Opeth at Rockwave Festival 2021
The "titans" of prog metal, Opeth, will be taking part in Rockwave Festival 2021! Opeth are a Swedish heavy metal band, formed in Stockholm in 1989.
By Dimitris (Bari) Polyzois
The Opeth are a Swedish heavy metal band, formed in Stockholm in 1989. During the first period of their career they were part of the Swedish death metal movement, combining progressive elements. In this genre, they found success with the album Blackwater Park. In their later releases, they have delved into progressive rock territory, gradually shedding the extreme elements from their sound. The band announced that they will be taking part in Rockwave Festival 2021, via the festival's official page.
The first steps
Singer David Isberg formed Opeth, giving them this name from the fictional Phoenician city of Opet (transl.The City of the Moon). The name came from the novel "The Sun Bird" by Wilbur Smith. Åkerfeldt became a member of the band. Passing through the line-up during the first three years of the band's existence were guitarists Andreas Dimeo and Kim Pettersson and bassists Nick Döring and Stefan Guteklint. However, they soon left, as did Isberg, to form Crowley.
Åkerfeldt also took over vocals. Together with bassist Johan De Farfalla, guitarist Peter Lindgren and the aforementioned drummer Anders Nordin, they made up Opeth's first official line-up. With these members, the band recorded the tracks "Forest Of October" and "In The Mist She Was Standing", signing with the British record label "Candlelight Records".
Their first album was recorded in March and April of 1994 and was released a year later under the title "Orchid". In the Netherlands, the record was released as a double vinyl with the extra track "Into The Forest of Winter". The album cover featured an orchid, a misleading image for an extreme metal release. During the tour to promote the record, they performed at London's "Astoria" with Ved Buens Ende, Hecate Enthroned and Impaled Nazarene.
Their second record titled "Morningrise" was released in June 1996, produced by Dan Swanö. The record ventured onto progressive metal paths, with the twenty-minute "Black Rose Immortal" standing out. During the tour for the album the band opened for Morbid Angel in England and Cradle of Filth in Europe. After these live performances ended, De Farfalla and Nordin left, replaced by Martin Méndez and Martin Lopez.
For more news about Rockwave, check out the festival's official page.
