History
Opeth was formed in Stockholm, Södermanland, Sweden in 1990 by David Isberg. Isberg invited Mikael Åkerfeldt to join the band at a practice session as a bass player, but failed to inform the current bass player or any of the other members of the band. Because of this, all band members except for Isberg quit, and Åkerfeldt soon joined Opeth after his band, Eruption, faltered. With Åkerfeldt on guitar and David Isberg on vocals, Opeth still lacked members and needing more, they were soon joined by long-time friend of Åkerfeldt and former Eruption drummer Anders Nordin and Nick Döring on bass. Andreas Dimeo was recruited as a second guitarist. Rehearsing in an elementary school with old equipment they had found, this lineup lasted less than a year and only played one show. In 1991 they spent the summer rehearsing on the island of Hamnholmen outside Stockholm with their old school friend and bass player Max Jaderberg, who suggested a more prominent bass sound.
After their first performance, Andreas Dimeo and Nick Döring quit the band. For the second performance, guitarist Kim Pettersson and bassist Johan DeFarfalla joined the group. After the show, DeFarfalla left to spend time with his girlfriend and did not return until 1994. Pettersson stuck with the band for another show before leaving in late 1991. DaFarfall was replaced by Peter Lindgren, playing the bass. However, once Pettersson left, Lindgren returned to the guitar, his original instrument. Isberg left the band in early 1992 due to creative differences and boredom. Since Mikael had previous experience as a vocalist from fronting Eruption, he became the new vocalist and immediately began writing material with Peter Lindgren. They rehearsed as a 3-piece for more than a year but eventually found a new bass player, Stefan Guteklint, who was dismissed by the band before they signed their record contract with Candlelight Records.
Impressed by their originality, Candlelight Records released their debut full-length Orchid in 1995. It featured a rhythm section of bassist Johan DeFarfalla and drummer Anders Nordin. Dan Swanö, of Edge of Sanity fame, produced the band's ambitious second album Morningrise in 1996. After this Opeth embarked on a brief tour with Morbid Angel. Century Media took notice and not only licensed Opeth's first two albums for the United States, but also planned on releasing their next album on both sides of the Atlantic.
The next album would introduce a change in style as well as line-up. With the recruitment of bassist Martin Mendez to replace DeFarfalla and drummer Martin Lopez (ex-Amon Amarth) replacing Nordin, Opeth's third album, entitled My Arms, Your Hearse, was released in 1998 to glowing reviews, establishing the band as a leading force in progressive metal with death roots. The album is conceptually based on a character who dies and returns to Earth as a ghost.
1999's Still Life displayed even more of the band's progressive rock influences, and the following year the band played its first U.S. concert at the Milwaukee Metalfest. This was the first album on which Martin Mendez contributed. Like My Arms, Your Hearse before it, Still Life is also a concept album, revolving around a man who is banished from his village for dissenting religious beliefs. The album then then regals the tale of his courtship of the character Melinda.
Their next album, Blackwater Park, was released in early 2001 and was titled after an obscure psychedelic progressive rock band from the '70s. Blackwater Park is considered to be Opeth's magnum opus and the defining document of their career. The album created a huge buzz among progressive metal fans, who had begun to lump the band in with other experimental metal bands like Tiamat. It was the first of three albums that Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree fame would produce. Wilson also contributed backing vocals and guitar.
Instead of waiting until the buzz died down, the band released Deliverance (also known as D1) in the fall of 2002, which was intended to be a double album, Damnation (or D2) comprising the other half. Deliverance presented the typical death metal aspect of Opeth while Damnation presented a new side of Opeth: the album that was almost completely devoid of any heavy metal trappings and focused instead on acoustic instruments and traditional songwriting. Steven Wilson again contributed by co-authoring one song, Death Whispered a Lullaby, and by providing backing vocals and playing mellotron, piano, electric piano, keyboards, and guitar.
Opeth then released a DVD, "Lamentations", filmed in England during the Damnation Tour, in fall of '03. It featured the Damnation album in its entirety along with some highlights from the previous two albums. Now signed to the major label Roadrunner Records, Opeth's next album Ghost Reveries arrived in 2005 and proved to be a return to form for the band. Shortly before the recordings of this album, Per Wiberg (Spiritual Beggars) officially joined the band to play keyboards, as he did on the tour that supported Damnation. He can also be seen on the "Lamentations" DVD. More lineup changes followed in May of 2006, when long time drummer Martin Lopez left the band due to complications from a rare disease he has. After a short delay, he was replaced by Martin Axe Axenrot, former drummer of Bloodbath.
On May 17th, 2007, an open letter from Peter Lindgren was posted on the official Opeth website where he wrote that he had decided to leave the band. He said that he had lost some of the enthusiasm and inspiration needed to participate in a band that has grown to become a world-wide industry. It was especially the massive amount of touring, and being away from home for long periods of time that caused this decision. "I have come to a point where I realise I won't be able to give the band 100%, and from both sides this will not be good enough for what Opeth stands for." On the same day Fredrik Åkesson (ex-Arch Enemy, Krux) was announced as the new guitar-player and full-time member of Opeth.
In Fall 2007, Opeth released their first live album, The Roundhouse Tapes, recorded in the famous Roundhouse concert hall in Great Britain.
The progressive rock/metal band Dream Theater announced in November of 2007 that Opeth would be joining them on the Progressive Nation 2008 tour. Joining these two bands were Between the Buried and Me and 3.
Opeth's ninth studio album, entitled Watershed was released on June 3, 2008. It was well received by most fans and critics. The first single from the album, Porcelain Heart, was released on April 19th, 2008. The track The Lotus Eater is also available on RoadRunner Record's website for free.
Former members:
* David Isberg – Vocals (1990-1992)
* Andreas Dimeo – Guitar (1991)
* Kim Pettersson – Guitar (1991)
* Johan DeFarfalla – Bass (1991,1994-1996)
* Stefan Guteklint – Bass (1992-1993)
* Mattias Ander – Bass (1992)
* Nick Döring – Bass (1990-1991)
* Anders Nordin – Drums (1990-1997)
* Martin Lopez – Drums (1997-2006)
* Peter Lindgren – Guitars (1991-2007)
Discography:
1995 Orchid
1996 Morningrise
1998 My Arms, Your Hearse
1999 Still Life
2001 Blackwater Park
2002 Deliverance
2003 Damnation
2005 Ghost Reveries
2008 Watershed
2011 Heritage
2014 Pale Communion
2016 Sorceress
2019 In cauda venenum
Official site: Opeth.com
Voice of Treason
Opeth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And winter is hiding in my heart
Thorns in my eyes are slowing me down
I can't pass through to the other side
She knows I'm the one who sought her
But when we fall, we'll fall so hard
She holds a secret and won't show me how
How to break the riddle in her eyes
This is treason of the mind and soul
Death is no reason why you would go
Inside the ghost of love is laughing
It mocks the footsteps where I go
It tells me nothing has been lost
It whispers: "you've seen darkness before"
In time the hurting will subside
And longing is overthrown
What's left is a void that grows inside
And the echo of a failure
This is treason of the mind and soul
Death is no reason why you would go
Have you ever had the feeling of a sorrow inside?
Have you ever been the reason why a hope subsides?
Have you ever seen the aftermath of giving up?
Have we given up?
Is it over?
Have you given up?
Is winter hiding in your heart?
The song "Voice of Treason" by Opeth is a melancholic and introspective track that reflects on the pain of a failed relationship. The opening lines, "The mist is sleeping on the water, and winter is hiding in my heart," set the tone for the rest of the song, suggesting a deep sense of melancholy and longing. The thorns in the singer's eyes seem to symbolize the emotional pain and suffering that is hindering his ability to move on.
The song's chorus, "This is treason of the mind and soul, death is no reason why you would go," suggests that the singer feels betrayed by his former lover and is struggling to come to terms with the relationship's failure. He seems to be questioning whether it was all for nothing and whether their love was a lie. The lines "In time the hurting will subside, and longing is overthrown, what's left is a void that grows inside, and the echo of a failure" further highlights the emotional turmoil that the singer is grappling with.
The final lines, "Have you ever had the feeling of a sorrow inside? Have you ever been the reason why a hope subsides? Have you ever seen the aftermath of giving up? Have we given up? Is it over? Have you given up? Is winter hiding in your heart?" demonstrate the internal conflict that is taking place. The singer is questioning whether he and his lover still have a chance to make things work or whether they have given up on their love.
Overall, "Voice of Treason" is a thought-provoking and emotional track that captures the pain and heartbreak of a failed relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
The mist is sleeping on the water
The atmosphere is calm on the surface, but there is a lot of turmoil beneath.
And winter is hiding in my heart
The singer's heart is cold and numb, possibly due to past experiences.
Thorns in my eyes are slowing me down
The singer is being hindered and held back by the painful memories of the past.
I can't pass through to the other side
The singer is unable to move on from the emotional distress they are experiencing.
She knows I'm the one who sought her
The singer is besotted with someone who they believe is their soul mate.
But when we fall, we'll fall so hard
If the relationship were to end, the singer would be deeply affected by it.
She holds a secret and won't show me how
The singer is kept in the dark about what the other person is thinking or feeling.
How to break the riddle in her eyes
The singer is trying to figure out what the other person wants or how to please them.
This is treason of the mind and soul
The singer is being disloyal to themselves by holding onto someone who is causing them so much pain.
Death is no reason why you would go
Even if the person they love were to die, the singer would not be able to let go of their feelings.
Inside the ghost of love is laughing
The singer is haunted by the ghost of a love that has died, but still feels like it has power over them.
It mocks the footsteps where I go
The singer feels like they are being followed by reminders of the past love that they can't escape.
It tells me nothing has been lost
The ghost of love is telling the singer that their feelings are still valid, even if the other person has moved on.
It whispers: "you've seen darkness before"
The ghost of love reminds the singer that they have experienced emotional pain in the past and that they can get through it again.
In time the hurting will subside
The singer believes that with time, the pain they are feeling will lessen and become more manageable.
And longing is overthrown
Eventually the singer will be able to let go of the need to be with the other person.
What's left is a void that grows inside
Even when the pain lessens, the singer will still feel an emptiness inside them.
And the echo of a failure
The singer feels like their love has failed and that they are not good enough for the other person.
Have you ever had the feeling of a sorrow inside?
The singer wants to know if anyone else has experienced the same kind of emotional pain that they are feeling.
Have you ever been the reason why a hope subsides?
The singer is wondering if they are to blame for the relationship not working out.
Have you ever seen the aftermath of giving up?
The singer is asking if anyone has felt the regret and emptiness that comes from ending a relationship.
Have we given up?
The singer is questioning whether or not the relationship is salvageable.
Is it over?
The singer is unsure if the relationship has ended or if there is still hope for it to continue.
Have you given up?
The singer is asking if the other person has already given up on the relationship.
Is winter hiding in your heart?
The singer is wondering if the other person is also experiencing emotional pain and if they can relate to how the singer is feeling.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MIKAEL LARS AKERFELDT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@_prakashdubey
LYRICS
The mist is sleeping on the water
And winter is hiding in my heart
Thorns in my eyes are slowing me down
I can't pass through to the other side
She knows I'm the one who sought her
But when we fall, we'll fall so hard
She holds a secret and won't show me how
How to break the riddle in her eyes
This is treason of the mind and soul
Death is no reason why you would go
Inside the ghost of love is laughing
It mocks the footsteps where I go
It tells me nothing has been lost
It whispers: "you've seen darkness before"
In time the hurting will subside
And longing is overthrown
What's left is a void that grows inside
And the echo of a failure
This is treason of the mind and soul
Death is no reason why you would go
Have you ever had the feeling of a sorrow inside?
Have you ever been the reason why a hope subsides?
Have you ever seen the aftermath of giving up?
Have we given up?
Is it over?
Have you given up?
Is winter hiding in your heart?
@sleepyazathoth5238
"Have you ever had the feeling of a sorrow inside?
Have you ever been the reason why a hope subsides?
Have you ever seen the aftermath of giving up?"
fucking incredible
@Darth_Revan25
I'm glad you find that bit also so man. The whole song is wonder, and that just tops it off magnificently.
Beautiful.
@jreegdss6878
Fucking lame, emo Åkerfeldt.
@Darth_Revan25
Nah.
@Meshuggapeth
Your God Wilfred But the new Opeth is boring apparently according to the metal heads lol so that can't be a powerful moment
@sakura1910
Meshuggapeth According to some. There's still a lot of people like me that are as obsessed with the new albums as they are woth the old ones...
@mkouros
Open your fucking ears! The whole album is a masterpiece!
@_prakashdubey
LYRICS
The mist is sleeping on the water
And winter is hiding in my heart
Thorns in my eyes are slowing me down
I can't pass through to the other side
She knows I'm the one who sought her
But when we fall, we'll fall so hard
She holds a secret and won't show me how
How to break the riddle in her eyes
This is treason of the mind and soul
Death is no reason why you would go
Inside the ghost of love is laughing
It mocks the footsteps where I go
It tells me nothing has been lost
It whispers: "you've seen darkness before"
In time the hurting will subside
And longing is overthrown
What's left is a void that grows inside
And the echo of a failure
This is treason of the mind and soul
Death is no reason why you would go
Have you ever had the feeling of a sorrow inside?
Have you ever been the reason why a hope subsides?
Have you ever seen the aftermath of giving up?
Have we given up?
Is it over?
Have you given up?
Is winter hiding in your heart?
@user-fr9st3fo6t
2:57
@hanabakhouch8558
I love the theatrical feel to this. and Mikael's voice is flawless as always.
this album needs another chance from people, it's really great and grew on me so much recently.
I hope Opeth contiues with this great prog rock/metal atmosphere, suits them really nicely!