History
Opeth was formed in Stockholm, Södermanland, Sweden in 1990 by David Isberg. Isberg invited Mikael à kerfeldt 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 à kerfeldt soon joined Opeth after his band, Eruption, faltered. With à kerfeldt on guitar and David Isberg on vocals, Opeth still lacked members and needing more, they were soon joined by long-time friend of à kerfeldt 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 Ă kesson (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 â Vocals (1990-1992)
* Andreas Dimeo â Guitar (1991)
* Kim Pettersson â Guitar (1991)
* Johan DeFarfalla â Bass (1991,1994-1996)
* Stefan Guteklint â Bass (1992-1993)
* Mattias Ander â Bass (1992)
* Nick Döring â Bass (1990-1991)
* Anders Nordin â Drums (1990-1997)
* Martin Lopez â Drums (1997-2006)
* Peter Lindgren â 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
The Lines in My Hand
Opeth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And everything around us is a consequence of pain
The writings on the wall depict a truth that no one reads
A government of puppets blinded by another creed
Burning voice of insanity
Nothing is the same
Find all the lines in your hand
Blinding storms are surrounding us
Take control
In our caps, poisoned wine
Find all the lines in your hands
The lyrics to Opeth's song "The Lines in My Hand" are dark and foreboding, touching on themes of death and pain, governmental corruption and the consequences we face in their wake. The opening lines of the song set the tone for its overall message, with the singer lamenting the fact that we are slowly dying as a result of the gods and the arcane decrees that they put forth, leaving us with little hope for the future.
The next lines suggest that everything around us is a result of pain, a harsh truth that is often ignored or overlooked in our day-to-day lives. The writings on the wall serve as a reminder of the realities we face, but they remain unheeded by a government of puppets that are blinded by another creed, suggesting that the people in power are more concerned with their own interests than the well-being of those they serve.
The chorus takes on a more personal tone, urging the listener to find all the lines in their hand. The voice of the singer is burning with insanity, and nothing is the same anymore. The land is bare, and it seems like it's only the idle man who remains. Blinding storms surround us, and we need to take control. In the midst of this chaos, we must look inward and find the lines in our hand that represent our destiny and our purpose in life.
Line by Line Meaning
We are dying in the wake of gods and decrees remain arcane
Our society is collapsing due to the actions of those in power, and their motives remain unknown and mysterious
And everything around us is a consequence of pain
The world we live in is a product of the suffering and struggles we have endured
The writings on the wall depict a truth that no one reads
There are warnings and messages all around us that go unnoticed or ignored
A government of puppets blinded by another creed
Our leaders are controlled by an outside force or ideology, rendering them oblivious to the needs of their people
Burning voice of insanity
The intense, overwhelming feeling of losing one's grip on reality
Nothing is the same
Everything has changed or been altered in some way
Barren lands for the idle man
Those who do not work or contribute to society are left with nothing, and the world around them becomes a desolate wasteland
Find all the lines in your hand
Look within yourself and examine your own fate and destiny
Blinding storms are surrounding us
We are experiencing chaos and upheaval on all sides, leaving us feeling disoriented and overwhelmed
Take control
It is up to us to seize power and make changes in our own lives and in society as a whole
In our caps, poisoned wine
We are being fed harmful and toxic messages or substances, leading to our downfall
Find all the lines in your hands
Examine the paths and choices available to you, and make the most of your own destiny
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MIKAEL LARS AKERFELDT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@matfoss1
This album ages like fine wine
@toprak3479
I'm PUZZLED when I hear people say this is their worst album.
@candleg72
Do they even have a "bad" album? LoL!! đ¶đ„đ¶
@vineetgundecha7872
Wow. Axe's drumming is phenomenal on this one
@Vestirge1
Basic fast drumming.
@omairsheikh3982
*the whole album
@sqdth
Great job but i like Martin Lopez.
@flatterswhite
@Heine you can like more than one drummer
@toprak3479
He keeps his hands busy
@barakburt4099
I don't care what anyone says...axes drumming is out of this world. It might be the best I've heard