Шведская команда "Opeth", играющая в стиле прогрессив-дэт, была основана в 1990 году на развалинах проекта "Eruption" (совсем не тот, который исполнял "One Way Ticket"), просуществовавшего всего пару лет. Название было взято из книжки Уилбера Смита "The Sunbird", где был такой "город Луны" "Opet". Основателем группы был вокалист Дэвид Айсберг, которому подыгрывали какие-то неизвестные личности... more info >>
Seven Facts About the Making of Opeth's New Album "Sorceress"
Opeth singer-guitarist Mikael Akerfeldt can hardly be described as flamboyant. Intelligent, well-spoken and polite, with a droll sense of humor, the Swedish band's frontman possesses a laid-back demeanor that gives the impression that his feathers aren't easily ruffled. That doesn't mean he's above occasionally flaunting his plumage, though. The cover of Opeth's latest album, Sorceress (due Sept. 30), contains the vibrant image of a peacock roosting atop a pile of human flesh. It's a symbol that Akerfeldt deliberately choose to advertise the band's might.
"It’s probably something narcissistic, to be honest," he admits with a laugh. "Maybe not for me personally, but for us as a band, like a collective narcissism that we’re this beautiful peacock and we’re laying everything to waste."
By this juncture in its career, it's understandable that Opeth is feeling a bit, well, cocky. Earlier in 2016 it celebrated the band's 25th anniversary by reissuing its seminal companion albums, 2002's Deliverance and 2003's Damnation. For the first time, the band is releasing a project through its own label, Moderbolaget, and a licensing deal with Nuclear Blast ("We are working almost identically to how we worked with the record labels before when we were under a record contract," observes Akerfeldt) and it begins touring North America on Sept. 24, launching at Ozzfest Meets Knotfest in California and including a prestige play at New York's Radio City Music Hall on Oct. 1. A European tour follows in November. (Go here for more touring information.) And despite some dissension among fans, Sorceress, Opeth's 12th studio effort, continues the path the act has followed on its last few albums that leaves overt death metal trappings behind in favor of music that is "more like the origins of metal, like Deep Purple or maybe Black Sabbath or Rainbow," says Akerfeldt.
"I made a point with this record to make the songs as diverse as possible," he says in comparing Sorceress with 2014's Pale Communion. "I think this is a bit more coherent within the songs, but I made sure that there’s a diversity between the tracks on the record so that no two tracks would kind of blend together and that you would know which one is which, so to speak. I think it’s a bit more catchy. More singalong-y."
We also learned these tidbits about Sorceress:
Sorceress' Cover Is Both 'Beautiful And Disgusting'
The sleeve is one of Opeth's most colorful pieces of album art -- and its most gruesome. While Akerfeldt is a fan of Scottish band Nazareth's 1973 record Loud and Proud, whose cover also features a peacock, he's not sure why a picture of the bird sitting on a mound of carnage popped into his head long before he started writing Sorceress. Artist Travis Smith, who has designed multiple Opeth covers, also handled this one. Akerfeldt calls the juxtaposition of the peacock's plumage and the rotting flesh "beautiful and disgusting at the same time, which is basically what we wanted … I love weird covers if they’re smart. I wouldn’t say the Sorceress cover is the smartest cover I’ve seen in my life, but it’s lovely. The smartest disgusting cover I’ve seen is by the band Cattle Decapitation [2004's Humanure] of a cow that’s shitting out humans."
The Album's Vinyl Is Just As Flamboyant
In July, Opeth announced it was pressing a charity vinyl edition of Sorceress in pink. Part of the proceeds will be donated to Gilda's Club NY, which was founded in memory of Grammy Award-winning comedian Gilda Radner, who died of ovarian cancer in 1989. It's also available as a picture disc and in an array of colors that include mint pearl, blue, rosewood and orange. "They do so many different kinds of formats, I can't keep track, really," says Akerfeldt. As a record collector, he only cares that his copy is black. "I make sure to talk to the record label and the management and say, 'As long as we have black vinyl, you can do as many colors as you want.' "
Drummer Martin Axenrot Was A Songwriting Inspiration
Akerfeldt explains that once Opeth gets settled into a tour, Axenrot enjoys experimenting with drum beats during sound check. "I was thinking, 'I want him to play like that, like having fun.' The reason why I kind of put a little bit more focus on him as opposed to the other guys is because once you have that foundation of the song, once you have the drums down, if the drums are good, you have a better chance the rest is going to be great, too."
Akerfeldt's Now More Into Singing Than Screaming
The singer wanted to keep exploring his singing capabilities on Sorceress, which is the third consecutive album (after 2011's Heritage and Pale Communion) where he employs a traditional style instead of death metal growls. Akerfeldt prefers to do what's best for the song instead of screaming simply because he did so on previous albums. After consuming death metal for 20-plus years, he doesn't draw much inspiration from the genre anymore. With clean singing, he can "expand more and learn more, and there’s more to learn with that type of singing. You’re never fully taught, so to speak, as a singer," he observes. "But when it comes to the screams, I think there was a time where I was as good as I could get and felt like I was kind of going downhill and getting worse at it because my heart really wasn’t in it."
Sorceress Isn't About Woman-Bashing
Despite the implications that the title may carry, the album isn't intent on catering to the stereotype of females using their sexuality to wreak havoc. While the downsides of relationships did play a role in its creation -- "I have had a rough couple years when I’ve been thinking a lot about these things and therapy and that kind of stuff" -- Akerfeldt "didn't want to go all bitter" with the lyrics. "It’s an easy target to go for the evil woman, you know, and I tried to avoid that as much as I could. But there’s a little bit of that in there because it made a good lyric," he concedes with a chuckle.
But Yes, Sometimes, Love Stinks
"A positive emotion does come with a lot of negative side effects -- at least, it has for me," muses Akerfeldt about relationships. "Even if something I really need in my life is love, and loving, it has found me many times when I wonder if it’s doing more damage than good." However, he also realizes, "I don’t really feel good without love in my life, and I need that. [When I was writing], I was drawing inspirations from those kind of mental breakdowns that you have in the middle of something that’s ultimately a beautiful thing."
Opeth's Branded Beer Crowned The Studio Rider
Opeth introduced its XXV Anniversary Imperial Stout in 2015 and its Communion Pale Ale in April. Akerfeldt calls the ale "the best IPA [India pale ale] I have ever had in my life, and that's not because it says 'Opeth.' " When it was time to record Sorceress, the band made sure it had ample provisions in the studio. "Even before we started thinking about what guitars we were going to bring, we made calls to make sure there’s going to be beer for us," he says with a laugh. "I think we went through six boxes of the ale. We didn’t have any stout. That stout is really strong. It’s like 9-point something. Like if you have one of them, you don't really need to eat for a week and you also get very drunk.”
The cover artwork for "Astron Black And The Thirty Tyrants", the new album from reformed Greek metalers Nightfall - featuring frontman and lyricist Efthimis Karadimas alongside Evan Hensley on guitar, Stathis Kassios on keyboards and Jörg Uken on drums — can be viewed below. The CD is scheduled for release on August 31 (one day earlier internationally) via Metal Blade Records. The cover artwork was created by Travis Smith (Opeth, Death, Nevermore, Katatonia).
Commented the band: "The front cover depicts the sea, the grand opposite of the sky-cum-space, and the means we humans are inventing to explore the unexplored. We are part of this universe and we use its planets to navigate, to tune our lives through the 'time' set by their motion, and who knows, may be to escape to some day in the future."
"Astron Black And The Thirty Tyrants" track listing:
01. Intro
02. Astron Black
03. Astronomica / Saturnian Moon
04. Astra Planeta / We Chose The Sun
05. Ambassador Of Mass
06. The Criterion
07. Asebeia
08. I-I
09. Archon Basileus
10. Proxima Centauri / Dead Bodies
11. The Thirty Tyrants
12. Epsilon Lyrae Source: DarkSide.ru
2009-08-06
Ihsahn: New Album Title Revealed
Former Emperor vocalist/guitarist Ihsahn has set "After" as the title of his third solo album, tentatively due in early 2010 via Mnemosyne Productions/Candlelight Records. More information about the CD will be made available during the coming months.
Ihsahn played his first-ever concert as a solo artist, supporting Opeth at Rockefeller in Oslo, Norway on March 10.
Video footage of the "Scarab" performance can be viewed below.
Ihsahn stated about the gig, "I felt well prepared for the show, and luckily all technical aspects worked out to our advantage, so that the overall experience for me and my band was extremely positive. The feedback from the audience was amazing, and many thought that the songs gained an extra dimension by being performed in a live setting."
Ihsahn's setlist was as follows:
01. Invocation
02. Called By The Fire
03. Scarab (Live video)
04. Emancipation
05. Unhealer
06. Misanthrope
07. Thus Spake The Nightspirit
Ihsahn was supposed to support Opeth for the majority of shows on the Swedish band's Norwegian tour in March. However, more detailed production planning revealed technical and practical difficulties at many of the smaller venues, and it proved nearly impossible for Ihsahn to play any of the other dates on the trek.
Ihsahn's second solo album, "angL", was released in May 2008 via Mnemosyne Productions/Candlelight Records. The CD features a guest appearance by Opeth frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt on the track "Unhealer" while Asgeir Mickelson and Lars Norberg (both of Spiral Architect) were responsible for laying down the drum and bass tracks on the album, respectively. Source: DarkSide.ru
2008-10-31
Burst: Post Additional In-Studio Footage
Burst has posted the third in-studio episode shot during the Lazarus Bird recording sessions online now at this location.
BURST recorded their fifth full-length at Studio Bohussound (Status Quo, ABBA) in Kungalv, Sweden with engineer Fredrik Reinedahl (Opeth, In Flames, Gadget). Lazarus Bird was released internationally in September and preview tracks taken from the album can be heard now via this ReverbNation TuneWidget.
Source: Relapse
2008-10-24
God Forbid: post Merauder cover version online!
As part of “Covering 20 Years Of Extremes”, a special compilation 2CD celebrating Century Media Record’s 20th anniversary,God Forbid has recorded a cover version of the song "Master Killer" originally by legendary NYC Metal/Hardcore crossover band Merauder. Here’s what Doc has to say about the track:
“Merauder was one of the first CM bands we collectively got into. Although we're a metal band, we came up in the hardcore scene, so covering Merauder really honored our roots! They were an under exposed band, so we hope to shed light to those who don't know and pay respects to the die hards who've appreciated Merauder all these years. I think people will enjoy this tribute."
Century Media will share tracks from this special release, which is available now in Europe and the US, with you in weekly turns until the end of the year, so listen to GOD FORBID’s version of “Master Killer” at Century Media Myspace NOW!
God Forbid have finished the recordings for their highly anticipated follow-up to “IV: The Constitution Of Treason” (2005), which is expected to surface in February 2009.
The new album was produced by Eric Rachel (Atreyu, Red Chord) with Christian Olde Wolbers (Fear Factory, Threat Signal) handling all vocal tracking and Jens Bogren (Opeth, Amon Amarth, Soilwork, Katatonia, Symphony X) taking over mixing duties at Fascination Street Studios in Orebro, Sweden. In 2009 God Forbid shall triumphantly return with their most mature and diverse effort to date that will easily position them as of one the most innovative bands within the genre.
Also, don’t forget to check out the band’s stunning first official DVD “Beneath The Scars Of Glory And Progression”, which has been released earlier this year. A trailer can be watched here! Source: CenturyMedia
2005-07-08
Opeth Set Release Date For 'Ghost Reveries'
Roadrunner Records has set an August 30 release date for the new Opeth album, "Ghost Reveries".
"Ghost Reveries" was mastered on June 16 at the Cutting Room facilities in Stockholm and will feature a running time of 66 minutes. The full track listing for the CD is as follows:
01. Ghost of Perdition
02. The Baying of the Hounds
03. Beneath the Mire
04. Atonement
05. Reverie/Harlequin Forest
06. Hours of Wealth
07. The Grand Conjuration
08. Isolation Years Source: BlabberMouth
2003-12-09
Behemoth extend contract with label for two albums
Polish black/death metallers Behemoth have extended their contract with Olympic Recordings. The group have already commenced the songwriting process for their highly anticipated new album and will enter the studio in early spring with hopes for a late 2004 release.
This has been a breakthrough year for Behemoth, who made their U.S. live debut at the New Jersey March Metal Meltdown festival, which served as the kickoff date for an extensive nationwide tour alongside Deicide and Amon Amarth. From there, they appeared on the first three dates of the now-infamous "Metal Gods" tour headlined by Halford and Testament, as well as the inaugural "Blackest of the Black" festivals (also featuring Danzig, Superjoint Ritual, Opeth, Nile and Lacuna Coil). Behemoth capped off the year supporting Six Feet Under on the "Un-Natural Born Killers" tour, and with the release of the limited-edition "Conjuration" EP, featuring one new song, two covers and several live tracks.
Nergal (vocals/guitars) recently checked in with the following update: "At the moment we are taking a short break before we strike again in a few days. After doing 31 dates with Six Feet Under, Sinless and As I Lay Dying we decided to stay a few weeks in LA. to take care of some important stuff. We are proud to announce that we finally signed a new two-album deal with Olympic Recordings for North and South America. It gives us a lot of opportunities for the future and from what we've experienced so far, the label does its best to push the band really hard. Now we are focusing on rehearsing the new set for the three last shows this year with Exhumed and Rise and this time we're gonna play a longer set. There will be two shows in California and one in Mexico, and I'm sure it will be killer! See ya all there!!!"
Upcoming Behemoth tour dates:
Dec. 10 - Allen Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
Dec. 11 - Showcase Theater - Corona, CA
Dec. 13 - Voodoo House - Tijuana, MEX Source: BlabberMouth
2003-08-11
Charon Re-Name New Album
Finland's Charon have changed the title for their forthcoming fourth full-length album to "The Dying Daylights" from the originally announced "Dead Man Walking". The follow-up to last year's "Downhearted" is due on October 6 through Spinefarm Records. A new single containing the song "Religious/Delicious" and the non-album cut "The King Is Dead" will be released on September 1.
"The Dying Daylights" was recorded at BRR Studios in the group's hometown of Raahe and was mixed at Helsinki's Finnvox Studios. The album includes a guest appearance on backing vocals by Nightwish/ex-Sinergy bassist Marco Hietala and Jenny Heinonen. The latter had performed a similar role on the group's last two albums, "Downhearted" and 2000's "Tearstained".
The complete track listing for "The Dying Daylights" is as follows:
01. Failed
02. Religious/Delicious
03. Death Can Dance
04. In Brief War
05. Guilt On Skin
06. Unbreak, Unchain
07. Drive
08. Every Failure
09. In Trust Of No One
10. If
11. No Saint
12. Built For My Ghosts (digipack only)
13. Re-collected (digipack only)
The cover artwork for the album was completed by artist extraordinaire Travis Smith (Katatonia, Death, Testament, Opeth, etc.). The first single off "The Dying Daylights", "In Trust Of No One", entered the Finnish charts at No. 1 upon its release in May. Source: BlabberMouth
The cover artwork for "Astron Black And The Thirty Tyrants", the new album from reformed Greek metalers 
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