With Opeth recently wrapping up their North American co-headlining tour with Mastodon and their last release ‘Heritage’ about to turn a year old in September, vocalist and guitarist Mikael Akerfeldt said that he has started writing for a new disc, although he admits that the writing process is only in the beginning stages.

PitCam.TV spoke to Akerfeldt at the 2012 Wacken Open Air festival held in Germany on Aug. 2-4. During the interview, Akerfeldt is asked if Opeth had begun to work on a new disc yet. “I’ve been writing a little. I’m going on a trip soon, next week, on my own, actually, which I’ve never done before,” answered Akerfeldt. “I’m gonna bring the guitar and write some stuff, hopefully.”

Although new music is starting to flow, the band still has unfinished business with ‘Heritage.’ “I think we’re still touring, and we still have another European tour coming up in the fall,” explains Akerfeldt. “And that kind of prevents me from getting too into the work — the creative process. I’m gonna start writing more from real once we finish the tour because I don’t have much.”

Akerfeldt also touched on the lineup changes the band has gone through throughout their existence, explaining, “All the changes, as far as I’m concerned, have been for the better. There wouldn’t  be changes if everything was good. Those changes happened for a reason.” He summed it up, saying, “At this point we’re a happy bunch, we get along great and we play good.”

Watch the PitCam.TV Interview with Opeth’s Mikael Akerfeldt

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