Guitarist/vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt of Swedish progressive metallers OPETH has issued the following update:
“Myself, Axe [OPETH drummer Martin Axenrot], Fredrik [Åkesson; OPETH guitarist] and our soundman, Pontus Norgren, decided to fly home to our families for a few days as the option would have been three days off in Brussels.
“Now I hear that our bus apparently crashed into this other car making a unexpected U-turn in the middle of the highway. [OPETH bassist Martin] Mendez and [OPETH keyboardist] Per [Wiberg] were on the bus together with the rest of our crew but nobody got hurt. They are, however, shocked and very shaken, of course. The driver in the other car was critically injured. I’ve not heard back from anyone yet regarding his progress but apparently it’s not looking very good. Hoping for the best, however.
“I don’t know where or when this happened but I know the bus was heading from Dublin to Brussels.
“I’ll let you know more as soon as I get some information, but as for now everyone in the band are safe and same with our crew. As far as I know, the only injured person was the driver of the other car, which obviously is horrible enough!
“To be honest, I rarely think about things, accidents like this, but fuck, man, it happens! My mind’s all over the place and right now I don’t want to go back out. But… the show in Brussels on the 17th and the remaining part of the [Progressive Nation] tour [with DREAM THEATER, BIGELF and UNEXPECT] will go ahead as planned.”
