OPETH LOST THEIR KEYBOARD PLAYER, TOO

Yep: Per Wiberg now joins Chris Spicuzza in the Keyboardists No Longer in Bands Club. In a statement, Mikael Åkerfeldt says that he and the other members of the band “came to the decision that we should find a replacement for Per right after the recordings of the new album,” which sounds like they let him do a bunch of work and then fired him. But then Åkerfeldt goes on to say that the sacking “this came as no surprise to Per” who “been thinking about leaving” anyway. Which sounds like a “You can’t fire me, I quit” scenariom but nice of Åkerfeldt to not rage on Wiberg.

I’m sure this will make many of you sad, as Wiberg is clearly a talented dude. Just try not to forget that Åkerfeldt is the band; he might as well just change his name to “Opeth.” Wiberg wasn’t even in the band for many of their most famous albums. I’m sure Åkerfeldt will be able to find a suitable replacement.

The good news is, this means the new Opeth album is finished, and we should get to hear it sometime this year.

-AR