Steven Wilson and Mikael Åkerfeldt open a new chapter

There are records that are not created to climb the charts, but to create worlds. When in 2012 Steven Wilson And Mikael Åkerfeldt (mind of Opeth) joined forces for the project Storm Corrosionthe result was an unsettling work: no metal riffs, no reassuring structures, just a psychedelic fog of dark folk and orchestral atmospheres. For years, fans wondered if that trip would remain an isolated case. Today, the answer seems to have finally arrived. In a recent interview, Åkerfeldt confirmed what many hoped: the two musical “blood brothers” are back to talking seriously about a new chapter together.

The seed of this new collaboration was sown late last year, during a tour in Australia. Far from the limelight and the frenetic pace of the stage, the two longtime friends found themselves talking about the future. “He wanted, just like me, to focus more on creative work rather than the endless cycle of touring, touring and more touring,” Åkerfeldt said. For years, the main problem was the weather. When Wilson finished a record, Åkerfeldt was in the middle of a world tour, and vice versa. But in 2026, the wheels finally clicked into place.

Steven Wilson just wrapped up commitments to his acclaimed 2025 album, “The Overview”; Opeth are completing their tour for “The Last Will And Testament”, which will keep them busy until the end of this year. With the agendas are finally freea rare and precious time window opens. The goal? Lock yourself in the same room again. “We don’t want to do this via email,” Mikael reiterated.

Although the provisional name is “Storm Corrosion 2“, Åkerfeldt made it clear that it won’t be a simple repeat: “I don’t think we’ll necessarily follow the specific tone set with that first record. It will depend on what comes out.”

The original project was born out of boredom with conventional prog metal; this new chapter could explore even more extreme territories or, on the contrary, surprise us with something totally unexpected. In conclusion, the beauty of this union lies precisely in its unpredictability: two geniuses who, when they meet, stop being rock stars to go back to being those curious kids who play with sounds in the darkness of a studio.