Opeth frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt and progressive rock icon Steven Wilson are officially discussing a new musical project. The two musicians previously collaborated on the critically acclaimed 2012 album Storm Corrosion under the moniker Storm Corrosion. Fans have been waiting over a decade for a follow-up.
In a new interview with Metal Hammer, the Opeth vocalist and guitarist confirmed that their schedules are finally aligning. The two friends recently met up during a tour stop in Australia and discussed working together again.
“We’re constantly talking about it,” Åkerfeldt stated. “We are going to try something at some point. How, when, et cetera, I don’t really know, but I met Steve recently. I went to see his show and we went out for a drink afterwards and hung out and talked a bit.”
He explained that both musicians are looking to shift their focus from the road to the studio.
“He was, like me, wanting to focus more on creative work for a period of time – as opposed to touring, touring, touring – which gives us an opening for a thing like that. He’s finished touring his last record [2025’s The Overview] and we’re touring our record [2024’s The Last Will And Testament] until the end of this year.”
While the original Storm Corrosion project is the obvious starting point, Åkerfeldt made it clear that they are not restricting themselves to that specific sound.
“I think the idea is always Storm Corrosion 2. But, knowing me and knowing Steve, we don’t really have a blueprint to follow, apart from the fact that we did a record [almost] 15 years ago.”
He continued: “I don’t think we’re going to follow the specific tone we set with that record, and depending on what comes out of it – if anything comes out of it – if it’s something that we would think is Storm Corrosion, then it’s Storm Corrosion.”
Steven Wilson and Mikael Åkerfeldt first connected in the early 2000s after Wilson, then fronting Porcupine Tree, heard the 1999 Opeth album Still Life. Wilson later co-produced Opeth‘s 2001 breakthrough record Blackwater Park, and provided guest vocals on the chorus of the song “Bleak“. He also co-produced the band’s next two albums, Deliverance (2002) and Damnation (2003).
Early planning for Storm Corrosion also briefly included Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy. He ultimately left the project in 2010. Åkerfeldt noted at the time that “there’s just no room for drums on what we’ve done so far”.
In the same interview, Åkerfeldt reflected on why a separate collaboration with Mike Portnoy never materialized, citing different creative goals.
“I love Mike, but I remember, once, we sat down and talked, [and I asked] ‘If we were to do something, what do you wanna do?’ He said he wanted to do something heavy. My mindset at the time was like, ‘I’d rather do something not heavy.’ We weren’t seeing eye-to-eye, at least at that point,” he said.
Åkerfeldt emphasized that before committing to anything, there needs to be a solid foundational concept that goes beyond just playing aggressive music.
“I wouldn’t want to be involved in the project unless it has a musical purpose… I like the initial idea to be there, other than, ‘Let’s make something heavy.’”
“Mike is a really lovely guy, but I never worked with him, and I can foresee that he would be a bit of an alpha in the studio. If we were to have a disagreement, what route would we take? Working with someone, especially if you’re passionate about music, can be a risk if you’re friends.”
