OPETH and KATATONIA have wrapped another successful leg of their "Last Will And Testament North American Tour Part 2" with a show at The Pageant in St. Louis, Missouri, closing out a run of dates that has been universally hailed as one of the finest progressive metal touring packages in recent memory. The venue, renowned for its excellent acoustics and 2,300-person capacity, provided an intimate yet substantial setting for the two Swedish masters to deliver their art.
OPETH's setlist at The Pageant reportedly featured a particularly adventurous selection, drawing from across Mikael Akerfeldt's vast compositional catalog. Fan reports cite performances of "Deliverance," "The Drapery Falls," and "Blackwater Park" alongside newer material from "The Last Will And Testament," creating a set that honored the band's death metal roots while showcasing their progressive evolution. Akerfeldt's between-song banter has become legendary on this tour, with the frontman delivering deadpan humor and self-deprecating stories that endear him to audiences and provide welcome breathing room between the music's emotional intensity.
KATATONIA's Jonas Renkse and OPETH's Akerfeldt have reportedly shared mutual admiration throughout the run, reflecting the deep friendship between the two bands that stretches back to the early '90s Stockholm scene. The two frontmen famously collaborated on KATATONIA's landmark 1998 album "Discouraged Ones," with Akerfeldt contributing vocals, and that creative bond remains evident in how seamlessly the two bands' aesthetics complement each other on a shared bill.
The St. Louis show marked the end of this particular run of dates, but additional North American shows are expected as the tour continues through mid-February. For fans who caught any of these performances, the consensus is clear: this was a tour that will be talked about for years to come, a reminder of what happens when two of progressive metal's most respected bands share a stage at the peak of their powers.