New Opeth album "Sorceress" to be released

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I still haven't ordered the new album as yet. Unfortunate that the new album won't contain a 5.1 Bluray like Pale Communion did but that's probably a label decision ultimately. I'll simply pick up the CD but will also cross my fingers that a Hi-Res download will also become available as I have only been listening to the Hi-Res version of PC which I managed to rip from the Bluray. :)
 
I still haven't ordered the new album as yet. Unfortunate that the new album won't contain a 5.1 Bluray like Pale Communion did but that's probably a label decision ultimately. I'll simply pick up the CD but will also cross my fingers that a Hi-Res download will also become available as I have only been listening to the Hi-Res version of PC which I managed to rip from the Bluray. :)

I'm sure it was a label decision. Opeth's on a new label, Nuclear Blast, which, as far as I know, has no prior experience with any 5.1 music releases, and they seem to be treating this a bit haphazardly. No blu-ray, and I'm going to assume no hi-res - who knows what we're getting, really, or who was even relegated to mixing it...

Let's hope for at least DTS 96/24...
 
I'm sure it was a label decision. Opeth's on a new label, Nuclear Blast, which, as far as I know, has no prior experience with any 5.1 music releases, and they seem to be treating this a bit haphazardly. No blu-ray, and I'm going to assume no hi-res - who knows what we're getting, really, or who was even relegated to mixing it...

Let's hope for at least DTS 96/24...

Not trying to belittle you, but Nuclear Blast has been around for nearly 30 years and they have many 5.1 music releases. You clearly don't know much about them but they are home to several hugely popular metal and prog metal bands who have had surround multichannel releases. Meshugga and Slayer have Blu-ray releases, as does Nightwish, who even had a few DVD-A MLP format releases in the 00s. I owned a Nightwish DVD-A that is MLP 24 bit 48 khz and Dolby AC3. I suspect, however, that just like the majority of labels, nobody releases MLP discs anymore over an increasingly rarer supported format. Yes, I have both an old Integra R1 and a newer Oppo, but neither are what I would consider "affordable" players for the general consumer at retail price. Granted, it is disappointing that Nuclear Blast didn't at least use Blu-ray. But we don't know the back story. Perhaps the band was miffed at the nightmare issues experienced with their one and only Blu-ray release and, after weighing costs, decided on a cheaper delivery for the 5.1 tracks. Perhaps this is why they went back to DVD-V for the Deliverence & Damnation release and now also for Sorceress.

I am speculating here, but I suspect the new DVD-V will probably be similar to the Deliverance & Damnation DVD-V with lossy 9624 DTS 5.1, Dolby AC3 5.1 and 24 bit 96 khz LPCM 2.0 stereo as any standard BD or DVD player supports these and it's significantly cheaper to author and produce for the label than a Blu-ray release. It is what it is and I can live with that. If it's got to be a lossy format, 9624 DTS is acceptable, as it is by far the best quality of the standardized lossy formats. Plus you still get the original 24 bit PCM studio stereo master. I was very pleased with the Deliverance & Damnation discs. Hopefully Sorceress will be just as good with the new label.

Sent from my LG G4.
 
Hmmm... Let me clarify a few points: I'm well aware of Nuclear Blast as a label and own numerous CD and vinyl releases from them. When I said "new label", I meant new for Opeth, as this is their first release on the NB label. I probably should have said different label. ;) Also, when I said 5.1 music releases I was referring specifically to 5.1 audio-only type surround release, as I new they had a number of live releases. However, I was not aware that the Nightwish releases were NB, thanks for pointing that out :) Maybe we're in good hands after all... I did preorder, but I definitely still have some apprehensions.

I'm curious, aside from Nightwish, what other audio-only 5.1 releases does NB have?
 
Hmmm... Let me clarify a few points: I'm well aware of Nuclear Blast as a label and own numerous CD and vinyl releases from them. When I said "new label", I meant new for Opeth, as this is their first release on the NB label. I probably should have said different label. ;) Also, when I said 5.1 music releases I was referring specifically to 5.1 audio-only type surround release, as I new they had a number of live releases. However, I was not aware that the Nightwish releases were NB, thanks for pointing that out :) Maybe we're in good hands after all... I did preorder, but I definitely still have some apprehensions.

I'm curious, aside from Nightwish, what other audio-only 5.1 releases does NB have?

To be fair, I have no clue. But in consideration of the 5.1 format, concert, live or studio only, you can search discogs and find this:

https://www.discogs.com/search/?q=nuclear+blast&format_exact=Multichannel&type=all

Edit: That 5.1 search filter isn't very accurate as there are clearly more 5.1 releases not populating. It doesn't include the audio-only disc I owned. But it does give you a general idea.

I was already familiar with Once but it's not pulling up in the discog filter. *shrug*

At any rate, I don't really put much weight on whether it was an audio-only or concert film release. People had to mix, master and encode those 5.1 tracks whether they were a part of concert footage or a studio album. The label has experience with all formats. My apprehension is not about if the product will represent the band, I'm sure that will be excellent. They just signed. I doubt the band will suffer any unredeemable oversights by them. If I were to have any apprehension, it would be more about support of their touring. Right now they are missing a lot of real estate in NA and Europe. I am disappointed with their previous label, Roadrunner. But they did cough up money for extensive touring support and promotion. Though, towards the end, it kind of seemed like Opeth was more an after thought to them. I hope NB is able to get them on more billings that better represent the more recent direction Opeth has taken with their music.

Sent from my LG G4.
 
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I'm sure it was a label decision. Opeth's on a new label, Nuclear Blast, which, as far as I know, has no prior experience with any 5.1 music releases, and they seem to be treating this a bit haphazardly. No blu-ray, and I'm going to assume no hi-res - who knows what we're getting, really, or who was even relegated to mixing it...

Let's hope for at least DTS 96/24...

Blu Rays are too costly. The last one was a mess and probably lost money.

Nuclear Blast mostly put out stereo Blu Rays, but do have a few in surround(not good mixes).
 
Blu Rays are too costly. The last one was a mess and probably lost money.

Nuclear Blast mostly put out stereo Blu Rays, but do have a few in surround(not good mixes).

I've heard some decent surround mixes released on NB. Nightwish's Once, though technically not on Blu-ray was decent. Their live concert, End of an Era Blu-ray is pretty good. Story Time, not so much.

Anyway, as for the forthcoming Sorceress 5.1 mix, it's important to consider that Mikael probably had some say in that process. His buddy is a 5.1 snob. Even if Wilson didn't have time to do the mix, I doubt Mikael would let someone else make a horrible one. Wilson's half of the 5.1 mix on the recent D&D release was better than Bruce Soord's, but Soord's was still good.
 
Blu Rays are too costly. The last one was a mess and probably lost money.

Nuclear Blast mostly put out stereo Blu Rays, but do have a few in surround(not good mixes).
well, we hear that all the time, blua rays cost so much to author.

But here we have Nosound and Blackfield releasing a cd/bda combo for a reasonable price. Both these bands do not sell as much as Opeth does I guess, so why no bda release for Opeth? Or any surround mix of course.
 
well, we hear that all the time, blua rays cost so much to author.

But here we have Nosound and Blackfield releasing a cd/bda combo for a reasonable price. Both these bands to not sell as much as Opeth does I guess, so why no bda release for Opeth? Or any surround mix of course.

Good point Robert. I'd assume those two artists combined won't total typical Opeth sales. Honestly, if Nosound can do it, there isn't much of an excuse...
 
Absolutely, the Nosound release is proof that blu-ray can be done at a reasonable price! Including only a DVD-V in a rather expensive box set feels really cheap. It's not a deluxe edition if it doesn't have blu-ray!
 
I've decided that I like the title track enough to go ahead and buy a ticket to see them in New York! I wanted to anyway but one more rationalization doesn't hurt!


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Man, they need to do some Australia dates. I mean come on, they did Japan last December. To think I could have made it to Utrecht last year too as I even had a ticket to the gig, but couldn't make it because others wanted to take time off for the Grand Final of a sport I can barely comprehend lol.

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Really? I can't believe it! Their previous surround mixes were pretty great. So... Do I cancel my preorder?
 
Damn, makes me really glad that I never bothered purchasing this one.
I always had a bad feeling that this one would not turn out as well as some of the other Opeth surround releases.
Well I would encourage everyone to cancel their box set order for this release (you can still buy the standard CD versions to enjoy the music) and put that extra money towards the new Coldplay Blu-Ray, which does have a very good surround mix (in high-resolution!)

:)
 
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