“I think we really went the extra mile when it came to recording when it comes to choosing the right tones, amps, guitars, et cetera,” said Åkesson. “Also the fact that we did rehearse properly before we entered the studio. We hadn’t done that since the ‘Watershed’ album. I’ve always been pushing for that, and this time around, we did it.”

When asked about how involved record labels have been with Opeth’s records, he said: “Mikael [Åkerfeldt], who writes the majority of the stuff, doesn’t really care. He’s very artistic. He likes his artistic freedom, and so does the band. The label can’t tell us what to do. They have absolutely no input whatsoever when it comes to the creative process. I think it’s always been like that with Opeth.”

And what about fans who miss the death-metal style of older-day Opeth? “Maybe one of these days, Mikael will bring out the growls again. Who knows?,” teased Åkesson. “His growl is actually better than ever when we play now. It’s very guttural. It’s more mean-sounding than in a long time, I think. We still think it’s really fun to play those classics live, and we will still continue with that.”

The post Fredrik Åkesson: Record Labels Have No Input on Opeth’s Creative Process appeared first on Hot Pop Today.

The Swedish once-death-metal, now-prog band got a visit from Music Radar this week for the expressed purpose of discussing Frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt’s 10 favorite guitarists. The preliminary interview, however, provided some interesting reaction from Åkerfeldt…

“It isn’t a concept album,” insisted the 45-year of Swede when the suggestion was made by the interviewer. “But I could have said it was and everyone would be like, ‘Oh yeah, I knew it!’”

Agreeing that the samples used throughout the album, a first for the band, lend it a coherent-whole feeling, Åkerfeldt added: “Maybe it comes across like one, but it doesn’t have a storyline like King Diamond’s records.

“When I listen to Dark Side Of The Moon, which is allegedly a concept album, I don’t understand the concept other than it’s about life, death, fear, all that kinda stuff,” he referenced Pink Floyd’s 1973 seminal effort. “Which this album is about too, in ways. In that respect, it could be regarded as a concept album but that was never my intention… I’m not going to try and sell this as a concept album!”

Ah, Mikael, we’re happy you made it big as a musician; you’re too honest to have made it as a salesperson!

The post “It’s Not a Concept Album!” Insists Mikael Åkerfeldt appeared first on Hot Pop Today.

“I think we really went the extra mile when it came to recording when it comes to choosing the right tones, amps, guitars, et cetera,” said Åkesson. “Also the fact that we did rehearse properly before we entered the studio. We hadn’t done that since the ‘Watershed’ album. I’ve always been pushing for that, and this time around, we did it.”

When asked about how involved record labels have been with Opeth’s records, he said: “Mikael [Åkerfeldt], who writes the majority of the stuff, doesn’t really care. He’s very artistic. He likes his artistic freedom, and so does the band. The label can’t tell us what to do. They have absolutely no input whatsoever when it comes to the creative process. I think it’s always been like that with Opeth.”

And what about fans who miss the death-metal style of older-day Opeth? “Maybe one of these days, Mikael will bring out the growls again. Who knows?,” teased Åkesson. “His growl is actually better than ever when we play now. It’s very guttural. It’s more mean-sounding than in a long time, I think. We still think it’s really fun to play those classics live, and we will still continue with that.”

The post Fredrik Åkesson: Record Labels Have No Input on Opeth’s Creative Process appeared first on Hot Pop Today.

The Swedish once-death-metal, now-prog band got a visit from Music Radar this week for the expressed purpose of discussing Frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt’s 10 favorite guitarists. The preliminary interview, however, provided some interesting reaction from Åkerfeldt…

“It isn’t a concept album,” insisted the 45-year of Swede when the suggestion was made by the interviewer. “But I could have said it was and everyone would be like, ‘Oh yeah, I knew it!’”

Agreeing that the samples used throughout the album, a first for the band, lend it a coherent-whole feeling, Åkerfeldt added: “Maybe it comes across like one, but it doesn’t have a storyline like King Diamond’s records.

“When I listen to Dark Side Of The Moon, which is allegedly a concept album, I don’t understand the concept other than it’s about life, death, fear, all that kinda stuff,” he referenced Pink Floyd’s 1973 seminal effort. “Which this album is about too, in ways. In that respect, it could be regarded as a concept album but that was never my intention… I’m not going to try and sell this as a concept album!”

Ah, Mikael, we’re happy you made it big as a musician; you’re too honest to have made it as a salesperson!

The post “It’s Not a Concept Album!” Insists Mikael Åkerfeldt appeared first on Hot Pop Today.