MetalPaths.com caught up with Opeth drummer Martin Axenrot at Hellfest in Clisson, France earlier this summer. An excerpt from the interview featuring discussion on the band's new album, Pale Communion, and new material from Bloodbath and Witchery is available below:

On Bloodbath's new record: "We have been recording for Bloodbath this year. I recorded the drum during April and May, so the record should be finished by this summer I think. It is possible to be released after the summer, in autumn maybe.It will definitely be a death metal as one. It is not going to be as technical and fast as the last one, because we went too far with the technical death sound in this. The album will still be as good. We went in the opposite way for this one; it can be claimed as an old-school death metal one."

On Witchery's new record: "We haven’t released something with Witchery for a long time, so I think it is about time to record something. I know Jensen (The Haunted) is home, recording demos and stuff about the new album. Maybe, if we have time this summer, hopefully we will record something."

Go to this location for the complete interview.

Roadrunner Records Germany has posted the second part of a new video interview with Opeth's Mikael Åkerfeldt and Fredrik Åkesson, who discuss the band's new album, Pale Communion, out this month via Roadrunner. See two parts of the interview below:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Opeth will release their eleventh studio album, Pale Communion, on August 25th in Europe, and on August 26th in North America via Roadrunner. Pale Communion was produced by the band’s very own Mikael Åkerfeldt and mixed by longtime collaborator and Porcupine Tree frontman/guitarist Steven Wilson.

Pre-orders for Pale Communion made via the iTunes Store will receive an instant download of "Cusp Of Eternity", with multiple configurations also available via both the Roadrunner Records Webstore and O Merch.

Pale Communion tracklisting:

"Eternal Rains Will Come"
"Cusp Of Eternity"
"Moon Above, Sun Below"
"Elysian Woes"
"Goblin"
"River"
"Voice Of Treason"
"Faith In Others"

"Eternal Rains":

"Cusp Of Eternity":

The new material find’s Opeth once again challenging the boundaries of extreme music. In a recent interview, Åkerfeldt stated, “I wanted to do something more melodic with this album... there’s stronger vocal melodies and more melodies overall... I was pretty consistent with that frame of mind throughout the writing process.”