Written by:	Talie Eigeland
Published:	November 19, 2012
Event:	Opeth: European Tour 2012
Location:	Metropolitan University, Leeds, United Kingdom
Galleries:	Opeth + Anathema - Leeds, England, 15.11.12 by Talie Eigeland (16)

Touring with Opeth is a big deal. Even though some followers have recently chosen to unfollow after the band's last album, it will forever remain an enormously big deal. Apparently, some are here as much for Anathema as they are for Opeth. Their music is now distinctly softer than it used to be and though I'm not sure pairing the two bands makes entire sense, Anathema are good, so it'll do.



As per, Opeth's members have moustaches in various stages of Movember. We're in fear of excessive prog, what with only one kick drum on stage and lots of proggy interval music, but let me reassure you that the concert is kick-ass so don't snob this tour on account of any previous issues with Heritage. Turns out you might come round to at least some of it, and while the opening song is off the latest album, they only play one other from that disc and, controversy ahoy, it's groovy.



We get "Deliverance", "power ballad"/"the one that was supposed to be a hit single but that nobody liked" i.e. "Burden" and some other classics, along with a couple of less expected songs that we thought we'd never see live again. You know when you sometimes find the end of "Deliverance" a bit long-lasting? Well, it's really not. 10 songs, full two-hour show. When Mikael says it's going to be experimental, that's your next 25 minutes called for. People want "Demon Of The Fall" but Opeth say it's been done to death and apparently Mendez, before the encore, said no fucking requests. However it is pointed out that London might be surprised the night after, so let's wait and see, yes?



Setlist: The Devil's Orchard / Ghost of Perdition / White Cluster / Hope Leaves / Burden / Deliverance / Hessian Peel / Famine / Reverie/Harlequin Forest / Blackwater Park