OPETH vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt checks in with the following update:

"I thought about the back door...

...I didn't know what to say..."

A classic rock line, pioneering the cock rock movement. Obviously KISS, from 'Nothin' To Lose' in 1975. Why am I telling you this? No reason, that's what's playing as I'm writing this.

We're holed up in a sterile "dressing room" somewhere in Poland. 5 shows into the Progressive Nation 2009 tour with DREAM THEATER, us, BIGELF and UNEXPECT.

Things are going well, we've played well I think pretty much every night. The first days of chaos has settled down and now everyone is in the regular touring mode.

The band's rejuvinated, after some rough times, we're more on fire than in quite some time I think. We've pulled out a bunch of songs we've never played and/or haven't played in a long time. 'Harlequin Forest' is going down well, as is 'Hex Omega'. Tonight we'll pull out 'April Ethereal' for the first time in years. Do I remember the lyrics? Yes! Why? How is it possible?

Melinda, Mirjam and my wife came out to the Stockholm show together with my mum and my sister with her kids. Was lovely to see them, and they liked the show, although Mirjam passed out in the middle of our set. She'd gone insane trying to rush the stage and she also tried to pull a few chords on stage.

There's really not that much for us to do on this tour apart from the show. We've spent the days watching films and having a few beers. Yesterday we saw the amazing Klaus Kinski documentary, My Best Friend, that Werner Herzog made about him. Warmly recommended. Makes "rock star" behaviour look like fuzzy bunny behaviour. What a psycho genius he was. Afterwards, I went to bed, but Axe and Per sat up drinking a few. Axe fell asleep in the bus toilet with his feet in the sink. I didn't think it was possible...

The DT guys are cool as always. Myung came up and said that he thinks Watershed is a "masterpiece" and that he listens to it pretty much everyday! Nice chap. Portnoy as always is running around being the perfect host. The other guys are practising most of the time, but they're all ace peeps! Bigelf too, great nice down to earth people and a fantastic band. I've loved them ever since the Closer To Doom CD and they do not dissapoint. Damon Fox looks a bit like Paul McCartney around Let It Be, but with longer hair.

The Unexpect people seem nice too although I haven't talked much to them yet.

Either way, hope you're all good, come and see us will ya?"