3/28/14 9:51PM
Early Review many details, but no specific track title info, not even "Goblin." The no growling or death metal vocals continues in the way Mikael has been heading from album to album.
Not necessarily the track order in terms of song to song.
1. 6:46
2. 5:36
3. 10:53
4. 4:36
5. 4:32
6. 7:31
7. 7:47
8. 8:02
3/21/14 6:27PM
2 new interviews:
http://www.prog-sphere.com/news/opeth-plan-release-new-album-june/
http://www.artistdirect.com/entertainment-news/article/interview-opeth-talk-new-album/10902424
the 2nd link ix with guitarist Fredrik Akesson who talks about a strong late 70's/early 80's Hard Rock element to this album. Dio, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd among others in the influences.
And it's expected to come out in
June via RoadRunner Records.
1/5/14 8:40PM
The Goblin track naturally has me and many curious. Also some of the quotes talking about an actual string section and recording at the studio Queen recorded "Bohemian Rhapsody," and how much money they will be spending to make this record.
http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/opeths-mikael-akerfeldt-on-next-album-its-time-to-go-all-in-with-string-instrumentation/
From 1/4/14
Guitarist/vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt of Swedish progressive metallers OPETH spoke to Decibel magazine about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's follow-up to 2011's "Heritage".
"I have about six songs done and another two or three just started," he said, "plus a million ideas that I haven't processed yet. Some songs are simple and stripped-down, while others are epic in the true sense of the word. Business as usual, hopefully with unusual music."
Åkerfeldt also revealed that he plans to enrich at least a few of the new OPETH tracks with strings.
"Some of these things could easily be done with synthetic sounds or effects," he said, "but recording the STORM CORROSION LP with Steven Wilson made me realize what a massive difference it can mean to incorporate the real shit. I'm semi-pretentious in my songwriting and sometimes I go all in. I think it's time for 'all in' with strings and the full monty. Hopefully it won't be a mess."
One of the songs that will appear on OPETH's forthcoming album was previously described by Åkerfeldt as a "crazy rip-off" of Italian prog outfit GOBLIN, which formed in 1972 and ran for ten years before splitting (the band has since reformed).
"It's a jam I came up with during the MASTODON/GHOST tour," he told Decibel, "that we ended up soundchecking. After a few days, you'd hear people in the corridors humming it. It's a fucking hit! But basically it's a not-so-subtle headbanging-type nod in GOBLIN's direction. And to avoid confusion, the song is even called 'Goblin'. My rip-off deteriorates mid-song and becomes fusion-esque darkened prog rock like MAHAVISHNU or ELP (yikes!). But it swings! It really does."
Speaking to the Swedish newspaper Expressen in September, Åkerfeldt stated about OPETH's plans for the upcoming CD: "We've been looking at [tracking the next album at] Rockfield Studios in Wales where QUEEN recorded 'Bohemian Rhapsody', but we haven't made a decision yet. But it will be an expensive album. There's a lot going on, lots of string arrangements that we haven't had in the past."
Asked if the forthcoming effort will be heavier or softer than 2011's "Heritage", Mikael said: "Maybe a little bit heavier. Not death metal heavy, but hard rock/heavy metal heavy. There's also lots of progressive elements and acoustic guitars, but also more sinister-sounding riffs."
Åkerfeldt also revealed that he was going to produce the new OPETH album himself, explaining: "I love the way DIO's 'Holy Diver' sounds, this early-'80s sound where you can still hear the '70s, but the production is heavier. Right now I'm into having a similar production that isn't retro but it still sounds like real instruments and it's heavier than 'Heritage'."
"Heritage" sold 19,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 19 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous studio CD, 2008's "Watershed", opened with more than 19,000 units to land at No. 23.
from 12/4/12
http://blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=183164
Asked about the progress of the songwriting sessions for OPETH's follow-up to 2011's "Heritage" album, Mikael said (see video below): "I have one new song, which I really like, a new song. It's the most miserable song I ever wrote, and it's beautiful, I think. And then I have a song that we jammed, actually, on tour. I came up with a little lick and became a bit of a director and just told everyone to play this and that, and we started jamming on something. And it sounded, immediately from the beginning, which was also my idea, it sounded like the band GOBLIN, if you heard them, the Italian [progressive rock] band. So it's a crazy riff, a GOBLIN rip-off, and the song is called 'Goblin', which is a good title, I think. And we're gonna record it. I'm not sure if that will be too much of a fucked up song to be on the record, because there will definitely only be one song ever we do that is gonna sound like that. So maybe it'll just be some extra thing that we have. But it's really good; I love it. But then again, it's just because of the closeness to GOBLIN."
