Author Topic: Katatonia (Read 84038 times)

faemir · « **Reply #280 on:** August 30, 2012, 06:50:13 AM »

What I like is that every song has a unique vibe despite remaining pretty stereotypical of the modern Katatonia song - no two songs sound like rehashes of riffs or vocals - every song brings something new to the table, which most previous albums struggled with going all the way back to Viva.

edit: this is the first Jens surround sound mix that gets the faemir stamp of approval - it only took him 5 years to get 'good'

Just to clarify: Great Cold Distance has a surround mix, but it never uses the center speaker. At all.

gazinwales · « **Reply #281 on:** August 31, 2012, 05:05:09 PM »

Agreed the 5.1 mix is pretty damned good.

Genowyn · « **Reply #282 on:** September 03, 2012, 11:06:06 AM »

I've never checked out this band before but I know they will be playing with Devin Townsend next time I see him... are there any recommendations people can give me of songs/albums?

Zantera · « **Reply #283 on:** September 03, 2012, 11:27:20 AM »

Quote from: Genowyn on September 03, 2012, 11:06:06 AM

I've never checked out this band before but I know they will be playing with Devin Townsend next time I see him... are there any recommendations people can give me of songs/albums?

I'd say their four latest albums (Viva Emptiness, Great Cold Distance, Night is the New Day and Dead End Kings) are all really good in my book. I haven't checked out the earlier albums yet though (its on my list), but out of them I'd probably say Great Cold Distance or Dead End Kings would be the best starting points. (though I started with Night is the New Day and loved it)

HarlequinForest · « **Reply #284 on:** September 03, 2012, 06:39:08 PM »

And I think those ^ are the only albums they play live now. At least when they were with Opeth.

Perpetual Change · « **Reply #285 on:** September 03, 2012, 06:48:12 PM »

Like this album a lot. Thought Night is the New Day was pretty samey and full of less than good songs. But this is a lot better. More diverse, with heart-wrenching melodies throughout. Thanks for recommending this, guys!

The King in Crimson · « **Reply #286 on:** September 03, 2012, 06:55:47 PM »

Quote from: HarlequinForest on September 03, 2012, 06:39:08 PM

And I think those ^ are the only albums they play live now. At least when they were with Opeth.

They played a song from Last Fair Deal Gone Down when I saw them last year which is, incidentally, my favorite of their three albums I've heard.

Zantera · « **Reply #287 on:** September 04, 2012, 03:01:38 AM »

When they opened for PT back in '09, they played "Teargas" which (if I'm not mistaken) is from Last Fair Deal Gone Down.

? · « **Reply #288 on:** September 04, 2012, 09:22:56 AM »

They're playing LFDGD songs pretty frequently, it's the first 4 albums that mostly get ignored (sadly). Anyway, I echo what you guys have been saying, except that I wouldn't recommend Viva Emptiness as one of the first albums - it has a pretty raw production and some of Jonas' less brilliant lyrical moments that could turn some people off. But it's true that you can't go wrong with Great Cold Distance, NITND or the new one.

gazinwales · « **Reply #289 on:** September 04, 2012, 03:20:55 PM »

I disagree, Viva was my first real insight into Katatonia and the one that good me hooked.TGCD has never really clicked with me, it lacks the brilliance of VE for me

wolfking · « **Reply #290 on:** September 04, 2012, 05:18:20 PM »

Should be receiving this new album this week.

? · « **Reply #291 on:** September 05, 2012, 04:09:04 AM »

Quote from: gazinwales on September 04, 2012, 03:20:55 PM

I disagree, Viva was my first real insight into Katatonia and the one that good me hooked.TGCD has never really clicked with me, it lacks the brilliance of VE for me

Viva has some great stuff but I don't care much about songs like One Year from Now and Walking by a Wire. GCD is very consistent, The Itch is the only less than stellar song on the album and it should've been replaced with Dissolving Bonds.

This just prompted me to rank the Katatonia albums:

1. Great Cold Distance
2. Night is the New Day
3. Dead End Kings (may go even more up after more listens)
4. Brave Murder Day
5. Discouraged Ones
6. Last Fair Deal Gone Down
7. Viva Emptiness
8. Tonight's Decision
9. Dance of December Souls

The first 5 positions change all the time depending on mood - sometimes Discouraged Ones feels like the best album, sometimes Brave Murder Day is my favorite and so on. LFDGD also moves up occasionally but the bottom 3 remains the same pretty much all the time.

carl320 · « **Reply #292 on:** September 11, 2012, 08:52:50 PM »

Quote from: gazinwales on September 04, 2012, 03:20:55 PM

I disagree, Viva was my first real insight into Katatonia and the one that good me hooked.TGCD has never really clicked with me, it lacks the brilliance of VE for me

I agree with most this. Viva Emptiness is one of my favorite albums ever. GCD took a while to click with me.

And I just found out that Katatonia is playing in Chicago with DTP and Paradise Lost, and I have the day off

Buddyhunter1 · « **Reply #293 on:** September 12, 2012, 03:44:15 PM »

Really starting to like the new album. I'd definitely rank it over TGCD and NITND, which are the only other albums I've heard.

Pelata · « **Reply #294 on:** December 10, 2012, 08:09:16 AM »

I spun the "Dead Letters" single a lot, then on Spotify once or twice when the album first came out. But I just picked up the CD on Saturady at the record show in Greensboro. Since then, I've spun the album probably 5 times beginning to end (mostly driving around this weekend running errands then on the way to work this morning). It's definitely one of my favorite releases of the year. It easily stands up in the Katatonia catalog. I didn't find anything disappointing on it.

? · « **Reply #295 on:** December 10, 2012, 09:03:34 AM »

Despite some tough competition, Dead End Kings is the album of the year for me!

There are no fillers at all and it might even be my favorite Katatonia album.

Buddyhunter1 · « **Reply #296 on:** December 10, 2012, 09:13:04 AM »

2nd or 3rd favorite album of the year, for me.

Zantera · « **Reply #297 on:** December 10, 2012, 10:00:06 AM »

It's top 30 for me. Good album.

OsMosis2259 · « **Reply #298 on:** December 10, 2012, 12:18:14 PM »

The album is fantastic

Ben_Jamin · « **Reply #299 on:** December 10, 2012, 02:03:49 PM »

I should get it soon.

? · « **Reply #300 on:** January 13, 2013, 03:03:41 AM »

Funny live clip - Katatonia have to restart Dead Letters twice to get it right

OsMosis2259 · « **Reply #301 on:** January 13, 2013, 08:26:39 AM »

MrBoom_shack-a-lack · « **Reply #302 on:** February 08, 2013, 09:03:12 AM »

Quote

Guitarist/co-founder Anders "Blakkheim" Nyström of Swedish dark rockers KATATONIA just done with stripping down the band's latest album, "Dead End Kings", to an atmospheric sound devoid of any metal.

Says Nyström: "Early on, we felt it was both peculiar and interesting how the songs could breathe on their own taking a different minimal approach, so we wanted to go back and explore this in a very spontaneous and unpretentious way. Vocals, keyboards and acoustic guitars are in and distorted guitars/bass and drums are out! Stay tuned for a release date!"

Sounds interesting.

Big Hath · « **Reply #303 on:** February 08, 2013, 09:44:59 AM »

so they are basically releasing a remix?

? · « **Reply #304 on:** February 08, 2013, 09:51:24 AM »

I saw that on Anders' FB page, he also said he's putting together some old video material to complete the documentary so that the DVD can finally be released!

Buddyhunter1 · « **Reply #305 on:** February 08, 2013, 10:23:11 AM »

Quote from: MrBoom_shack-a-lack on February 08, 2013, 09:03:12 AM

Quote
Guitarist/co-founder Anders "Blakkheim" Nyström of Swedish dark rockers KATATONIA just done with stripping down the band's latest album, "Dead End Kings", to an atmospheric sound devoid of any metal.

Says Nyström: "Early on, we felt it was both peculiar and interesting how the songs could breathe on their own taking a different minimal approach, so we wanted to go back and explore this in a very spontaneous and unpretentious way. Vocals, keyboards and acoustic guitars are in and distorted guitars/bass and drums are out! Stay tuned for a release date!"
Sounds interesting.

Hmm... this could work I guess, but aren't the songs already atmospheric enough?

I don't see this being anywhere near as good as the original.

? · « **Reply #306 on:** February 18, 2013, 04:55:12 AM »

Official video for Lethean

OsMosis2259 · « **Reply #307 on:** February 18, 2013, 08:16:47 AM »

cool video!

Lasse Hoile, I'm assuming?

MrBoom_shack-a-lack · « **Reply #308 on:** February 18, 2013, 08:46:19 AM »

I like the video but the song is really good. I gotta get this album some more spins!

? · « **Reply #309 on:** February 18, 2013, 11:16:27 AM »

Quote from: OsMosis2259 on February 18, 2013, 08:16:47 AM

Lasse Hoile, I'm assuming?

Yep. The feedback on Katatonia's FB page doesn't seem too positive, but I don't think the video is bad at all. Of course Lasse has done better videos for PTree, but this beats Day & Then the Shade easily (he seems to like gothic girls

). Besides, I'm bored of the basic "band playing in an industrial hall" videos that 99% of metal bands are doing nowadays, so it's good that at least some directors use their imagination.

? · « **Reply #310 on:** March 24, 2013, 02:06:59 AM »

Today is the 10th anniversary of Viva Emptiness!

I just listened to it in full to celebrate. While it's a bottom 3 Katatonia album for me, it's still really good and has some of my favorite songs like A Premonition and Evidence.

adace · « **Reply #311 on:** March 24, 2013, 02:10:13 AM »

Quote from: ? on March 24, 2013, 02:06:59 AM

Today is the 10th anniversary of Viva Emptiness! I just listened to it in full to celebrate. While it's a bottom 3 Katatonia album for me, it's still really good and has some of my favorite songs like A Premonition and Evidence.

Cool

That album has quite a few great songs on it. Inside the City of Glass is probably one of my favorite metal instrumentals.

seasonsinthesky · « **Reply #312 on:** March 24, 2013, 05:55:01 PM »

Viva Emptiness was my intro to Katatonia and remains at the top of my favourites (with The Great Cold Distance). the only song on it i dislike is "Omerta," but even it has a cool style. i see the whole thing as the start of their newer sound, as it has very little in common with the more goth-rock sort of sound before it.

? · « **Reply #313 on:** March 25, 2013, 02:19:55 PM »

I like Omerta a lot actually. IMO One Year from Now is easily the weakest song and I'm not the biggest fan of Ghost of the Sun, either. You're right that VE was a step away from the previous albums: it's much more riff-based and more modern metal-sounding like their newer stuff. I think TGCD beats it very easily - both the songwriting and the production are much better.

carl320 · « **Reply #314 on:** March 27, 2013, 09:55:28 AM »

I like Viva Emptiness the most of the Katatonia I've listened to. AGCD is very good, but VE has a nostalgic aspect to it. Plus Evidence thru Inside the City of Glass is one of the best trios of songs IMO. What a way to end the album.

Plus I like how there seems to be a theme that runs lyrically throughout

News: Fall Into the Light, official video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFxH4kky6z4

Author Topic: Katatonia (Read 84038 times)