Primer: Opeth

OPETH

Formed:

In 1990 in Stockholm.

Sounds like: Swedish death metal from the '90s having a fireside chat with progressive rock from the '70s.

For fans of: Morbid Angel, King Crimson, Camel, Metallica, Tool, Pink Floyd. 

Why you care: Short of Tool and Metallica, Sweden's Opeth represents the most successful marriage of extreme metal and progressive rock to date. The band cut its fangs as a studio group, making five critically acclaimed albums and rarely setting foot on stage until 2001 album Blackwater Park was released and the band began a series of world tours. Frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt led his group through a stiff and awkward phase, keeping audiences charmed with his witty stage banter and nerdy acumen. Now, after hundreds of shows (and a few lineup changes) he fronts a premier live act. Opeth keeps pace with Rush and Led Zeppelin as a concert experience. And while loving Opeth has traditionally meant coming to terms with the dichotomy of vocal styles that Åkerfeldt employs—alternately using extreme death-metal growls and winsome folk balladry—latest album Heritage finds the band dropping its metal trappings to create a purely progressive rock experience. Metal fans need not fear, though. Opeth has tried this before and always comes roaring back with a vengeance. There's something for everyone at this show, but there's a special something for the stoned, young hand-holding couples from Gresham who know every word to every song.


SEE IT: Opeth plays the Roseland Theater on Sunday, Oct. 16, with Katatonia. 8 pm. $23.50. All ages.

WWeek 2015

Nathan Carson

Nathan Carson has been a WW contributor since 2008. He also writes weird horror and science fiction stories, and is a founding member of the international touring doom metal band Witch Mountain. Carson owns and operates the boutique music booking agency Nanotear, and hosts the XRAY FM radio show the Heavy Metal Sewing Circle. The only reason he can do all these things is because he drinks a lot of water and gets plenty of sleep.

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