Feature Photo: WanderingTrad, CC BY-SA 4.0
Opeth, formed in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1990, was the brainchild of vocalist David Isberg. The band’s name was inspired by “Opet,” a fictional city in the Wilbur Smith novel The Sunbird. Shortly after its inception, Isberg invited 16-year-old Mikael Åkerfeldt to join as bassist, leading to internal disputes that resulted in the departure of all original members except Isberg and Åkerfeldt. By 1992, Isberg had left the band, and Åkerfeldt assumed the roles of lead vocalist and primary songwriter, steering Opeth towards a unique fusion of death metal with progressive, folk, and jazz elements.
Opeth’s discography comprises 14 studio albums, beginning with Orchid in 1995, which showcased their blend of acoustic passages and death metal. Subsequent albums like Morningrise (1996) and My Arms, Your Hearse (1998) continued this trajectory. The 2001 release of Blackwater Park, produced by Steven Wilson, marked a significant milestone, garnering critical acclaim and expanding their international audience.
This was followed by the contrasting albums Deliverance (2002) and Damnation (2003), the latter emphasizing clean vocals and mellower tones. Ghost Reveries (2005) and Watershed (2008) further solidified their reputation for blending heavy and melodic elements. In 2011, Heritage marked a departure from their death metal roots, embracing a more vintage progressive rock sound, a direction continued in Pale Communion (2014), Sorceress (2016), and In Cauda Venenum (2019). Their latest album, The Last Will and Testament (2024), reintroduced death growls and was their first fully conceptual record since Still Life (1999).
Throughout their career, Opeth has undergone several lineup changes. Key members include Martín Méndez (bass since 1997), Fredrik Åkesson (guitar since 2007), Joakim Svalberg (keyboards since 2011), and Waltteri Väyrynen (drums since 2022). Despite these changes, Åkerfeldt has remained the consistent driving force, ensuring the band’s evolving sound retains its core identity.
Opeth’s innovative approach has earned them numerous accolades. Notably, The Last Will and Testament won the Swedish Grammis award for Best Hard Rock/Metal album in 2024. Their albums have charted internationally, with Watershed reaching number 23 on the US Billboard 200 and topping the Finnish albums chart. As of November 2009, they had sold over 1.5 million copies of their albums and DVDs worldwide.
Beyond their studio work, Opeth has been active in live performances, embarking on several world tours since the release of Blackwater Park. They have released four live DVDs and four live albums, capturing their dynamic stage presence. Collaborations with artists like Steven Wilson have further expanded their musical horizons.
Complete List Of Opeth Songs From A to Z
- §I – The Last Will and Testament – 2024
- §II – The Last Will and Testament – 2024
- §III – The Last Will and Testament – 2024
- §IV – The Last Will and Testament – 2024
- §V – The Last Will and Testament – 2024
- §VI – The Last Will and Testament – 2024
- §VII – The Last Will and Testament – 2024
- A Fair Judgement – Deliverance – 2002
- A Fleeting Glance – Sorceress – 2016
- A Story Never Told – The Last Will and Testament – 2024
- Advent – Morningrise – 1996
- All Things Will Pass – In Cauda Venenum – 2019
- April Ethereal – My Arms, Your Hearse – 1998
- Atonement – Ghost Reveries – 2005
- Benighted – Still Life – 1999
- Beneath the Mire – Ghost Reveries – 2005
- Black Rose Immortal – Morningrise – 1996
- Blackwater Park – Blackwater Park – 2001
- Bleak – Blackwater Park – 2001
- Bridge of Sighs (Robin Trower cover) – Watershed (Special Edition) – 2008
- Burden – Watershed – 2008
- By the Pain I See in Others – Deliverance – 2002
- Charlatan – In Cauda Venenum – 2019
- Chrysalis – Sorceress – 2016
- Circle of the Tyrants (Celtic Frost cover) – My Arms, Your Hearse (2000 reissue) – 1998
- Closure – Damnation – 2003
- Coil – Watershed – 2008
- Continuum – In Cauda Venenum – 2019
- Credence – My Arms, Your Hearse – 1998
- Cusp of Eternity – Pale Communion – 2014
- Cusp of Eternity (live with The Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra) – Sorceress (Limited Edition) – 2016
- Death Whispered a Lullaby – Damnation – 2003
- Deliverance – Deliverance – 2002
- Demon of the Fall – My Arms, Your Hearse – 1998
- Den ständiga resan (Marie Fredriksson cover) – Watershed (Special Edition) – 2008
- Derelict Herds – Watershed (Special Edition) – 2008
- Dignity – In Cauda Venenum – 2019
- Dirge for November – Blackwater Park – 2001
- Elysian Woes – Pale Communion – 2014
- Ending Credits – Damnation – 2003
- Epilogue – My Arms, Your Hearse – 1998
- Era – Sorceress – 2016
- Eternal Rains Will Come – Pale Communion – 2014
- Eternal Soul Torture (Bonus Track) – Morningrise – 1996
- Face in the Snow – Heritage (Bonus Track) – 2011
- Face of Melinda – Still Life – 1999
- Faith in Others – Pale Communion – 2014
- Famine – Heritage – 2011
- Folklore – Heritage – 2011
- For Absent Friends – Deliverance – 2002
- Forest of October – Orchid – 1995
- Garden of Earthly Delights – In Cauda Venenum – 2019
- Ghost of Perdition – Ghost Reveries – 2005
- Goblin – Pale Communion – 2014
- Godhead’s Lament – Still Life – 1999
- Harvest – Blackwater Park – 2001
- Harvest (multimedia track) – Blackwater Park (Reissue) – 2001
- Häxprocess – Heritage – 2011
- Heart in Hand – In Cauda Venenum – 2019
- Heir Apparent – Watershed – 2008
- Heritage – Heritage – 2011
- Hessian Peel – Watershed – 2008
- Hex Omega – Watershed – 2008
- Hope Leaves – Damnation – 2003
- Hours of Wealth – Ghost Reveries – 2005
- I Feel the Dark – Heritage – 2011
- In Mist She Was Standing – Orchid – 1995
- In My Time of Need – Damnation – 2003
- Into the Frost of Winter (Bonus Track) – Orchid – 1995
- Isolation Years – Ghost Reveries – 2005
- Karma – My Arms, Your Hearse – 1998
- Lovelorn Crime – In Cauda Venenum – 2019
- Madrigal – My Arms, Your Hearse – 1998
- Marrow of the Earth – Heritage – 2011
- Master’s Apprentices – Deliverance – 2002
- Moon Above, Sun Below – Pale Communion – 2014
- Moonlapse Vertigo – Still Life – 1999
- Nectar – Morningrise – 1996
- Nepenthe – Heritage – 2011
- Next of Kin – In Cauda Venenum – 2019
- Patterns in the Ivy – Blackwater Park – 2001
- Patterns in the Ivy II – Blackwater Park (Reissue) – 2001
- Persephone – Sorceress – 2016
- Persephone (Slight Return) – Sorceress – 2016
- Porcelain Heart – Watershed – 2008
- Prologue – My Arms, Your Hearse – 1998
- Pyre – Heritage (Bonus Track) – 2011
- Remember Tomorrow (Iron Maiden cover) – My Arms, Your Hearse (2000 reissue) – 1998
- Requiem – Orchid – 1995
- Reverie/Harlequin Forest – Ghost Reveries – 2005
- River – Pale Communion – 2014
- Serenity Painted Death – Still Life – 1999
- Silhouette – Orchid – 1995
- Slither – Heritage – 2011
- Sorceress – Sorceress – 2016
- Sorceress 2 – Sorceress – 2016
- Spring MCMLXXIV – Sorceress (Limited Edition) – 2016
- Still Day Beneath the Sun – Blackwater Park (Reissue) – 2001
- Strange Brew – Sorceress – 2016
- The Amen Corner – My Arms, Your Hearse – 1998
- The Apostle in Triumph – Orchid – 1995
- The Baying of the Hounds – Ghost Reveries – 2005
- The Devil’s Orchard – Heritage – 2011
- The Drapery Falls – Blackwater Park – 2001
- The Drapery Falls (live with The Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra) – Sorceress (Limited Edition) – 2016
- The Funeral Portrait – Blackwater Park – 2001
- The Garroter – In Cauda Venenum – 2019
- The Grand Conjuration – Ghost Reveries – 2005
- The Leper Affinity – Blackwater Park – 2001
- The Lines in My Hand – Heritage – 2011
- The Lotus Eater – Watershed – 2008
- The Moor – Still Life – 1999
- The Night and the Silent Water – Morningrise – 1996
- The Seventh Sojourn – Sorceress – 2016
- The Twilight Is My Robe – Orchid – 1995
- The Ward – Sorceress (Limited Edition) – 2016
- The Wilde Flowers – Sorceress – 2016
- To Bid You Farewell – Morningrise – 1996
- To Rid the Disease – Damnation – 2003
- Under the Weeping Moon – Orchid – 1995
- Universal Truth – In Cauda Venenum – 2019
- Voice of Treason – Pale Communion – 2014
- Voice of Treason (live with The Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra) – Sorceress (Limited Edition) – 2016
- Weakness – Damnation – 2003
- When – My Arms, Your Hearse – 1998
- White Cluster – Still Life – 1999
- Will o the Wisp – Sorceress – 2016
- Windowpane – Damnation – 2003
- Wreath – Deliverance – 2002
Album Song Count (Running Total)
Orchid (1995): 8 songs (including bonus track)
Morningrise (1996): 6 songs (including bonus track)
My Arms, Your Hearse (1998): 11 songs (including 2000 reissue bonus tracks)
Still Life (1999): 7 songs
Blackwater Park (2001): 11 songs (including reissue bonus tracks)
Deliverance (2002): 6 songs
Damnation (2003): 8 songs
Ghost Reveries (2005): 8 songs
Watershed (2008): 10 songs (including special edition tracks)
Heritage (2011): 12 songs (including bonus tracks)
Pale Communion (2014): 8 songs
Sorceress (2016): 16 songs (including limited edition bonus tracks)
In Cauda Venenum (2019): 10 songs
The Last Will and Testament (2024): 8 songs
Check out our fantastic and entertaining Opeth articles, detailing in-depth the band’s albums, songs, band members, and more…all on ClassicRockHistory.com
Complete List Of Opeth Albums And Discography
Top 10 Opeth Songs
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Complete List Of Opeth Songs From A to Z article published on ClassicRockHistory.com© 2025
About The Author
Brian Kachejian
Brian Kachejian was born in Manhattan and raised in the Bronx. He is the founder and Editor in Chief of ClassicRockHistory.com. He has spent thirty years in the music business often working with many of the people who have appeared on this site. Brian Kachejian also holds B.A. and M.A. degrees from Stony Brook University along with New York State Public School Education Certifications in Music and Social Studies. Brian Kachejian is also an active member of the New York Press.