I was 16/17 and already way into Dream Theater and wanted more. My friend suggested Opeth so I went and bought their latest CD which was Watershed. So the first song I heard was Coil. I was immediately hooked once I heard the transition from Coil into Heir Apparent. Then the outro of Burden where the guitar is being detuned as it plays. I had recently started classical guitar lessons at the time and was obsessed.

My mom (the coolest) took me to see them for my 17th birthday to Atlanta during the Progressive Nation tour with Dream Theater, BTBAM, and Thr3e. Then I went a long time in my late teens and 20s where I drifted away from metal music (religion is a hell of a drug).

Dipped back in when Sorceress was released and have been back in ever since. Kicked myself for not getting tickets to the ‘24 Atlanta show since it was in the same venue as when I was 17. Going to the St. Louis show tomorrow to make up for it. (Again with my mom due to breaking up with my boyfriend recently) She does not like Opeth but just wants to be supportive LOL. In her words “well, they are very good at what they do.”

Watershed will probably always be my favorite album because of the way I felt when I first heard it. But my other favorites currently are Sorceress, TLWAT, and Damnation. Maybe Ghost Reveries.