“Swedens Opeth are preparing to release their most important record to date with In Cauda Venenum. Certainly, fans and critics will have their opinion, but few records in the Swedes oeuvre are as engaging, delicate, panoramic, intense, and musical as Opeths lucky thirteenth. Sporting a clever Travis Smith coverreplete with inside jokes and a nod to King Diamonda masterful Park Studios (The Hellacopters, Graveyard) production, Opeths usual five-star musicianship, and lyrics entirely in Swedish, In Cauda Venenum raises the bar markedly. While a record in Swedish is a firsttheres also an English versionfor frontman and founding member Mikael kerfeldt, the 10 songs on offer feel and sound completely natural. As if years of listening to and being a fan of Swedish rock and hard rock has paid off. In a way, Opeth have come home. But the Swedish lyrics of the primary edition of In Cauda Venenum shouldnt distract from the quality presented in Opeths new songs, the lot of which sneak up and take control after repeated listens. In Cauda Venenum is like that, tricky in its complicated simplicity, resourceful in its ability to charm with delightful if wistful melodies. Really, its just Opeth being Opeth.

This is me, kerfeldt says. This is Opeth. I think by now fans will recognizeat least I hope they domy writing style, our sound, what we do as a band. There are a lot of surprises on In Cauda Venenum, from the strings and Swedish samples to Fredriks [kesson] solos and the Swedish lyrics. But I knew I wanted a Latin title early on. I wanted a Latin title that would work for both versions. I didnt want a Swedish title for the Swedish version and an English title for the English version. Since the death metal days of Opeth, Ive always wanted a Latin title. Nothing ever worked. We had one Latin titled song on the first record though, Requiem, the instrumental. Ive always wanted something like that but it turned out harder than I thought when coming up with a title. With Latin, it can mean something really cool but look like shit or be very difficult to read. I couldnt find a source for In Cauda Venenum. I thought, Well, that looks cool. I remember Travis and I were working on the cover. We had this little insect, a scorpion, with the five heads of the band members. So, when I came across the phrase In Cauda Venenum, I thought, Well, thats weird. Here we have a scorpion and In Cauda Venenum can relate to scorpions. Besides being a cool phrase, it works with the artwork, and the lyrics. In many ways, the stars aligned with the title.

In Cauda Venenum was written surreptitiously by kerfeldt when he was scheduled for sabbatical after the Sorceress record cycle. Tired of Gantt charts, milestones, and other Project Management Office essentials presented by management, he told his handlers it was high time for break from Opeth and its many and varied responsibilities. They complied. Almost immediately, however, kerfeldt was holed up in his studio, Junkmail, writing music by himself without pressure or influence. Ultimately, the Opeth songman wanted a return to the old daysthink Orchid through Blackwater Parkwhen writing music was a creative endeavor not a factor in the business equation of being in a full-time, internationally recognized band. Described as more fun than spadework, the writing sessions were eventually exposed to the rest of the band and management. They were into kerfeldts newest creations but before anyone had a word in edgewise, In Cauda Venenum was, more or less, in the proverbial bag. The only thing that remained the same was kerfeldt writing and performing in his aging studio.

The idea to craft In Cauda Venenum entirely in Swedish originated while kerfeldt was driving his kids to school. He challenged the concept, weighed the risks and rewards, and ultimately came away with the direction he needed: Opeths next record would be entirely in Swedish. Precedent, after all, had been established. The special edition of 2008s Watershed included a cover rendition of Swedish singer Marie Fredrikssons Den Stndiga Resan, on which sings kerfeldt sings in Swedish. Then again, an entire Opeth record in Swedish was not only a first-time event, but a brave marketing move to single out the bands predominantly English-only fanbase and indeed, all but two countriesSweden and Finlanddo not speak, read, and understand Swedish. Undeterred, kerfeldt continued on, writing the scenic Ingen Sanning rallas (Universal Truth) first. The rest of In Cauda Venenum, in Swedish, came as smoothly as a glass of glgg down the gullet. That an English version awaited was a no-brainer.

Originally slated to be recorded at Ghost Ward Recordings with producer/engineer David Castillo, Opeth opted for Park Studios with Stefan Boman instead. Nestled on a quiet backstreet in a nondescript neighborhood south of Stockholm, Park Studios was built in the 1970s by blues rock guru Acke Grdebck (of Acke & Gurra fame). While the studio has changed owners several timesnow co-owned by Bomanit has retained its shag carpet and platform shoes allure by offering a bevy of original old-school recording tools, the very kind used on some of kerfeldt most cherished records. Plus, as it turns out Boman is of the same vision as the Opeth frontman when it comes to gear. Recordings for In Cauda Venenum commenced in November 2018 with Boman engineering and co-producing with kerfeldt. The production team started first with the drums, rhythm guitars, acoustic guitars, bass, and then tailed off the tracking with guitars, keyboards, lead guitars, and additional vocals. By Christmastide, Phase I of In Cauda Venenum was complete.

Where Opeth go from here, its on tour in support of In Cauda Venenum. The previous touring cycle for Sorceress was two-years, so expectations for the Swedes ring the world into 2021, where theyll play Svekets Prins (Dignity), Hjrtat Vet Vad Handen Gr (Heart in Hand), Ingen Sanning rallas (Universal Truth), Banemannen (The Garroter), and Kontinuerlig Drift (Continuum), are high. Clearly, once the bi-lingual brilliance of In Cauda Venenum is released, Opeths dedicated fanbase will be eager to hear, absorb, and experience the record in the flesh. As for what kerfeldt wants from his ardent followers is for them to appreciate the latest Opeth chapter in the same way they have 1996s Morningrise, 2003s Damnation, and 2014s Pale Communion.

“Of course, I want everybody to love everything that we do, kerfeldt says. But its secondary to me. I cant control that, and I dont want to. I really dont know what theyll think about it. I dont know how people listen to music these days. I dont know how people feel about it music. I know how I listen to music. I provide the time to listen to music. I make time for music. Im not doing something else while music is playing. Id like everybody to focus on the new record. Thats no different from the Opeth records. Ive always wanted people to focus on our music; not treat it as background music for daily chores, white noise, or whatever. If you want to get into this record, Im hoping youll find, by our standards, something different.