OPETH's "The Last Will And Testament North American Tour Part 2" continues its critically acclaimed run with KATATONIA, heading to the Midwest this week with marquee shows at the Masonic Theatre in Detroit and the Riviera Theatre in Chicago. The co-headlining package pairs two of Sweden's most important progressive metal exports in a double bill that offers complementary but distinct flavors of atmospheric, emotionally rich heavy music.
The tour supports OPETH's universally praised album "The Last Will And Testament," released in October 2024 via Reigning Phoenix Music. The album marked a pivotal moment in OPETH's career, seeing frontman Mikael Akerfeldt return to the growling vocal style he had largely abandoned after 2008's "Watershed," while maintaining the progressive sophistication and compositional ambition that characterized the band's more recent output. The result was an album that satisfied both longtime fans who missed the band's death metal roots and newer listeners drawn to their progressive evolution.
Akerfeldt himself described the return of growling as feeling natural and organic rather than forced — a creative decision driven by the demands of the songwriting rather than commercial pressure or fan expectation. The live performances have validated this assessment, with Akerfeldt seamlessly integrating the heavier vocal approach into sets that span the band's entire 30-year catalog.
KATATONIA, meanwhile, are promoting their own material with their "Waking State Of North America 2026" dates, running concurrently within the co-headlining framework. The Swedish progressive doom/post-metal pioneers, led by vocalist Jonas Renkse and guitarist Anders Nystrom, offer a more melancholic and introspective counterpoint to OPETH's dynamic range. The co-headlining package wraps March 12 at Brooklyn Steel in New York, concluding what has been one of the most musically rewarding tours of the winter season.