Opeth’s Brand New Sorcery

From the album’s opener, ‘Persephone’ to ‘The Wilde Flowers’ and ‘Strange Brew’ to the album’s counterpart title tracks ‘Sorceress’ and Sorceress 2,’ the opus is an unparalleled adventure, where visions cleverly and secretly change, colours mute as if weathered by time, and sounds challenge profoundly.

“The new album ”Sorceress” is our 12th studio album since our beginnings in 1990,” says frontman and chief architect, Mikael Åkerfeldt. “I find it difficult to understand that we’ve been going on for 26 years, let alone that we’ve made 12 records now, all of which I am very proud of.  “Sorceress” is no exception.  I love this album, as does the whole band.  I wrote the music during 5-6 months and we spent only 12 days recording it at Rockfield Studios in Wales.  I find that once again we’ve taken a step forward.  Or sideways.  Or backwards. Somewhere!?  It’s different!  It’s extremely diverse – and if I may say so myself, extremely good.  I feel the right to say that since I like to think I know this band better than anyone on the planet.  Also, I always manage to detach myself from the record and listen as a fan.  It’s a fine little record.  My favourite in our discography right now. Of course!  That’s how it should be, right?  It’s both fresh and old, both progressive and rehashed.  Heavy and calm. Just the way we like it.  Hopefully there’ll be others around the globe sharing this opinion. It was a joy to make it.  A fucking joy to record it, and a sheer joy listening to it.  So there you have it!”

For ‘Sorceress’, OPETH returned to Rockfield Studios in Wales, also home to pivotal releases from Queen, Rush and Judas Priest, where the Swedes had tracked ‘Pale Communion’ in 2014 with Tom Dalgety.  The band spent 12 days recording at the countryside venue among its serene and inspiring surroundings. The result is nothing short of a powerful and intriguing record that will add yet another layer to the band’s celebrated career.