NewsMay 13, 2006 12:43 AM ET9,142 views

Opeth drummer quits band

Official press release: After several months away from his drumming duties in Opeth, Martin Lopez has permanently decided to leave the group. After being plagued by illness and anxiety attacks Lopez decided he wanted to concentrate fully on his own project, currently unnamed. His replacement will be Martin "Axe" Axenrot who's been filling in for the last five tours and who also recorded with the band during the recent BBC sessions. Mikael Akerfeldt: "However sad I and the rest of the band feel in light of Lopez's departure I want to thank him for his incredible work with Opeth and immense dedication to the band. We recorded some classic stuff together and he obviously had an enormous impact on our sound. I now feel very excited to hear the material of his own band. In the meantime Opeth fans can rest assured that we'll continue jamming it out with Axe and we all have high expectations about our coming musical ventures."

37 comments

Post Comment

master_of_puppies 5/12/2006 9:49:01 PM

poor corduroy

kinglear 5/12/2006 9:56:09 PM

im saddened

Inimical 5/12/2006 10:07:31 PM

That sucks. All the best to everybody, though.

thisheartscoma 5/12/2006 10:07:54 PM

that band sucks i hope they broke up

Coldchain 5/12/2006 10:08:14 PM

I heard he was hard to tour with. Not because he was a dick or anything, but anxiety attacks are no joke. Too bad, solid drummer

Turd_Ferguson 5/12/2006 10:15:28 PM

Interesting...they aren't really that bad. That sucks.

FCI 5/12/2006 10:27:51 PM

axenrot, fcking a

anaturaldisaster 5/12/2006 11:10:19 PM

Sucks, he was an excellent drummer. I did notice a weaker performance from him on his last couple of tours though, I suppose it's for the best. Wasn't Gene Hoglan playing for them for a while?

cydrx 5/12/2006 11:26:16 PM

anxiety attacks

observethemoon 5/13/2006 12:12:16 AM

not cool. thisheartscoma 5/12/2006 10:07:54 PM that band sucks i hope they broke up You're an idiot

champ10n 5/13/2006 12:22:19 AM

hoglan played with them and they said he was doing all kinds of crazy shit behind the kit...why can't he drum for them and syl?

thisheartscoma 5/13/2006 2:13:48 AM

go fck yourself moonboy he is a true gay if he leaves one band due to panic attacks and still starts another project to do the same shit...tour. Seems like bullshit.

natestarkiller 5/13/2006 2:51:44 AM

^^gay

TedCopulate 5/13/2006 3:53:11 AM

This band sure likes to have a rhythm section full of guys named Martin.

thegodbuilder 5/13/2006 4:12:25 AM

Damnit...i loved Martin Lopez's fills and shit on Ghost Reveries. Axenrot's good...but he doesn't have as good of feel. and doesn't play the same fills live.

I_AM_FUCK 5/13/2006 4:57:33 AM

Axenrot is probably the most metal last name ever.

monarchy 5/13/2006 5:47:26 AM

he's right, the guy really did have a smooth style.

ChemicallyImbalancedSloth 5/13/2006 5:56:43 AM

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Dave2112 5/13/2006 8:04:00 AM

Mikael is a good dude, but lets not forget, Opeth is Mikaels band. That factor, mixed with panic attacks and the stress of being a pretty busy metal band was probably a little more then he could handle. If I cared, I wouldnt blame the guy.

Maniac 5/13/2006 8:59:32 AM

ChemicallyImbalancedSloth 5/13/2006 5:56:43 AM NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO dido

Coldchain 5/13/2006 11:14:46 AM

Exactly. He probanly hasn't given up on music, probably just doing stripped-down stuff

xdaretoscreamx 5/13/2006 12:45:27 PM

YOU fckING EMO PUSSIES!!! LIFE IS PAIN!!!!

applesacks 5/13/2006 12:50:46 PM

he was good, i think a band of that caliber should have a better drummer actually. he was too rigid if you ask me, no real style.

As_I_LayCrying 5/13/2006 2:12:35 PM

I_AM_fck 5/13/2006 4:57:33 AM Axenrot is probably the most metal last name ever.

cryptic_slaughter 5/13/2006 3:14:34 PM

HEROIN ADDICT

chiz 5/13/2006 8:58:44 PM

hoe in the fck did those dudes get a record contract.worst band,i could name a few more if anyones got time

natestarkiller 5/14/2006 1:29:03 AM

^^gay, can't spell either.

thisheartscoma 5/14/2006 3:40:40 AM

hey natestar no one gives a shit about you, so take your gay fcking n00b ass to another board c-cksucker. You lurk the news section calling random people expressing opinions gays because you don't have the balls to come on the message board.

xGETEVENx 5/14/2006 6:09:14 AM

When I saw this band live Gene's drumming was the only part I came even close to liking.

marching_band_rules 5/14/2006 10:27:58 AM

this band fcking sucks

matttdoan 5/15/2006 8:34:45 AM

gurrrrrrrrrr

LordofChaos 5/15/2006 9:31:34 AM

shitty news, seen the new drummer though and he fcking kills just as much.

xdxmx 5/15/2006 5:01:14 PM

i hope he feels better

emoxfag 5/15/2006 6:21:22 PM

he quit becuase opeth sucks. good for him!

freakboy666 5/17/2006 10:37:14 AM

I only recently have gotten into Opeth, so i dont really know how the new guy sounds behind a kit, but sad about lopez

MarbleDecker 5/17/2006 2:23:55 PM

Opeth is amazing. fck haters, especially those with short attention spans. Axenrot was amazing when I saw them last year, he played everything verbatim and well.

KoreanKibbles 1/11/2007 2:13:21 AM

Please, don't ever make Still Life or Ghost Reveries ever again. plzkthxbye




Related News

THE VANFLIP PODCAST
THE VANFLIP PODCAST
#174 - Brandon Byars of Your Spirit Dies

THE VANFLIP PODCAST
THE VANFLIP PODCAST
#173 - Ray Harkins of Taken/Bloodguilt