Photos by: Angie New
Words by: Matt New
Long regarded as the crown jewel of Australia’s cultural landscape, the Sydney Opera House has traditionally been a sanctuary for classical repertoire, contemporary dance, and the refined tastes of the city’s artistic elite. Yet over the last decade, this iconic venue has embraced a shifting cultural tide, opening its sails to the rising global prestige of heavy metal and its many sub-genres. As genre boundaries dissolve and heavy music enters a new golden age of mainstream recognition, it has become increasingly common to see its most innovative ambassadors step onto the world’s most hallowed stages with Parkway Drive demonstrating earlier this year that heaviness can sit comfortably beneath the Opera House’s sculptural grandeur.
It is fitting, then, that Opeth, a band whose reputation has been built on pushing the limits of progressive metal and rock, would return to this venue for a second time. For more than three decades, the Swedish ensemble has remained one of the genre’s most steadfast pillars, continually reinventing themselves while never abandoning the intricate, emotionally expansive sound that earned them a devoted following.
Brisbane’s own Caligula’s Horse, long considered the standard-bearers of technical mastery in the Australian metal scene, opened the evening with a performance that felt tailor-made for the Opera House’s immaculate acoustic design. Beginning with Dream the Dead, the band guided the audience through a sweeping sonic landscape of lush harmonies, rhythmic dexterity, and cinematic crescendos. It was a markedly different environment from the typical clubs and festivals where fans express their appreciation through movement; here, applause rippled through the hall in waves, respectful yet deeply enthusiastic.
Sam Vallen’s guitar work was, as always, immaculate, fluid yet precise, weaving complex melodies with an ease that betrayed the difficulty of the material. Between songs, the band’s frontman Jim Grey highlighted his dry humour, cutting through the formality of the setting, quipping ‘Not bad for metal club‘ and later challenging the audience, half jokingly, half rebelliously, to ‘set a record for saying the word c*** the loudest,‘ eliciting both laughter and a collective sense of mischief.
The combination of Bloom and Marigold was an apt and carefully crafted selection to the band’s set, as it highlighted the celebration of the Bloom album’s 10th anniversary. The inclusion of The Ascent, taken from the 2020 release Rise Radiant, has been a track rarely performed live, further elevated their set into something genuinely special. In every sense, Caligula’s Horse proved to be a pitch-perfect choice to open for Opeth: musically sophisticated, emotionally resonant, and undeniably world-class.
Few bands embody dynamic contrast and stylistic breadth as fully as Opeth, whose music draws as much from jazz, folk, classical and ambient soundscapes as it does from death metal and 1970s progressive rock. From the first notes of S3, the group established complete dominance over the room, an immediate and commanding presence delivered with unwavering force.
Frontman and guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt, the sole remaining founding member of the Swedish quintet, remains one of heavy music’s most compelling figures. Though understated in demeanour, his range is nothing short of astonishing: ethereal, crystalline cleans shifting effortlessly into the cavernous growls that defined the band’s early years. His guitar work, performed on an array of stunning PRS instruments, was equally impressive, interlacing complex leads and rhythmic phrases while simultaneously handling vocal duties with the utmost of ease..
What initially seemed an unlikely venue choice quickly revealed itself to be inspired. The Opera House’s peerless acoustics showcased every nuance of Opeth’s richly layered arrangements. Even in the required theatre seating, fans found ways to channel the kinetic energy of the music, heads swaying and banging in rhythmic unison. One exuberant metalhead even attempted a one-person mosh pit, flinging his hair with wild abandon, clearly lost within the music’s spell.
The first major arc of the set culminated in devastating performances of The Master’s Apprentices and The Leper Affinity, delivered with a ferocity that belied the serene surroundings. Only then did Åkerfeldt pause to speak, offering a blend of humility, jet-lagged candour, and his trademark dark and sarcastic humour. The crowd heckled affectionately; he embraced every jeer like a seasoned comedian volleying with an adoring room.
Touring in support of 2024’s critically acclaimed The Last Will and Testament, Opeth exercised restraint in leaning too heavily on new material, instead presenting a career-spanning selection that honoured each era of their 35-year legacy. The result was a setlist as diverse and unpredictable as the band’s history itself.
Opeth’s current lineup is a testament to the band’s relentless pursuit of virtuosity. Martin Mendez on bass guitar, is the second-longest-serving member, anchoring the sound with thunderous low-end counterpoint, seamlessly shifting between metallic intensity and melodic elevation. Joakim Svalberg provided a constant stream of essential textures, Mellotron choirs, spectral strings, and delicate piano lines, while delivering exquisite backing vocals that enriched Åkerfeldt’s velvety lead vocal timbres. Fredrik Åkesson on guitar, acted as the yin to Åkerfeldt’s yang, trading solos and harmonised passages with equal parts precision and fire. Finally, Waltteri Väyrynen on the drumkit, the newest addition to the Opeth family, delivered a jaw-dropping performance. Playing entirely without a click track, by Åkerfeldt’s own proud admission. Väyrynen’s accuracy, power, and groove bordered on the superhuman.
The band’s greatest moments of the night came with The Grand Conjuration and Ghost of Perdition, both executed with such intensity and emotional potency that they seemed to transcend even Opeth’s already sky-high standards. After a brief exit, the band returned for an encore. In a moment of unexpected levity, Mendez teased a riff reminiscent of the Seinfeld theme before they launched into a monumental rendition of Deliverance, a track beloved by fans of the band’s era working closely with Steven Wilson,a formative period for many in the audience.
As this was my first metal performance at the Sydney Opera House, I initially wondered whether the grandeur of the venue and the intensity of the music would complement or resist each other. The answer became abundantly clear: this was a marriage not only of compatibility but of spectacular synergy. Both Caligula’s Horse and Opeth delivered what may stand as two of the finest live performances of 2025, their artistry elevated even further by the sonic purity and architectural majesty of one of the world’s great cultural landmarks.
For the Australian and New Zealand audiences awaiting the remainder of this tour, a rare treat lies ahead: an evening of progressive metal perfection presented in some of the region’s most exquisite venues. It is an experience that is not only musically profound, but undeniably luxurious, a celebration of artistic ambition, technical mastery, and the ever-expanding horizons of heavy music
OPETH
CALIGULA’S HORSE
