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Dunlop on the Record: Opeth’s Fredrik Åkesson

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AkessonBlog

 

 

Swedish pioneer prog death metal act Opeth is set to release Pale Communion, its highly anticipated eleventh album, on August 26th. We sat down with lead guitar player Fredrik Åkesson to talk about the making of the record.

Catch Opeth on the road in December with fellow Dunlop artists In Flames and Red Fang—see below for dates.

 

What are the similarities and differences between Pale Communion and your last album, Heritage?

Pale Communion is more early ’80s sounding in comparison. It also has more melodies, and the drums are more prominent in the mix. Each song is very different from the others, I think. Pale Communion is, in a way, a continuation of Heritage. Some stuff is heavier, and some is more spaced out.

 

What gear did you mostly use on the recording of “Pale Communion”? Guitars, picks, strings, pedals, effects, amps, etc…?

We tried a lot of different amps, guitars, and pedals. In the studio, having the cabs mic’d up and phased right, that’s when you really can tell the difference between gear. For guitars, we used a PRS p22 , a PRS Tremonti, a Gibson junior 55, and a PRS Angelus acoustic. For amps, we used a Marshall YJM plexi 50w mode bridged over and all knobs pretty much on full. We used the MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay and the Phase 90. For leads, I used an MXR Micro Amp + to get extra juice, and we also did a lot of experimenting with the Way Huge Supa-Puss Delay, which lets you distort the feedback. That created some really cool psychedelic stuff. For strings, I used Dunlop Electric 10-52s, and for picks, I used 1.5mm Tortex Sharps.

 

What was the working dynamic like recording this record? Does Mikael Åkerfeldt dictate the parts, or do you have poetic license to create your parts?

I do have a lot of freedom when it comes to solos, and Mike usually likes my ideas. If he thinks I should go somewhere else, I don’t have a problem trying something different out.

 

How did you approach the pre-production of this record? Were all of you hashing it out in the rehearsal studio? Or at home on individual home recording systems?

I went down to our rehearsal space during the writing process, and Mike played me ideas, and I recorded some solos and riffs. We never rehearsed as a group apart from Martin Axenroth and Martin Mendez, who rehearsed for a week in Barcelona. Mike makes great demos, so everyone just did their home work. Some stuff came about in the Studio though. Recording at Rockfield in Wales was really inspiring and affective.

 

How is working in Opeth different than in your other bands like Talisman, Krux, or Arch Enemy?

Opeth covers a wider musical span. Its been a great experience playing with those bands who are quite different from each other. Also Opeth is the hardest working band I’ve played in.

 

 

Opeth / In Flames / Red Fang North American Tour

Dec. 03 – Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre
Dec. 04 – Minneapolis, MN – Mill City Nights
Dec. 05 – Omaha, NE – Sokol Auditorium
Dec. 06 – Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre
Dec. 08 – San Francisco, CA – Warfield Theatre
Dec. 09 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium
Dec. 10 – Tempe, AZ – The Marquee
Dec. 12 – Houston, TX – Warehouse Live Ballroom
Dec. 13 – Dallas, TX – Gas Monkey Live
Dec. 15 – Atlanta, GA – The Tabernacle
Dec. 17 – Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory
Dec. 18 – New York, NY – Terminal 5
Dec. 19 – Worcester, MA – The Palladium
Dec. 20 – Montreal, QC – Metropolis
Dec. 21 – Toronto, ON – Kool Haus

 

Want a taste of what’s to come August 26? Check out “Cusp of Eternity,” the single from Pale Communion, below:

 


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