Opeth Bring Back Death Growls on First Song Off New Concept Album

Opeth have just announced their new concept album, The Last Will and Testament and it’s the band’s first record since 2008’s Watershed to feature the legendary death growls of Mikael Akerfeldt.

The exclusively clean-sung prog rock era of Opeth, for now at least, is over and the Swedes are back to being a fully-fledged progressive death metal band in the studio.

The sidestep away from the band’s extreme metal side has been rather wonderful and rewarding, but there’s no downplaying the significance of the classic Opeth style coming back into play.

The Last Will and Testament will be released on Oct. 11 on Reigning Phoenix Music and is Opeth’s first release since 2019’s In Cauda Venenum. A dark, mysterious concept will play out across its 10 tracks, only one of which (closer “A Story Never Told”) has a proper title. The rest are titled “§” with the corresponding track number placed next to it.

Listen to the first track, “§1,” below.

READ MORE: Best Progressive Rock + Metal Album of Each Year Since 1983

Opeth, “§1” (Radio Edit)

About the Album + The Concept

A press release summarizes the concept:

‘The Last Will and Testament’ is a concept album set in the post-World War I era, unfolding the story of a wealthy, conservative patriarch whose last will and testament reveals shocking family secrets. The narrative weaves through the patriarch’s confessions, the reactions of his twin children, and the mysterious presence of a polio-ridden girl who the family have taken care of. The album begins with the reading of the father’s will in his mansion. Among those in attendance is a young girl, who, despite being an orphan and polio-ridden, has been raised by the family. Her presence at the will reading raises suspicions and questions among the twins.

It’s ripe subject matter for progressive death metal, isn’t it?

The Last Will and Testament also features guest appearances by Jethro Tull‘s Ian Anderson and Europe’s Joey Tempest and was co-produced by Akerfeldt and Stefan Boman (Ghost, The Hellacopters).

View additional details below and see Opeth’s upcoming North American tour dates further down the page.

Opeth, The Last Will and Testament Album Art + Track Listing

01. “§1” (5:57)
02. “§2” (5:33)
03. “§3” (5:10)
04. “§4” (7:00)
05. “§5” (7:29)
06. “§6” (6:03)
07. “§7” (6:30)
08. “A Story Never Told” (7:14)

The Last Will and Testament Personnel

Opeth Lineup:
Mikael Åkerfeldt – Vocals, guitars
Fredrik Åkesson – Guitars, backing vocals
Martin Mendez – Bass guitar
Waltteri Väyrynen – Drums and percussion
Joakim Svalberg – Keyboards, backing vocals

Special Guests:
Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull) – spoken word (tracks 1, 2, 4, 7) // flute (tracks 4, 7)
Joey Tempest (Europe) – backing vocals (track 2)
Mirjam Åkerfeldt – spoken word (track 1)

Opeth 2024 Tour Dates With Tribulation

Oct. 11 — Milwaukee, Wis. @ The Rave / Eagles Club
Oct. 12 — Cleveland, Ohio @ Agora Theater & Ballroom
Oct. 14 — Toronto, Ontario @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Oct. 15 — Montréal, Quebec @ L’Olympia
Oct. 16 — Worcester, Mass. @ Palladium
Oct. 18 — Brooklyn, N.Y. @ Kings Theatre
Oct. 19 — Pittsburgh, Penn. @ Stage AE
Oct. 20 — Washington, D.C. @ Warner Theatre
Oct. 22 — Atlanta, Ga. @ Tabernacle
Oct. 23 — New Orleans, La. @ Fillmore New Orleans
Oct. 24 — Austin, Texas @ Emo’s Austin
Oct. 25 — Dallas, Texas @ Majestic Theatre
Oct. 27 — Denver, Colo. @ Mission Ballroom
Oct. 29 — Phoenix, Ariz. @ The Van Buren
Oct. 30 — Los Angeles, Calif. @ YouTube Theater
Oct. 31 — San Francisco, Calif. @ The Warfield