Opeth Announce New Album: “Last Will and Testament”

OPETH returns. With a great tune, New Album, and a hidden goodbye? They’re touring the USA.. Is this the final curtain?

Spawned in the early nineties, Opeth has dabbled in so many styles, from gutterals to near folk fairytales with lyrics that will have you feeling “like the most evil band” on the planet as they once deemed themselves.

The New single “§1” from the album “The Last Will and Testament” shares the likeness in it’s name (increasing numerically) with the other tracks, excluding the final track, “A Story Never Told”. For the love of Opeth, is this the end? A seed seemingly planted at the release with intention of possibly softening the blow if it’s announced that Opeth is going on hiatus. But like Titans, they will go out in memorable fashion. For §1 to be the first track, It isn’t a normal intro – it’s a song that hits the ground running.

Opeth has replay factor. Not just the new song, but the entire back catalog. When you feel that familiarity of the older material. Every part of me wanted to address it as part of the title…but the Growl has returned! The constantly changing time signatures. True cohesiveness. Something even harder to come by most bands, considering the lineup changes that Opeth has has over the years. It’s longest tenured member and ringleader Mikael Åkerfeldt (Vocals/Guitar) is joined by long time member Martin Mendez(Bass), Fredrik Åkesson(Guitar), and newest member Waltteri Väyrynen (Drums) of Abhorrance, Paradise Lost, and Bodom After Midnight fame. Honorable mention to past members, Martin Lopez, Peter Lindgren, and Martin Axenrot.

I’ve been a fan since the discovery of Opeth in the back of a Revolver magazine. Damnation was the album, but it continued with …Deliverance, Still Life, Blackwater Park and so on. It was a steroid to the rapid growth of both my knowledge and musical exploration. It planted a seed, branching off to all of the other projects – past and present of the band members – BLOODBATH, Porcupine Tree, Witchery, & Katatonia.

Opeth has had such an impact, I’ve owned a “O” logo for the better part of 20 years on my right calf. So with excitement, I cannot wait until the new album releases on October 11th, 2024. The same day as their North American tour kicks off and if I’m lucky enough, I’ll be at the YouTube Theater show on Oct 30 in Los Angeles!

Below I’ve linked a playlist that takes a track from each of Opeth’s studio albums, the last track a live one that the band used to encore with quite frequently. “Demon of the Fall”.

Until next time, keep it thrashy \m/

Promise it won’t be so long next time between write ups!