“Draped in death, the howl of lore.”
Opeth’s prog epic In Cauda Venenum was released in 2019, by which point it had been eleven years and four albums since their music included Mikael Åkerfeldt’s death metal growls. Hope seemed to have been lost for fans of the progressive death metal era of Opeth, which was undeniably filled with masterpieces like Blackwater Park and Ghost Reveries. The stylistic shift towards progressive rock has been one of the most divisive in recent memory, and in fairness, their new sound has its defenders (how else would “Sorceress” end up on their fan-chosen Bloodstock 2024 set? Unless…). Åkerfeldt had seemingly moved past metal, wanting to make music similar to what he listens to on a daily basis. So imagine the shock and disbelief of fans when Opeth dropped the first single for The Last Will and Testament titled simply “§1”. Åkerfeldt’s growls are back for the first time in 16 years on this album, and it’s a concept album no less, the first since “Still Life” in 1999. To say that people are excited is an understatement.
Opeth’s albums since 2011’s Heritage have been subject of contention and intense scrutiny from fans that were wishing for that Opeth brand of death metal that many have tried, but nobody has replicated. While The Last Will and Testament is undoubtedly heavier than anything they’ve put out in their four previous albums, it’s not just heavier again for the sake of it. Opeth are at the height of their creative prowess on this album, crafting something that is unmistakably ‘Opeth’ but also something that pushes them to greater heights. The Last Will and Testament feels like it could be just that – Opeth’s last will and testament as a band, a culmination of the past 34 years of this band’s life. It masterfully blends the signature brand of death metal Opeth are well known for with the 70s prog influence of the newer material, creating a completely new sound for this band. Every track on this album is laser focused; there’s no dithering here for Opeth, they have a story to tell.
The album’s story takes place in a post World War I era, and is centred around the last will and testament of a conservative patriarch whose family secrets are unravelling at the behest of his children. The song titles of the album represent the different paragraphs of this last will, the will itself being read out captivatingly by Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull fame. The album being so focused works incredibly well in this concept’s favour – the sheer amount of plot twists from song to song is rapid yet impressive. It’s an emotional rollercoaster as you feel the snideness of Ian Anderson’s portrayal of the lawyer of the estate, the despair of the patriarch’s children as their lives are turned upside down by the confessions of the religious yet sinful patriarch, portrayed by Åkerfeldt’s signature roar. “§2” begins immediately with a revelation for the patriarch’s polio-ridden daughter, with the lyrics “A child in the night, cursed to survive. Love like quicksand, and the flowing maid in tow” highlighting how she is the illicit child from an affair with the patriarch’s maid, yet the only child of his that is related by blood, leaving his twin boys out of the will, with them being the result of a donor. The sheer amount of melodrama densely packed into this concept is only compounded and enhanced by the music accompanying it.
The Last Will and Testament is Opeth’s first with new drummer Waltteri Väyrynen, the band’s youngest member. His drumming on this album is masterfully intricate, weaving in endless amounts of texture and relentless groove alongside bass mainstay Martín Méndez whose haunting yet groovy bass lines dance all over this album. Fredrik Åkesson fills this album with lustrous sweeping guitar solos especially on tracks like “§3” and the melancholic closing track “A Story Never Told”. “§4” is one of the longest tracks on the album clocking in at 7 minutes, which isn’t long by Opeth’s standards, but it brims with drama, including a flute section courtesy of Ian Anderson, and a harrowing performance by Åkerfeldt. This all comes together for what is absolutely the climax of the narrative that Åkerfeldt has created for this album.
The latter half of the album continues the haunting atmosphere and aggression, with “§5” including some of the gnarliest growls on the whole album and some vocal effects reminiscent of Watershed (specifically “Hessian Peel”) making for a nice callback. “§7” begins with a grumbling bass line which leads into a nice and chunky riff; this intro feels unlike the other tracks, it feels like it’s preparing you for something sinister and that’s exactly what this track is for the most part. This track is replete with narration from Anderson as he reads the final paragraph of the patriarch’s will, interwoven with piano and a repeating synthesiser from Joakim Svalberg. The final two minutes of the track act as an outro to the reading of the will. The atmosphere is heavy and you can feel the dread of this family whose lives have been upended by this deceitful father. The final track is the only one with a traditional title – “A Story Never Told” – and it is an emotional arc of its own. It’s an absolutely exquisite ballad reminiscent of Opeth closers like “Faith in Others” and poignant clean tracks like “Isolation Years”. Åkerfeldt’s magnificent clean vocals accompanied by Svalberg’s piano and Åkesson’s breathtaking guitar solo makes for a truly emotional tear-jerker to close this album out.
The Last Will and Testament is Opeth at their creative peak, effortlessly blending every era of this legendary band into one cohesive and dynamic masterpiece. Fans that have been waiting for Opeth’s return to heavier music for all this time have been well rewarded for their patience. Despite the complexity of the music, Opeth has created an endlessly listenable experience without any weaknesses thirty four years into their career. Their spectacular performances from front to back are only compounded by their boundless creative genius. The Last Will and Testament is a grand statement by one of metal’s all time greats.
10/10
The Last Will and Testament releases on the 22nd November and can be pre-ordered.