Opeth Manchester review: ‘Always expect the unexpected’

Their sound is a bit of a musical montage that contains elements of folk, blues, rock, classical, and jazz in their brand of progressive metal. Possibly, the best way to describe an Opeth concert is by calling it a rollercoaster ride—such is the unique, experimental, and complex nature of their style. To underline the complexity of their compositions, their tracks contain atmospheric, tempo, and tonal shifts and, on occasion, require changes in tuning mid-song.

In tracks such as ‘§3’, Akerfeldt highlighted the need to tune down to play a short but intricate riff before seamlessly transitioning to tuning up within a matter of seconds, which highlights the depth of Akerfeldt’s and Fredrik Åkesson’s talents, and it’s also a track that spotlights the prowess of Joaquin Svalberg on the keys.

For their latest album, ‘The Last Will & Testament’, Opeth returned to their heavier roots, blending elements of death metal with progressive rock, and it is arguably their most progressive record to date. Fittingly, the band opened with a track from said record in the spooky and intense ‘§1’. The track combines an ominous riff, powerful drum grooves from Waltteri Väyrynen, atmospheric shifts, and a perfect blend of growls and clean melodic singing from Akerfeldt. Needless to say, it’s a perfect opener and sets the tone for an awe-striking performance.

The impeccable creative vision on the band’s newer material was spotlighted throughout the set. In the aforementioned ‘§3’, Akerfeldt’s soaring vocals are majestic in a live setting, Martin Mendez’s finger-picked bass lines are a prominent texture, and the track has a theatrical vibe to it that just leaves the audience hypnotised. ‘§7’ is eerie, unpredictable, and unsettling with seamless switches from guttural growls and clean vocals and a technically excellent instrumental performance from the entire band. Whilst ‘A Story Never Told’ catches the eye with a beautifully tender vocal performance from Akerfeldt, a delicate but enchanting piano line from Svalberg, and a gorgeous guitar solo at the end of the piece.

The masterful performance was complemented impeccably by Akerfeldt’s comedic wit on stage. Throughout the evening, the frontman made numerous quips that included wanting to steal the windows from the Grade II listed Albert Hall, hating hat bands, grunge music, Oasis, meeting the band Chicago, and jokingly asking the crowd, “Was it good?” after the aforementioned ‘§7’.

Cuts from previous eras, such as the cosy ‘In My Time of Need’ were among the biggest highlights from the evening, with Akerfeldt asking the audience to sing the track back to them for the band’s “pleasure”.‘Ghost of Perdition’ is a rollercoaster ride laden with intricate guitar work, an outstanding drum line from Väyrynen, and an enchanting vocal melody. While the acoustic-led ‘Häxprocess’ provides a flawless vocal performance from Akerfeldt, which was nothing short of mesmerising, as was the show’s 14-minute finale with a breathtaking rendition of ‘Deliverance’.

As ‘The Last Will & Testament’ has highlighted, always expect the unexpected with ‘Opeth’; their live performances underline their timeless legacy as one of the best progressive metal bands of all time, and it’s safe to say that Akerfeldt’s musical vision remains as impeccable as ever.