Opeth’s 35-Year Legacy Shines Bright in Bristol as they usher in A Night of Progressive Metal Mastery, Humor, and Timeless Tracks at The Beacon alongside Grand Magus
Words & photos by James Crisp (@james_taking_pictures) | March 03, 2025
This Tuesday night was not like your average Tuesday night. Bristol’s own beautiful 19th century purpose-built Beacon concert hall welcomes the progressive metal giants and geniuses through its doors, the legendary Swedish quintet by the name of Opeth
Forming way back in 1990 as primarily a death metal band and self-proclaimed “most evil band in the world” they evolved through the years after the departure of original singer David Isberg and added more progressive elements to the music, which came from singer/guitarist Mikael Akerfeldt love for bands such as Genesis, King Crimson as well as heavier rock artists such as Deep Purple, Judas Priest and Black Sabbath.
After 35 years of Opeth, the band has released 14 studio albums, 17 singles and 4 live albums, all of which are still on the rise as of today, with the critically acclaimed 2024’s ‘The Last Will and Testament’ being the latest and being the album that this show and this tour is promoting but not all about.
Let’s get onto the night at hand, and boy, oh boy, what a night it was. Not just filled with incredible music but also amusing stories from frontman Mikael Akerfeldt. If you have seen Opeth before, then you will know that Akerfeldt is somewhat of a comedian on stage and incredibly open with talking to and answering strange questions from the crowd.
Opening the night up, we had one fantastic support act, that is the hard rock metal trio from Sweden Grand Magus, who, of course, went down wonderfully with the crowd and indeed warmed the packed out Beacon hall adequately for tonight’s main event.
20:45 sharp, when the lights dim down, the crowd begin to applaud and fading into view on the large LED screen at the back of the stage, our headliner’s name appears, which, of course, makes the excitable applause even louder. As the band all walked onto the stage together, smiling ear to ear, a silence took place as guitarist Fredrik Akesson and Akerfeldt gave each other a nod before ploughing straight into track one of the night and track one of the latest album, the incredibly theatric ‘paragraph 1’ followed seamlessly into 2002’s ‘Masters Apprentices’ and 2001’s ’The Leper Affinity’
We would then hear Akerfeldt talk to the crowd for the first time, and although not talking until after, 3 songs don’t seem like a long time; we are in Opeth world now, and those 3 songs would equal nearly 30 minutes. He addressed his day with the band record shopping in Bristol and enjoying an Indian meal, talking to the crowd as though it were a single person he had known for years.
The band then went on to play ‘Paragraph 7’ and ‘Haxaprocess’ before Akerfeldt told an unfortunate but hilarious story about having to make a makeshift diaper in an airport toilet before an 11-hour flight. I won’t go Into the story any more than that, as you can assume why for yourselves. He then went on to ask the rowdy Bristol crown if they could help sing a sing, which they happily obliged and sang one of the band’s softer acoustic songs, the beautiful ‘In My Time of Need’.
It’s only right that I note how incredible it is to not just hear but to witness such talent in person. Bassist Martin Mendez, guitarist Fredrik Akesson, Keyboardist Joakim Svalberg drummer Waltteri Vayrynen and guitarist/vocalist Mikael Akerfeldt really do make what they were doing look like Beethoven playing 3 blind mice, astonishing talents and played in such a nonchalant way.
Also on tonight’s setlist was ’The Night and The Silent Water’ ‘paragraph 3’ crowd favourite ’Ghost of Perdition’ which actually started with a few random requests from the lively crown, such as the songs ‘Bleak’ and ‘The Drapery Falls’ in which Akerfeldt jokingly commented how genius those tracks are.
As the night came to a close and Opeth exited the stage only to return once again to play 2 encore songs, 2016’s ’Sorceress’ and my personal all-time favourite Opeth track and the absolute epitome of progressive death metal, the beautifully brutal ‘Deliverance’
All in all, the night was not just a special one for me but for every single person in attendance. Everything about it was shear perfection, from the sound inside the stunning venue, the well thought out and executed light display, to the people, the bands, the flawless music and the staggering unforgettable performance.
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