Gig Review: Opeth at the Sydney Opera House

Live review: Opeth at the Sydney Opera House on Monday, November 17 2025

By CRAIG DOWNES

OPETH are a special band.

Throughout their substantial career they have pushed the boundaries of heavy music’s often constrained borders of genre convention.  And they’ve challenged their audience to follow them on a journey into a deep forest of musical dynamics where the darkest depths of bleak intonement can be lurking and intertwine with textures of great beauty and light.

Theirs is a rich tapestry of extremes that will at one moment have you facing the guttural bowels of hell and the next, lilting ethereal hymns from above. It’s all bound together with a conscious thread that makes their compositions at once engaging and compelling.

Chief protagonist and band leader Mikael Àkerfeldt, accompanied by his merry band of worthy companions, have long displayed a dedicated singular vision. They’ve bravely and relentlessly carved their own impressions across the moody soundscapes of melodic death metal and into the rich expansive pastures of the essence of classic progressive rock.

I have observed over the years as this band’s bravery and influence have opened the doors and ears of perception of its audience, although perhaps at times confusing the occasional casual listener along the way. There has been an unwavering and boundless creative freedom Opeth has forged for themselves to the extent that the feeling is now they have created an environment where they can truly go anywhere they like on their musical adventure. And there is an ever growing, ever-trusting faithful prepared to go on that journey with them.

Being an appreciator of Opeth has always felt somewhat like a special club; it’s a special club that has grown to the extent it now demands they perform two sold out nights at the illustrious Sydney Opera House.

The atmosphere of excitement is heavy as we enter the hallowed halls of this astounding building and settle into the timbered, design-perfect acoustics of the concert hall.

Lights dim, we are confronted with the moody logo backdrop, an enigmatic intro tape and immediately the band plough into the crushingly powerful opening trio of ‘§1’, ‘Master’s Apprentices’ and ‘The Leper Affinity’. It’s haunting and dramatic, bold and riffy, blunt shards of guitar and keys dance amid the syncopated rhythms and growls and hushed lyricism. And it is plainly evident all is in place for an epic evening of material spanning a sizeable chunk of the groups 30 year-plus career.

Breaking from the musical deluge, Mikael takes time out for one of his characteristic chats and to introduce the band. His banter is light-hearted and infectious, he is clearly having a good time and taking the attendant hordes along with him.

‘§7’ returns us to the theme of the latest The Last Will and Testament album complete with Ian Anderson’s character voice over. ‘The Devil’s Orchard’ offers a crowd favourite from what some might see as a divergent period in the band’s career but really they were just widening their musical palette. Opeth has always had a very broad vision, spanning the brutal power of death metal, across the fields of subtle jazzy inflection and aching progressive folk and back again, every band member a  virtuoso in their approach and the level of musical dexterity on display is a delight at every twist and turn. There is a groove and swagger to their intensely progressive abandon. This combines with an almost arrogant musicality that blends to create a fusion that is a joyous thing to behold. The forceful intent is impressive but the subtlety and vision is infinity more so.

‘To Rid The Disease’ from the Damnation album further underlines the dynamism of this shapeshifting powerhouse with its gorgeous melodic refrain.

‘The Grand Conjuration’, ‘§3’ and ‘Demon of the Fall’ jolt us back to brutal reality in a profuse manner. The production values of this presentation further enhance the haunting nature of the material, ghostly forest background imagery offset with blinding multicoloured strobe lighting creating the perfect visual display to compliment the torrents of aural shockwaves. The acoustic qualities of the room are to the fore as it all coalesces in a rich sensory overload. The stunning level of musical chops these guys possess is again apparent for all to see. From the percussive interplay of the rock solid, locked-in rhythm section of new drummer Vàyrynen and bassist Mèndez through the stinging attack and melodic runs of guitarist Àkesson to the stabbing chords and colourful flourishes of keyboard maestro Svalberg and led by Àkerfeldt’s chilling vocal abilities, tasteful guitar work and disarming demeanour, it’s a potent and affecting performance.
They bring the set to its epic conclusion with exhilarating renditions of ‘Ghost of Perdition’ and ‘Deliverance’, both towering testaments to the power and majesty that this type of music can present.

Tonight Opeth repay their followers faith in the journey and the six-year wait for a return to these shores with a powerful and commanding masterclass.

A special band, a special venue, a very special evening!