# List of Opeth band members

Opeth is a Swedish progressive metal band from Stockholm. Formed in 1990, the group originally featured vocalist David Isberg, guitarists Mikael "Micke" Bergström and Dan Nilsson, bassist Martin Persson, and drummer Amirion "Rille" Evén. Isberg invited Mikael Åkerfeldt to play bass later that year, who in 1992 would take over as frontman. The current lineup of Opeth features Åkerfeldt on guitars and lead vocals, Martín Méndez on bass (since 1997), Fredrik Åkesson on guitars and backing vocals (since 2007), Joakim Svalberg on keyboards and backing vocals (since 2011), and Waltteri Väyrynen on drums (since 2022).

## History
### 1990–2003

David Isberg formed Opeth in April 1990 with Mikael "Micke" Bergström, Dan Nilsson, Martin Persson and Amirion "Rille" Evén. During an early rehearsal, Isberg brought in Mikael Åkerfeldt to replace Persson on bass without informing the rest of the band, all of whom he fired following the event. The remaining pair of Isberg and Åkerfeldt completed the second lineup of Opeth with the addition of guitarist Andreas Dimeo, bassist Nick Döring and drummer Anders Nordin. Dimeo and Döring both left after the band's first show in February 1991, with Kim Pettersson and Johan De Farfalla (both members of local "sleazy metal" band Crimson Cat) taking their places. De Farfalla left after the group's second show, with Peter Lindgren joining on bass for a third performance later in the year, after which Petterson left and Lindgren switched to guitar. Founding frontman Isberg also left Opeth in early 1992 due to "creative differences". Åkerfeldt later recalled that "at the time, I thought [Isberg's departure] was good for the band, as he no longer seemed as interested as the rest of us".
Following Isberg's departure, Åkerfeldt took over as the lead vocalist of Opeth, and writing for a debut studio album began with Lindgren and Nordin. After a period as a three-piece, Mattias Ander briefly joined as the group's bassist, before Stefan Guteklint joined later in the year. Guteklint was fired by Åkerfeldt and Lindgren just over a year later, with former bassist De Farfalla returning for the recording of the group's debut album Orchid. After a tour in promotion of the group's second album Morningrise in 1996, Åkerfeldt and Lindgren fired De Farfalla without consulting Nordin, which also led to him leaving. Opeth briefly considered breaking up, before bringing in drummer Martin Lopez and later bassist Martín Méndez; bass on 1998's My Arms, Your Hearse was recorded by Åkerfeldt, as Méndez had joined too late to contribute.

### Since 2003

After the release of Damnation in 2003, which marked a change in the band's musical style to a more keyboard-heavy progressive rock-influenced sound, Opeth added Per Wiberg as a touring keyboardist. He later became an official member of the band in 2005. After suffering a string of stress-related illnesses and panic attacks, Lopez ceased performing with Opeth in August 2005, with Martin "Axe" Axenrot filling for a number of tours. By the following May the regular drummer had officially left the band, with Axenrot officially taking his place. Lindgren left the group a year later, stating that he had "lost some of the enthusiasm and inspiration needed to participate in [the] band". He was replaced by Fredrik Åkesson. In April 2011, it was announced that Wiberg had left the band. He was replaced by Joakim Svalberg.
The lineup of Åkerfeldt, Åkesson, Méndez, Axenrot and Svalberg remained stable for ten years, before it was announced in November 2021 that Axenrot had left the band due to a "conflict of interests". He was replaced for upcoming tour dates by Therion's Sami Karppinen, before former Paradise Lost drummer Waltteri Väyrynen joined as a full time replacement.

## Members
### Current

| Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
| Mikael Åkerfeldt | 1990–present | lead vocals (since 1992)guitarsbass (1990, 1992, 1997)piano (1997, 2011)mellotron (2005, 2011) | all Opeth releases |
| Martín Méndez | 1997–present | bassoccasional backing vocals | all Opeth releases from Still Life (1999) onwards |
| Fredrik Åkesson | 2007–present | guitarsbacking vocals | all Opeth releases from Watershed (2008) onwards |
| Joakim Svalberg | 2011–present | keyboardsbacking vocals | all Opeth releases from Heritage (2011) onwards |
| Waltteri Väyrynen | 2022–present | drumspercussionbacking vocals | The Last Will and Testament (2024) |

### Former

| Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
| David Isberg | 1990–1992 | vocals | none |
| Mikael Bergström | 1990 | guitar | none |
| Dan Nilsson | 1990 | guitar | none |
| Martin Persson | 1990 | bass | none |
| Amirion "Rille" Evén | 1990 | drums | none |
| Anders Nordin | 1990–1997 | drumspercussionpiano (1994) | Orchid (1995)Morningrise (1996) |
| Andreas Dimeo | 1990–1991 | guitars | none |
| Nick Döring | 1990–1991 | bass | none |
| Kim Pettersson | 1991 | guitars | none |
| Johan De Farfalla | 19911994–1997 | bassbacking vocals | Orchid (1995)Morningrise (1996) |
| Peter Lindgren | 1991–2007 | guitars (from 1992)bass (1991–1992) | all Opeth releases from Orchid (1995) to The Roundhouse Tapes (2007) |
| Mattias Ander | 1992 | bass | none |
| Stefan Guteklint | 1992–1994 | bass | Orchid (1995) – 2000 reissue bonus track onlyMorningrise (1996) – 2000 reissue bonus track only |
| Martin Lopez | 1997–2006 | drums | all Opeth releases from My Arms, Your Hearse (1998) to Ghost Reveries (2005) |
| Per Wiberg | 2005–2011 (touring 2003–2005) | keyboardsbacking vocals | all Opeth releases from Lamentations (2003) to Heritage (2011) |
| Gene Hoglan | 2004 (substitute) | drums | none |
| Martin "Axe" Axenrot | 2006–2021 (touring 2005–2006) | drums | all Opeth releases from The Roundhouse Tapes (2007) to In Cauda Venenum (2019) |
| Sami Karppinen | 2021–2022 (touring) | drums | none |

### Session

| Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
| Fredrik Nordström | 1997 | engineeringHammond organ | My Arms, Your Hearse (1998) |
| Steven Wilson | 2000200220032014 | clean and backing vocalspianoMellotronkeyboardsadditional guitarsproductionengineering | Blackwater Park (2001) Deliverance (2002) Damnation (2003) Pale Communion (2014) |
| Nathalie Lorichs | 2007–2008 | female vocals | Watershed (2008) |
| Karin Svensson | 2007–2008 | violin | Watershed (2008) |
| Andreas Tengberg | 2007–2008 | cello | Watershed (2008) |
| Lisa Almberg | 2007–2008 | English hornoboe | Watershed (2008) |
| Christoffer Wadensten | 2007–2008 | flute | Watershed (2008) |
| Björn J:son Lindh | 2011 (died 2013) | flute | Heritage (2011) |
| Alex Acuña | 2011 | percussion | Heritage (2011) |
| Charlie Dodd | 2011 | sound effects | Heritage (2011) |
| Dave Stewart | 20142024 | string arrangements | Pale Communion (2014) The Last Will and Testament (2024) |
| Wil Malone | 2016 | string arrangements | Sorceress (2016) |
| Pascale Marie Vickery | 2016 | spoken words | Sorceress (2016) |
| Mirjam Åkerfeldt | 2024 | spoken words | The Last Will and Testament (2024) |
| Ian Anderson | 2024 | flutespoken word | The Last Will and Testament (2024) |
| Joey Tempest | 2024 | backing vocals | The Last Will and Testament (2024) |
| Mia Westlund | 2024 | harp | The Last Will and Testament (2024) |

## Lineups

| Period | Members | Releases |
| 1990 | David Isberg – vocals Mikael "Micke" Bergström – guitars Dan Nilsson – guitars Martin Persson – bass Amirion "Rille" Evén – drums | none |
| 1990 | David Isberg – vocals Mikael Åkerfeldt – bass, guitars, backing vocals | none |
| 1990–1991 | David Isberg – vocals Mikael Åkerfeldt – guitars, backing vocals Anders Nordin – drums Andreas Dimeo – guitars Nick Döring – bass | none |
| 1991 | David Isberg – vocals Mikael Åkerfeldt – guitars, backing vocals Anders Nordin – drums Kim Pettersson – guitars Johan De Farfalla – bass | none |
| 1991 | David Isberg – vocals Mikael Åkerfeldt – guitars, backing vocals Anders Nordin – drums Kim Pettersson – guitars Peter Lindgren – bass | none |
| 1991 – early 1992 | David Isberg – vocals Mikael Åkerfeldt – guitars, backing vocals, bass Anders Nordin – drums Peter Lindgren – bass, guitars | none |
| 1992 | Mikael Åkerfeldt – vocals, guitars, bass Anders Nordin – drums Peter Lindgren – bass, guitars | none |
| 1992 | Mikael Åkerfeldt – vocals, guitars Anders Nordin – drums Peter Lindgren – guitars Mattias Ander – bass | none |
| 1992 – early 1994 | Mikael Åkerfeldt – vocals, guitars Anders Nordin – drums Peter Lindgren – guitars Stefan Guteklint – bass | Orchid (2000) – reissue bonus track Morningrise (2000) – reissue bonus track |
| Early 1994 – spring 1997 | Mikael Åkerfeldt – vocals, guitars Anders Nordin – drums Peter Lindgren – guitars Johan De Farfalla – bass, backing vocals | Orchid (1995) Morningrise (1996) |
| Summer 1997 | Mikael Åkerfeldt – vocals, guitars, bass, piano Peter Lindgren – guitars Martin Lopez – drums | My Arms, Your Hearse (1998) |
| Fall 1997 – June 2003 | Mikael Åkerfeldt – vocals, guitars Peter Lindgren – guitars Martin Lopez – drums Martín Méndez – bass | Still Life (1999) Blackwater Park (2001) Deliverance (2002) "Still Day Beneath the Sun" (2003) Damnation (2003) |
| June 2003 – May 2006 | Mikael Åkerfeldt – vocals, guitars Peter Lindgren – guitars Martin Lopez – drums Martín Méndez – bass Per Wiberg – keyboards, backing vocals (was a touring member only until May 2005) | Lamentations (2003) Ghost Reveries (2005) |
| May 2006 – May 2007 | Mikael Åkerfeldt – vocals, guitars Peter Lindgren – guitars Martín Méndez – bass Per Wiberg – keyboards, backing vocals Martin Axenrot – drums (had substituted for Lopez since August 2005) | The Roundhouse Tapes (2007) |
| May 2007 – April 2011 | Mikael Åkerfeldt – vocals, guitars Martín Méndez – bass Per Wiberg – keyboards, backing vocals Martin Axenrot – drums Fredrik Åkesson – guitars, backing vocals | Watershed (2008) In Live Concert at the Royal Albert Hall (2010) "The Throat of Winter" (2011) Heritage (2011) |
| June 2011 – November 2021 | Mikael Åkerfeldt – vocals, guitars Martín Méndez – bass Martin Axenrot – drums Fredrik Åkesson – guitars, backing vocals Joakim Svalberg – keyboards, backing vocals | Pale Communion (2014) Sorceress (2016) Garden of the Titans (2018) In Cauda Venenum (2019) |
| November 2021 – September 2022 | Mikael Åkerfeldt – vocals, guitars Martín Méndez – bass Fredrik Åkesson – guitars, backing vocals Joakim Svalberg – keyboards, backing vocals Sami Karppinen – drums (touring only) | none |
| September 2022 – present | Mikael Åkerfeldt – vocals, guitars Martín Méndez – bass Fredrik Åkesson – guitars, backing vocals Joakim Svalberg – keyboards, backing vocals Waltteri Väyrynen – drums, percussion, backing vocals | The Last Will and Testament (2024) |