Martin Axenrot's Drum Setup on Opeth's In Cauda Venenum (2019) | MetalForge

Frequently Asked Questions

What drum kit did Martin Axenrot use on Opeth's In Cauda Venenum?

Martin Axenrot recorded In Cauda Venenum (2019) using the same Pearl Reference Series kit he had played since Heritage (2011): twin 22"x18" bass drums, 10" and 12" rack toms, and 14" and 16" floor toms, paired with a Pearl Reference Maple Snare (14"x5.5"). His cymbals were Meinl Byzance Traditional and Dark series — 14" Traditional Medium Hi-Hats, 16" and 18" Traditional crashes, a 19" Dark Crash, and a 22" Traditional Medium Ride — driven by Pearl Demon Drive direct-drive twin pedals. The album was recorded at Park Studios and Junkmail Studios in Stockholm, with strings tracked separately at Angel Recording Studios in London, produced by Mikael Åkerfeldt with Stefan Boman co-producing, engineering, and mixing.

Why did Opeth release In Cauda Venenum in both Swedish and English?

Mikael Åkerfeldt originally wrote and recorded In Cauda Venenum entirely in Swedish — his native language, and one Opeth had essentially never sung in before aside from a single cover song years earlier. For a while, the Swedish version was the only planned release. As the songwriting progressed, Åkerfeldt grew anxious that the language barrier would keep fans from hearing music he was proud of, so he tracked a full parallel English-language vocal version using his own translations. Both versions share the exact same instrumental performances, including Martin Axenrot's drum tracks — only the vocal language differs. Åkerfeldt has said the Swedish version is the "real" record and his personal preference, even though the English version reaches a wider international audience.

How did Martin Axenrot's playing on In Cauda Venenum differ from the Heritage/Pale Communion/Sorceress trilogy?

In Cauda Venenum asked Axenrot to serve the widest dynamic range and the most orchestrally dense arrangements of his Opeth tenure. Heritage (2011) established maximum restraint with jazz brushes and minimal kick. Pale Communion (2014) added compositional ambition within that restrained vocabulary. Sorceress (2016) reintroduced heavier riff passages and more assertive kick work. In Cauda Venenum combines all three: whisper-quiet passages that recede behind Dave Stewart's string arrangements, restrained ghost-note verses inherited from the Lopez era, and heavier tracks like "Dignity" and "The Garroter" that bring back sustained twin-kick double bass connecting directly to Axenrot's Watershed-era extreme metal roots. It is the fullest single-album expression of everything Axenrot had developed since 2008.

Was In Cauda Venenum Martin Axenrot's last album with Opeth?

Yes. In Cauda Venenum (2019) is Martin Axenrot's final studio album with Opeth. He departed the band in 2021, and after a period with stand-in drummer Sami Karppinen, Waltteri Väyrynen (formerly of Paradise Lost) officially joined Opeth in September 2022, going on to record Last Will and Testament (2024). That makes In Cauda Venenum the closing chapter of the thirteen-year Axenrot era that began with Watershed (2008) — running through Heritage (2011), Pale Communion (2014), and Sorceress (2016) before this final, most ambitious record.

Is In Cauda Venenum Opeth's newest album?

No — as of 2026, Opeth's most recent studio album is Last Will and Testament (2024), recorded with new drummer Waltteri Väyrynen. In Cauda Venenum (2019) was Opeth's newest release for several years and remains significant as Martin Axenrot's final studio album with the band, closing out the drumming era that began with Watershed (2008) and ran through the Heritage/Pale Communion/Sorceress prog trilogy. For Axenrot's complete arc, see [Sorceress drum setup](/articles/sorceress-drum-setup), [Watershed drum setup](/articles/watershed-drum-setup), and [Martin Axenrot's drummer profile](/drummer/martin-axenrot).