Opeth Excite to Musical Extremes

One wouldn’t expect a band that has made itself famous for a bizarre hybridisation between death metal and music genres as eclectic as jazz and folk to attract a large audience.  Any doubts this reviewer had in regards to the crowd were soon diminished, however, as fans packed out the Palace on Bourke Street to hear Sweden’s Opeth do what they do best.

Opening with one of their gentlest tracks, Windowpane, Opeth immediately showcased what a musically diverse and talented band they are.  Led by frontman Mikael Akerfeldt’s almost whispered vocals, the rest of the band followed with a soft melody that had the crowd caught in a trance.  No sooner had the song finished then the band launched into one of their heaviest songs, Ghost of Perdition.  Mikael’s voice, which only a minute ago had been softly humming, now transformed into a guttural roar, thrilling the now jostling crowd to new heights.  Having always been famous for Mikael’s soft to harsh vocal dynamic, Opeth truly came into their own live, where the sheer ferocity of the vocals and guitar contrasted starkly with the softer, more vulnerable elements the band often showcases.

Basking in a brief reprieve, the crowd listened to Mikael’s warm greeting.  Not only did he confess his admiration for James Hetfield, Metallica frontman, but also ridiculed good naturedly the band Manowar, which drew both laughs and screams of delight from the crowd.  Far more open than many frontmen, Mikael went on to muse about the band’s age (they celebrate 20 years as a band next year) as well as his own mortality: “…thirty five is fucking old”.

With the crowd becoming restless, and the heckling becoming overwhelming, Opeth launched into such classics as The Leper Affinity, Face of Melinda and April Ethereal.  Frederik Akesson impressed with both his lead and rhythm guitar work, his fingers a flurry of movement over the fret board, as he kept pace with the often very complex riffing.  Martin Mendex was a crowd pleaser as always with his silent stage presence, and his solid bass work.  Martin Axenrot grinned inanely from behind the drum kit as is his custom, while Per Wiberg attacked the keys with a ferocity rarely seen, a blur of fingers and hair.

The band ended on an unusual note, playing first the new, and largely unknown song, Hex Omega, followed by an excellent guitar solo by Akesson, and lastly with the little known song Deliverance.  Though unorthodox, as Mikael himself admitted, it was a furious end to what had been a night that showcased everything that metal can be, in all its eclectic glory.

Opeth
The Palace
20-30 Bourke St Melbourne
Wednesday 25th December