Revered Swedish rock act OPETH have revealed a UK headline tour for February – March 2025, with special guests GRAND MAGUS.
The dates continue their mainland Europe stretch of dates announced last week.
OPETH European Tour Dates 2025:
9 Feb: Helsinki (FI) @ Ice Hall
11 Feb: Stockholm (SE) @ Cirkus
12 Feb: Oslo (NO) @ Sentrum Scene
14 Feb: Copenhagen (DK) @ DR Koncerthuset
15 Feb: Hamburg (DE) @ Docks
17 Feb: Cologne (DE) @ Palladium
18 Feb: Berlin (DE) @ Tempodrom
19 Feb: Munich (DE) @ Muffathalle
21 Feb: Paris (DR) @ L’Olympia
22 Feb: Amsterdam (NL) @ AFAS Live
23 Feb: Brussels (BE) @ Ancienne Belgique
25 Feb: Bristol (UK) @ Bristol Beacon
26 Feb: London (UK) @ Roundhouse
28 Feb: Birmingham (UK) @ Symphony Hall
1 Mar: Manchester (UK) @ Albert Hall
2 Mar: Glasgow (UK) @ Barrowland
OPETH are offering a special bundle for fans who pre-order newly announced album The Last Will & Testament. Fans who pre-order the album will receive a special ticket pre-sale code for the UK tour! The offer will end on Tuesday, August 13 at 1pm BST. Tickets go on general sale on Friday, August 16 at 10am BST.
PRE-ORDER THE ALBUM FROM THESE STORES TO GET ACCESS TO THE TICKETS PRE-SALE:
EU: https://shopeu.reigningphoenixmusic.com
GENERAL SALE TICKETS FOR EU TOUR DATES NOW AVAILABLE
OPETH‘s 14th studio album, The Last Will & Testament, is set for release on October 11, 2024 via Moderbolaget / Reigning Phoenix Music. It is 5 long years since their last album – 2019’s In Cauda Venenum – and also marks 30 years of the esteemed, creative band. Listen to its first single, “§1” – now available on all DSPs – here.
Opeth vocalist/guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt admits, “I love this record. 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!”
The Last Will & Testament is a concept album set in the post-World War I era, unfolding the story 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. The album begins with the reading of the father’s will in his mansion. Among those in attendance is a young girl, who, despite being an orphan and polio-ridden, has been raised by the family. Her presence at the will reading raises suspicions and questions among the twins.
Regarding the record’s creation, Åkerfeldt adds, “This is the first record with Walt on drums. Seeing and hearing him record his bits was otherworldly and what went through my head was something like: How can a human being play this stuff? The older cats (myself, Mendez, Fred, and Jocke) did our bits in due time. We did them well (I like to think) and the alcohol concentration in our blood was mostly quite low as the red light was on. We’re professionals, you see! Rockfield Studios treated us well and we love that place! Stefan Boman recorded and mixed it all (CAPTURED it on TAPE… kind of…). Miles Showell did the master at Abbey Road Studios and then we (myself and Stefan) took him for a curry in Covent Garden. Travis Smith has done this odd-masterpiece-artwork that put ‘clothes’ on the music. All in all, we hope we’ve put together a nice little morsel of information for you to nibble on when it’s raining out. Thank you for your time. Thank you for reading. Thank you for listening. Thank you for giving us a respectable past. I’ll thank you for our future in the actual future, OK?”
Pre-Order The Last Will & Testament HERE.
Åkerfeldt rolls out the red carpet for storied flautist and Jethro Tull main man Ian Anderson. Not only do Anderson’s signature notes fly on “§4” and “§7“, he narrates on “§1“, “§2“, “§4“, and “§7“. Joining Anderson, Europe‘s Joey Tempest lends a backing vocal hand on “§2”, while Åkerfeldt‘s youngest daughter, Mirjam Åkerfeldt, is the disembodied voice in “§1“.
The Last Will & Testament is gripping from start to finish, jaw-dropping inside and out, representing some of Opeth‘s finest material to date. Just as Opeth welcomed many into its distressed arms over the years, the Swedes again deliver on the promise that great music always tells a compelling story – this time with growls.
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