Opeth is a Swedish heavy metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. Though the group has been
through several personnel changes, singer, guitarist, and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has
remained Opeth's driving force throughout the years.
They have sold over 1.5 million albums and DVDs worldwide.
-Wikipedia
Members:
Mikael Åkerfeldt - guitars, lead vocals
(1992-present)
Martín Méndez - bass guitar
(1997-present)
Martin "Axe" Axenrot - drums, percussion
(2005-2006: session musician, 2006-present: official)
Fredrik Åkesson - guitars, backing vocals
(2007-present)
Joakim Svalberg - keyboards, synthesizer, backing vocals, percussion
(2011-present)
Name Origin:
The band's name was derived from the word "Opet," which was taken from the Wilbur Smith novel
"The Sunbird". In the novel, Opet is the name of a fictional Phoenician city in South Africa
whose name translates to "City of the Moon".
From: Stockholm, Sweden
Genre(s):
Progressive death metal,
progressive metal,
progressive rock
Active From: 1990-present
Associated Acts:
Bloodbath,
Katatonia,
Storm Corrosion
Awards:
2005
Metal Storm Award for Progressive Metal "Ghost Reveries"
Quotes:
Some songs are put together like that where I didn't know I had two sections that would go well together until I actually tried it. Some parts I wrote entire arrangements and songs at once.
-Mikael Akerfeldt
We've used piano before on our third album My Arms Your Hearse, but I was doing it all and I'm not a piano player in the same way as Steven. He can pretty much play every instrument. We wanted to add something special; also to get him featured on the album, we got him singing a couple of lines as well and he played one guitar solo.
-Mikael Akerfeldt
Well people love to categorize and they ask me what they should call Opeth's music and I tell them I'd like it to be categorized under 'Good Music.'
-Mikael Akerfeldt