OPETH leader Mikael Åkerfeldt checks in with the following update:

"Mission: Impossible = Possible?

That's the way I always feel facing a recording, but yes, we're doing just fine.

Axe (Martin 'Axe' Axenrot) nailed the drums in 7 days which is just beyond me! The guy is amazing! He went up at 8 AM every morning and started pounding the drums until 6 - 7 PM. Then he started practicing again after dinner, we had to tell him to stop playing. He's truly outdone himself. Listening to the drum tracks alone makes me wanna bang my fucking head, but my stale old-mans neck prevents me. We're recording a total of 11 songs, 3 of them are covers that we're doing since we had some extra time, the rest are originals out of which I think we'll leave one off the album. Anyways, it's already my favourite Opeth record, but I'm a boasting cunt so... who cares?

The band is in terrific shape (musically that is...). We've gone out for long walks which sounds like fucking senior behaviour, but it's really nice clearing your mind for a while and talk about everyday stuff. We all cook for eachother, I do the dishes as usual. Gots to keep it sparkling clean! It's just a nice vibe down there...

We've been drunk only once so far! Had some wine, a few beers and a metal music quiz.

Jens is doing fine, him and the 2 drumtechs (Peter and Urban) has fixed us a nice drum sound. Axe is endorsed by DW drums and they must be the greatest? I don't know but to me they sound just fucking fantastic!

Tomorrow we'll start setting the rhythm guitar sound and it will be exciting! Or something like that, maybe not that exciting after all....

I've also recorded som vox for a friend of mine who's doing a solo album. I'm not sure if I can say who it is yet, but I guess it might interest some of you guys.

We've had great help from David Castillo as well, working with us after hours. Before our first break we worked from Thursday morning at 8 AM until Friday morning at 5 AM so our work ethic ís intact.

OK, just some info for ya! Hope is will well with you bastards!"