The band began following a more progressive path with Heritage, leading to negative reactions from some followers. During their first run of dates in support of the release, guitarist Fredrik Akesson told of a moment when the band were challenged to a duel by an unhappy supporter.

But things have changed since the launch of Pale Communion, Opeth's 11th title, in August last year. Akerfeldt tells The Rockpit: "Yeah I mean I do understand and appreciate that 'Heritage' was a little bit of a shock to fans who are more into the heavy, death metal type of sound and maybe it's a bit much to expect them to take it all in so we got a bit of sh*t for that record.

"I love that album with a passion because for me it was natural but I have seen that with the coming of the 'Pale Communion' record that people come up to me and say 'I did not like Heritage when it came out but when you put out Pale Communion I finally understood Heritage and now I'm starting to like it'.

"So I'm hoping it's going to escalate into a love for that record. People have been more gentle with us with 'Pale Communion' coming out but there is still...like I don't have social media, I don't correspond with the fans in that sense so I don't really get a lot of the confrontations about what the hell we are doing.

"My overall response to that question would be that, like you were saying, people might be getting used to and maybe understand a little bit better about what we are trying to do. And for me that is good of course, I never had a problem. For me it was never a big step, for everybody in the band it was not a massive thing for us to do 'Heritage' but I do accept that it might have been too curvy of a curve ball for people who are not in the band but now it's starting to calm down a little bit." Read more - here.

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