Sweden’s Opeth are best known as a heavy-weight Death Metal band. Their music is intense, punishing, and heavy. Their latest release Damnation takes a turn in quite the opposite direction. Damnation’s music is quiet, acoustic and introspective, full of melody and dynamics not often associated with a death metal act. FPE sat down with Opeth frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt to discuss the new CD and his thoughts on all things guitar. Enjoy!
What inspired you to record Damnation? It is quite a departure from previous Opeth recordings?
Mikael Åkerfeldt: “Damnation was part of this idea I had about doing 2 albums at the same time. Since we had the idea of doing a very extreme and heavy album (Deliverance) on one side it allowed us to make Damnation our most delicate and beautiful record. I concentrated more on strong melodies than I've ever done before. It was also a way for me to get closer to my influences from the 60´s and 70´s.”
How have Opeth fans reacted to Damnation?
M: “Most people seem to really like it, although some didn't obviously. It's fine, even though I think it's absolutely amazing I'm not surprised that some people, especially die-hard metal fans, might not dig the album. Commercially we've pretty much only received praise for the album. You can't deny the fact that it's pretty odd or diverse for a death metal band to do an album like this, or rather, to be able to do an album like Damnation and get away with it. Damnation introduced Opeth to a lot of non metal fans who've since then moved into metal I believe.”
Did you formally study guitar or are you self-taught?
M: “Completely self taught. I don't know shit when it comes to scales or chords...I make up my own chords and I wouldn't know what they're called. I just try to write stuff that I think sounds good, same with solos. I'm happy with my tone, but my technique isn't good at all I believe. I got the tone and the sense of rhythm so that's basically what I rely on most. I wouldn't mind taking a few lessons to get to the next level, but it's hard when you're lazy!”
Do you construct your guitar solos or improvise them?
M: “I more or less construct them, but that obviously comes from improvising a solo 10 times and then picking it your favorite parts. I come up with decent solos pretty fast, it's never been a big problem for me, then again, I don't do stuff that's that hard...I just want it to raise the intensity of the music during that specific part really.”
What kind of strings are you using?
M: “For electrics I only use D’Addario 010-046, although I'm thinking about trying out sets that has thicker strings in the rhythms since I'm working on open drop D tunings for the next Opeth albums. I kind of like that falling note when you hit the string too hard as well, like Morbid Angel you know. It can be a great effect, not many use that as most bands think it's ugly, but Trey Azagthoth of Morbid angel has developed that into a style, which I would like to adapt to an extent. For acoustic strings I play Thomastik 011 strings which are fantastic. For classical I use D’Addario J45 or 46 which are great too. I like high tension in classical strings. I used to work for 3 years in a guitar store that only sold acoustic guitars, so I've tried pretty much every brand of acoustic strings there is.”
Who are your musical influences?
M: “Everything from Morbid angel via Whitesnake to Joni Mitchell and Nick Drake to Miles Davis. I've got a wide taste in music and will listen to anything good. There are genres I don't like at all like techno, hip hop, nu metal, power metal, emo metal etc...there's a lot of crap out there, so nowadays it's not often that I find a new band that I really like. Recently I've gotten into Today is the Day, Mastodon and Gorguts which are all great. Gorguts been around forever but I've never heard any of their albums til recently. They're not going anymore as I heard the singer or somebody from the band died. I'm an avid collector of obscure vinyl from the 60´s and 70´s as well as metal vinyl originals. I've got about 3 maybe 4000 vinyl, and a lot of stuff from my collection is absolutely fantastic. Bands that no one knows about...mainly progressive rock, krautrock and psychadelia. I like tripped out stuff you know.”
Do you have a daily practice routine?
M: “Not at all. I don't play guitar every day when we're in-between tours. I play a lot while I'm writing and obviously touring is good for your playing. I think I've improved a lot from touring so much as we have. I can reach my emotions more easily nowadays and really play with the heart. Before I was always too nervous to really hit it the way I want to. I don't practice whatsoever...I just play, and the intention with that is to come up with some cool music.”
How do you warm up before a show?
M: “Don't warm up either...sorry, I'm very unprofessional when it comes to stuff like that. I don't warm up my voice or my fingers. I basically have a smoke, a coffee and a shot of Grants scotch. That's it!”
If you could jam with one artist who would that be?
M: “I'm not a good jam guitarist unless I play with people I know. Like the guys in Opeth. I'm totally in awe with guys who can just jam with everyone and make it sound good. There was this guy, Rudy, who was the soundman for Devil Driver on our most recent tour. He could play...I mean, really play the fucking guitar. And sing too. He played with Hank Williams the 3rd and he's fucking phenomenal when it came to jamming. I heard him once and he's ace! Blues player you know. I mean, I can play guitar, but I don’t have what it takes to be a jam player like that. I'm too shy in many ways. I like it and love the idea of Opeth jamming on stage etc...but I don't know....it's not for me I guess.”
What effects pedals do you use?
M: “I miss the days of the stomp boxes....I used to have a HM1 from boss which was what EVERYBODY used in Sweden in the late 80´s/early 90´s...the pedal was called "Heavy metal"!
I had that plus a tube screamer to make it sound more clear and fatter. Nowadays I only play Boss/Roland multi effects. I got one GT6 which is my main pedal + a GT3 which is great too although some crew guy spilled beer in it so it's a bit fucked up now. Still works but is not 100% reliable.
What was the last book you enjoyed reading?
M: “Glamorama by Bret Easton Ellis. Don't read much but that one really got my attention!”
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