OpethfrontmanMikael Akerfeldt recently spoke withFull Metal Jackie onLoudwire Nights to discuss how he thinks the bands latest albumPale Communion is still a heavy album, what his influences were when writing the new album & the bands that taught him something. Check it out below!
Were here to talk about the new album Pale Communion, out now. Mikael, what is the biggest misconception people have about what makes music heavy and what makes Pale Communion heavy to you?
Well, I think the misconceptions are many. Its such a taste thing I think in the end of it, at least for me. Im sorta lost about metal, especially since Ive done some interviews where Ive said what I thought and people get upset. They have different opinions of what metal really is and for me I think I might, I might be too old, to be honest, to understand what the younger generation thinks what metal really is these days.
I grew up in the 70s and 80s [listening to] hard rock metal bands so; those bands for me were very diverse and [with] lots of things going on in their music. They were metal bands in my book and Im not sure if they come across as a metal band today exactly, but I think, you know when I say were still a metal band, of course we are a metal band, sometimes when we play a show, for instance, we would scream stuff the newer and softer songs. I think metal for me has become a bit of an attitude, as well. A question an attitude and I think we still have that attitude intact like were still in a bit of, for lack of a better word, rebellious. [laughs]
Growing up, what bands taught you the most about songwriting and dynamics? How did the things you love about that band effect the way you wrote the songs on Pale Communion?
Well I have to say those were like some of the classic metal bands that I got into at a very early age, bands likeIron Maidenwho ultimately were influenced by progressive rock basically, and they kind of did their own take on progressive rock and made somewhat of a more metalized version of progressive rock, like songs like Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Thats basically a prog song you know, so they taught me a lot about dynamics. They also have songs released as acoustic bits. The entire Seventh Son of a Seventh Son record I think is quite progressive.Judas Priest, thats another example, especially the three first records, they are my favorite records, the Rocka Rolla. Very diverse, you know, Sin After Sin is well known for the Slayer cover. That album also has a song like Last Rose of Summer, which is a beautiful, almost like Little Wing Hendrix type of song which doesnt at all mix together with the metal type of feel that they have today.
But for metal for me, interesting metal is supposed to be diverse, you know. Otherwise, its just kinda translucent. I learned a lot from both types of bands, as well asLed Zeppelin,Black Sabbathwhen you listen to that record, is that not a metal record or a hard rock record? What do you call it then? So its very confusing to me, because its a generation gap, basically, I think.
Typically, what influenced your musical direction when you start working on a new album?
I think a lot of it has to do with stuff I am listening to at the time. A lot of the stuff I am listening to, it has to be like a constant band that is constantly on my (so to speak) playlist, are those type of bands I grew up with like Priest and Maiden,The Scorpions,Led Zeppelin, Sabbath those types of bands, as well as the progressive rock stuff that I collect, but generally, there are a few more artists that are a bit important than others and what I like for a new record.
This record, I was listening a lot to you know, Im kind of bracing myself before saying this, but I was listening a lot to David Crosby, andCrosby Stills NashandYoung, which explains a little bit of the vocal harmonies on the record because Im a big fan of David Crosby vocal harmony, so I listen a lot to that, and also a lot of Italian obscure, progressive rock, early 70s stuff that I collect because its bombastic and bordering on pretentious, and more is more, that I like. So, a lot of that stuff. Im a big Scott Walker fan, I always listen to Scott Walker, you know, everything. I take some stuff in, but I try not to, with the exception of the song Goblin, I try not to be directly inspired by something that makes me write a song that is kind of gimmicking that inspiration if you know what i mean.
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