If there was any doubt of the enduring relevance and technical prowess of Opeth, the band's second lap of their Last Will and Testament tour officially put that to bed.

The Swedish heavy music veterans executed a clinic during the SoCal stop of their most recent run, sharing selections from their lauded 2024 full length, The Last Will and Testament, as well as a trove of catalog essentials that have clearly withstood the test of time. Folding in dazzling entries like "To Rid the Disease" from 2003's Damnation and the mammoth "Master's Apprentice" from Deliverance, the band's longest tenured followers found instant gratification. 

Of course the selections from The Last Will and Testament were among the band's most effective. From "§1," "§7" and "§3" - the opulence of the songs combined with the band's precision delivery make for a live spectacle that consumed the auditorium. Mikael Åkerfeldt remains a luminary in the space and presided over Opeth's grandiose brand of heft with absolute command. 

Completing the stage time with emphasis, Opeth reemerged for an encore that included a marathon rendition of "Deliverance" that shook the room. The nuanced twists and turns of the finale unleashed a final blow that left no doubt of Opeth's enduring dominance and dexterity. 

Check the gallery of images below from Maurice Nunez. 

OPETH

KATATONIA