Fredrik Åkesson, guitarist for Opeth, recently spoke with Silver Tiger Media about the band’s latest album, The Last Will and Testament. During the conversation, he shed light on the return of growling vocals in their new material and the thought process behind the decision.
Åkesson explained that revisiting growls wasn’t a random choice but a purposeful inclusion tied to the band’s identity and the new songs.
“We knew about [the growling vocals coming back] early on because it’s always been a part of us—we still play many of those tracks live,” Åkesson said. “I noticed Mikael [Åkerfeldt] seemed to find joy in doing it again. He’d comment on his own performance, saying things like, ‘Wow, that was really guttural tonight.’ You could tell from his vibe that he was genuinely enjoying it again. That’s important. If we bring that element back, it has to be for a reason, not just as a gimmick.”
The guitarist emphasized that the growling vocals fit the songs and the album’s overarching concept. “We knew there’d be plenty of talk about it,” he admitted, “but they suit these tracks and the narrative. It also makes sense after doing four albums without them. Growls have always been a significant element for the band, but this time they’re presented in a different way.”
The Last Will and Testament, released on November 22, marks the band’s first use of death growls since 2008’s Watershed. Written by Mikael Åkerfeldt and co-produced with Stefan Boman, the album has received favorable reviews and charted in countries like Germany, Sweden, and the UK.
A concept album, The Last Will and Testament is set in the aftermath of World War I. It tells the story of a wealthy, conservative man whose final wishes unravel shocking family secrets. The narrative explores the reactions of his twin children and their interactions with a polio-stricken girl under the family’s care.
With the return of their iconic growling vocals, Opeth has managed to blend their legacy with fresh, purposeful storytelling.
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