[oompa]

so i found this in a news thread about him joining in on a new Bloodbath four track release, he says no big tours should be expected but a few gigs isnt impossible (im guessing locally in sweden). anyway, he goes on to comment on the new album, "the group's forthcoming follow-up to 2005's "Ghost Reveries", tentatively due in the spring via Roadrunner Records.":

"Further, we're in the process of completing the artwork for the new OPETH album. It's almost done and looking good. The album's mastered and sounds very nice. We had some journalists from all over fly to Sweden for a pre-release listening party and the reactions we're great! They seemed extremely excited all of them, but who gives a fuck about journalists???? Still, it was nice to hear I must admit.

"All the guys are doing fine, we'll start rehearsing in a couple of weeks. Still deciding on the setlists but yeah....I will have to practise and refresh my memory somewhat I guess.

When asked if the songs were influences by anything musical, Mikael replied, I was hugely inspired by Scott Walker, who's an avant-garde artist and crooner. Last year he put out a record called 'The Drift', which is quite extreme and frightening, and it made a huge impact on me. Immediately, I wanted to do something like that. It just felt right. Also, with the situation the band has gone through over the last couple of years with the lineup changes, I just wanted it to be this way. I didn't want it to be a happy-sounding record."

and finally to the good stuff:

"The music is much more complex," he said. "The metal parts are even faster and a lot more technical than the last one. It's really hard to play some of this stuff. I mean, I wrote it and even I have trouble playing parts of it. I think it's going to be hard for some people to get into. It's definitely not a commercial-sounding record. The arrangements are exhausting. And it's much darker. Even the major patterns are very dark, while I think 'Ghost Reveries' had some light."

this sounds friggin awesome! so far it looks like 2008 will be a fantastic year for metal

[TheMissing]

I thought a lot more albums were gonna be out last year, but 90% of the good ones got pushed back to this year.

I really can't wait!

[Randy]

Wow... that interview was ALL win. Jeez.

[Uber Mega]

Damn, i'm not a Scott Waker fan.

[Apophis]

wow