October in Pittsburgh. A city that can only be described in a few words; The Steel City was sticky and sweaty with an abundance of metalheads in Stage AE. The excitement was palpable, the stench of drunk fans combined with the scent of perspiration was somewhere up there. I was preparing myself to have my face melted off by the mesmerizing band Opeth while navigating through an ocean full of black shirts which seemed to be the trend that night.
Opening the show was Tribulation, and boy, these guys did not let us down. These dudes looked like a gothic horror film come to life. Their vocalist, Johannes Andersson, looked as if he just emerged from a tomb and was possessed with an equally cool raspy voice. Their music was dark, grim, and with classic metal intertwined with hints of goth and rock. Imagine Bauhaus meets Black Sabbath meets the occult. They put on a commanding performance and the stage presence rivals that of most bands. I highly recommend this band to anyone who like dark gothic rock.
After the smoke cleared from Tribulations set, The anticipation of Opeths arrival was building to a fever pitch. As the house lights went out and blue stage lights engulfed the audience, opeth took the stage and hysteria levels flew off the charts when Opeth walked on stage. The lead vocalist and guitarist, Mikael Åkerfeldt, gives off major wizard vibes with an oh so chill demeanor and then out of nowhere he can absolutely obliterate you with his dark vocals. He had trouble not grinning as he guided the band through a brilliant setlist while crazed fans screamed around him.
These guys are absolute masters of their trade, crafting songs that tell a story, they easily shift from brutal death metal genres to soft interludes of acoustic sounds with utmost ease. I was quite impressed with the bass as well, Martin Mendez, provided the bass portions with beautiful intricacy while Waltteri Väyrynen, their new drummer, was a frickin’ animal. Fredrik Åkesson on guitar was absolutely perfect and on point. Joakim Svalberg, the bands keyboardist, layed the fondation for the atmosphere that is Opeth. It was unbelievable how well they all fit together and operate as a well oiled machine.
The set included a wide selection from their vast catalog with such tracks as “Deliverance” but also even mellow ones such as “In my Time of Need” They even performed some of their more progressive rock anthems from their forth coming album " The Last Will and Testament" and wow, the audience was wowed. Just an amazing musical experience, that grabs you by the throat and takes you on a ride.
The fans were enjoying everything. People were throwing themselves into mosh pits, singing along every single line and just chaos in general. It was a cathartic ride that in someways is hard to describe.
After the set, I was weary, but my mind was racing at the end of the concert. That was beautiful execution from Opeth. They are not simply a band; they are a show, an experience. Do whatever you can to go witness them. If you have the opportunity to, do it as you will not be disappointed.
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