A Beginninger's Introduction to Opeth

 by Jimmy Cox

Back in 1990 in Stockholm, Sweden a band was formed by vocalist David Isberg. Although the bank performed Swedish death metal, they also added other influences and acoustic instrumentation to their sound. However, the band broke up when David Isberg invited guitarist Mikael Akerfeldt to join without the whole band either knowing about it or agreeing to it. In the end, all the original band members left and only Mikael Akerfeldt and David Isberg remained.

The band's name comes from a book written by South African author, Wilbur Smith, called Sunbird. The name of a fictional city featured in the book, Opeth, is the source of the band's name. They released their debut album in 1995, called Orchid. Opeth's albums often included the influence of folk music, jazz and blues rock, and became known, in part, for the fact that their songs were usually long. They went on their first world tour six years later, in 2001, when they released Blackwater Park. To date they have released nine studio albums in total, as well as two live albums, two box sets, and two DVDs.

After the band split up the first time, David Isberg and Mikael Akerfeldt recruited Anders Nordin on drums, Nick Doring to play bass, and another guitarist, Andreas Dimeo. However, after the first time they performed, Andreas Dimeo left the band, and, having been unsatisfied with the slow progress they had had up to that point, Nick Doring also left. That was when Kim Petterson and Johan DeFarFalla joined the group. However, Opeth still did not get to enjoy smooth sailing, because Johan DeFarFalla up and left the band in order to be with his girlfriend. It was then that a friend of Mikael Akerfeldt's, Peter Lindgren, joined the band, to play bass. Unfortunately, that changed when Kim Petterson left. Peter Lindgren then switched to guitar. Then, in 1992, David Isberg decided to quit the band and joined another called Liars in Wait.

After all the comings and goings, the band was down to three members. It was during this period that they started to develop the core sound for which they have become known, by incorporating acoustic guitars and harmonies, and less blast beats and aggression for which death metal is known. After the release of Opeth's debut album, Orchid, Johan DeFarFalla rejoined the group but it was not permanent.

In 1998 Opeth released My Arms, Your Hearse and a bunch of Opeth merchandise for the launch. By then Johan DeFarFalla and Anders Nordin had left the band and had been replaced by the two Martins - Martin Mendez on bass, and Martin Lopez on drums. This third album picked up some good reviews and firmly established Opeth as a leading progressive and death metal band.

A year later they released Still Life and one year after that the band performed live in the United States for the first time. Still Life was followed with the release of Blackwater Park in 2001. This created a stir among their fans and critics but Opeth went ahead with the release of the next album in 2002, entitled Deliverance. A year later fans were surprised when the band released Damnation, because it focused only on delivering acoustic music coupled with traditional sons and had no heavy metal influence at all.

In 2005 Opeth released Ghost Reveries which was classic Opeth metal. Roundhouse Tapes followed two years later, and in 2008 they released Watershed.

Through it all Mikael Akerfeldt has remained loyal to the band and been its driving force. He has appeared on all their releases and as the band's vocalist, guitarist and songwriter, his influence on their sound is quite distinctive often the focus of opeth merchandise pic's. Generally Opeth's songs cover themes that include failed relationships, death and even depression, all delivered in their unique style. Fans and critics alike are waiting to see what the death metal band from Sweden will deliver next.

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