Sorceress (Opeth album) explained

Sorceress
Type:	studio
Artist:	Opeth
Cover:	Sorceress Album Cover.jpg
Caption:	Cover art by Travis Smith
Recorded:	May 2016
Genre:	Progressive rock,^[1] ^[2] progressive metal
Length:	56:35
Producer:	Tom Dalgety^[3] Mikael Åkerfeldt
Prev Title:	Pale Communion
Prev Year:	2014
Next Year:	2018

Sorceress is the twelfth studio album by Swedish progressive metal band Opeth.^[4] The album was released on 30 September 2016 via record label Nuclear Blast and the band's own imprint Moderbolaget.^[4]

Background

The album was produced and mixed by Tom Dalgety and recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales.^[4] Following the album's release, the band embarked on a world tour with bands the Sword, Sahg, and Myrkur as supporting acts.^{[5] [6]} Thematically, the album draws inspiration from Åkerfeldt's personal life, as he divorced in 2016.^[7] The album was streamed via SoundCloud on 29 September.^[8]

Personnel

Opeth

• Mikael Åkerfeldt – vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, production
• Fredrik Åkesson – electric and acoustic guitars, backing vocals
• Joakim Svalberg – Hammond C3, Mellotron, Fender Rhodes 88, harpsichord, Yamaha grand piano, Minimoog, percussion, backing vocals
• Martín Méndez – bass guitars
• Martin Axenrot – drums, percussion

Additional personnel

• Pascale Marie Vickery – spoken words on "Persephone" and "Persephone (Slight Return)"
• Wil Malone – string arrangements
• Tom Dalgety – engineering, mixing, production
• John Davis – mastering
• Travis Smith – cover art

Notes and References

1. News: Lawson. Dom . Opeth: Sorceress review – metal masters click into higher gear. . 29 September 2016 . 13 July 2017.
2. Web site: Opeth: Sorceress . . 8 October 2016 . 13 July 2017 . O'Connor. Andy . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20161009185704/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/22466-sorceress/. 9 October 2016.
3. Web site: 19 September 2016 . OPETH – Sorceress: Studio Report – Episode 9: The Producer – Tom Dalgety . YouTube . 29 September 2016.
4. Web site: Hartmann . Graham . 18 July 2016 . Opeth Unveil Data, Album Art + Track Listing for 'Sorceress' . . 15 September 2016.
5. Web site: 19 August 2016 . Opeth's Mikael Åkerfeldt: What Fans Can Expect From 'Sorceress' Tour . . 15 September 2016.
6. Web site: 8 November 2016 . Opeth adds supporting acts to their Sorceress World Tour . https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/instagram/officialopeth/1376043124383962698 . 2021-12-25 . registration. 22 November 2016.
7. Web site: Franklin. Dan. Dead Man Touring: Mikael Åkerfeldt Of Opeth Interviewed. The Quietus. 23 November 2016. 21 September 2016. Although markedly different from those albums, Sorceress has something of the mood and tone of that work, driven by Åkerfeldt’s personal experience, including a recent divorce, more than a reflective, authored distance..
8. Web site: In Cauda Venenum – Out Now!.
9. Web site: TOP 100 ALBUMES — SEMANA 40: del 30.09.2016 al 06.10.2016 . Spanish . . 14 October 2016.