 Excited at the prospect , Åkerfeldt agreed without consulting his band mates or record label . While his band mates liked the idea of recording two separate albums , Åkerfeldt had to convince the label : " I had to lie somewhat ... saying that we could do this recording very soon , it won 't cost more than a regular single album . " With most of the material written , the band rehearsed just once before entering Nacksving Studios in 2002 , and again with producer Steven Wilson in Studio Fredman . Under pressure to complete both albums simultaneously , Åkerfeldt said the recording process was " the toughest test of our history . " After recording basic tracks , the band moved production to England to first mix the heavy album , Deliverance , with Andy Sneap at Backstage Studios . " Deliverance was so poorly recorded , without any organisation whatsoever , " Åkerfeldt claimed , that Sneap " is credited as a ' saviour ' in the sleeve , as he surely saved much of the recording . " 
