KIND OF BLUE
Martín Méndez was just 17 years old when he bought a one-way ticket from his native Uruguay to Sweden in the hope of pursuing a career in heavy metal. It was a risky move—he didn’t have any money or know a single word of Swedish, although ultimately the gamble paid off well. He would soon end up joining Opeth, the progressive rock pioneers led by singer/guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt, and now stands, 24 years on from relocating halfway across the world to fulfil his dream, as the group’s second-longest serving member after Åkerfeldt himself.
Edging away from the metallic extremes of their roots, Opeth’s last four albums have seen the quintet embracing cleaner vocals, less distortion and folky psychedelia, with some truly stunning results. This creative departure has also given Méndez an opportunity to revisit his death metal influences in White Stones,, arriving in quick succession after their debut album, .
