OPETH's 2024 album "The Last Will and Testament" has been awarded Prog Album of the Year at the Classic Rock Awards ceremony held at the Eventim Apollo in London on March 7. The album, the Swedish progressive metal band's fourteenth studio effort, was celebrated by the judges and by a fan vote that placed it comfortably ahead of releases from PORCUPINE TREE, STEVEN WILSON, and DREAM THEATER. The win marks the band's third Classic Rock Award in as many years, following their wins for Best Live Act (2023) and Best International Band (2024).
Frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt was present at the ceremony to collect the award alongside drummer Martin "Axe" Axenrot and bassist Martin Mendez. In his acceptance speech, Åkerfeldt thanked the band's longtime fans while acknowledging that the album's dense, progressive rock-oriented approach — eschewing heavy metal elements almost entirely in favor of jazz-infused compositions and theatrical narrative structures — was a significant departure from what even longtime OPETH fans might expect.
"The Last Will and Testament" is a conceptual album exploring themes of inheritance, family dysfunction, and the hidden secrets of the upper class, structured as a gothic mystery narrative told through eight interconnected songs. It features guest appearances from Joe Rickard of RAMMSTEIN, classical soprano Katerina Mina, and film composer Nathan Barr. The album has been cited by multiple critics as one of the defining progressive rock statements of the 2020s. OPETH will support the win with a headline European tour in November–December 2026.