OPETH - In Cauda Venenum: The Recording Process (OFFICIAL INTERVIEW)

[@adkdevil]

It's not actually the room's echo we're hearing in this interview, Mikael actually always has this epic reverb when he speaks

[@alexobregonbauluz3304]

very present on still life.

[@guyinpajamapants6892]

Lol!!!

[@sanbilge]

@@alexobregonbauluz3304 watch your grammar: still very present in life.

[@alexobregonbauluz3304]

@@sanbilge huh? bro im talking about the album. still life, the album, 1999.

[@sanbilge]

@@alexobregonbauluz3304 yeah i was being sarcastic, still life RULES

[@OurBrainHurtsALot]

Musical genius with 30 years of experience: "I still don't know what mastering is". You're the best Mike.

[@rabarebra]

He collect vinyl records and still doesn't know what mastering is, baffles me.

[@sumitsoniFinalaSSault]

Little girl vocal is a new addition to Opeth sound. Anathema, Steven Wilson already had this magic touch. Makes it more interesting. Opeth you’re “True Heavy” thank you.

[@jacobehlers]

Yeah, she is the newest member, Mikael took her in to do all the Growl parts since he can't do then anymore

[@davidwagner5788]

the girls "only" provided vocal samples, no singing, unfortunately ;-)

[@Miyuru_W]

@@jacobehlers aw shit man :'D

[@ricardoa.9768]

Honestly if they release nothing but 1:30 hrs of him just talking and call it In Cauda Venenum i'd still buy it and downloaded

[@sluice]

All Things Will Pass is one of the greatest Opeth songs ever.

[@4uhDamagecase]

This album came out just in time for autumn, it was perfect timing. I burnt this album up through the end of winter. Opeth ages like fine wine. I hope there are many more to come.

[@lunarfox74]

The hype is reeeal, it's so nice to get some behind the scenes into the recording process 🤘🎸

[@AqusticMotion]

i am an very old fan of this band. Mikael is great composer. Fredrik is badass on guitar solos. Martin Axenrot- those rythms man! He is so versatile. Martn Mendez - core of Opeth. Joakim u have enormous energy on live perfomances. Much more people should know about this band. I know what i am saying. This is the best progressive band in our era. Greets.

[@NarokathCrimzonAE]

"We left the previous record 'Sorceress' unmastered." That explains a whole lot to me, haha! I still enjoyed that album, though.

[@jaimeduendeozzzkr]

I know, volumes and db levels

[@ohfosure]

That album sounded soooooo bad

[@MarshMellowChronic]

It was too muddy

[@MarshMellowChronic]

Steven wilson doesn't master his music but it sounds exceptional

[@lundkd10]

Mastering ain’t all that....not doing that process on Sorceress is a very bold thing to do and I respect his decision....

[@ronmcdonald466]

I'm glad the lads did an album in their native language.

[@Simonize41]

I can’t wait to hear this! No barrier here Mikael - both versions preordered.👍🏻👍🏻

[@samueljones5421]

Even though I dont speak swedish I will be listening to the swedish version first, I love that Opeth does what Opeth wants

[@zodiac8829]

this month tool next month opeth next month of that mayhem hallelujah!

[@omkarbharambe8673]

this week slipknot

[@chris_htepo]

@@omkarbharambe8673 eh. Heard it already. Its ight

[@MarkDonnison]

I'm more about the sound of the vocal rather than the content, so language doesn't really matter, but having 2 versions isn't a bad thing either!

[@randyhalfway]

Same. I like melody and vocal intonation, but lyrics don't seem to matter at all.

[@jerryboone1093]

He's a genius. Period. Confident not arrogant.

[@Wasyashock]

Can't wait to hear the album! I hope we get another single before the release, just as a nice treat

[@Wasyashock]

I hope they won't release any singles prior to actual album releases from now on.

[@schizophrenicenthusiast]

This collaboration between metalheads and people from pop industry feels refreshing and wholesome, especially since the music that has been so far released sounds really good.

[@Taunic]

Wow...Tool this month and Opeth the next month. I'm in heaven!

[@rabarebra]

Couldn't choose a better room and acoustics to do an interview. 👍

[@leeshepherd1922]

This Album and the film Midsommar are making me have to learn Swedish! The album is a beautiful piece of mature work, lush and textured. I'm old enough to hear the influence of bands from my youth and love the jazz & blues elements in it too. Listen to it in Swedish, though the English is as good, the lyrical quality of the Swedish language adds to its beauty. Kudos for Mikael, for not being afraid to stretch peoples ears.

[@Orangeokie7]

2:35 - 2:43 I guess this is why Sorceress sounded so muddy.

[@supermot34]

"I don't know what mastering is to be honest" Me too, man.

[@BrixSnBs]

God I love this guy's demeanor and, obviously, his music. Been so important to me in opening up doors in the more proggy and experimental avenues of rock/metal music.

[@nicolasguirao7830]

Awesome... Every album of yours puts me out of my comfort zone but still there's something new every time that i hear any album. For sure this one will be hard to listen too. Congrats!

[@IamMichaellucifer13]

Its an honor hearing Opeth in there native language, ill buy there version, and learn to translate, also am waiting patiently for them to tour the states, unfortunately missed then last couple of times, sadly.

[@russellzauner]

Hey, if Alien Weaponry can sell it while recording in Maori, you're going to move plenty Swedish units. Thank you for making the extra effort for us to know what the words mean beyond them sounding beautiful.

[@RiffMajestic]

Though I miss the days of My Arm Your Hearse, Still Life, Blackwater Park, and Ghost Reveries, I did like Pale Communion quite a bit. I'm fine with no growling vocals but I do think it would be great to still have some semblance of them, they can still add a cool aspect to transitions here and there. I'm talking stuff like at 2:32 of Reverie/Harlequin Forest or 1:07 of Karma. I'm hoping In Cauda Venenum will be an album I can get into again, didn't really happen with Sorceress.

[@Zealot_cs]

Riff Majestic Harlequin Forest's transition and growl you mention are exactly what i miss from their extreme vocals days. Would be awesome to have some hints of that in newer material. Sorceress is a very special case of an album; theres a few jewels here and there, but it is not a solid album as a whole, like all of the other albums on their catalogue.

[@kin3tic0n37]

So tell me, what'd you think after the first and third listen?

[@RiffMajestic]

@@kin3tic0n37 I've listened to the whole album well over a 100 times now, I love it, my favorite since Ghost Reveries. At first one of my least favorite songs was "Next of Kin" and now I think it rules, lol. Dignity is an amazing song and actually has a moment of what I was originally talking about 9 months ago (5:08)

[@RossOfRoni]

I'm really happy to hear that Mikael is still pushing Opeth to incorporate new influences. Pop recording engineers! And mastering it at Abbey Road! I don't mind the current trend of many bands using a more "master-less" sound, but bad production is always going to be bad production.

[@gustavoaraujo4720]

Comming from Opeth, to me doesn't matter the language, I know that will be great.

[@abhinavguitar]

Loved the album, Great band. I notice they use more strat tones on their solos in the studio. That's cut-through-the-mix cool!

[@mrlozano]

Looking forward to it! Can't wait! Thank you, Opeth!

[@applepeel1662]

Opeth is one of my favorite bands of all time. Btw 1st

[@ToastedCigar]

@Adax ! Same here. I discovered Opeth some years ago, when I borrowed a few CD's of their's from the local library, I think it was the "Candelight Years" -compilation and Blackwater Park. I was amazed how dark and heavy, yet at the same time, beautiful and wistful their music is. I got hooked for lifetime

[@joshcreasey]

Can’t wait for this!

[@MySecretHaven]

Next single will be released 15th this month!

[@theliberation9061]

Curious how it turned out and actually somewhat looking forward to the album after the single. It does actually sound more adventurous while somehow being once again more Opeth, rather than another 70s tribute with sterile production. And especially glad to hear that he's just talking about experimenting and trying new stuff rather than trying to sound like someone or trying NOT to sound like someone, because I think that was the biggest problem behind the last three albums.

[@keithberns5]

New Opeth, Tool, and Slipknot?!?! This year couldn't get any better.

[@apollyonexe868]

Mikael is having this interview in the Stanley Parable boss' office. Guess we figured out who was the boss in Stanley Parable then.

[@Emile-philia]

Really great album for sure.

[@educostanzo]

Devin Townsend, Tool and Opeth, what a year!

[@Salomon_G]

Remember when Opeth had album documentaries?

[@darrenc8776]

I can imagine a lot of old fans of opeth saying yeah I get why there working with pop music producer's. But I really enjoy all there music theyve always been progressive interesting. If you want the same album year after year listen to slayer. I like the Swedish version I can see why they think it had to be done in English.

[@stevemuzak8526]

I love swedish version!

[@lorenzobarichello5180]

3:32 I know the little girl at the microphone is Fredrik's daughter, but at her side, could be Melinda?! :o

[@antonsilaev2495]

Leaving the Sorceress album "Unmastered" as Mikael called it was a huge mistake. It is great music but very very difficult to listen through because it has so many sonic problems. Album had so much potential not sure why all of a sudden Mikael would question the enormous importance of proper engineering to fully express their ideas to fans.

[@paradoxical33]

nice, i love Mikael

[@aether4554]

While I still remain an Opeth fan, I still wonder and wish if they’ll ever make an album like Deliverance or Ghost Reveries.

[@thesigma_andtheligma]

Ghost reveries or My arms your hearse

[@Lucy-yc4bc]

Move on

[@aether4554]

@@Lucy-yc4bc Fuck no.

[@Vandalus77]

I don't like that they have to do double version to satisfy the fans. I am Spanish and I have to read some of the lyrics anyway, like so many people who do not know English ... In the folk essence of opeth I think there is the true essence. Opeth makes you feel everything even if you don't know exactly what they are saying. That is the music, that is the feeling it provokes in us. I support the diversity of cultures !! Fuck the marketing dude

[@Lucy-yc4bc]

It was literally mikaels choice lol

[@luliby2309]

I would definitely have still bought In Cauda Venenum if it only came in Swedish. The band is too good to just ignore. Still, I would feel a little sad at not knowing the lyrics, so I appreciate having an English version too. I guess I'll just get both. :P

[@joaquinpajaro]

Another Live album from this tour please

[@ScottAstr]

I was very excited to hear In Cauda Venenum would be released in Swedish! I've been learning svenska i flera månader and I'm excited to have such a cool way to practice! I honestly don't think a language barrier would have any impact on a metal album's sales at this point. Metal has such a global community that I think as long as it sounds good, people will listen. (Rammstein, Heilung, Wardruna, Kvelertak, Alcest are the first examples I can think of)

[@kalas-kurt]

Very true. Skraeckoedlan is another example. Svenskt band.

[@SiGhast]

Don't think a lot of foreigners try to tackle our language. That's pretty cool. Lycka till!

[@ScottAstr]

@@SiGhast Tack!

[@aloishitler-cj1xf]

How you learned swedish? I want to learn it too

[@LilHaseProductions]

CREPT UP THE CAVEATS OF MY BRAAAAAAAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@d.leon.pedro.26]

Chega 2050 mas não chega 27 de setembro logo!

[@rebelrobot]

epic voice!

[@destroyergaming2137]

Awesome!

[@binzianer]

For most part I like the swedish version of the album better, but nothing beats "you can always grind me down" in lovelorn crime in the english version

[@Spencercevans24]

Does he finally play a lute? That makes me so happy!

[@CeetjeBeetje]

If I'm really honest, I'm not as excited as I used to be for a new Opeth album. Or Opeth news in general. But I'm sure the new album will be good.

@@deadflowers666 He can writes his opinion and still be a Opeth fan.

[@brianasciak1668]

i get swede version.. be happy to hear him singing his mother language. than just get online translation

[@kevinheckeler]

Great album. What were the linguistic challenges, translating from Swedish to English, and keeping the poetic feel and meaning/intent?

[@siriusfun]

The recent trend of heavy bands working with pop producers hasn't borne out well; Foo Fighters 'Concrete and Gold' and QOTSA's 'Villains'coming to mind immediately. Hopefully that's not the case with this album.

[@Beldrakethen]

siriusisastar foo fighters aren’t heavy. They never were tho

[@MikeW1981]

Both great albums you mention so ya, you're absolutely right this won't "borne out well"...pffft

[@Opranius]

Really hated the mix of QOTSA, especially the bass-sound, it was completely off. The songs sounded much better live!

[@linusfotograf]

The first single sounds great tho. No pop sounds there...

[@MisterTee]

I like the Swedish verosion more than the English version

[@ThePortal101]

Looking forward to this album. Heart in Hand has more of the energy I was hoping to find on Sorceress. Don't get me wrong, that album had some great music on it but I found it too slow throughout the second half of the record.

[@FanaticDrummer]

He said “the best version” very defensively lol. But either way I dont care, I never really payed attention to the lyrics firstly when it came to opeth. So when I heard the first song I didnt even notice because the groove was so cool lol. Also the phrasing changes in English so its kinda odd, which is why the original is the best because thats how the melody and phrasing was written for. But the instrumental sounds so good that you dont need to understand the lyrics, just fill them in yourself and feel out the groove.

[@maxmatthews2463]

Yeehaw

[@VictorMan289]

"we left the Sorceress record unmastered" lol wtf ?!? that's so... metal!

[@kisielekrlz]

It would be great if he would get out of his comfort zone and record some death metal again.

[@shauner8754]

That IS his comfort zone and he got away from it

[@lilizambrano2430]

I like Kent

[@claudi0barragan]

Could it be translated as : poison at flow rates?

[@rowang]

I never thought I'd hear Mikael mention Kylie Minogue 😂

[@StephenRahrig]

TLDR they booked a studio and then they recorded their instruments and then the tracks were mixed and mastered.

[@ShishiSonson]

"In cauda stat venenum" by Jacula.

[@HronisArva]

💜💜💜💜💜💜

[@666METAL666ish]

You are a God! /,,/

[@ogulcanyolcu8714]

I heard Ola Englund said in one of his FAQ videos, which is a Swedish guitar player, he didn't understand a word from the Swedish version of the song.

[@DarraKummitus666]

I'm not even a native swedish speaker and understood just fine lol. He should get his ears checked

[@Meshuggapeth]

Sorceress wasn’t mastered. That explains a lot. New stuff sounds great so far

[@israelthacker8568]

1:25 Mikael's ugly sweater 😂

[@deadflowers666]

Definitely not ugly.

[@TheGnuisancev3]

"we left Sorceress unmastered" . No duh, we can tell.

[@linusfotograf]

derp It sounds alright to me. Much better than Heritage.

[@TheGnuisancev3]

@@linusfotograf not to me. It's ridiculously muddy in the mix. Sorceress songs sound better on the Garden of the Titans live album, imho of course.

[@Niamorg1007]

@derp I agree with you!

[@linusfotograf]

derp Will have to listen again perhaps. I wasn’t very impressed with the songs. Too many acoustic intros and interludes.

[@Metallicazor]

@@linusfotograf heritage is actually the best sounding album production wise which i own. on vinyl atleast

[@tenthmyth]

I arose from a lullaby cannot bid farewell this pale face you went as far as you could help. And from that moment mine is yours...mine is yours good lyricists

[@williansouza5459]

Show me more you devil !

[@bakhadurmuslimov9296]

why part 3 is same as part 2?

[@lovecchio420]

Why does the new album, sound like the old album?

[@linusfotograf]

It’s not

[@Arkerlfedt]

Hi Mikael are you doing a great job seriously but the detail here is that you are forgetting all your roots from where you went up you left the great metal riffs from where you once reigned the stages just remember the great albums like blackwater park, deliverance and other greats of you initial time do not leave us without that immense voice you have come back and really rock

[@PrisonTorture34]

who mixed this record?

[@protolexis]

MAKE OPETH GROWL AGAIN

[@exarkunn69]

Oh god please don’t have it over produced like most pop is. End the loudness wars.

[@robin-38-]

At least make a all-mellow album like damnation if your definition of heavy has changed

[@Lucy-yc4bc]

Lmfao

[@guyinpajamapants6892]

I’m American and I have trouble understanding English…………

[@WestSide1207]

Can you guys please go back to Progressive Death Metal? I would like Opeth to go back to being Opeth, thanks.

[@shauner8754]

Listen to the old records then. They want to move forward and keep changing. Opeth is whatever they want it to be , not the fans

[@Lucy-yc4bc]

Move on

[@HillsSilent]

Lute. :)

[@Micas099]

Apparently Mike really doesn't know what mastering is (as he says in the video). Sorceress is mastered. Just load up a track in Audacity and it's obvious. There's quite a bit of compression on it and it clips a little bit. The new album is a dud.

[@ToastedCigar]

How do you tell the new album is a dud, if it's not even out yet?

[@Micas099]

@@ToastedCigar Based on Heart In Hand. It would be very odd if the rest of the album was sonically and thematically different. Mike used to talk about "the drama" in the writing of Opeth songs. Songs like The Funeral Portrait and Ghost of Perdition have almost classical style movements, with these epic climaxes. The new song is flat and dull... likely Mike's take on 70s prog. Watershed was the last epic Opeth album.

[@theliberation9061]

@@Micas099 So you've never seen a case when the single turns out to be one of the weaker tracks on the album? I've had very, very mixed feelings about the last three albums and Sorceress was easily the worst, but actually looking forward to this one based on the single, because it actually sounds like a step forward and not a 70s tribute (with flat production).

[@RiffMajestic]

@@theliberation9061 I agree, Sorceress is the album I've listened to the least. It just didn't attract me the way most Opeth albums do and I've given it many chances. I liked Pale Communion quite a bit, it is easily my favorite of the last three albums. Heart in Hand sounds promising.

[@UlvenK]

Swedish heart in hand sounds better imo. English sounds a bit forced to me.

[@Asveest]

Mexican pop music?... a chinga chinga

[@Quentz84]

Is this guy Dave Grohl's distant uncle??

[@karlorthehunter458]

Master it, sorceress had bad mixing, I couldn't hear most of the instruments

[@MikeW1981]

riiiiiiiiight

[@linusfotograf]

If it has bad mixing then surely a remix is preferable?

[@greckendale]

Did he say ‘In Cow Dung Venom’?

[@Will057]

The way his singing breaks at the end of each verse is killing the song for me. I hope the other songs from the album isn't like that. It's really the worse singing he has done.

[@shauner8754]

That’s my favourite part, shows character

[@blob-465]

In, In Cauda Venenum, seems Mikael gave up on producing well-structured progressions of chords. Lost that medieval sound.

[@geesan4921]

2000 eight.......... een

[@Rassalcon]

He was just having a flashback to the albert hall.

[@geesan4921]

@@Rassalcon he missed Steven Wilson........

[@Rassalcon]

@@geesan4921 i bet...

[@geesan4921]

So In cauda Venenum is recorded in a POP Studio. NO WONDER!

[@SiGhast]

Lawl. I miss the old days as much as the next guy, but these guys hardly started making accessible, radio-friendly music. I really respect them for doing what they actually want.

[@МеломанБаянов]

Вот бы ещё по русски говорил , тогда было б всё понятно, а так ......

[@Cheximus]

Mikael really trying to be the biggest edgelord going.

[@MikeW1981]

and you succeeding at being the biggest troll in these comments, congrats.