By Thomas Hair
Opinions Editor
Katatonia is a band that has not been afraid to experiment with different sounds over the years. Founded in Stockholm in 1991, Katatonia was a pioneer in doom metal, a genre characterized by gloomy atmosphere and very slow tempos. After 1996’s Brave Murder Day, an album still heralded as a heavy metal landmark, Katataonia suddenly departed from this style. Since the turn of the century, Katatonia has played a unique style of alternative rock infused with doom metal and gothic influences, traces of their past. Their music produces a dark, mysterious, brooding atmosphere that is comparable to Tool, but is completely their own.
2003’s Viva Emptiness and 2006’s The Great Cold Distance are two of my favorite albums of all time, what I believe to be the culmination of Katatonia’s sound. 2009’s Night Is The New Day was less powerful and lacked the stunning immediacy of the aforementioned two albums. I feared that Katatonia had run out of steam.
August 27 saw the release of Katatonia’s ninth studio album Dead End Kings. Though it continues the style presented on the disappointing Night Is The New Day, the new album is a vast improvement.
With Dead End Kings, Katatonia continues their “melancholic metal” sound that they’ve developed over the past several albums. As usual, Jonas Renske’s vocals are enchanting and are what make Katatonia’s melancholic atmosphere so effective. Much like their last album Night Is The New Day , this album is not as heavy or as guitar-oriented as my favorite albums by Katatonia, though guitarists Anders Nyström and Per Eriksson really make the most of it when they are featured. Songs like “Leathen” even include, though brief, crushingly heavy sections of riffing and a fabulous guitar solo, something of a rarity for Katatonia.
“The Parting” is a great opener, and probably the catchiest song on the album. “The One Your Are Looking For Is Not Here” is a simple, melodic song that has some really elegant accompanying female vocals from Silje Wergeland. “Hypnone” is one of the best tracks on Dead End Kings, with its empassioned chorus (“I need the sound of the rain…”). Beautiful lyrics. These first three tracks are the best on the album, in my opinion. Tracks 4 and 5, “The Racing Heart” (a light vocal-oriented song) and “Buildings” (one of the heaviest on the album) are also strong tracks.
However, tracks 6, 7 and 8 are all disappointingly lackluster. Katatonia succumbed to the dreaded mid-album rut. These songs offer nothing new and simply recycle ideas already presented. The rut is snapped, however, with track 9 “Lethean”. This song is full of awesome lyrics, swirling drums, and a wall of guitar sound. This song marked the first time I naturally began bobbing my head on this album. The guitar solo is a shining moment that should not be missed.
Overall, Dead End Kings is an album that grows on you with repeated listens and feautures several Grade-A Katatonia songs. For fans of the last few albums, this will not disappoint. Slight saminess and a few too many filler tracks prevent Dead End Kings from reaching its full potential.
Best Songs: The Parting, The One You Are Looking For Is Not Here, Hypnone, Lethean
Rating: 3.5/5
