Latest about Opeth
![Opeth's Fredrik Åkesson [left] and Mikael Åkerfeldt sit on an old sofa with their PRS electric guitars. Åkesson looks off into the distance while Åkerfeldt stares into the camera.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mBjBAxu9jXG82RYpeGpuUX-840-80.jpg.webp)
Opeth’s Mikael Åkerfeldt and Fredrik Åkesson on their love of “stupid riffs,” and “recapturing that old death metal magic”
Opeth may have returned in a way to their sonic roots on their new album, The Last Will and Testament, but – with appearances from a Neal Schon signature model and a “not very metal” trick picked up from Eddie Van Halen – there are still plenty of quirks to go 'round
Mikael Åkerfeldt explains why a Fender Telecaster was the only guitar he used on Opeth’s new album
Åkerfeldt had secretly used a Tele when he recorded the soundtrack to Netflix's 2022 miniseries Clark, but never wielded one with Opeth before recording The Last Will and Testament
“People think his playing is all about the big riffs, but I always loved his jazzy playing – listen to Planet Caravan. You can hear a lot of passing tones”: Opeth’s Mikael Åkerfeldt says there’s way more to Tony Iommi’s guitar style than riffs alone
The Swedish progressive metal icon pays homage to the dark lord of rock
“It suddenly made me feel so mature. I remember getting the shivers! It was not death metal”: How Jimmy Page, Stevie Wonder, Grand Theft Auto III and Steven Wilson helped Opeth become modern-day prog icons
20 years on, Mikael Åkerfeldt looks back at Opeth’s evolution from death metal heavyweights to prog mainstays on landmark 2003 album Damnation
Opeth and Ghost guitarist Fredrik Åkesson reveals what’s on his pedalboard
And he has Joe Bonamassa to thank for his favorite pedal
Opeth’s Martín Méndez: “I use theory as a guide, but I trust my ears and ideas more… you have to understand why certain notes feel more beautiful or threatening”
Méndez explains how the pandemic gave his new project White Stones some room to expand, and talks signature Sandbergs and the serious business of picking the right note
Opeth guitarist Fredrik Åkesson on his role on the new Ghost album: “There are a lot of Brian May-style parts”
Ghost’s Impera is a feast of multi-layered guitars and big melodies, and Tobias Forge couldn’t do it alone – when he hired Åkesson, it made for one of the guitar records of the year
From screamo revival to suave grooves: here are this week's essential guitar tracks
Kick off April with a bang with these vital new songs from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Adrian Quesada, Eric Johnson, Justus West, Willow, Opeth and more
![[L-R] Bill Kelliher of Mastodon and Mikael Åkerfeldt of Opeth](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Phha2KpAjC9BTPyuRRZFBT-840-80.jpg.webp)
