From death metal heroes to potent prog titans, Swedish lords Opeth have never been ones to sit sonically still for too long. And while their humble beginnings in a small Stockholm town in the late 1980s may seem a distant memory to both the band and their legion of fans, the present-day Opeth has continued to evolve and defy the heavy music world, continually offering a unique and savagely beautiful experience shrouded in dazzling ferocity and voracious complexity.
With their most recent endeavours traipsing decidedly further from their roots down the progressive rock rabbit hole, an inevitable question arose when the quintet announced their upcoming thirteenth studio album In Cauda Venenum: what would the promised twist be for their follow up to their 2016 full-blown prog love letter Sorceress? But there wasn't long to wait and ponder, and in true Opeth fashion the truth was an elegant and fundamentally appropriate revelation: an album split into two versions, one entirely in English, the other in their native Swedish tongue, and a release that ultimately sprinkles bolstered heavier jolts amongst lavish and mesmerising moments.
And now poised on releasing their thirteenth album this September and a heap of shows on the horizon (including some extra special shows in Australia this December), life in the Opeth world is set to explode as they journey into their next phase of existence. But before they unleash In Cauda Venenum to the world, Tiana grabbed some time with guitar juggernaut Fredrik Åkesson to chat all things new album, Aussie shows and a whole lot more. Full audio interview below.
OPETH'S BRAND NEW ALBUM IN CAUDA VENENUM OFFICIALLY RELEASES ON SEPTEMBER 27TH, WITH THEIR AUSTRALIAN SHOWS KICKING OFF IN DECEMBER. FOR ALBUM INFO AND MORE, HEAD HERE.
BY TIANA SPETER