Opeth have detailed their 14th album. The Swedish metal outfit will share The Last Will and Testament on October 11 via Reigning Phoenix Music.
UPDATE (9/19, 10:03 a.m. ET): The album will now be released on November 22 due to unforeseen delays in the manufacturing process.
"We strive to deliver the highest quality product possible, and to achieve that, we need a bit more time to ensure the final release meets our standards," frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt said in a statement. "We understand this may come as a disappointment, but we sincerely appreciate your patience and continued support. We can't wait to share this new music with you, and we are confident it will be worth the wait."
Following 2019 album In Cauda Venenum, which was released in English and Swedish languages, the eight-song Last Will and Testament features contributions from Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson, Europe's Joey Tempest and frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt's youngest daughter, Mirjam.
The effort is previewed by a radio edit of first single "§1," and as you'll hear below, Åkerfeldt's inimitable growl is prominently featured once more — having largely been absent since Opeth's 2008 album Watershed.
The Last Will and Testament is a concept album, telling a post-World War I tale of " a wealthy, conservative patriarch whose last will and testament reveals shocking family secrets. The narrative weaves through the patriarch's confessions, the reactions of his twin children, and the mysterious presence of a polio-ridden girl who the family have taken care of."
"I love this record," Åkerfeldt shared in a statement. "I have to say it (write it). Maybe I'm proud even? There are some familiar ingredients in there I suppose. Most of our music has sprung from the same source, so I guess it's not much of a shocker if it's going to sound like 'us'.
"I'm a bit in awe of what we did with The Last Will and Testament. It feels like a dream. There is some 'coherence' and 'songwriting skills' I hope, but what do I know? I tend to favour the 'strange' over the 'obvious,' but I feel like I'm in the minority, and that's fine. So … fair warning! Don't expect an instant rush (as per usual), but if you do "get it" (have you got it yet?) right away, that's ok too!"
As previously reported, Opeth will play Montreal and Toronto on a North American tour this fall.
The Last Will and Testament:
1. §1
2. §2
3. §3
4. §4
5. §5
6. §6
7. §7
8. A Story Never Told