Alcatraz Line up: 2019, 2024

Opeth’s 1995 debut ‘Orchid’ changed the rules overnight: Opeth single-handedly created a flamboyant crossover between progressive seventies rock and the melodic but brutal death metal of their hometown Stockholm. The result is a cocktail of sharp contrasts where subdued, semi-acoustic passages with soothing vocals suddenly degenerate into face-crunching riffs punctuated with bowel-churning grunts. While this is a somewhat unusual combo, the ease with which these musical geniuses create seemingly endless and spellbinding compositions leaves even the most die-hard sceptics gasping for breath. Their seminal album ‘Blackwater Park’ (2001) brought widespread mainstream recognition and signalled their definitive breakthrough. They became the flag bearers of ‘progressive death’, a title they vacated quite unexpectedly with the release of their tenth album ‘Heritage’ (2011), on which blast beats and grunts were conspicuously absent. While this is also true of ‘Pale Communion’ (2014) and ‘Sorceress’ (2016), the latter is somewhat heavier than its predecessors. ‘In Live Concert at the Royal Albert Hall’ (2010) caters to the early fans while ‘Garden of the Titans: Live at Red Rocks Amphitheatre’ (2018) chronicles the musical direction they’ve taken since 2011. Rendezvous at AMF2024 for the best of both worlds – and word has it new material is in the pipeline!