History
Opeth was formed in Stockholm, Södermanland, Sweden in 1990 by David Isberg. Isberg invited Mikael Åkerfeldt to join the band at a practice session as a bass player, but failed to inform the current bass player or any of the other members of the band. Because of this, all band members except for Isberg quit, and Åkerfeldt soon joined Opeth after his band, Eruption, faltered. With Åkerfeldt on guitar and David Isberg on vocals, Opeth still lacked members and needing more, they were soon joined by long-time friend of Åkerfeldt and former Eruption drummer Anders Nordin and Nick Döring on bass. Andreas Dimeo was recruited as a second guitarist. Rehearsing in an elementary school with old equipment they had found, this lineup lasted less than a year and only played one show. In 1991 they spent the summer rehearsing on the island of Hamnholmen outside Stockholm with their old school friend and bass player Max Jaderberg, who suggested a more prominent bass sound.
After their first performance, Andreas Dimeo and Nick Döring quit the band. For the second performance, guitarist Kim Pettersson and bassist Johan DeFarfalla joined the group. After the show, DeFarfalla left to spend time with his girlfriend and did not return until 1994. Pettersson stuck with the band for another show before leaving in late 1991. DaFarfall was replaced by Peter Lindgren, playing the bass. However, once Pettersson left, Lindgren returned to the guitar, his original instrument. Isberg left the band in early 1992 due to creative differences and boredom. Since Mikael had previous experience as a vocalist from fronting Eruption, he became the new vocalist and immediately began writing material with Peter Lindgren. They rehearsed as a 3-piece for more than a year but eventually found a new bass player, Stefan Guteklint, who was dismissed by the band before they signed their record contract with Candlelight Records.
Impressed by their originality, Candlelight Records released their debut full-length Orchid in 1995. It featured a rhythm section of bassist Johan DeFarfalla and drummer Anders Nordin. Dan Swanö, of Edge of Sanity fame, produced the band's ambitious second album Morningrise in 1996. After this Opeth embarked on a brief tour with Morbid Angel. Century Media took notice and not only licensed Opeth's first two albums for the United States, but also planned on releasing their next album on both sides of the Atlantic.
The next album would introduce a change in style as well as line-up. With the recruitment of bassist Martin Mendez to replace DeFarfalla and drummer Martin Lopez (ex-Amon Amarth) replacing Nordin, Opeth's third album, entitled My Arms, Your Hearse, was released in 1998 to glowing reviews, establishing the band as a leading force in progressive metal with death roots. The album is conceptually based on a character who dies and returns to Earth as a ghost.
1999's Still Life displayed even more of the band's progressive rock influences, and the following year the band played its first U.S. concert at the Milwaukee Metalfest. This was the first album on which Martin Mendez contributed. Like My Arms, Your Hearse before it, Still Life is also a concept album, revolving around a man who is banished from his village for dissenting religious beliefs. The album then then regals the tale of his courtship of the character Melinda.
Their next album, Blackwater Park, was released in early 2001 and was titled after an obscure psychedelic progressive rock band from the '70s. Blackwater Park is considered to be Opeth's magnum opus and the defining document of their career. The album created a huge buzz among progressive metal fans, who had begun to lump the band in with other experimental metal bands like Tiamat. It was the first of three albums that Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree fame would produce. Wilson also contributed backing vocals and guitar.
Instead of waiting until the buzz died down, the band released Deliverance (also known as D1) in the fall of 2002, which was intended to be a double album, Damnation (or D2) comprising the other half. Deliverance presented the typical death metal aspect of Opeth while Damnation presented a new side of Opeth: the album that was almost completely devoid of any heavy metal trappings and focused instead on acoustic instruments and traditional songwriting. Steven Wilson again contributed by co-authoring one song, Death Whispered a Lullaby, and by providing backing vocals and playing mellotron, piano, electric piano, keyboards, and guitar.
Opeth then released a DVD, "Lamentations", filmed in England during the Damnation Tour, in fall of '03. It featured the Damnation album in its entirety along with some highlights from the previous two albums. Now signed to the major label Roadrunner Records, Opeth's next album Ghost Reveries arrived in 2005 and proved to be a return to form for the band. Shortly before the recordings of this album, Per Wiberg (Spiritual Beggars) officially joined the band to play keyboards, as he did on the tour that supported Damnation. He can also be seen on the "Lamentations" DVD. More lineup changes followed in May of 2006, when long time drummer Martin Lopez left the band due to complications from a rare disease he has. After a short delay, he was replaced by Martin Axe Axenrot, former drummer of Bloodbath.
On May 17th, 2007, an open letter from Peter Lindgren was posted on the official Opeth website where he wrote that he had decided to leave the band. He said that he had lost some of the enthusiasm and inspiration needed to participate in a band that has grown to become a world-wide industry. It was especially the massive amount of touring, and being away from home for long periods of time that caused this decision. "I have come to a point where I realise I won't be able to give the band 100%, and from both sides this will not be good enough for what Opeth stands for." On the same day Fredrik Åkesson (ex-Arch Enemy, Krux) was announced as the new guitar-player and full-time member of Opeth.
In Fall 2007, Opeth released their first live album, The Roundhouse Tapes, recorded in the famous Roundhouse concert hall in Great Britain.
The progressive rock/metal band Dream Theater announced in November of 2007 that Opeth would be joining them on the Progressive Nation 2008 tour. Joining these two bands were Between the Buried and Me and 3.
Opeth's ninth studio album, entitled Watershed was released on June 3, 2008. It was well received by most fans and critics. The first single from the album, Porcelain Heart, was released on April 19th, 2008. The track The Lotus Eater is also available on RoadRunner Record's website for free.
Former members:
* David Isberg – Vocals (1990-1992)
* Andreas Dimeo – Guitar (1991)
* Kim Pettersson – Guitar (1991)
* Johan DeFarfalla – Bass (1991,1994-1996)
* Stefan Guteklint – Bass (1992-1993)
* Mattias Ander – Bass (1992)
* Nick Döring – Bass (1990-1991)
* Anders Nordin – Drums (1990-1997)
* Martin Lopez – Drums (1997-2006)
* Peter Lindgren – Guitars (1991-2007)
Discography:
1995 Orchid
1996 Morningrise
1998 My Arms, Your Hearse
1999 Still Life
2001 Blackwater Park
2002 Deliverance
2003 Damnation
2005 Ghost Reveries
2008 Watershed
2011 Heritage
2014 Pale Communion
2016 Sorceress
2019 In cauda venenum
Official site: Opeth.com
Slither
Opeth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I believe in nothing yet nothing is what it seems
All is gone and promises slithered
You have me nothing yet nothing is what it seems
Summer is gone
Your eyes gave away all your lies in the end
Kept a secret from the light
And felt the weight on my shoulders increase
A bleeding heart led my desperation
Like a bird on a wire
A broken promise of dedication
Never ever again
The song "Slither" by Opeth is one of the tracks from their album "Heritage" released in 2011. The lyrical content of "Slither" is about how love has disappeared from the singer's life despite the promises that were made. It is a song about disappointment, deception and the realization that nothing is as it seems.
The opening lines of the song, "Summer's gone and love has withered, I believe in nothing yet nothing is what it seems", suggests that the love that was present during the summer has now died away. The singer is now disillusioned and does not believe in anything anymore. The line "All is gone and promises slithered" is a metaphor stating that all the promises that were made to the singer have since disappeared or were never meant to be fulfilled in the first place.
The second stanza of the song describes the pain the singer feels at being lied to. The line "Your eyes gave away all your lies in the end" indicates that the person he was in love with had been dishonest all along. The weight of the deception was unbearable and felt like a burden on his shoulders. The line "A broken promise of dedication, Never ever again" signifies that the singer will never allow himself to be deceived again.
Line by Line Meaning
Summer's gone and love has withered
The season of love has ended and our feelings have dried up
I believe in nothing yet nothing is what it seems
I have lost my faith and everything around me is deceiving
All is gone and promises slithered
I have lost everything and the assurances given to me were false
You have me nothing yet nothing is what it seems
You gave me empty promises and everything turned out to be an illusion
Your eyes gave away all your lies in the end
Your deceitful intentions were revealed by your eyes at the end
The dawning of a seething design
The emergence of a malicious plan
Kept a secret from the light
Hid something from the public knowledge
And felt the weight on my shoulders increase
The burden on me increased due to the hidden truth
A bleeding heart led my desperation
My desperate behavior was due to my emotional pain
Like a bird on a wire
Feeling trapped and vulnerable like a bird on a wire
A broken promise of dedication
A promise of commitment was broken
Never ever again
I will not let anyone deceive me again
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MIKAEL LARS AKERFELDT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Reprehensible Meshuggah
Didn't care for this song at the time. Now I love it. Opeth is the best
C20H25N3Ofya
Same here. I kind of thought of it as a joke at the time. Now it's my go to when I need a quick dose of Heritage. Such a jam.
Edward Rodriguez
The Blackmore Influence is all over this track! Best riff and solo Ritchie never wrote!
Jeremy Southgate
Spot on there mate. 👍
banklikefrankwhite1
I’m not too familiar with this band (yet), but I find it incredible how accepting most people seem to be about their style change.
F Girão
Haha I just dont like how mike abandoned completely gutural vocal cause his were amazing, but hey, its still amazing music
The Dude
this is so Rainbow! LongLiveRock&Roll!
Mike Mitchell
The Dude this was a tribute to Dio so yep!
Hollis Pierman
Can't stop practicing it on bass! It's so powerful and upbeat!!
Ronald Olaizola
The outro to this song is so beautiful... Funny enough it was this album that made me an Opeth fan - then I slowly worked my way backwards.