Opeth announced their new album’s release date and first single on X yesterday (August 2).
‘The Last Will and Testament’ will arrive on October 11 through Reigning Phoenix Music and Moderbolaget Records. The album’s first single, ‘§1,’ is now available on streaming platforms.
We’re excited to announce our new album “The Last Will And Testament” will be released on October 11th via
@reigningphoenixmusicPre-order now and check out our first single “§ 1”.
#Opeth #TheLastWillAndTestament pic.twitter.com/9QXIZK5oPx— Opeth (@OfficialOpeth) August 1, 2024
‘It Feels Like A Dream’
The band previewed the album to the crowd at Wacken Open Air 2024 before the global announcement. Vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt shared:
“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.’”
He detailed their first album since 2019’s ‘In Cauda Venenum:’
“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 favor 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 okay too!”
The New Album’s Details
Åkerfeldt wrote the band’s fourteenth album while Klara Rönnqvist Fors contributed to the lyrics. He also co-produced the album with Stefan Boman, who handled the engineering along with Joe Jones.
‘The Last Will and Testament’ is a concept album set in the post-World War I era. The story explores how a conservative patriarch’s will reveals unexpected family secrets.
The record introduces drummer Waltteri Väyrynen, as well. Väyrynen joined the band in 2022 after Martin Axenrot left a year prior due to conflicts and his refusal to get vaccinated for COVID.