Opeth frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt has revealed that the creation of the band’s own imprint, Moderbolaget, had far less to do with long-term business strategy and far more to do with aesthetics.
In a recent interview with “Prog Project,” Åkerfeldt explained that his decision to establish a dedicated label stemmed from a very specific frustration during Opeth’s time working with Nuclear Blast Records. Known for his attention to detail across every aspect of the band’s output — from compositions to artwork — Åkerfeldt admitted that the label’s branding never quite sat right with him.
“We started it as a… It’s a silly story, actually,” Åkerfeldt said. “Because we were signed to Nuclear Blast Records. I always thought Nuclear Blast sounded so silly. I didn’t want it to say Nuclear Blast on the record.”
Rather than accepting the situation, Åkerfeldt attempted to sidestep the issue by forming a label of his own, hoping it would offer Opeth a cleaner visual presentation.
“Okay, let’s start our own label, Moderbolaget, which means ‘parent label’, you can say,” he explained. “But of course, at the end of the day, we still had the Nuclear Blast logo on the record, so it didn’t matter. But that’s really why we started it.”
While the origin of Moderbolaget may have been rooted in a tongue-in-cheek annoyance, Åkerfeldt noted that the idea was also informed by artists who took ownership of their work through self-founded labels.
“It’s also looking at bands like The Beatles, who had Apple Records, and Led Zeppelin, who had Swan Song,” he said. “It’s not 100% serious, but technically, we could sign other bands.”
For now, however, Åkerfeldt made it clear that Moderbolaget isn’t operating as an active label in the traditional sense, though he didn’t rule out the possibility entirely.
“Well, not really, but we could,” he said when asked about signing artists. “Maybe that could be my retirement plan. Be a record boss, mogul, buy a suit, and smoke cigars.”
At present, Opeth remain focused on touring. The band is set to return to North America next month for a run of dates with Katatonia, beginning February 5 at The Wellmont Theater in Montclair, New Jersey, and concluding February 25 at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia. The tour comes in support of The Last Will and Testament, the band’s latest studio album.
The Last Will And Testament North American Tour Part 2, 2026 tour dates:
- 05.02.2026 US – Montclair, The Wellmont Theater
- 06.02.2026 US – Boston, Orpheum Theatre
- 07.02.2026 US – Philadelphia, The Filmore Philadelphia
- 10.02.2026 US – Detroit, Masonic Jack White Theatre
- 11.02.2026 US – Chicago, Riviera Theatre
- 12.02.2026 US – St-Louis, The Pageant
- 14.02.2026 US – Dallas, The Bomb Factory
- 15.02.2026 US – Houston, Bayou Music Center
- 16.02.2026 US – San Antonio, Majestic Theatre
- 18.02.2026 US – Colorado Springs, Pikes Peak Center
- 20.02.2026 US – Las Vegas, The Pearl
- 21.02.2026 US – Riverside, Riverside Municipal Auditorium
- 22.02.2026 US – Sacramento, Channel 24
- 24.02.2026 US – Seattle, Paramount Theatre
- 25.02.2026 CA – Vancouver, Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre
Opeth’s latest album was written by Åkerfeldt, with lyrics conferred with Klara Rönnqvist Fors (The Heard, ex-Crucified Barbara). The Last Will And Testament was co-produced by Åkerfeldt and Stefan Boman (Ghost, The Hellacopters), engineered by Boman, Joe Jones (Killing Joke, Robert Plant), and Opeth, with Boman, Åkerfeldt, and the rest of the band mixing at Atlantis and Hammerthorpe Studios in Stockholm. The strings on The Last Will And Testament were arranged by Åkerfeldt and Dave Stewart (Egg, Khan) and conducted by Stewart at Angel Studios in London. Not one to miss a beat, visual artist Travis Smith returns to the fold, crafting his 11th cover, a haunting ‘photograph’ reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick‘s infamous Overlook Hotel photograph. Miles Showell (ABBA, Queen) also revisits mastering and vinyl lacquer cutting at Abbey Road Studios in London.
