OPETH INTERVIEW
OPETH are Progressive Rock/Metal icons from Stockholm, Sweden. The band was formed in 1990. The band memers are Mikael Åkerfeldt (Vox, guitars), Martin Mendez (bass), Martin Axenrot (drums), Fredrik Åkesson (guitars), Joakim Svalberg (keys).
Twinmusix got to speak to Fredrik Åkesson from OPETH about the upcoming album In Cauda Venenum, The upcoming Australian tour and more.
TM - Hi, This is Amelia from Twinmusix.Thank You for having this phone call with me today. How are you?
FA - Good, how are things in Australia?
TM - Good, it is just cold here because it's winter. It is about 5 °c.
FA - It is about 22°c here because it's almost the end of summer.
TM - Yeh, I just came back from there.
FA - You can fell the climate change if you go to Germany.
TM - I love Germany, it is one of my favourite places in the world. I just came back from Hellfest.
FA - That is a good festival. We just played Waken a few weeks ago it was pretty good, we played in front of 50 thousand people.
TM - What was your favorite memory from playing Waken?
FA - We played at 12:30 pm and we got to use the lights. Our light guy made a really cool lift show and it was our favorite Waken so far.
TM - That is awesome. You also played download how was that?
FA - It was awesome but we played in the day.
TM - What can fans expect from your Australian tour?
FA - We are going to play a lot of songs from the new album which will be fun. We will change our setlist from what we are playing right now. In September and October, we will be planning and rehearsing. We want to play one song from each album but it will be pretty hard, so we will try and please everyone it will be a different set from last time.
TM - You are playing a bunch of theaters over here, which will be cool.
FA - Yeh we are happy about that, we like to play different venues in different cities. I hope we will have good energy at the gigs even if it's all seated.
TM - You are bringing out your new album In Cauda Venenum what can fans expect?
FA - The goal was to make an epic album and I think we succeed with that. I think all the songs are different and it's different to the last three studio albums. It is heavy and more complex than the last three Studio albums. We are certainly very happy with it and we went the extra mile.
TM - What was your writing and recording process for In Cauda Venenum?
FA - Michael wrote the entire album and he did it in our studio. He actually wrote 30 trucks, so there were three trucks that we didn't use. We will use those tracks later on. The album is pretty long, it is around 64 minutes. The recording process was Michael, write the songs and we got the demos to rehearse. I helped write some stuff and then we went into the studio and recorded drums, bass, guitar, singing and anything else that needed recording.
TM - If you could have any band play one of your songs what band would it be, what song would it be and in your style or their style?
FA - Deep Purple, doing one of our songs in their style would be cool.
TM - If you could collaborate with any band who would it be and why?
FA - Accurately it has been a dream come true because I'm playing guitar for Biff Byford from Saxon on his new solo album. We wrote it together in England and went mountain biking together. We checked out the more mystery together and he's a really cool guy and a metal legend.
TM - That is cool, I'll have to check it out. I cannot wait to hear it.
FA - I wrote two tracks and arranged two tracks, so I was quite involved in it.
TM - Sweet man, we would love to interview you about that when it comes out.
TM - What is your favorite memory of watching someone else perform live?
FA - I remember, when I was a kid I saw Iron Maiden and it had a massive production. He had a Glaring jacket it was really cool. I remember seeing the Vulgar Display of Power tour when Pantera was at their Peak, that was super brutal tight and well played.
TM - Is there anything else you want to say to your fans?
FA - We hope all our fans enjoy our album and we can't wait to come back to Australia and play for everyone.
TM - We cannot wait to have you back in Australia. It will be an amazing show.
