Opeth is a Swedish progressive metal band from Stockholm. Formed in 1990, the group originally featured vocalist David Isberg, guitarists Mikael "Micke" Bergström and Dan Nilsson, bassist Martin Persson, and drummer Amirion "Rille" Evén. Isberg invited Mikael Åkerfeldt to play bass later that year, who in 1992 would take over as frontman. The current lineup of Opeth features Åkerfeldt on guitars and lead vocals, Martín Méndez on bass (since 1997), Fredrik Åkesson on guitars and backing vocals (since 2007), Joakim Svalberg on keyboards and backing vocals (since 2011), and Waltteri Väyrynen on drums (since 2022).
David Isberg formed Opeth in April 1990 with Mikael "Micke" Bergström, Dan Nilsson, Martin Persson and Amirion "Rille" Evén.[1] During an early rehearsal, Isberg brought in Mikael Åkerfeldt to replace Persson on bass without informing the rest of the band, all of whom he fired following the event.[2] [3] The remaining pair of Isberg and Åkerfeldt completed the second lineup of Opeth with the addition of guitarist Andreas Dimeo, bassist Nick Döring and drummer Anders Nordin.[4] Dimeo and Döring both left after the band's first show in February 1991, with Kim Pettersson and Johan De Farfalla (both members of local "sleazy metal" band Crimson Cat) taking their places.[5] De Farfalla left after the group's second show, with Peter Lindgren joining on bass for a third performance later in the year, after which Petterson left and Lindgren switched to guitar.[5] [6] Founding frontman Isberg also left Opeth in early 1992 due to "creative differences".[7] Åkerfeldt later recalled that "at the time, I thought [Isberg's departure] was good for the band, as he no longer seemed as interested as the rest of us".[5]
Following Isberg's departure, Åkerfeldt took over as the lead vocalist of Opeth, and writing for a debut studio album began with Lindgren and Nordin.[8] After a period as a three-piece, Mattias Ander briefly joined as the group's bassist,[9] before Stefan Guteklint joined later in the year.[8] Guteklint was fired by Åkerfeldt and Lindgren just over a year later, with former bassist De Farfalla returning for the recording of the group's debut album Orchid.[6] After a tour in promotion of the group's second album Morningrise in 1996, Åkerfeldt and Lindgren fired De Farfalla without consulting Nordin, which also led to him leaving.[10] Opeth briefly considered breaking up, before bringing in drummer Martin Lopez and later bassist Martín Méndez; bass on 1998's My Arms, Your Hearse was recorded by Åkerfeldt, as Méndez had joined too late to contribute.[11]
After the release of Damnation in 2003, which marked a change in the band's musical style to a more keyboard-heavy progressive rock-influenced sound, Opeth added Per Wiberg as a touring keyboardist.[12] He later became an official member of the band in 2005.[13] After suffering a string of stress-related illnesses and panic attacks, Lopez ceased performing with Opeth in August 2005, with Martin "Axe" Axenrot filling for a number of tours.[14] By the following May the regular drummer had officially left the band, with Axenrot officially taking his place.[15] Lindgren left the group a year later, stating that he had "lost some of the enthusiasm and inspiration needed to participate in [the] band". He was replaced by Fredrik Åkesson.[16] In April 2011, it was announced that Wiberg had left the band.[17] He was replaced by Joakim Svalberg.[18]
The lineup of Åkerfeldt, Åkesson, Méndez, Axenrot and Svalberg remained stable for ten years, before it was announced in November 2021 that Axenrot had left the band due to a "conflict of interests". He was replaced for upcoming tour dates by Therion's Sami Karppinen.[19]
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mikael Åkerfeldt | 1990–present | all Opeth releases | |||
| Martín Méndez | 1997–present | bass | all Opeth releases from Still Life (1999) onwards | ||
| Fredrik Åkesson | 2007–present | all Opeth releases from Watershed (2008) onwards | |||
| Joakim Svalberg | 2011–present | all Opeth releases from Heritage (2011) onwards | |||
| Waltteri Väyrynen | 2022–present | drums | The Last Will and Testament (2024) |
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Isberg | 1990–1992 | vocals | none | |
| Mikael Bergström | 1990 | guitar | ||
| Dan Nilsson | ||||
| Martin Persson | bass | |||
| Amirion "Rille" Evén | drums | |||
| Anders Nordin | 1990–1997 | |||
| Andreas Dimeo | 1990–1991 | guitars | none | |
| Nick Döring | bass | |||
| Kim Pettersson | 1991 | guitars | ||
| Johan De Farfalla | ||||
| Peter Lindgren | 1991–2007 | all Opeth releases from Orchid (1995) to The Roundhouse Tapes (2007) | ||
| Mattias Ander | 1992 | bass | none | |
| Stefan Guteklint | 1992–1994 | |||
| Martin Lopez | 1997–2006 | drums | all Opeth releases from My Arms, Your Hearse (1998) to Ghost Reveries (2005) | |
| Gene Hoglan | 2004 [20] | none | ||
| Per Wiberg | 2005–2011 | all Opeth releases from Lamentations (2003) to Heritage (2011) | ||
| Martin "Axe" Axenrot | 2006–2021 | drums | all Opeth releases from The Roundhouse Tapes (2007) to In Cauda Venenum (2019) | |
| Sami Karppinen | 2021–2022 | none |
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fredrik Nordström | 1997 | My Arms, Your Hearse (1998) | ||
| Nathalie Lorichs | 2007–2008 | female vocals | Watershed (2008) | |
| Karin Svensson | violin | |||
| Andreas Tengberg | cello | |||
| Lisa Almberg | ||||
| Christoffer Wadensten | flute | |||
| 2011 | Heritage (2011) | |||
| Alex Acuña | 2011 | percussion | ||
| Charlie Dodd | sound effects | |||
| Dave Stewart | 2014 | string arrangements | Pale Communion (2014) | |
| 2016 | Sorceress (2016) | |||
| Pascale Marie Vickery | spoken words |
| Period | Members | Releases | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 |
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| 1990 |
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| 1990–1991 |
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| 1991 |
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| 1991 |
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| 1991 – early 1992 |
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| 1992 |
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| 1992 |
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| 1992 – early 1994 |
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| Early 1994 – spring 1997 |
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| Summer 1997 |
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| Fall 1997 – June 2003 |
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| June 2003 – May 2006 |
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| May 2006 – May 2007 |
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| May 2007 – April 2011 |
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| June 2011 – November 2021 |
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| November 2021 – September 2022 |
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| September 2022 – present |
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