“He says he’s mediocre. I understand – I say the same thing. But he’s a great musician, and that has nothing to do with ability”: What Mikael Åkerfeldt’s peers really think of him

Mikael Akerfeldt.

As frontman of prog-metal stalwarts Opeth, Mikael Åkerfeldt transformed his band from their death metal roots to become one of the most tantalising prospects in modern prog – and won himself some pretty noteworthy friends and fans along the way. In 2017 Prog caught up with four of them to talk music, collaborations, and what it’s really like to be mates with prog’s golden boy.

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