploring that melodic side of their sound to its fullest. Damnation is less like Opeth deciding to make a soft rock album and more like a metal unplugged album.
There might be ocassional sarcasm below if I cant stop myself, just a heads up.
But I will put my point up here as well: I think people mistake the Swedish mindset for depression.
As a Swede I would say that most music have two tones in Sweden:
Melancholic in various ways (Swedish folk music, Swedish Punk, Swedish Metal always have themes that at least stems from melancholy, and it can branch out to anger and depresion)
Happy, usually just a pure expression of joy, stuff like Dansband (Literally Dance Band, basically Swedish Country) usually focus on love and happiness.
I don't like it when people make it sound like the only time of year in Sweden is winter, but I also have to say:
Wow! Who knew that lack of sunlight could led you do have darker thoughts and focus and dwell on things when you are locked inside, who knew!
But the switch between these two modes over the seasons might also be why so many Swedish bands like Opeth switches moods and modes during an album, a song, or over their career.
Mellow stuff like fog, overhanging clouds, rain is just a very apt description of booth swedish winters and summers in some sections of sweden, most tbh.
EDiT: I forget the point of all of this!
I think that people just have a tendency to assume that Swedish music is depressive when it usually it is not, it is just drenched in melancholy and mellowness but is sometimes expressed in raw anger and darker themes as an outlet.
If you liked Opeth and Pink Floyd, you must listen to Anathema. Untouchable Pt 1 and 2 are a great example.
If you want to do more opeth I would recommend something from the last 4 albums
the whole album is incredibly depressive and dark lol. i love every second of it. foggy and rainy day sounding is exactly how i'd describe it. i love it! you should listen to the whole album, you'd probably like it
Ghost of Perdition is more directly about his grandmothers passing.
i find windowpanes lyrics (on their own) are quite sad, however when combined with the tonality of the rest of the band, it seems hopeful; it still sounds sad, but at the same time hopeful
This song is not heavy and quite enjoyable to listen too. My wife really liked it so I'm sure it will become part of our regular play list now. I must admit though having gone down this road so many times with the heavies, I was expecting to get my ears melted off at some time and hijack this song -- but it didn't happen. Often times, metal music will dupe the listener into one tempo and inject it with another. For your sake, I'm glad that didn't happen Amy. One has to ease into these things. :)
If you like this song, you can checkout the album it is from. The album name is Damnation.
This band will even trick you in their heavy albums. I recently checked out their album “Watershed” which was described to me as one of their heaviest, but was surprised when the first song on the album is a super mellow and beautiful duet. The song is called “Coil”, I’d highly recommend it.
I always thought that the main character was looking at himself in the window
Go With Harvest song next. Thank you ❤
Listen to the studio version of Ghost of Perdition by Opeth next.
out of context it may sound "melancholic", but in context of their music, it is depressive and dark, you just need to listen thier main type of music to understand (albums: Ghost reveries, Watershed)
I also find that Windowpane is one of their few if not uplifting, at least the music here feels warm and a little gloomy. On the other hand, their album Blackwater Park I think is very cold and harsh.
With "Hessian Peel" you will have a surprise
As for the fact that this song is not terribly dark and heavy.... this one isn't, no. But bands on the rock side of things tend to be classified by their heaviest, and Opeth can go VERY heavy, complete with growled vocals. Some bands are extremely diverse in their sound, and Opeth is one of them. Sometimes bands evolve over time (as you've been seeing with the Beatles) Other times they just... like to experiment with different sounds. One album can contain everything from a soft and beautiful piece to dark and heavy. That's part of what makes it difficult to recommend songs sometimes because it is impossible for some bands to be distilled down into one representative song, and that is the case here.
I mean some bands, sure, they tend to find a sound and stick to it, you will likely never see Amon Amarth do a clean sung ballad. But on the other side of things you have musicians like Devin Townsend who do everything from soft new-agey atmospheric stuff to gutteral growls, sometimes all in the same song (see: Genesis) or Opeth here who can do anything on the scale from soft and melancholy to melt your face off. But both are still generally categorized as metal because their heaviest is heavy as hell.
You definitely need to react to the band Jinjer! One of the best metal bands right now and the vocalist is a woman.
Thank you for your attention to prog metal
try wonderful slippery thing by guthrie govan 😢
Please analysis : The Gathering _ Travel (live at Doornroosje) thank you
If you want to go really dark, try David Bowie's Darkstar, his terrifying meditation on death written while he was dying of cancer.
Also Leonard Cohen's "You Want It Darker" released just 17 days before he died.