Opeth is a Swedish progressive metal/rock band from Stockholm, formed in 1989.[2][3] The group has been through several personnel changes, including the replacement of every single original member. Lead vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has remained Opeth’s primary driving force since the departure of original vocalist David Isberg in 1992. Opeth has consistently incorporated progressive, folk, blues, classical, and jazz influences into its usually lengthy compositions, as well as strong influences from death metal, especially in their early works. Many songs include acoustic guitar passages and strong dynamic shifts, as well as death growls. Opeth is also well known for their incorporation of Mellotrons in their work. The band rarely made live appearances supporting their first four albums, but since conducting their first world tour after the 2001 release of Blackwater Park, they have led several major world tours.
Opeth has released 13 studio albums, four live DVDs, four live albums (three that are in conjunction with DVDs), and two boxsets. The band released its debut album Orchid in 1995. Although their eighth studio album, Ghost Reveries, was quite popular in the United States, Opeth did not experience major American commercial success until the 2008 release of their ninth studio album, Watershed, which peaked at No. 23 on the Billboard 200, and topped the Finnish albums chart in its first week of release. As of November 2009, the band has sold over 1.5 million copies of their albums and DVDs worldwide,[4] including 300,000 collective SoundScans of their albums Blackwater Park, Damnation, and Deliverance in the United States.[5]
Discography:
Members:
| Mikael Åkerfeldt | Guitars (1990-present), Vocals (1992-present) |
| See also: Storm Corrosion, ex-Steel, ex-Bloodbath, ex-Katatonia (live), ex-Eruption, ex-Sörskogen | |
| Martín Méndez | Bass (1997-present) |
| See also: White Stones, ex-Eternal, ex-Fifth to Infinity, ex-Requiem Aeternam, ex-Vidres a la Sang (live), ex-Proxima, ex-Vinterkrig | |
| Martin Axenrot | Drums (2006-present) |
| See also: Bloodbath, ex-Blasphemous, ex-Morgue, ex-Nephenzy Chaos Order, ex-Decay, ex-Nifelheim, ex-Witchery, ex-Triumphator, ex-Satanic Slaughter, ex-Funeral Frost | |
| Fredrik Åkesson | Guitars, Vocals (backing) (2007-present) |
| See also: Biff Byford, ex-Southpaw, ex-Krux, John Norum, ex-Arch Enemy, ex-Shock Tilt, ex-Tiamat (live), ex-Sabbtail, ex-Monsters of Metal, ex-Talisman | |
| Joakim Svalberg | Keyboards, Piano, Mellotron (2011-present) |
| See also: elGamo, ex-Yngwie Malmsteen, ex-Mastodon (live), ex-Tiamat (live), ex-HTP / Hughes & Turner project (live) |
Past Members:
| Nick Döring | Bass (1990-1991) |
| See also: ex-Eruption | |
| Martin Persson | Bass (1990) |
| See also: ex-Conductor, ex-Crowley, ex-Pathalog, ex-Scurvy, ex-Phidion, ex-Dog Faced Gods, ex-Murdering Murders, ex-Plague Divine, ex-Remasculate, ex-Maggot, ex-Slaganfall | |
| Amirion Evén | Drums (1990) |
| See also: ex-Crowley | |
| Anders Nordin | Drums (1990-1997) |
| See also: ex-Steel, ex-Eruption | |
| Dan Nilsson | Guitars (1990) |
| See also: ex-Crowley | |
| Andreas Dimeo | Guitars (1990-1991) |
| Mikael Bergström | Guitars (1990) |
| See also: ex-Absurd, ex-Crowley | |
| David Isberg | Vocals (1990-1992) |
| See also: Bloodofjupiter, ex-Procreation, ex-Liers in Wait, ex-Mynjun, ex-Braathum, ex-Casket, ex-David Isberg & The Stockholm War Ensemble, ex-Dr. Deaths Armageddon, ex-Dubplate Connection, ex-Grooveza, ex-Satanic Slaughters from the Grave, ex-Somn, ex-Tutorial | |
| Mattias Ander | Bass (1991) |
| Johan De Farfalla | Bass (1991, 1994-1997) |
| See also: ex-Nader Sadek (live) | |
| Peter Lindgren | Bass (1991), Guitars (1991-2007) |
| See also: ex-Steel, ex-Sylt i Krysset | |
| Kim Pettersson | Guitars (1991) |
| Stefan Guteklint | Bass (1993-1994) |
| See also: ex-Eyekon, ex-Moment 22, ex-Tingod | |
| Martin Lopez | Drums (1997-2006) |
| See also: Fifth to Infinity, ex-Eternal, Soen, ex-Amon Amarth, ex-Requiem Aeternam, ex-Vinterkrig | |
| Per Wiberg | Keyboards, Hammond organ, Mellotron, Vocals (backing) (2005-2011) |
| See also: Spiritual Beggars, Switchblade (live), Tiamat (live), Kamchatka, King Hobo, Per Wiberg, ex-Candlemass (live), ex-Grand Magus (live), ex-Krux (live) |
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