117-471: Opeth is a Swedish progressive metal band from Stockholm , formed in 1990. The band incorporates folk , blues , classical , and jazz elements into its usually lengthy compositions, as well as strong influences from death metal , especially in their early works. Songs may include acoustic guitar passages, Mellotrons , death growls , and strong dynamic shifts. The group have been through several personnel changes since early in their history, including
234-439: A jazz influence, with extended solo sections that often feature "trading solos". Orphaned Land from Israel debuted as a melodic death-doom / melodic death metal band that fused middle eastern rhythms and melodies into their music with a progressive edge. The band knew they wanted to create a new subgenre of metal from the very beginning, a style they would dub " oriental metal ," and were always viewed as progressive due to
351-691: A 40-minute concept album consisting of a single track, brought the band critical acclaim and was heralded as one of the first extreme-metal forays into a progressive rock-esque concept album, featuring death-metal vocals and heavily distorted guitars, with guest vocals and lead guitar from Opeth's Mikael Åkerfeldt . Dan Swanö produced Opeth's first release, Orchid (1995), which was unique for its combination of death metal vocals and instrumentation, melodic guitar harmonies, and acoustic passages, but it wasn't until their hallmark record Blackwater Park (2001) that they received critical acclaim. Steven Wilson , progressive rock icon and frontman of Porcupine Tree ,
468-401: A band and 8 records. I can't believe we haven't earned each and every Opeth fan's credibility after all these years. I mean, our songs are 10 minutes long!" The band rehearsed for three weeks before entering the studio, the first time the band rehearsed since the 1998 album, My Arms, Your Hearse . During rehearsal, keyboardist Wiberg joined Opeth as a full-time member after touring with
585-403: A couple of hundred bucks... We didn't know where to go to record a demo." Åkerfeldt had sent rehearsal tapes to several labels but received no replies. However, Lee Barrett from Candlelight offered to produce an album, a proposal Åkerfeldt found "quite weird." Anders Nyström (of Katatonia ) revealed that Candlelight's interest was sparked by a rumor from Samoth (of Emperor ), who had included
702-468: A cover version of Iron Maiden 's "Remember Tomorrow", which was included on the album A Call to Irons: A Tribute to Iron Maiden . With a larger recording budget from Century Media, Opeth began work on its third album, with noted Swedish producer Fredrik Nordström , at Studio Fredman in August 1997. Although Opeth had Méndez, due to time constraints Åkerfeldt played bass on the album. My Arms, Your Hearse
819-544: A distinct musical style, was primarily advanced by members of the American heavy metal scene of the mid-1980s, particularly Queensrÿche , Savatage , Fates Warning , Watchtower and then later on, Dream Theater and Symphony X . It has since developed in a non-linear fashion, with countless groups demonstrating innovations in personal ways. The origins of the genre date back to the very beginning of heavy metal / hard rock and progressive rock when some bands began to merge
936-403: A far-beyond-epic prog/death monstrosity exuding equal parts beauty and brutality – an album so brilliant, so navel-gazingly pretentious that, in retrospect, Opeth's future greatness was a foregone conclusion." John Chedsey of Satan Stole My Teddybear stated that the album is "one of the more stunning and devastatingly powerful debuts of any metal band in any genre." Jim Raggi of Lamentations of
1053-612: A few seconds of "The Apostle in Triumph" on a tape of unsigned bands sent to Barrett. Barrett was so impressed that he decided to sign Opeth. Åkerfeldt later received a call from Barrett, who expressed his interest in releasing a full-length Opeth album. Orchid was recorded in March 1994 in Finspång , where the old Unisound Studio was located. Opeth relocated from Stockholm to Finspång, where Dan Swanö had arranged an apartment for them. The studio
1170-562: A home in the growing U.S. thrash metal movement, influencing popular heavy metal bands like Megadeth , with its acclaimed album Rust in Peace (1990), together with Metallica and its famous album ...And Justice for All (1988). Among the other pioneering thrash metal bands, one of the most important is Canada's Voivod , with their complex and experimental style, full of psychedelic dissonances ( Dimension Hatröss , 1988; Nothingface , 1989). "Math-metal" pioneers Watchtower, from Texas, took
1287-454: A joint venture between Opeth and Nuclear Blast. Moderbolaget means "the parent company" in Swedish. On 25 July 2016, in the build up towards the album release, the band posted the first Sorceress: Studio Report on their YouTube channel. In the behind-the-scenes studio tour, it is confirmed that the band had returned to Rockfield Studios where they previously recorded Pale Communion . At the end of
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#17328760953681404-410: A joke band. No one expected anything from us. The rumor wasn't great about us. Some of the early shows we did were awful and David Isberg, our singer who formed that band, wasn't liked too much. We didn't have a good vibe going about the band. We didn't have any friends in the scene. I didn't know anyone. We were total outsiders. John Serba of AllMusic said that Orchid was "quite an audacious release,
1521-513: A laundry list of other sonic oddities into their trademark progressive death style." In his review of Opeth's 2001 album Blackwater Park , AllMusic's Eduardo Rivadavia wrote, "Tracks start and finish in seemingly arbitrary fashion, usually traversing ample musical terrain, including acoustic guitar and solo piano passages, ambient soundscapes, stoner rock grooves, and Eastern-tinged melodies—any of which are subject to savage punctuations of death metal fury at any given moment." Åkerfeldt commented on
1638-728: A little bit heavier, not death metal heavy, but hard rock/heavy metal heavy. There's also lots of progressive elements and acoustic guitars, but also more sinister-sounding riffs." Åkerfeldt also produced the new album which will include string instrumentation , something that he became interested in doing when working on Storm Corrosion . The band members in Opeth felt rejuvenated after creating Heritage which resulted in closer relationships between them. The Guardian reviewed Pale Communion positively, calling it "strange, intricate prog-metal genius" somewhat flawed by Åkerfeldt's indulgent vocal styling. The album saw Opeth's highest chart positions in
1755-577: A mellower progressive rock sound. When talking about Heritage , guitarist Fredrik Åkesson stated: In the beginning it took me a little while to get used to the new idea of the sound, not having any screaming vocals and stuff like that. But I think the album was necessary for us to do. Maybe the band wouldn't have continued if we hadn't done Heritage . I think the old Opeth fans understand this album. There's always going to be some haters, but you can't be loved by everyone. Opeth has always been about not repeating ourself. A lot of people don't think Heritage
1872-484: A more direct and heavier approach than the well-established English progressive rock sound. 1984 brought full-length debut albums from American bands Queensrÿche from Washington state, and Fates Warning from Connecticut. Both expanded their music to include more progressive elements ( The Warning , 1984; The Spectre Within , 1985) – some through sound experimentation and compositional refinement, others through extremely complex structures and atypical riffs – up to
1989-508: A more traditional progressive metal/rock band, devoid of extreme metal elements. Between the Buried and Me , who started as a more straightforward metalcore band, also began to incorporate both progressive metal and death metal into their music on their 2003 album The Silent Circus , a landmark album in the progressive metalcore genre. They would later add avant-garde elements as well on releases such as The Great Misdirect (2009). In
2106-468: A music shop placed by Åkerfeldt. López and Méndez were fans of the band and took the ads down themselves so no other musicians could apply for the job. Åkerfeldt and Lindgren did not want the Martíns to join at first, due to them already knowing each other; they felt that they wanted two strangers so that there wouldn't be two camps in the band, but eventually hired both. López made his debut with Opeth playing on
2223-533: A two-hour performance, including the entire Damnation album, several songs from Deliverance and Blackwater Park , and a one-hour documentary about the recording of Deliverance and Damnation . Lamentations was certified Gold (over 50,000 sales) by the Canadian Recording Industry Association . Opeth was scheduled to perform in Jordan without a crew due to the fear of terrorist attacks in
2340-807: A worldwide industry." Ex- Arch Enemy guitarist Fredrik Åkesson replaced Lindgren, as Åkerfeldt explained "Fredrik was the only name that popped up thinking about a replacement for Peter. In my opinion he's one of the top three guitar players out of Sweden. We all get along great as we've known each other for maybe four years and he already has the experience to take on the circus-like lifestyle we lead as members of Opeth." Opeth entered Fascination Street Studios in November 2007 to record their ninth studio album, with Åkerfeldt producing. By January 2008, Opeth had recorded 13 songs, including three cover songs . The finished album, Watershed , features seven tracks, with cover songs used as bonus tracks on different versions of
2457-603: A would-be double album. Their next release, Ghost Reveries , became an "instant classic," followed by Watershed , their last "heavy" album, both of which have had significant influence on the progressive metal genre, along with other "extreme metal" bands like Meshuggah . This style of progressive metal is often referred to as "extreme progressive metal," or "extreme prog," for short. Later bands who would play in this style are Ne Obliviscaris , Disillusion . Porcupine Tree would later be influenced by this style, and in particular from Opeth, while Opeth would subsequently switch to
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#17328760953682574-425: Is 2005's Ghost Reveries as a ten-year anniversary celebration of the album. The second set spanned the rest of the band's career, celebrating their 25th anniversary. Åkerfeldt expressed excitement for the concerts. On 15 June 2016, Nuclear Blast Entertainment announced the signing of Opeth. Three days later, on 18 June, Opeth released a 30-second teaser for their new album, Sorceress . A month later, on 18 July,
2691-481: Is a brief piano interlude recorded just hours before the band left the studio. Anders Nordin ’s piano skills surprised the production team. Lindgren recalled, "I remember the look on Dan's face when we said, 'Our drummer can play the piano.' He didn't believe a word we were saying. Dan can play the piano. Most guys play like shit. When Anders started playing, Dan was actually impressed." Åkerfeldt later added, "I'm still quite impressed." The other instrumental, "Requiem,"
2808-500: Is a broad fusion music genre melding heavy metal and progressive rock , combining the loud "aggression" and amplified guitar -driven sound of the former with the more experimental, cerebral or quasi-classical compositions of the latter. The music typically showcases the extreme technical proficiency of the performers and usually uses unorthodox harmonies as well as complex rhythms with frequent meter changes and intense syncopation . The rhythmic aspects are especially emphasized in
2925-595: Is an acoustic composition described by Lindgren as an "epic." Åkerfeldt borrowed a Spanish acoustic guitar, a Trameleuc, from a local guitar store to record the piece. The bonus track, "Into the Frost of Winter," is an early recording from a 1992 rehearsal. This song includes segments that were later reworked into "Advent," the opening track on Opeth’s second album, Morningrise . After the departure of other members, Mikael Åkerfeldt and David Isberg began writing songs for Opeth. Åkerfeldt commented, "As you might understand I
3042-449: Is eclecticism. In between the riffs, choruses, and solos typical of rock and metal songs, prog metal bands often include sections inspired by jazz , classical and Middle Eastern music , among others. Progressive metal is difficult to define specifically, since most bands labeled under the genre have considerably different musical influences when compared to each other. Similarly, bands such as Dream Theater , Planet X and Puya have
3159-553: Is metal but I think it's metal to go somewhere people don't expect. It doesn't mean we're not embracing the past sound of Opeth. Vocally, Åkerfeldt shifts between traditional death metal vocals for heavy sections, and clean, sometimes whispered or soft-spoken vocals over mellower passages. While his death growls were dominant on early releases, later efforts incorporate more clean vocals, with Damnation , Heritage , Pale Communion , Sorceress and In Cauda Venenum featuring only clean singing. Rivadavia noted that "Åkerfeldt's vocals run
3276-448: Is returning after several years to hook up with his old 'babe.' The big bosses of the town know that he's back... A lot of bad things start happening." Following a few live dates in Europe, Opeth returned to Studio Fredman to begin work on its next album, with Porcupine Tree 's Steven Wilson producing. The band sought to recreate the recording experience of Still Life , and again entered
3393-533: The djent subgenre. Although the genre emerged towards the late-1980s, it was not until the 1990s that progressive metal achieved widespread success. Watchtower , Queensrÿche , Dream Theater , Tool , Symphony X , Shadow Gallery , King's X , and Fates Warning are a few examples of progressive metal bands who achieved commercial success. Soon after the rise of the genre's popularity, other thrash and death metal bands started to incorporate elements of progressive music in their work. Progressive metal, as
3510-459: The 2010s, due to the rapid growth of djent led by bands such as Periphery and After the Burial , progressive metal saw an increased interest with a large number of newcomers to the genre. Some of the newer progressive metal bands that have gained popularity since the 2010s are Haken , Plini , Vola , and Caligula's Horse , among others. One of the hallmark musical qualities of progressive metal
3627-494: The 2018 summer festivals. During this break the band will focus on writing songs for the new album. On 11 July 2018, during an interview with FaceCulture, Åkesson said "I've recorded a lot of solos so far. And Mikael Åkerfeldt has almost already written 12 songs for the new album, so we have more material than enough for an album". On 22 May 2019, the band announced their thirteenth studio album, In Cauda Venenum , due for release on 27 September 2019. On 12 July 2019, Opeth released
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3744-746: The Archetype , Nucleus Torn , Alex Vynogradoff of Kauan , Wastefall , Eric Guenther of The Contortionist , Thomas MacLean and To-Mera , The Man-Eating Tree , Nahemah , Vladimir Agafonkin of Obiymy Doshchu , Schizoid Lloyd , Native Construct, Maxime Côté of Catuvolcus , Bilocate , and Jinjer . In addition, other artists have been quoted expressing admiration for their work including Steven Wilson , Seven Lions , John Petrucci , Mike Portnoy , Ihsahn , Simone Simons of Epica, Oliver Palotai of Kamelot , Jim Matheos of Fates Warning , and Haken. Current members Progressive metal Progressive metal (often shortened to prog metal or prog )
3861-555: The Baphomet," which were later reworked into "Mark of the Damned" and eventually became "Forest of October." When Isberg left the band, Åkerfeldt and Peter Lindgren felt they had discovered a unique approach to playing music. Åkerfeldt remarked, "There were at the time almost no other bands using that many harmonies as we did." Lindgren called "Forest of October" the best song on the album. Åkerfeldt, however, admitted that he doesn’t remember
3978-563: The Electric Castle (1998) and The Human Equation (2004), performed by many different members of prominent metal bands. Pain of Salvation was always working towards a more or less unusual style, demonstrated by the eclecticism and anti-conformism found on One Hour by the Concrete Lake (1998), and BE (2004). Forerunners of a more experimental and alternative approach include Thought Industry , as seen in their album Mods Carve
4095-454: The Finnish DVD chart. On 17 May 2007, Peter Lindgren announced he would be leaving Opeth after 16 years. "The decision has been the toughest I've ever made but it is the right one to make at this point in my life," Lindgren said. "I feel that I simply have lost some of the enthusiasm and inspiration needed to participate in a band that has grown from a few guys playing the music we love to
4212-492: The Flame Princess wrote that "perhaps the most easily recognizable voice in all of extreme metal , Mikael Åkerfeldt really does make some noise in his debut. I can't think of very many vocalists in 1994 (when the album was recorded) who used both clean and growled vocals freely. I'm definitely not going to go so far as to say he was the first ( Dan Swanö did beat him on that at least!) but all those years ago, Åkerfeldt did set
4329-503: The Gates , Therion, Desecrator, Megaslaughter, and Sarcazm. Following the show, DeFarfalla left to spend time with his girlfriend. Åkerfeldt then invited his friend Peter Lindgren , who was playing in a joke band called Sylt i krysset, to join Opeth as a bassist. Lindgren agreed, wanting a more serious project. Pettersson also left the band, leading Lindgren to switch to guitar. Isberg departed in 1992 due to creative differences. Åkerfeldt became
4446-544: The Middle East. Opeth's tour manager distributed 6,000 tickets for the concert, but before the band left for Jordan, drummer Lopez called Åkerfeldt stating he was having an anxiety attack and could not perform, forcing the band to cancel the show. In early 2004, Lopez was sent home from Canada after more anxiety attacks on tour. Opeth decided against cancelling the remainder of the tour, with Lopez's drum technician filling in for two concerts. Lopez promised that he would return to
4563-539: The Netherlands. The first pressing of the album was released without the "Opeth" logo on the front cover. The photographs used on the back of the album were taken in Sörskogen. Åkerfeldt recalled, "We really were lucky as the sunset that evening was probably the most beautiful one I had ever seen. We shot several cool shots that day, but those silhouette ones were the best." The band had already encountered one issue with
4680-527: The Pig: Assassins, Toads and God's Flesh (1993). Puerto Rican band Puya rose to prominence in the late '90s with their innovative fusion of jazz , salsa , and progressive metal, evident on their 1999 album Fundamental . Some of the first bands to pioneer the combination of progressive rock and extreme metal influences were Dan Swanö 's Edge of Sanity , and Opeth , both bands hailing from Sweden. In particular, Edge of Sanity's Crimson (1996),
4797-543: The Sun, Sierra , and Oceans of Slumber. Orchid (album) Orchid is the debut studio album by Swedish progressive metal band Opeth , released on May 15, 1995, in Europe by Candlelight Records and on June 24, 1997, in the United States by Century Black . It was reissued in 2000 with one bonus track, "Into the Frost of Winter," an early, unproduced rehearsal recording by the band. The recording sessions took place at
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4914-467: The UK to finish recording vocals for the second of the two albums, Damnation , at Steven Wilson's No Man's Land Studios. Although Åkerfeldt believed the band could not finish both albums, Opeth completed Deliverance and Damnation in just seven weeks of studio time, which was the same amount spent on Blackwater Park alone. Damnation was released on 14 April 2003, and garnered the band its first appearance on
5031-723: The US Billboard 200 at number 192. The album also won the 2003 Swedish Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance. On 1 January 2016, Opeth re-released both Deliverance and Damnation in one package, containing CD and DVD versions, along with new mixing. The band embarked on its biggest tour yet, playing nearly 200 shows in 2003 and 2004. Opeth performed three special shows in Europe with two song lists each—one acoustic set and one heavy set. The band recorded its first DVD, Lamentations (Live at Shepherd's Bush Empire 2003) , at Shepherd's Bush Empire in London, England. The DVD features
5148-581: The US Billboard 200, on the Australian ARIA album charts at number seven and at number one on Finland's official album chart. Opeth went on a worldwide tour in support of Watershed . In 2008, they played the UK Bloodstock festival alongside Dimmu Borgir . From September to October, the band toured North America backed by High on Fire , Baroness , and Nachtmystium . They returned to tour Europe for
5265-512: The United Kingdom. One of these performances took place at the London Astoria , featuring Impaled Nazarene , Ved Buens Ende , and Hecate Enthroned . A year after the album's recording, Orchid was released on 15 May 1995 in Europe by Candlelight Records on CD, and on cassette by Mystic Production . It was released on 24 June 1997 in the United States by Century Black . In 2000, it
5382-459: The United States in 1997. In 1997, after the tour, Åkerfeldt and Lindgren dismissed De Farfalla for personal reasons, without the consent of Nordin. When Åkerfeldt informed Nordin, who was on a vacation in Brazil, Nordin left the band and remained in Brazil for personal reasons. Former Eternal members, drummer Martín López (formerly of Amon Amarth ) and bassist Martín Méndez , responded to an ad at
5499-502: The United States in its first week of release and debuted at number 19 on the Billboard 200 chart. Heritage debuted at number four in the band's native country of Sweden. Heritage became the second Opeth album to not feature any death growls and had a much more progressive style than their previous albums, a direction that Åkerfeldt was already interested in pursuing with Opeth. The first two songs Åkerfeldt wrote for Heritage were in
5616-667: The United States. Opeth was formed as a death metal band in April 1990 in Stockholm, Sweden, by David Isberg , with some friends from Täby ; Isberg was the lead vocalist. The band name was taken from the Wilbur Smith novel The Sunbird , in which Opet is the name of a fictional city. Isberg asked former Eruption band member and guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt to join Opeth as a bassist, replacing Martin Persson. When Åkerfeldt showed up to practice on
5733-454: The Year" at the 2017 Progressive Music Awards , where they ultimately won "International Band of the Year". On 2 October 2017, Åkerfeldt said he has been thinking about doing something "twisted" and different for the next studio album, which could be released by mid-to-late 2019. On 20 November 2017, guitarist Fredrik Åkesson stated that the band will not have any gigs in the upcoming months, until
5850-519: The album "keeps with Opeth's tradition by transcending the limits of death/black metal and repeatedly shattering the foundations of conventional songwriting". In support of Blackwater Park , Opeth embarked on its first world tour, headlined Europe for the first time, and made an appearance at the 2001 Wacken Open Air festival in Germany, playing to a crowd of 60,000. Opeth returned to Sweden after touring in support of Blackwater Park , and began writing for
5967-448: The album regarding the mastering of "Requiem" (see Recording and Production). A second problem arose with the album: the lyric pages were printed in the opposite order from what Opeth had expected. The colors had been reversed, and the CD itself was blue instead of black. The band expressed regret for these mistakes, but fans stated they liked how the colors turned out. After finalizing the layout,
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#17328760953686084-450: The album since he was 19 years old. In a review for Allmusic , Thom Jurek called Heritage the band's most adventurous album, describing the songs as "drenched in instrumental interludes, knotty key and chord changes, shifting time signatures, clean vocals, and a keyboard-heavy instrumentation that includes Mellotrons, Rhodes pianos, and Hammond organs". Opeth supported Heritage with a tour that would last for over 200 tour dates. The tour
6201-497: The album ten out of ten, one of only 21 albums to achieve a perfect rating from the site. Rod Smith of Decibel magazine called Ghost Reveries "achingly beautiful, sometimes unabashedly brutal, often a combination of both". On 12 May 2006, Martin Lopez announced that he had officially parted ways with Opeth due to health problems, and was replaced by Martin Axenrot . Opeth toured on
6318-581: The album. Watershed was released on 3 June 2008. Åkerfeldt described the songs on the album as "a bit more energetic". Opeth toured in support of Watershed , including headlining the UK Defenders of the Faith tour with Arch Enemy , an appearance at Wacken Open Air , and the Progressive Nation tour with headliner Dream Theater . Watershed was Opeth's highest-charting album to date, debuting at number 23 on
6435-564: The band achieved chart success in several dozen countries, including Top Ten in Sweden. Their ninth studio album, Watershed (2008), topped the Finnish albums chart in its first week of release, and reached 23 on the US Billboard 200 chart. As of November 2009, the band have sold over 1.5 million copies of their albums and DVDs worldwide, including 300,000 collective SoundScans of their albums Blackwater Park , Damnation , and Deliverance in
6552-468: The band after their first performance, and were replaced by guitarist Kim Pettersson and bassist Johan De Farfalla . After the next show, De Farfalla left Opeth to spend time with his girlfriend in Germany, and was initially replaced by Mattias Ander, before Åkerfeldt's friend Peter Lindgren took on the role of bassist. Rhythm guitarist Kim Pettersson left following the band's next performance, and Lindgren switched to guitar, with Stefan Guteklint taking over
6669-416: The band confirmed the album would be released on 30 September, in addition to revealing the artwork and track list. Mikael Åkerfeldt described it as, "A fine little record. My favorite in our discography right now. Of course. That's how it should be, right? It's both fresh and old, both progressive and rehashed. Heavy and calm. Just the way we like it." The album was the first project under Moderbolaget Records,
6786-448: The band on keyboards for more than a year. Opeth recorded at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden , from 18 March to 1 June 2005, and released the resulting Ghost Reveries on 30 August 2005, to critical acclaim and commercial success. The album debuted at number 64 in the US, and number nine in Sweden, higher than any previous Opeth release. Keith Bergman of Blabbermouth.net gave
6903-457: The band sent the album to England. Critical reaction to the album was mostly positive. Critic Matt Smith of Maelstrom stated that it was one of the best Opeth albums and "set the tone for the albums to come." However, before the release of Orchid, Åkerfeldt commented: Most people, at least in the Swedish scene , were recording at Unisound , and Opeth, before the album came out, was considered
7020-443: The band signed with Roadrunner Records . Åkerfeldt said the primary reason for signing with Roadrunner was the label's wide distribution, ensuring the album would be available at larger-chain retailers. When news leaked that the band was signed to Roadrunner, who predominantly worked with trend-oriented rock and metal, some fans accused the band of selling out. "To be honest," Åkerfeldt said, "that's such an insult after 15 years as
7137-440: The band was able to rehearse only twice before entering the studio. Delays with the album's artwork pushed the release back an additional month and Still Life was released on 18 October 1999. Due to problems with the band's new distribution network, the album was not released in the United States until February 2001. Still Life was the first album recorded with Méndez, and also the first Opeth album to bear any kind of caption on
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#17328760953687254-486: The band. Åkerfeldt said the band, "came to the decision that we should find a replacement for Per right after the recordings of the new album, and this came as no surprise to Per. He had, in turn, been thinking about leaving, so you could say it was a mutual decision. There's no bad blood, just a relationship that came to an end, and that's that." Opeth's tenth album, Heritage , was released on 14 September 2011, to generally favorable reviews. The album sold 19,000 copies in
7371-751: The best metal album of all time, and notes that there was a time when he listened only to Judas Priest. While warming up before Opeth concerts, Åkerfeldt frequently sings "Here Come the Tears" from Judas Priest's third album Sin After Sin (1977). Åkerfeldt later discovered progressive rock and folk music , both of which had a profound impact on the sound of the band. Opeth's distinct sound mixes death metal with progressive rock. Steve Huey of AllMusic refers to Opeth's "epic, progressive death metal style". Ryan Ogle of Blabbermouth described Opeth's sound as incorporating "the likes of folk, funk , blues , '70s rock, goth and
7488-685: The concept of time-changes to a new level, combining thrash metal, syncopation and prog in their albums Energetic Disassembly (1985) and Control and Resistance (1989), giving rise to an extremely technical approach based on the rhythmic deconstruction typical in jazz fusion . This same direction in prog metal would be later integrated into death metal by bands such as Atheist ( Unquestionable Presence , 1991), which would become known as technical death metal or progressive death metal . Bands which also explored fusion-inspired prog metal include most notably Death and Cynic . The major US bands that contribute to further delineating and developing
7605-479: The core sound of Opeth. Bassist Guteklint was dismissed by the band after they signed their first record deal with Candlelight Records in 1994. Opeth initially employed former member De Farfalla as a session bassist for their demo recordings, and he went on to join on a full-time basis following the release of Opeth's debut album, "Orchid", in 1995. Opeth recorded its debut album, Orchid , with producer Dan Swanö in April 1994. Because of distribution problems with
7722-515: The day after Isberg invited him, it became clear that Isberg had not told the band members, including the band's current bassist, that Åkerfeldt would be joining the band. An ensuing argument led to all members but Isberg and Åkerfeldt leaving to form a new project. At this time Opeth declared themselves to be the "most evil band in the world". Isberg and Åkerfeldt recruited drummer Anders Nordin, bassist Nick Döring, and guitarist Andreas Dimeo. Unsatisfied with Opeth's slow progress, Döring and Dimeo left
7839-593: The diversity of Opeth's music: I don't see the point of playing in a band and going just one way when you can do everything. It would be impossible for us to play just death metal; that is our roots, but we are now a mishmash of everything, and not purists to any form of music. It's impossible for us to do that, and quite frankly I would think of it as boring to be in a band that plays just metal music. We're not afraid to experiment, or to be caught with our pants down, so to speak. That's what keeps us going. More recently, Opeth have abandoned their death metal sound resulting in
7956-521: The djent movement, Dream Theater having been one of the earliest progressive metal bands to incorporate seven-stringed guitars into their music. Proyecto Eskhata, a Spanish band, has received much press coverage in Spain for its fusion of progressive rock and rap metal , which journalists have described as "progressive rap metal". Progressive doom is a fusion genre that combines elements of progressive metal and doom metal . Bands include King Goat, Below
8073-423: The entire Blackwater Park album, while the second set contains one song from every album excluding Blackwater Park , in chronological order representing the twenty years of "evolution" in their music. Åkerfeldt stated, "I can't believe it, but, fuck, we're celebrating 20 years. I've been in this band ever since I was 16. It's insane." A special edition of Blackwater Park was released in March 2010 to coincide with
8190-403: The era, and Orchid is considered the band's closest approach to the black metal genre. Critics described the album's sound as "unique." Jim Raggi commented, "If you're wanting the more deathy and song-oriented Opeth, skip down to My Arms, Your Hearse and go from there. If you're looking for a unique journey of music built alternately around dual guitar harmonies knocking into sequences when
8307-583: The first single from In Cauda Venenum entitled "Heart in Hand" in both English and Swedish. On 16 November 2021, it was announced that longtime drummer Martin Axenrot had left the band due to conflict of interests and his refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19 , and was replaced by Sami Karppinen for the North American tour. On 9 September 2022, it was announced Waltteri Väyrynen (formerly of Paradise Lost and Alexi Laiho 's project Bodom After Midnight )
8424-417: The front cover upon its initial release, including the band's logo. Allmusic called Still Life a "formidable splicing of harsh, often jagged guitar riffs with graceful melodies." As explained by Åkerfeldt, Still Life is a concept album : "The main character is kind of banished from his hometown because he hasn't got the same faith as the rest of the inhabitants there. The album pretty much starts off when he
8541-443: The gamut from bowel-churning grunts to melodies of chilling beauty—depending on each movement section's mood." A number of artists and bands have cited Opeth as an influence, among which are Mayan (a project of Mark Jansen from Epica ), Luc Lemay of Gorguts , Soen (a band of former Opeth drummer Martin Lopez ), Tor Oddmund Suhrke of Leprous , Disillusion , Caligula's Horse , Klimt 1918 , Daniel Droste of Ahab , Becoming
8658-726: The genre are Psychotic Waltz and Dream Theater . The former, with an approach halfway in between Watchtower and Fates Warning, produced A Social Grace (1990), melding their signature sound with the psychedelic Into the Everflow (1992), while the latter explored the legacy of the bands that preceded them while advancing their personal style with When Dream and Day Unite (1989). Both albums focused on keyboards and band members' instrumental skills. As for Dream Theater, their efforts resulted in two fundamental albums, which helped institutionalize classic progressive metal — Images and Words (1992) and Awake (1994). Among European pioneers of
8775-570: The genre are Germany's Sieges Even , who, starting out of technical thrash stylistically significant to Watchtower, explored the more technical and angular side of progressive metal with The Art of Navigating by the Stars (2005). Among the bands of the late 1990s who brought innovation to the genre are the Dutch Ayreon (a project by Arjen Anthony Lucassen ) and Swedes Pain of Salvation . Ayreon focused on theatrical and melodramatic rock operas Into
8892-413: The history of the band with Pale Communion debuting at number 19 in the US, number 3 in Sweden, and number 14 in the United Kingdom. It sold 13,000 copies in its first week of release in the US. Pale Communion was supported with more touring from Opeth. In 2015, Opeth played several concerts to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the band. At these special shows, the band was doing two sets. The first set
9009-501: The idea of recording two separate albums, Åkerfeldt had to convince the label: "I had to lie somewhat ... saying that we could do this recording very soon, it won't cost more than a regular single album." With most of the material written, the band rehearsed just once before entering Nacksving Studios in 2002, and again with producer Steven Wilson in Studio Fredman. Under pressure to complete both albums simultaneously, Åkerfeldt said
9126-523: The influence of other genres, but it never sounded as powerful, fearless, or skilled as on Orchid … Opeth's debut was, to quote frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt in 1993, a masterful hybrid of ' Wishbone Ash , Black Sabbath and Bathory .' … It was inviting, abrasive, and full of subtlety. Despite Symbolic , Slaughter of the Soul , Domination , The Gallery and Storm of the Light's Bane blowing minds in 1995, it
9243-601: The late 2000s, bands such as Periphery, Tesseract , Animals as Leaders and Vildhjarta popularized the "djent" style of progressive metal in a sound originally developed by Meshuggah . It is characterized by high- attack , palm-muted, syncopated riffs (often incorporating polymeters ), as well as use of extended-range guitars. Extended-range guitars also feature in other forms of progressive metal; artists including Dream Theater, Devin Townsend , Dir En Grey , and Ne Obliviscaris have used seven-string guitars without being part of
9360-519: The main stage of Gigantour in 2006, alongside Megadeth . Ghost Reveries was re-released on 31 October 2006, with a bonus cover song ( Deep Purple 's "Soldier of Fortune"), a DVD featuring a 5.1 surround sound mix of the album and a documentary on the making of the record. A recording of Opeth's live performance at the Camden Roundhouse , in London, on 9 November 2006, was released as the double live album The Roundhouse Tapes , which topped
9477-412: The moon," though he admitted, "It doesn't really deal with anything." Later, on The Roundhouse Tapes live album, Åkerfeldt described the song’s lyrics as "absolute black metal nonsense." He praised the melody of "The Apostle in Triumph" and characterized its lyrics as "a combination of nature and satanic worship." The album’s longest track, "In Mist She Was Standing," was the last song completed. It
9594-699: The nature of the middle eastern elements of their music, which is known for using time signatures that are uncommon in the west , expansive song structures, and microtones . As their career developed, they would later play in a more traditional progressive metal style, comparable to Opeth, Symphony X, and the like, while maintaining their "oriental" edge. Steven Wilson, who lived in Israel for some time playing in Blackfield , found Ophaned Land to be "something special" after listening to Mabool and, would end up producing and engineering The Never Ending Way of ORWarriOR . In
9711-513: The new vocalist, and he and Lindgren began writing new material. They rehearsed as a three-piece for over a year. Stefan Guteklint joined as bassist but left shortly after the band signed with Candlelight Records in 1994. Opeth secured a deal with Candlelight Records without recording a demo. For the band, entering a studio to produce a demo was as significant an undertaking as recording an album. Åkerfeldt explained: "We didn't have any money to spend on things like that. That would cost us, at least,
9828-403: The newly formed Candlelight Records, the album was not released until 15 May 1995, and only in Europe. Orchid tested the boundaries of traditional death metal, featuring acoustic guitars, piano, and clean vocals. After a few live shows in the United Kingdom, Opeth returned to the studio in March 1996 to begin work on a second album, again produced by Dan Swanö. The album, titled Morningrise ,
9945-467: The next album at] Rockfield Studios in Wales where Queen recorded " Bohemian Rhapsody ", but we haven't made a decision yet, but it will be an expensive album. There's a lot going on, lots of string arrangements that we haven't had in the past." Despite fearing that the band's new musical direction would split Opeth's fanbase, when asked if it will it be heavier or softer than Heritage , Åkerfeldt said, "Maybe
10062-487: The next album. At first, Åkerfeldt had trouble putting together new material: "I wanted to write something heavier than we'd ever done, still I had all these great mellow parts and arrangements which I didn't want to go to waste." Jonas Renkse of Katatonia , a long-time friend of Åkerfeldt, suggested writing music for two separate albums—one heavy and one soft. Excited at the prospect, Åkerfeldt agreed without consulting his bandmates or record label. While his bandmates liked
10179-489: The old Unisound studio in Finspång , with production handled by Opeth and Dan Swanö . The band did not record a demo to secure a record label deal. Instead, Lee Barrett, the founder of Candlelight Records , was impressed by an Opeth rehearsal tape and decided to sign the band. The album received critical acclaim. Opeth was formed in 1990 in Stockholm , Sweden, by David Isberg . Isberg invited Mikael Åkerfeldt (formerly of
10296-483: The performance: "I reckon it was probably the worst appearance one can have witnessed. We were so fucking nervous that we all wanted to cancel the fucking gig and just go back home." The band played a second show in Gothenburg . By that time, Döring and Dimeo had left, prompting Opeth to recruit Kim Pettersson and Johan DeFarfalla from the band Crimson Cat to join them onstage. The event also featured performances by At
10413-521: The recently disbanded band Eruption) to join Opeth. The other band members objected to this and quit, leaving only Isberg and Åkerfeldt. Anders Nordin , Nick Döring, and Andreas Dimeo were brought in as replacements. They rehearsed in an elementary school using old '60s equipment they found there. Opeth performed a show in February 1991 alongside Therion , Excruciate, and Authorise in Stockholm. Their set consisted of only two songs. Åkerfeldt later reflected on
10530-421: The recording process was "the toughest test of our history." After recording basic tracks, the band moved production to England to first mix the heavy album, Deliverance , with Andy Sneap at Backstage Studios. " Deliverance was so poorly recorded, without any organisation whatsoever," Åkerfeldt claimed, that Sneap "is credited as a 'saviour' in the sleeve, as he surely saved much of the recording." Deliverance
10647-675: The replacement of every original member. Lead vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has been Opeth's driving force since the departure of founder and lead vocalist David Isberg in 1992. The band rarely made live appearances supporting their first four albums, but since their first world tour in support of the 2001 album Blackwater Park , they have performed several other major world tours. Opeth have released fourteen studio albums, four live DVDs, four live albums (three that are in conjunction with DVDs), and two boxsets. The band released its debut album Orchid in 1995. With their eighth studio album, Ghost Reveries (2005),
10764-445: The rest of the year with Cynic and The Ocean . In 2010, Opeth wrote and recorded the new track, "The Throat of Winter", which appeared on the digital EP soundtrack of the video game, God of War III . Åkerfeldt described the song as "odd" and "not very metal." To celebrate their 20th anniversary, Opeth performed a six-show, worldwide tour called Evolution XX: An Opeth Anthology , from 30 March through 9 April 2010. Blackwater Park
10881-424: The role of bassist. The following year, David Isberg left the band citing "creative differences". Following Isberg's departure, Åkerfeldt took over vocal duties and he, Lindgren, and Nordin spent the next year writing and rehearsing new material. The group began to rely less on the blast beats and aggression typical of death metal, and incorporated acoustic guitars and guitar harmonies into their music; developing
10998-553: The song’s meaning, only that he wrote the lyrics to complement the music. Åkerfeldt noted that "The Twilight Is My Robe," originally titled "Oath," was a "satanic song, like an oath to Satan." He revealed that one section of the song is "a complete rip-off" of Scorpions ' " Fly to the Rainbow ." "Under the Weeping Moon," described by Lindgren as the album’s most evil track, features lyrics Åkerfeldt called "some kind of satanic worship of
11115-437: The sound." All lyrics are written by Mikael Åkerfeldt except where noted; all music is composed by Åkerfeldt and Peter Lindgren except where noted Credits for Orchid adapted from liner notes. Opeth Additional personnel Production The release of Orchid was delayed, and with the band eager to perform live for the album, Opeth began playing a few shows after Lee Barrett of Candlelight Records led them to
11232-643: The standard for what the extreme progressive music vocalist should sound like." He added, "The fact is this album is a groundbreaking milestone in heavy metal for the progressive elements that are thrown into the more metallic music and the extreme vocals," and the sound of the album is "completely unique." Chris Dick of Decibel stated in Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces : Death metal, after its formative stages, wasn't averse to experimentation or
11349-496: The studio with minimal rehearsals, and no lyrics written. "This time it was tough," Åkerfeldt said, "I feel pleasantly blown away by the immense result, though. It was indeed worth the effort." Wilson also pushed the band to expand its sound, incorporating new sounds and production techniques. "Steve guided us into the realms of 'strange' noises for guitars and voice", Åkerfeldt said. Opeth released its fifth studio album, Blackwater Park , on 21 February 2001. AllMusic has stated that
11466-412: The studio, we'd been rehearsing six or seven times a week, and we'd even been rehearsing in pitch black darkness in order to play the songs perfectly without even looking," Åkerfeldt recalled in 2009, speaking to Kerrang! However, the band regretted not having enough time to properly record the acoustic piece "Requiem." Initially recorded at Unisound, the band was dissatisfied with the result. "Requiem"
11583-465: The style of Watershed . After hearing the songs for the first time, Martín Méndez told Åkerfeldt that he would be disappointed if the album continued in that direction. Relieved that Méndez was not interested in doing another conventional Opeth album, Åkerfeldt scrapped the two songs and started the writing process over in a different style. In the press release for Heritage , Mikael Åkerfeldt revealed that he felt as though he had been building to write
11700-566: The tour as soon as he could, but two shows later Opeth asked Strapping Young Lad drummer Gene Hoglan to fill in. Lopez returned to Opeth for the Seattle show on the final leg of the Deliverance and Damnation tour. Opeth returned home in 2004 to start writing new material for its eighth album; by the end of the year, they had finished writing it. European label, Music For Nations, closed its doors in 2005, and after negotiations with various labels,
11817-494: The tour. In September 2010, Mikael Åkerfeldt stated that he was writing for a new Opeth album. The band announced on their website that they would start recording their tenth album on 31 January 2011, at the Atlantis/Metronome studios in Stockholm, once again with Jens Bogren (engineering) and Steven Wilson from Porcupine Tree as co-producer. Shortly after mixing was complete on the new album in April 2011, Per Wiberg left
11934-686: The two different approaches. 1960s pioneers King Crimson maintained their musical innovation while incorporating a harder approach, using dissonance and experimental tones, yet still maintaining a relationship to the power chords of hard rock, with the main example being " 21st Century Schizoid Man ". Canadian trio Rush are widely recognized as bridging the gap between hard rock, English progressive rock, and pure heavy metal. Initially influenced by Led Zeppelin , they evolved to combine established progressive rock technique with blues-based power chords. Records such as 2112 (1976) showcased technical expertise and complex compositional skill while still utilizing
12051-474: The two guitars and the bass are all playing different parts, stop-start transitions at times and smooth here-to-theres at others, here you go." Matt Smith observed that "with Orchid , the band introduced its blend of intricate, down-tempo acoustic guitar and piano lines and swinging, Celtic-sounding, distorted rhythms." Most of the album’s songs exceed nine minutes, though it also features two shorter instrumental tracks: "Silhouette" and "Requiem." "Silhouette"
12168-560: The two seminal works in 1986: Rage for Order and Awaken the Guardian . In the following years the two bands, while following different paths – more basic and simple the first, more articulate and complex the latter — explore and expand the technical refinement and sonic finesse of their music, continuing to lay the foundations of the genre with important works such as Operation: Mindcrime (1988) by Queensrÿche, and Perfect Symmetry (1989) by Fates Warning. Progressive metal also found
12285-471: The video, there is a 20-second excerpt of a track believed to be from the album featuring heavily down-tuned guitars. On 1 August 2016, the band released a lyric video for the title-track 'Sorceress' on their YouTube channel. On 5 September 2016, Opeth released a lyric video for the second single titled 'Will O the Wisp,' again through their YouTube channel and website Opeth's video for "Era" was nominated for "Video of
12402-436: Was Opeth's Orchid that changed death metal forever. Not all critics were positive, however. The French magazine Metallian called the album "boring and uneventful" and gave it a 1/10. Johan De Farfalla stated, "From the death metal scene, they thought, 'Wow! This is cool!' From the educated musicians I knew, they said, 'This sucks. The sound is bad. You should re-record this.' But I think people really liked it, apart from
12519-408: Was given a copy of Opeth's prior record Still Life (1999) from a friend, and, after listening, noted that the experimental music he had been after had drifted into extreme metal . Being mutual fans of each other's work, Steven ended up co-producing Blackwater Park along with Opeth's frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt, and would go on to co-produce Deliverance (2002) and Damnation (2003), together
12636-459: Was inspired by a nightmare and the film The Lady in Black . When the recordings were completed, the band immediately began working on the cover layout. Åkerfeldt, who had been in contact with photographer Torbjörn Ekebacke for some time, discovered that Ekebacke also worked on graphic layouts. He was asked to create the layout for Orchid . The orchid featured on the cover was specially ordered from
12753-741: Was later recorded in a Stockholm studio with Pontus Norgren as co-producer. Due to a mix-up during Orchid' s mastering process , the ending of "Requiem" was mistakenly placed at the beginning of "The Apostle in Triumph." The band expressed regret over the error, clarifying that it was not their fault. This mistake was later corrected in the 2023 Abbey Road remaster of the album. The music on Orchid blends elements of progressive rock and acoustic pieces inspired by folk music with black metal screams, death metal growls , and clean vocals. It also features influences from jazz and melodic passages performed on piano and acoustic guitars . Opeth's sound stood apart from typical black or death metal bands of
12870-453: Was more or less influenced by the occult back then, although in no serious manner. Music-wise I was really into the twisted, dark, and evil-sounding riffs. The lyrics written by both me and David were pure Satanic chantings!" According to Åkerfeldt, "the idea for Opeth was for it to be evil—satanic lyrics and evil riffs. I chose my notes so they sounded evil." The first two songs they wrote together were "Requiem of Lost Souls" and "Mystique of
12987-574: Was performed in its entirety, along with several songs never before performed. The concert of 5 April 2010, at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England was filmed for a DVD and live album package titled In Live Concert at the Royal Albert Hall . The set was released on 21 September 2010, in 2-DVD and 2-DVD/3-CD configurations. For the DVD the concert was split into two sets. The first set consists of
13104-404: Was released in Europe on 24 June 1996. With only five songs, but lasting 66 minutes, it features Opeth's longest song, the 20-minute "Black Rose Immortal". Opeth toured the UK in support of Morningrise , followed by a 26-date Scandinavian tour with Cradle of Filth . While on tour, Opeth attracted the attention of Century Media Records , who signed the band and released the first two albums in
13221-501: Was released on 4 November 2002, and debuted at number 19 on the US Top Independent Albums chart, marking the band's first US chart appearance. AllMusic stated, " Deliverance is altogether more subtle than any of its predecessors, approaching listeners with haunting nuances and masterful dynamics rather than overwhelming them with sheer mass and complexity." Opeth performed a one-off concert in Stockholm, then returned to
13338-437: Was released to critical acclaim on 18 August 1998. In 1999, the ownership of Candlelight Records changed hands, as owner and friend of the band Lee Barrett left the company. Opeth signed with UK label Peaceville Records in Europe, which was distributed by Music For Nations . Opeth reserved time at Studio Fredman to begin work on its next album, but recording was postponed while the studio was relocated. Due to time constraints,
13455-406: Was situated in the cellar of a small house in the middle of a field. The album was produced and mixed by Swanö and the band, with Swanö also serving as engineer. For the recording, the band asked Johan De Farfalla to play session bass guitar. He ultimately joined as a full-time member. Despite initial nervousness, the recording sessions proceeded smoothly. "We were so ready before we went into
13572-664: Was the band's first with new keyboardist, Joakim Svalberg, who played on the opening track of the album. During the tour, Opeth played with bands such as Katatonia , Pain of Salvation , Mastodon , Ghost and Anathema all over the world in countries such as the United States, Europe, Turkey, India, Japan, Greece, Israel, Latin America and Sweden. The tour concluded with "Melloboat 2013". On 26 August 2014, Opeth released its eleventh studio album, titled Pale Communion . Åkerfeldt began working on new material as far back as August 2012. In January 2014 he stated, "We've been looking at [tracking
13689-774: Was the band's new drummer. On 1 August 2024, Opeth announced that their fourteenth studio album The Last Will and Testament would be released on 11 October, although the date was postponed to 22 November due to manufacturing delays. As Opeth's primary songwriter and lyricist, vocalist/guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt heads the direction of Opeth's sound. He was influenced at a young age by the 1970s progressive rock bands King Crimson , Yes , Genesis , Camel , P.F.M. , Hawkwind , and Gracious , and by heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden , Slayer , Death , Black Sabbath , Deep Purple , Celtic Frost , King Diamond , Morbid Angel , Voivod , and, most importantly, Judas Priest . Åkerfeldt considers Judas Priest's Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)
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