Opeth's Martin Mendez isn’t one for showmanship. In fact, Martin was probably one of the unlikeliest candidates for a measured rise into Swedish metal stardom. Born and raised in Uruguay, he drank in all the music that his Latin heritage had to offer, pouring it into his elegant, textured bass playing. Making his way to Sweden by way of Swedish-born Uruguyan drummer Martin Lopez, he joined Opeth in 1999, almost half way into the band's now twenty year career.