Opeth Debut Slappin’ New Song “Svekets Prins”

Last month, Opeth released “Heart in Hand,” the first single from their new album, In Cauda Venenum. Today, the band has followed it up with “Svekets Prins” (Swedish for “Prince of Betrayal”), and my impression of this song is very much like my impression of “Heart”: this isn’t the death metal Opeth of old, but it has a discernibly meaner sound than their last few offerings. I’m sure Mikael Åkerfeldt admirers as Tobias Forge followers alike will hate me for saying this, but these tracks almost feel like Ghost gone prog.

Which, as far as I’m concerned, is A-OK! As a fan who hasn’t really appreciated the band’s post-Watershed output, I think both of these songs slap. And now it truly is starting to feel like In Cauda Venenum could be the Opeth album to unite lovers of the band’s heavier material and lovers of the band’s jam band phase alike. That would be swell, wouldn’t it?

You can check out “Svekets Prins” via the below “visualizer video” (as opposed to a video that is not visual…?). In Cauda Venenum is out September 27.

Thanks to the always-helpful Ranpal C.!