Swedish prog legends OPETH announce that the release of their 14th studio album, “The Last Will & Testament,” has been postponed to November 22, 2024, due to unforeseen delays in the manufacturing process.
OPETH’s frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt comments:
“We strive to deliver the highest quality product possible, and to achieve that, we need a bit more time to ensure the final release meets our standards. We understand this may come as a disappointment, but we sincerely appreciate your patience and continued support. We can’t wait to share this new music with you, and we are confident it will be worth the wait”
Following the critical acclaim of their first single “§1”, the band just released second single “§3” – Listen HERE
Pre-Order ‘The Last Will & Testament’ HERE
OPETH‘s fourteenth album was written by Åkerfeldt, with lyrics conferred with Klara Rönnqvist Fors (THE HEARD, ex-CRUCIFIED BARBARA). “The Last Will & Testament” was co-produced by Åkerfeldt and Stefan Boman (GHOST, THE HELLACOPTERS), engineered by Boman, Joe Jones (KILLING JOKE, Robert Plant), and OPETH, with Boman, Åkerfeldt, and the rest of OPETH mixing at Atlantis and Hammerthorpe Studios in Stockholm. The strings on “The Last Will & Testament” were arranged by Åkerfeldt and returning prog friend Dave Stewart (Egg, Khan) and conducted by Stewart at Angel Studios in London. Not one to miss a beat, visual artist Travis Smith returns to the fold, crafting his 11th cover, a haunting “photograph” reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick‘s infamous “Overlook Hotel” photograph. Miles Showell (ABBA, QUEEN) also revisits mastering and vinyl lacquer cutting at Abbey Road Studios in London.
Åkerfeldt rolls out the red carpet for storied flautist and JETHRO TULL main man Ian Anderson. Not only do Anderson‘s signature notes fly on “§4” and “§7,” he narrates on “§1,” “§2,” “§4,” and “§7,” Joining Anderson, EUROPE‘s Joey Tempest lends a backing vocal hand on “§2,” while Åkerfeldt‘s youngest daughter, Mirjam Åkerfeldt, is the disembodied voice in “§1.”
“The Last Will & Testament” is gripping from start to finish, jaw-dropping inside and out, representing some of OPETH‘s finest material to date. Just as OPETH welcomed many into its distressed arms over the years, the Swedes again deliver on the promise that great music always tells a compelling story – this time with growls we had not heard since the 2008 “Watershed”.
“The Last Will & Testament” Track listing:
Lineup:
- Mikael Åkerfeldt – Vocals, guitars
- Fredrik Åkesson – Guitars, backing vocals
- Martin Mendez – Bass guitar
- Waltteri Väyrynen – Drums and percussion
- Joakim Svalberg – Keyboards, backing vocals
Strings arrangement by Mikael Åkerfeldt and Dave Stewart
Artwork by Travis Smith with directions from Mikael Åkerfeldt
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