Katatonia was formed in 1991 by Anders Nyström and Jonas Renske & their debut album, `Dance of December Souls', was released in 1993, gaining the band recognition for their eclectic brand of gothic doom/death meta... more »l & joining acts such as Paradise Lot & My Dying Bride as one of the genre's defining bands. On future albums a newer, sleeker Katatonia sound came to the fore, starting with a streamlined & structured collection of melodic dark rock songs that became third album `Discouraged Ones'; the main evolution point for modern day Katatonia. On the back of the monumental & most successful album to date, 2006's `The Great Cold Distance' - including 3 singles & an American & European tour - there came a period of soul-searching from the Swedes, facing a task of making a wor- thy & relevant successor to the ground-breaking album. With a conscious effort not to merely repeat themself, Katatonia took their time with their next steps, while Anders & Jonas also remained busy with death metal group Bloodbath, alongside Mikael & Martin from Opeth. Night is the New Day' is Katatonia's eighth studio album. It was recorded throughout July 2009 & was co-produced, engineered and mixed by David Castillo. A continuation of the heaviness, depth & atmosphere of their previous album, `Night Is the New Day' is also a more multi-dimensional effort - waltzing between prog moments, doom, folk & the classic melodic anthems that are the staple of Katatonia's uncompromising sound, completed by the haunting tones of Jonas Renkse's vocal journeys of urban & emotional decay.« less
Katatonia was formed in 1991 by Anders Nyström and Jonas Renske & their debut album, `Dance of December Souls', was released in 1993, gaining the band recognition for their eclectic brand of gothic doom/death metal & joining acts such as Paradise Lot & My Dying Bride as one of the genre's defining bands. On future albums a newer, sleeker Katatonia sound came to the fore, starting with a streamlined & structured collection of melodic dark rock songs that became third album `Discouraged Ones'; the main evolution point for modern day Katatonia. On the back of the monumental & most successful album to date, 2006's `The Great Cold Distance' - including 3 singles & an American & European tour - there came a period of soul-searching from the Swedes, facing a task of making a wor- thy & relevant successor to the ground-breaking album. With a conscious effort not to merely repeat themself, Katatonia took their time with their next steps, while Anders & Jonas also remained busy with death metal group Bloodbath, alongside Mikael & Martin from Opeth. Night is the New Day' is Katatonia's eighth studio album. It was recorded throughout July 2009 & was co-produced, engineered and mixed by David Castillo. A continuation of the heaviness, depth & atmosphere of their previous album, `Night Is the New Day' is also a more multi-dimensional effort - waltzing between prog moments, doom, folk & the classic melodic anthems that are the staple of Katatonia's uncompromising sound, completed by the haunting tones of Jonas Renkse's vocal journeys of urban & emotional decay.
CD Reviews
The Katatonia masterpiece!
David Parker | burlington, vermont United States | 11/10/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I just had to add to the other five-star reviews here, and say that this is a stunning album from this sadly underrated band (at least here in the United States of Musical Ignorance), but hopefully will still bring them the acclaim they deserve. My immediate response upon hearing this was that it was the album I've been waiting for Katatonia to make since I first heard Last Fair Deal Gone Down. While I loved the previous two releases (especially Viva Emptiness) I didn't hear the sheer creativity of composition evident in Last Fair Deal, and while that has remained my favorite Katatonia record, it is also a bit underwhelming in the production department - great songs and lots of atmosphere, but all beneath a sort of muddy curtain of sound. This new one is crisp and defined in the production department, while overall being perhaps their least heavy album ever. Don't let the first song Forsaker fool you. After that, you'll hear an album full of contrasts: heavy passages, acoustic interludes, electronics, keyboards, and what I believe to be, the always-awesome mellotron! Jonas Renske's vocals are also the best I've heard from him yet - still monotone-ish (in that great Katatonia way) and as always haunting and moody. But there seems to be a new approach to the singing on these songs that makes the vocals fit with the music better than ever before. You may actually be surprised at how mellow and laid back some of these songs are, but rest assured, it's still Katatonia all the way. In a just world, they would be the biggest metal band on the planet right now. A great, great album!"
Depth is something rarely found....
Adam Cambreleng | Orlando, FL | 11/10/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Its a rare feat for an album to so absolutely encompass beauty and darkness, and the overall atmosphere that goes with those to subjects. Then it goes without saying that 'Night is the New Day' is one of but a handful that scratch that itch with exactly the right sound and depth.
This album is so diverse in the way it sounds and yet so cohesive that it truly blew me away the first listen through. I put it on again and listened to it all the way through a second time and started to see this landscape of emotion that Katatonia have created, and it floored me. It all flows together so well, and builds to the emotional crescendo on "Departer", where Krister Linder adds his haunting vocals to the mix. Its hard not to be touched at some level by almost all of the songs on the album. "Forsaker" opens the album aggresively enough to shake you but is gentle enough to lure you in to a sense of uneasy calm, then your led into "The Longest Year" which is going to be considered a standout song in Katatonia's career for years to come. "Liberation" is another track that rips into you and demands you peer into its soul and all the while it refuses to let go giving you the sense of despair Jonas Renske is conveying.
Other stand out tracks: Let me say, I find it very VERY hard to say that all the tracks on any album are excellent, but in this case I can't single out any song that I wouldn't listen to. I can spin this album all the way through, then put it on again without batting an eye. I can't praise Katatonia and crew enough for putting out something of this magnitude, and I can say with the utmost certainty that this will go down as one of the great albums for this entire genre of music, and definately one of the bright highlights of the bands career.
Say what you will, but this album is a no brainer purchase and one of the best albums in the past few years... and is proof enough that taking the time to carefully create something can pay off in spades."
Less "Dark"--Still Magical
avgvstvs | Omaha NE | 11/10/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"There is a very special place in my heart for Katatonia. About three years ago I randomly picked up the album "Viva Emptiness," and was treated to a magical formula of pretty fresh hard rock/metal combined with the most superb penmanship from one Jonas Renske. Katatonia dislodged "Misery Loves Co." as this writer's favorite band of all time. Katatonia filled a void for something I didn't realize I was lacking; somber, melancholic--darkness. (For my definition of "dark," the lyrics to "Criminals" should suffice.)
Their last album took this to a whole different plane, though the theme wasn't quite as dark as the subject matter on songs such as say, "Criminals," the musicianship was pushed another notch, and Renske still pens verbal poetry like a gothic madman.
I put all that down to give you, the reader, what I was expecting when I eagerly found out that "Night is the New Day" was dropping in November. I was expecting quite a bit...
The first track, "Forsaker," is hands down the most melodic Katatonia song I've ever heard... the rather simplistic initial guitar riff offset by a strong harmonic chorus of singing that powers through the mix. And the lyrics... "The dark will rise, dread the new freedom! Give up the right to find your true self; Forsake your own reason..." then softly singing the accusation: "forsaker... forsaker...!" The song mellows out again for a very Pink-Floydish solo before repeating the chorus... the song moving for another nice melodic section carrying another new musical theme.
Though, the first set of lyrics I thought I'd heard was "The dark will rise, grant the new freedom, devour the right to find your true self; forsake your only son..." As you can tell there is a great deal of difference between what I expected and what is actually there. These lyrics are completely different from each other.
The title track displays more electronics than the band has dabbled in before, and is good in its own right. Track 3, "Idle Blood," is a very "Porcupine Tree" kind of song, turning reminiscent of Opeth's "Damnation" album about 3:30 or so, with synth strings and Rhodes-like organ moving to completion.
Overall this album displays a much broader range of musical ability, lost quite a bit since "The Last Fair Deal Gone Down." Not that I'm slamming the last two albums by any stretch, but this is probably the best comparison album for general style.
Track 5 starts to pick up energy again, the band chugging in some simple drop-d-tuned-down to A before moving into another broad and open expanse of intricate melody. Electro-industrial kicks in a bit at 2:30 leading up to an interlude that starts to remind me yet again of Opeth at 3:00.
The biggest surprise to me is the song "Promise of Deceit." This song starts out with a very industrial beginning and slowly fades in some complexity in the form of some pretty and clean arpeggiated electric guitar. It is slightly reminiscent of "Soil's Song" when all is said and done, though nowhere near as dirge-like. Another favorite for me is the epic "Ashen," a song that combines elements from nearly the entire past ten years of their work. The album closer, "Departer," almost conjures a bit of Bjork as Jonas invokes a falsetto before the album ends on a very mysterious and haunting note.
In conclusion, though this album is by no means anywhere near as dark as the last two... they make up for this in the quality of musicianship; they've outclassed themselves on every level on this album. I have to say I do miss the ultra-dark and heavy atmosphere promised by "Forsaken," hinting at the previous two albums... but I would be a hypocrite if I stood here and bitched that they didn't write another version of either of those. I wish it was darker, but that's personal preference getting in the way of objectivity. This album is a big step forward to a new plane for the band; it sounds like absolutely nothing they've done before, and though I can't say I love it as much as the previous two, I give credit where its due, and this might be one of the best of the year in terms of style and scope."
One of those albums that transports you somewhere...amazing!
Matthew Robinson | Atlanta, GA | 11/13/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Truly amazing! Haunting. Honestly, I think after all these years Katatonia has finally found their niche. This is by far my favorite album of theirs. The opening of this album is truly awe inspiring! I was blown away when I heard the opening riff! One of the coolest metal riffs I've heard in a while. As I normally do, I started listening to this for the first time while doing some circuits homework. After hearing the opening song I soon realized almost an hour had passed and I hadn't done any homework. It captured my attention and I couldn't focus on anything else. This is truly a beautifully depressing artistic masterpiece. The atmosphere completely envelopes the senses and captivates entirely. Obviously Opeth comes to mind, but I hate making comparisons that everyone uses. If I had to make a comparison I would say a mix of Riverside and Paradise Lost. Honestly, I can't find the right words now to describe this album. All I can say is buy it!!! By far my one of my favorite releases of the year."
Katatonia's new masterpiece
Murat Batmaz | Istanbul, Turkey | 02/28/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The first thing that stands out on the first couple of listens is Jonas Renkse's amazing vocals. This partly stems from the fact that he has written nine of the eleven songs by himself, thus rendering it almost a solo album in a sense. This may lead one to think that the songs on this disc are somewhat samey offering little variation in their context. However, that is certainly not the case. The Katatonia sound is still intact here -- this album has such an emotional attachment to it, and its most rewarding moments have been hidden for the attentive listener.
It is only with repeat listens that the rest of the album reveals itself, hence why it seems less accessible than its predecessor, the incredibly amazing The Great Cold Distance. Where the previous album was a display of dynamics focusing on complex rhythmic patterns and nimble drumming, Night is the New Day is a thorough study in pure atmosphere. Tracks may seem rather one-dimensional in the beginning, but that is more likely the result of being engulfed by Renkse's otherworldly singing. This album is his pinnacle from a vocal standpoint, his deep, breathy, sparse vocals take on almost hypnotizing quality on each track, drawing you into the compositions like never before. He has never channeled so much colour and palpable emotion into his songs as he has on this album.
The songs have more resolution and character, and the compositions are more amorphous. The band no longer opts for the crushing quiet/loud dynamics heard on the previous disc. There is no effort to create huge, catchy choruses either, as each track on this disc is informed by pure, hollow emotion. Don't expect any choruses to leap out at you. It's not that there aren't any catchy vocal parts. On the contrary, they are in great abundance here. They have just been built into the tracks without stealing away from the rest of the composition. On "Inheritance", for instance, Renkse delivers the ultimately gripping chorus only towards the end of the composition. He sings: "Let them inherit this fire now | Lest they will forget that we were ever here." This just feels so right in the context of the song as it follows the tense trip-hop beats and precedes Nystrom's beautiful guitar theme -- and yet it stays with you for days on end.
The same thing applies to "New Night" or "The Longest Year", which would be a great representation of the current Katatonia sound. With its ever shifting dynamics (easily the best Katatonia production!), nuanced drumming, sparse yet supremely melodic vocal lines, this is one of their most patient and complete songs in their career. The passage where the analog synth note is held and streteched just after the first chorus is simply spellbinding. There is a wealth of nuance and subtlety to discover here, as the inner-song structures are actually smoother than ever.
This is not to say Night is the New Day consists of tracks alike. "Liberation" marries electronic elements with thick yet organic sounding guitars while "Idle Blood" recalls Opeth circa Damnation for its finger-picking acoustic guitars, harmonized vocals, and depth of the keys. Again, the guitar theme on this song is absolutely masterful. "Forsaker" stands out for its use of heavy guitar riffs and laidback verses, not to mention the great guitar tone and Rhodes piano in the mix.
"Nephilim" is the band's doomiest composition in years, perhaps since Brave Murder Day. Its huge, sludgy cascades of riffs and guitar feedback make it the darkest and most sinister number on the album, but the band prevent it from breaking the album's flow, as they insert weird, theatrical vocal melodies at the end -- I could swear there is a female vocalist singing along with Renkse in the outro, but the CD booklet won't confirm my theory.
Enter The Hunt's Krister Linder appears on the final song "Departer", easily the most moving track on the album. It is a very atmospheric song with an abundance of synth layers and Linder takes over the second half of the song concluding it with utmost emotion.
Kudos to Katatonia for not succumbing to the loudness war, and producing such an album. David Castillo's mix and engineering as well as Jens Bogren's mastering are in one word perfect. The level of detail in the songs is stunning and the album has more character in this respect than any other Katatonia release prior. Also, the artwork and packaging are great. I especially love the jewel case -- it's like Steven Wilson's solo album but comes in a cool cardboard box.
Mikael Akerfeldt certainly wasn't exaggerating when he proclaimed Night is the New Day "the greatest heavy record in the last ten years". Indeed, this is Katatonia's new masterpiece and it is bound to unlock new horizons for them. I can't wait to see what direction they will take with their next album."
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1