OPETH – debuts 1st new single ‘Hjärtat Vet Vad Handen Gör’ / ‘Heart In Hand’ & announces album release date

One of 2019’s most anticipated heavy rock/metal albums, »In Cauda Venenum«, will be released by Swedish prog-masters OPETH on September 27th via Moderbolaget /Nuclear Blast Entertainment. Today, the band has unveiled a bi-lingual visualizer the record’s first new song, ‘Hjärtat Vet Vad Handen Gör‘ / ‘Heart In Hand,‘ and has invited followers to pre-order the record now at www.opeth.com/stores.

WATCH THE VISUALIZER FOR ‘HJÄRTAT VET VAD HANDEN GÖR’ / ‘HEART IN HAND’:
https://youtu.be/5Ko4_eO2tiU

Commenting on the new song, vocalist/guitarist/songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt says,“’Hjärtat Vet Vad Handen Gör’ or ‘Heart In Hand’ as it’s called in English is one of the first couple of songs I wrote for »In Cauda Venenum«. I immediately knew that it would probably be favoured by ”the powers that be” when talks of future singles for the record would commence. And I was right. I generally leave it up to the labels or managements to pick the so-called singles. I’m indifferent as I put an equal amount of dedication into all songs, so it doesn’t matter all that much to me. I guess it’s one of the more straightforward songs on the album. A rather rocking little thing. It’s got one of the ”happy mistakes” in it too. Mendez bass broke down in the middle of recording. At the time he played an old Hofner Beatles-esque bass guitar that started humming real bad, but it sounded so good we immediately decided to keep it in there. I’d be putting myself down if I said that noise is the best part of the song, but it’s up there. I like when stuff happens out of your control, and it actually adds to the piece. This is the first full taster of the new OPETH album, and of course I hope you like it. All the songs on the new album are different from each other and therefore equally representable in my view. Enjoy!”

Recorded last year at Stockholm’s Park Studios, »In Cauda Venenum« will be released in two versions, in both Swedish and English languages.

Regarding the sonic direction of the new record, Åkerfeldt adds, “For us, at this stage with »In Cauda Venenum«, heaviness isn’t guitars tuned down with screaming vocals over the top. That’s not necessarily what I call ‘heavy’ music these days. I can listen to KoRn and say, ‘OK, that’s heavy.’ But it doesn’t really mean anything to me. I mean, I catch up on things in magazines or online. I read about bands that have the ‘heaviest record ever,’ and I’m not too impressed by that. OK, it’s cool but what does it say? What does it mean? It’s an impossible mission, to be the heaviest. That’s been done before. Over time, I got tired of that tag. Of course, when I was younger it meant everything to me. I was always on the pursuit for heaviness in my youth, trying to find the next level of heaviness. First it was death metal, then it was bands like Meshuggah, but heaviness is now more about emotions, heavy chord progressions, music that has feelings. Heaviness doesn’t mean Meshuggah anymore, although indeed they’re a fucking heavy band. I’m not trying to tap into that anymore.”

Pre-order In Cauda Venenum in various formats, here: www.opeth.com/stores
The band’s new track is available for listening on all DSPs. Pick your version below:
English: http://geni.us/OpethInCaudaVenenumENG
Swedish: http://geni.us/OpethInCaudaVenenumSWE

»In Cauda Venenum« Tracklisting:
1. Livet’s Trädgård / Garden Of Earthly Delights
2. Svekets Prins / Dignity
3. Hjärtat Vet Vad Handen Gör / Heart In Hand
4. De Närmast Sörjande / Next Of Kin
5. Minnets Yta / Lovelorn Crime
6. Charlatan
7. Ingen Sanning Är Allas / Universal Truth
8. Banemannen / The Garroter
9. Kontinuerlig Drift / Continuum
10. Allting Tar Slut / All Things Will Pass

OPETH will be performing shows in support of »In Cauda Venenum« around the world through the end of the year. Dates are listed below and tickets are on sale now at www.opeth.com/tour-dates. Additional touring will be announced soon.

27.07. RO       Sibiu – ArtMania Festival
02.08. D         Wacken – Wacken Open Air
03.08. S          Öland – Borgholm Brinner
09.08. B          Kortrijk – Alcatraz Metal Festival
11.08. NL        Leeuwarden – Into the Grave
18.08. USA     Las Vegas, NV – Psycho Las Vegas

02.11. UK       Leeds – Damnation Festival

support: THE VINTAGE CARAVAN
27.10. UK       Norwich – UEA
29.10. UK       London – Palladium
31.10. UK       Glasgow – SWG3
01.11. IRL       Dublin – Olympia Theatre
02.11. UK       Leeds – Damnation Festival
03.11. UK       Bristol – O2 Academy
06.11. B          Brussels – Ancienne Belgique
08.11. D         Munich – Backstage (Werk)
09.11. I           Milan – Alcatraz
10.11. CH       Zurich – Volkshaus
11.11. F          Paris – L‘Olympia
13.11. D         Cologne – E-Werk
14.11. D         Wiesbaden – Schlachthof
15.11. D         Nuremberg – Meistersingerhalle
16.11. D         Berlin – Huxleys Neue Welt
17.11. DK       Copenhagen – Det Kgl. Teater *SOLD OUT*

10.12. AUS     Adelaide – Thebarton Theatre
11.12. AUS     Perth – Astor Theatre
13.12. AUS     Melbourne – Palais Theatre
14.12. AUS     Sydney – State Theatre
15.12. AUS     Brisbane – The Tivoli