Today’s tempest in a teapot concerns the hoary old hairsplitting over whether Sweden’s Opeth is a death-metal band or an authentically progressive rock ensemble or just an arty hard-rock combo or some kind of heavily rocking mishmash of all of the above. What the hell difference does it make, says mainman singer-guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt, whose veteran crew celebrated its 25th anniversary with the August release of Pale Communion (Roadrunner), a searing, soaring blast of supremely melodic, finely crafted, spot-the-prog-reference music that, like its predecessor Heritage, veers ever further away from the band’s brontosaurian death roots and Cookie Monster vocals. Openers: Swedish metalheads In Flames and Portland’s Red Fang.

Tue., Dec. 9, 6:30 p.m., 2014
(Expired: 12/09/14)

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