MUSIC
OPETH
★★★★
170 RussellFebruary 7 & 8
The mighty Opeth stepped out on to an Australian stage on Tuesday night and blew away hordes of their diehard fans, just as they have done on so many occasions over the past 15 years.
It was Melbourne's turn to reacquaint itself with an old friend at 170 Russell as the Swedish death-metallers-cum-prog-rockers delivered close to two hours of sonic excellence.
Since first touring Australia in 2003, in support of their classic album Deliverance, Opeth have been regular visitors to these shores. (This is their ninth tour Down Under.)
In that time they have developed a healthy fanbase here and it's little wonder why they return to Australia every 18 months. The crowds love them, and Opeth love playing for them.
Australia has always held a special place in Opeth's heart as one of the first countries outside of their native Sweden where they truly broke through.
They have never forgotten that fact and guitarist/vocalist/band leader Mikael Akerfeldt has even been quoted as saying that an Opeth world tour would never not include Australia.
In the last decade, in particular, their popularity has been apparent with their last four studio albums cracking the top 20 of the ARIA charts – two of which making it into the top 10, including their most recent effort Sorceress.
A lot has changed since their first shows here. In 2003, they played at Richmond's Corner Hotel – on this tour they had a sold-out at show at the Sydney Opera House.
Fifteen years ago they were known mainly as a progressive death metal band, but you won't hear a single growl on any of their last three studio albums as they have morphed into a prog rock band.
It's that variety of sounds from their rich 12-album catalogue that make their live performances an unpredictable rollercoaster ride. Tuesday night's show in Melbourne was a classic example of this, from the haunting ballads Face of Melinda and In My Time Of Need to their death metal staples Deliverance and Demon Of The Fall.