Opeth's heady brand of progressive metal / rock requires repeated listens to fully understand the complexity and nuances laid out within an album. Sorceress, the band's latest album, is no exception and the same standards are in play on the new music video for the track "Era."

The mysterious video starts off rather simple, just like the song which boasts a calm piano melody before the more vivacious aspects come into play. Standing side by side in the sand are a shirtless boy and a black-cloaked, masked figure, both staring straight ahead with uncertainty. The boy approaches a cloaked door with apprehension as the two step into its other-worldly confines.

The setting turns into a hazy red landscape as clips of fiery destruction play out, utilizing symbols of death. As the two continue, the cloaked figure beckons the boy to look onward with the raise of his arm. Putrefied remains poke out from the ground, twisted and contorted, hinting towards the next site, where Opeth's members loom, preserved in time.

”I have to say our involvement in the making of the 'Era' video was so minimal we can’t take credit either for or against its brilliance," began Opeth mastermind Mikael Akerfeldt. "We did 3D scans of our bodies (clothed) in Munich during the last European tour. I remember everyone’s extremely tired and probably slightly hungover. The director just placed us in a ice-cold room and then scanned us with something that looked like a flashing hairdryer. Done! We’ve done our part for the video. Next!"

"During the process of finishing the piece it got clear to me that it really works with the song," he continued. "That’s something I was involved in actually, picking the song. It’s extremely difficult. Which song to choose? How do I know what works best for this format? Well, I don’t. I picked a song from the record that has a strong chorus. Slightly old school way of thinking I guess, but ultimately it didn’t matter all that much to me. The video is nice. I dig it. It’s slightly on the pretentious side, but hey, works for me! And like I said, it really works with the overall vibe of the song. Lyrically and musically and definitely emotionally."

Opeth have a brief U.S. headlining run booked with Gojira and Devin Townsend Project as support acts. Get a list of all the stops at our 2017 Guide to Rock + Metal Tours and check listings carefully as the nightly lineup is not consistent throughout the trek.

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