Opeth: 'Watershed' Tops Finnish Chart

"Watershed", the new album from Swedish metallers Opeth, has topped the Finnish national chart in its first week of release — with the latest CD from DISTURBED ("Indestructible") coming in at No. 2.

The following is an updated list of "Watershed"'s first-week chart positions:

Finland: #1
Sweden: #7
Norway: #7
Australia: #7
Holland: #14
Japan: #15 (Oricon chart)
Canada: #17
USA: #23
UK: #34
Italy: #42
Ireland: #59

As previously reported, "Watershed" sold more than 19,000 copies of in the United States in its first week of release.

"Watershed" is the follow-up to the band's acclaimed "Ghost Reveries" CD, which debuted at No. 64 on the Billboard chart back in September 2005 with first-week sales of just under 15,000. Opeth's 2003 album, "Damnation", opened with a little over 5,000 copies.

"Watershed" was recorded in the band's native Sweden and produced by frontman/guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt and Jens Bogren. All the songs were written by Åkerfeldt apart from "Porcelain Heart", which was co-written with new guitarist Fredrik Åkesson.

Opeth recently filmed a promotional video for an edit of the song "Porcelain Heart". The clip was directed by Lasse Hoile (Porcupine Tree) and shot in Vaxholm, Sweden at the marvellous Bogesund castle, built in the 1640s. The edit was done by Jens Bogren and Opeth mainman Mikael Åkerfeldt.

"Ghost Reveries" has sold 95,000 copes in the United States since its 2005 release, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Thanks for the report to Blabbermouth.net.

Comments

[undeaded]

UK: #34

This is why the UK metal scene is lacking.

And...hah, thank god it beat disturbed in Finland. If Disturbed had won in Finland something would have been definitely wrong.

[webbtje]

Finland is now officially the best country in the world.

You hear that, Kepulix?

[Metal_Rich]

webbtje wrote:

Finland is now officially the best country in the world.

You hear that, Kepulix?

+1

Sucks it's not first on the UK...

[kalamari]

I think I will pack my bags and move to Finland.

[XHAIL]

They need to track downloaded albums, because it should be #1 everywhere.

[ThunderPX]

#14 here? Maybe I should stop boycotting Dutch music taste...

[chimpinatux]

**** yes

they deserve this mightily

[C&C Magik]

I've tried to get into Opeth, but they never did it for me. Maybe I'm listening to the wrong stuff or something.

[Mr. Parker]

23rd in USA, impressive!

[lukeuh36azabc]

i'm glad they have done well in the charts, opeth really deserve it

[Pingis_Or_Death]

Finland, the promised land of metal.

[Cynoxx]

This album is one of the best I've ever listened. It's simply incredible.

[korbhag]

C&C Magik :
I've tried to get into Opeth, but they never did it for me. Maybe I'm listening to the wrong stuff or something.

If it's the screaming part tha tyou don't like, just try Porcelain Heart. Awesome song.

[Mahoru]

Damn, this reminds me why I hate so much my country in the musical aspect...

They certainly deserve all the praise they're getting: they're easily one of the hardest working and more talented bands I've ever seen (well, in fact they're not my favourite with no reasons ).

Awesome album, their best work since Blackwater Park, in my opinion. Not as wonderfulous as Still Life or BWP, but up there after those two.

[darth awsome]

At first I was Dissappointed with the album but after listening to it s couple of times it grew on me. Its not as Metal as their other albums but its a ton more progressive. Ghost Reveries is still my favourite though.

[Kikuta]

XHAIL wrote:

They need to track downloaded albums, because it should be #1 everywhere.

Too bloody right. It makes me laugh how many people were leaving messages on Opeth's myspace page like "Oh man I heard your new album and its absolutely amazing you dudes rock I'm a huge fan etc etc" - all 3 weeks before the album went on shelves.

"I heard it somewhere" = "I'm a massive fagot and downloaded it early and want to let everyone know how much of a massive fagot I am"

[ALLmustPAY]

Ehh...saw them open for Dream Theater, they were just ok... New songs seemed like they had too many slow spots in them, the crowd was pretty much booing them

[Oxendoobie]

Opeth should be #1 in the US, It's Better Than disturbed I think

[umbrellacorp]

ALLmustPAY wrote:

Ehh...saw them open for Dream Theater, they were just ok... New songs seemed like they had too many slow spots in them, the crowd was pretty much booing them

Then please direct me to that crowd so I may murder all of them in the face.

[demiphoenix]

Good for them, I'm glad to see them moving up in the world.

[Sylvanus]

umbrellacorp wrote:

ALLmustPAY wrote:

Ehh...saw them open for Dream Theater, they were just ok... New songs seemed like they had too many slow spots in them, the crowd was pretty much booing them

Then please direct me to that crowd so I may murder all of them in the face.

+1, that crowd should be slapped.

That's awesome that it got first, 17 over here too. I should get this album, all I have is blackwater park.

[The Spoon]

Great album. Its a little too soft, but still good.

[phenom1991]

Yay :O Well this just comes to proove my country is a metal nation

[UncleCthulhu]

ALLmustPAY wrote:

Ehh...saw them open for Dream Theater, they were just ok... New songs seemed like they had too many slow spots in them, the crowd was pretty much booing them

That's Dream Theater fanboys for you, as soon as they get some real prog metal they think it sucks.

[slashNpage77]

well duh. opeth is in fact godlike

[shenanigans]

XHAIL wrote:

They need to track downloaded albums, because it should be #1 everywhere.

Downloading has nothing to do with chart positions, look at Disturbed, every kid I know has downloaded it and still it came in at number 1. Opeth are not a mainstream radio band, meaning they will never come in at number 1 in the US, UK, etc.

[King ofKumbucha]

UncleCthulhu wrote:

ALLmustPAY wrote:

Ehh...saw them open for Dream Theater, they were just ok... New songs seemed like they had too many slow spots in them, the crowd was pretty much booing them

That's Dream Theater fanboys for you, as soon as they get some real prog metal they think it sucks.

LMAO too true.

[ValenceElectron]

Yeah, Opeth is incredible live, but the average american concertgoer doesn't have the attention span to handle 7+ minute songs like Opeth's, especially with the clean interludes mid-song.

[megatallica666]

good for them, great band!

[KoRnBitch]

Time to go to Finland XD

The new album is fan ****in tastic.

[ReiDSaN]

It's no reflection of the UK that they only got to #34 and not #1 - I would think that's doing quite well if you're a heavy metal band that's as inaccessible (come on, be honest) as Opeth can be at first. Also, in terms of volume of sales, I'd be interested to know how many copies "#1 in Finland" means they actually sold in comparison to the others, as their population is about 10% of the UK's.

[Shazazmic]

ValenceElectron wrote:

Yeah, Opeth is incredible live, but the average american concertgoer doesn't have the attention span to handle 7+ minute songs like Opeth's, especially with the clean interludes mid-song.

And of course you attack only the American concert goers. What the hell? I'm sure anyone with the average human attention span wouldn't like to sit through an Opeth concert.

But I'm what you called an American concert goer, but I would love to see Opeth.

Get ****ing real, man.

[pepsi_lovr]

Opeth was amazing in Toronto a couple weeks ago!!! Played some song live for the first time, it was AMAZING!!! Really good for them!!!
And the band that opened for them, 3, freakin insane. Just slowly went up and up in power as their set went on.

[Captian Xero]

Congrats to Opeth. 23rd in the US for a metal band period is huge, and foreign progressive death metal at that? Impressive as hell.

The Lotus Eater has to be one of the most impressive songs I've ever heard.

[The Frayed Ends]

I had sex with this album.

[RO$$]

Good for them, they deserve it!

Anyone else notice Mike's Conan The Barbarian t-shirt on the rehearsal tape? I lol'd! XD

[Phill-Rock]

Only #59 here in Ireland?

Actually, kinda better than I expected. At least we made the list.

[Tumble-weed]

Very nice. They deserve it. Opeth never disappoint.

[Shredder Guitar]

C&C Magik wrote:

I've tried to get into Opeth, but they never did it for me. Maybe I'm listening to the wrong stuff or something.

Go get Blackwater Park - that got me into them big time.

[shredtildeath]

Shredder Guitar wrote:

C&C Magik wrote:

I've tried to get into Opeth, but they never did it for me. Maybe I'm listening to the wrong stuff or something.


Go get Blackwater Park - that got me into them big time.

Wrong stuff? Man, when I first listened to the first half minute of Ghost of Perdition I practically sh*t myself.

[lukephillips000]

ReiDSaN wrote:

It's no reflection of the UK that they only got to #34 and not #1 - I would think that's doing quite well if you're a heavy metal band that's as inaccessible (come on, be honest) as Opeth can be at first. Also, in terms of volume of sales, I'd be interested to know how many copies "#1 in Finland" means they actually sold in comparison to the others, as their population is about 10% of the UK's.

That's actually an interesting point that i had never thought of before...

This still means a higher percentage of finish are awesome, even if there arn't as many.

Checked.

[impropagation66]

23 in America? Watch, I guarentee you that Shitknot's new album's gonna top the charts. Watershed owns this year's best album position!

[Mihyaeru]

UncleCthulhu :
ALLmustPAY wrote:

Ehh...saw them open for Dream Theater, they were just ok... New songs seemed like they had too many slow spots in them, the crowd was pretty much booing them


That's Dream Theater fanboys for you, as soon as they get some real prog metal they think it sucks.

HEY I'm a Dream Theater Fan boy AND an Opeth fangirl so ner!!

[Mihyaeru]

Yeah actually rather impresseD Opeth hit 34 ere never ever ever expected that i mean comeone thisi s the country where the F*c*i*G Crazy frong got to number 1!!!

[XHAIL]

Mihyaeru wrote:

UncleCthulhu :
ALLmustPAY wrote:

Ehh...saw them open for Dream Theater, they were just ok... New songs seemed like they had too many slow spots in them, the crowd was pretty much booing them


That's Dream Theater fanboys for you, as soon as they get some real prog metal they think it sucks.

HEY I'm a Dream Theater Fan boy AND an Opeth fangirl so ner!!

Hehe, YEAH!

....wait what?

[bigtimmy]

watershed = awesome and brilliant and wicked and delightful and everything else that is good about anything. one of their best yet

[polargimp]

watershed = best album.

[Anno[fzk]]

Shazazmic wrote:

ValenceElectron wrote:

Yeah, Opeth is incredible live, but the average american concertgoer doesn't have the attention span to handle 7+ minute songs like Opeth's, especially with the clean interludes mid-song.


And of course you attack only the American concert goers. What the hell? I'm sure anyone with the average human attention span wouldn't like to sit through an Opeth concert.

But I'm what you called an American concert goer, but I would love to see Opeth.

Get ****ing real, man.

It's mostly US population that has a narrow attention spam (It's way below 5 minutes now; probably 1-3 minutes). Go anywhere outside the US and you'll noticed that people are generally more patient.

I'm glad that they beat out Disturbed in the Finns, though they came second. Not that record sales are an indicator of good music either way, but when something absymal is at top, something is wrong with the public.
Just download that piece of crap, for Gods sake!

[Gregray88]

Whats with UG's lack of quickness with the review of this album being posted?

[DaveGilmour1189]

Anno[fzk] wrote:

Shazazmic wrote:

ValenceElectron wrote:

Yeah, Opeth is incredible live, but the average american concertgoer doesn't have the attention span to handle 7+ minute songs like Opeth's, especially with the clean interludes mid-song.


And of course you attack only the American concert goers. What the hell? I'm sure anyone with the average human attention span wouldn't like to sit through an Opeth concert.

But I'm what you called an American concert goer, but I would love to see Opeth.

Get ****ing real, man.

It's mostly US population that has a narrow attention spam (It's way below 5 minutes now; probably 1-3 minutes). Go anywhere outside the US and you'll noticed that people are generally more patient.

I'm glad that they beat out Disturbed in the Finns, though they came second. Not that record sales are an indicator of good music either way, but when something absymal is at top, something is wrong with the public.
Just download that piece of crap, for Gods sake!

wow you really hate disturbed.

I don't think its an American thing. Your just making some sweeping generalization of the entire population. I think another guy said it best, its more of the general "inaccesablity" of prog metal in general. Besides, any metal (regardless of whether the band produces 4 minutes singles or 10 minute epics) that debutes above #30 is considered huge in the us.

[godin_force]

finland is producing some quality metal these days

[vIsIbleNoIsE]

well, i've heard/read from several places before that americans are all loud and rowdy, whereas in places like japan they know to keep it a bit on the down low until the band finishes a song, which would be a better environment for progressive

[cloud041089]

Gregray88 wrote:

Whats with UG's lack of quickness with the review of this album being posted?

i think some people were complaining that their reviews of watershed were rejected.

[uberphreak]

I'm glad they're doing so well. It sort of resotres a little bit of my faith in the American public (where I'm from). Most of the popular music over here is so genuinely horrible, it's actually sad.

This is a ****ing super album. Can't wait till they come back around in September... I saw them with Dream Theater, but I can't wait to see them headline.

[perilouspete]

Mr. Parker wrote:

23rd in USA, impressive!

almost as impressive as Blooddrunk debuting at #22! Bodom for the win.

[Haunted_Shell]

Opeth are alright, new shit blows, everything after damnation was garbage. Disturbed is better for whoever is bringing them into this review

[jshizznit]

Disturbed doesnt really do it for me

Opeth is good, too bad they dont hit it big in the US

Not like the US's opinion counts anyway, right?

[Haunted_Shell]

jshizznit wrote:

Disturbed doesnt really do it for me

Opeth is good, too bad they dont hit it big in the US


Not like the US's opinion counts anyway, right?

Heh naw, Opeth and Disturbed are two different faces, and I love both, I just don't like the direction Opeth is going in, plus I've never liked mike as a person really. And they've lost 2 amazing players. In Canada, we love Opeth XD

[Kornholic]

Finland rules !!! It feels good to live here

[ken20008]

too bad here in singapore the album isnt even released...and only stupid minless pop/hiphop/chinese pop top the damn charts.

OPETH RULES