Swedish progressive death metal titans Opeth played Kings Theatre in Brooklyn to an enamored crowd this past Friday night, dazzling their fans with a diverse two-hour set showcasing classics spanning their inimitable discography. It was the band’s sixth stop on their 16-show North American run in support of their upcoming release of The Last Will and Testament, the 14th album in the band’s long and storied career.
No discussion of Opeth can begin without speaking about Mikael Åkerfeldt. The lone consistent member of the band since 1995’s spectacular debut Orchid, Åkerfeldt has been widely regarded as one of the most talented, innovative, and truly genius songwriters in the metal community for just about thirty years now. He is the main creative force in Opeth and is almost universally considered to deliver some of the best death metal growls around, while also having a dry, humorous stage persona. All of these talents were on display in Brooklyn on this night throughout the group’s 12-song performance.
Opeth took the stage around 8:30pm, launching right into “§1,” the lead single from The Last Will and Testament. The release of “§1” caused metal fans worldwide to rejoice, as it is the first time since 2008’s Watershed that Åkerfeldt’s trademark growls are featured, marking a sharp departure from Opeth’s recent path towards progressive rock. Those growls would be featured heavily in the next three songs of the set: “The Leper Affinity,” the epic opener from 2001’s Blackwater Park; “The Grand Conjuration” from 2005’s Ghost Reveries, and one of the many highlights of the evening, “Demon of the Fall” from 1998’s My Arms, Your Hearse, the group’s first concept record.
After the heavy start to the show, the group took it down a notch with three tracks that showcased the band’s mellower side. Åkerfeldt introduced “Eternal Rains Will Come” from 2014’s Pale Communion jokingly as a song from their jazz era. He asked the crowd to sing the last verse of “In My Time of Need” from 2003’s Damnation, as the Brooklyn faithful obliged him for the last chorus. The final song in this euphonious trio was “Face of Melinda,” the gorgeous fifth song on perhaps Opeth’s best concept album, 1999’s classic Still Life, which celebrated its 25th birthday recently.
Ramping it back up a bit, “Heir Apparent” from the aforementioned Watershed followed, an underrated album that can easily get overlooked in the band’s dense back catalog. The second single from The Last Will and Testament, “§3,” was the penultimate offering from the main set, before the crushing “Ghost of Perdition” from Ghost Reveries brought it to a close.
After a brief sojourn backstage, Åkerfeldt and company returned to the stage with the haunting “Sorceress” from the 2016’s album of the same name as their first cut for the encore. Afterwards, he briefly strummed the opening chords on Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’,” while commenting on its greatness. Opeth then transitioned into what’s become their traditional closing song, the title track of 2002’s Deliverance, a 13-minute epic that Mikael has often described as a masterpiece.
The group’s performance on this evening was near flawless. Åkerfeldt stated early on that he was battling a cold, but had he not mentioned anything, I’m not sure anyone would have noticed. He masterfully mixed clean and harsh vocals all evening with studio quality authenticity, on top of his always masterful guitar work. Guitarist Fredrik Åkesson, a member of the band since 2007, provided excellent riffing and soloing, while he and keyboardist Joakim Svalberg contributed harmonious backing vocals throughout the performance. Veteran bassist Martín Méndez combined with new drummer Waltteri Väyrynen for a punishing rhythm section that only relented when the band mellowed out for three songs mid-set.
Throughout the evening, the Opeth frontman’s sense of humor was on full display. Upon taking the stage, he stated to the crowd, in a self-deprecating, sing-songy Swedish accent, “We are a Swedish metal band and we’re going to play Swedish metal songs.” He responded to overzealous crowd members requesting songs from “White Cluster” to “Soldier of Fortune” to “Free Bird” in his typical dry fashion. After hearing a request for Bloodbath’s “Eaten,” Åkerfeldt explained the grotesque true story behind the song’s inspiration in a way that drew laughter from the crowd. On top of his immeasurable talent, moments like these are another reason why Opeth are a must-see show any time they come to town.
Opeth’s North American tour continues throughout various cities in the United States through the end of October. Ticket information about their remaining shows can be found here, plus their upcoming European Tour in February 2025 can be found here: https://www.opeth.com/tour-dates.
The Last Will and Testament will be released on November 22, 2024 through Reigning Phoenix Records. A concept record set in the post-World War I, it details the story of a wealthy patriarch who’s last will and testament reveals shocking family secrets following his death. As is usually the case with Opeth, it is sure to be one of the best records released this calendar year. You can find pre-order information here.
