Later this month, Opeth are set to release their new album, In Cauda Venenum, marking the 13th studio LP for the acclaimed Swedish metal titans.
Heavy Consequence sat down with frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt to discuss the new album, a couple of its standout tracks, and how his interpretation of what makes music “heavy” has evolved over the years.
Sharing his thoughts on heavy music, Åkerfeldt told us, “We’re a metal band, our roots are death metal music. That’s generally considered very heavy, and it is heavy. You know, Meshuggah, Slayer — in the traditional metal sense. But you can also have heavy emotions, and to me, a heavy chord progression doesn’t need to be played on a distorted guitar.”
He continued, “For instance, I’ve been consuming a lot of classical music … and it’s still f**king heavy …. There’s more to heaviness than heavy guitars and drums and screaming vocals, at least to me.”
Åkerfeldt also discussed his decision to release In Cauda Venenum in two versions — one in English and another in Swedish — as well as the tracks “Dignity” and “Heart in Hand”.
Check out Part 1 of our video interview with Mikael Åkerfeldt above, and stay tuned for Part 2, in which he talks Ghost, the Swedish music scene, and more.
Opeth’s new album, In Cauda Venenum, arrives on September 27th. Pre-orders are currently available.
