Year : 2025
Style : Gothic Rock , Depressive Rock , Heavy Metal
Country : Sweden
Audio : 320 kbps + front
Size : 111 mb
Bio:
No matter how brightly the sun shines, sorrow will always cast its ageless shadow across the human soul. Expressing that eternal sadness is an art in itself, and over the last two decades, Sweden’s masters of melancholy Katatonia have firmly established themselves as the most passionate and skilful exponents of the form.Formed by vocalist/drummer Jonas Renkse and guitarist Anders Nyström in Stockholm in 1991, the band emerged from the amorphous maelstrom that was the nascent death/doom metal scene; a darker, more emotionally resonant sibling to the ongoing extreme metal world, and one that offered a new and more humane perspective on life’s darker days.The band’s first releases, the Jhva Elohim Meth…The Revival EP and debut album Dance Of December Souls may have seemed to draw from the same set of influences that inspired like-minded bands across the North Sea like Paradise Lost and My Dying Bride, but by the time Katatonia arrived at 1996’s Brave Murder Day (which featured guest vocals from Opeth’s Mikael Åkerfeldt), the band had already begun to plough their own tearful furrow.“Initially we had no masterplan,” says Renkse today. “All we wanted was a band of our own, as we were totally devoured by the death and doom metal scene that was happening. It wasn’t until later that we could actually carve out our own space and see things with a broader perspective. Katatonia has become a philosophy, at least for ourselves, since it is pretty much all we have. It’s dark and personal music and lyrics, no matter what the environment around us.”In 1998, Katatonia released Discouraged Ones, an album that saw them step away from more traditional doom-laden atmospheres into an increasingly distinctive sonic world. Incorporating a wide variety of influences, from gothic rock to dark folk, the band’s evolution was gathering pace and their songwriting was maturing accordingly. With Jonas Renkse stepping away from the drum stool to focus on his role as vocalist, the Katatonia sound became more focused and intense on 1999’s Tonight’s Decision; a bravura collection of downbeat hymns to the void that set the tone for the new decade that followed.“Most of our evolution has occurred naturally,” explains Renkse. “We started as Paradise Lost fanboys, but now I think we have a different sound, something we have crafted over the years. With every new album we try to push the boundaries of songwriting and expand the concept of Katatonia without abandoning our foundation and roots.”As the 21st century has progressed, Katatonia have become one of the most revered and cherished of all bands in the modern heavy music firmament. Through extensive touring and a steady stream of superlative studio releases, including 2001’s classic Last Fair Deal Gone Down and its coruscating 2003 follow-up Viva Emptiness, the Swedes have spread their baleful gospel across the globe, refining and redefining themselves with every step into new territory. With 2006’s The Great Cold Distance and, in particular, 2009’s universally acclaimed Night Is The New Day, Katatonia have stretched beyond their roots in the metal scene and drawn in fans from all across the musical spectrum, not least in the progressive rock realm that has also embraced peers like Opeth and Anathema in recent times.In August 2012 the band released Dead End Kings, their ninth studio album and their most successful to date. The album marked another step in this journey towards a more progressive sound.Dead End Kings was recorded with a new line-up, in which Renkse and Nyström were joined by guitarist Per Eriksson, bassist Niklas Sandin and drummer Daniel Liljekvist. Together they created a rich, adventurous and endlessly evocative masterwork that exhibits all the Swedish quintet’s established traits while absorbing countless fresh ideas into that monumental sonic brew.“Dead End Kings represents progression and taking things to the next level,” concludes Renkse. ”The writing was a little more intense and spontaneous for this one. I think that’s the biggest difference. But it was made with the same mindset as the last few albums. It just had a little more fire involved. We don’t want to repeat ourselves. We are still hungry for new music.”The band return in September 2013 with Dethroned and Uncrowned, their first album for Kscope, the sister label to Peaceville, the band's home for the past 14 years. Dethroned and Uncrowned allows them to explore the progressive elements of Dead End Kings further as they have reworked the album, creating new moods and textures while still staying truthful to the core of the songs.Guitarist and founding member Anders Nyström explains how the band have revisted the album, ‘the synopsis is simple and album title won’t lie; the drums will be dethroned and the distorted rhythm guitars will be uncrowned! Instead, we’ll place the emphasis on the many layers of ambience, with the melodies staying central and the vocal harmonies representing the heart of the album.'
Album:
Nightmares have never sounded so beautiful! Swedish grandeurs of melancholic heaviness, KATATONIA, return with Nightmares as Extensions of the Waking State, set for release on June 6, 2025 via Napalm Records. Once again, the Stockholm-based unit masterfully navigates the tightrope act between nocturnal darkness and Scandinavian despair while subtly weaving a sense of hope into the listener’s heart. Since emerging in the early nineties, KATATONIA has projected a beacon of light for the forgotten and the lonely ones, offering solace to those willing to lose themselves in the band’s immersive soundscapes. From their roots in death-doom metal to the post-metal entity they embody today, their art remains as haunting as ever. Nightmares as Extensions of the Waking State marks the next step in KATATONIA’s evolution, building upon the foundation of their previous album, Sky Void of Stars (2023). Crystal-clear production highlights the interplay between silence and intensity, while the contrast of heavy riffs, delicate guitar harmonies, ethereal synthesizers, and atmospheric nuances create captivating tension. Tracks like ""Thrice"" and ""Warden"" pulse with dynamic energy, while ""Lilac"" sees Jonas Renkse’s unmistakable vocals intertwining with hypnotic rhythms and progressive elements. A near-ceremonial piece, ""Wind of No Change"", merges subtle electronic textures with KATATONIA’s enigmatic soundscapes, while ""Temporal"" balances fragility and strength - its intense verses culminating in a soaring, emotionally charged chorus. The breathtaking ""Efter Solen"" (Engl. After the Sun), featuring Swedish lyrics, evokes echoes of Jonas Eika’s 2018 short story collection, with minimalistic yet striking instrumentation.Even after more than 30 years, KATATONIA continues to redefine the emotional spectrum of their genre, effortlessly shifting between haunting vulnerability and commanding artistry. With sonic landscapes that evoke dystopia, inner demons, purity, and beauty alike, Nightmares as Extensions of the Waking State stands as a testament to their enduring brilliance. The album was produced by Jonas Renkse, recorded by Lawrence Mackrory at NBS Audio and The City of Glass, mixed by Adam Noble, and mastered by Robin Schmidt at 24-96 Mastering.
Line Up:
Jonas Renkse - Drums (1991-1998), Vocals (lead), Guitars, Keyboards, Programming (1991-present) - See also: Korda, ex-Bloodbath, ex-October Tide, ex-Melancholium, ex-Tearstained, ex-Wisdom of Crowds
Nico Elgstrand - Guitars (2025-present) - See also: ex-Entombed A.D., ex-Terra Firma, ex-Entombed
Sebastian Svalland - Guitars (2025-present) - See also: Hypocrisy (live), Pain (live), Letters from the Colony, ex-In Mourning, ex-Lindemann (live)
Niklas Sandin - Bass (2010-present) - See also: Lik, ex-Amaran, ex-Chaosys, ex-Life Eclipse, ex-Dark Eden (live), Aoria, ex-Sodomisery, ex-Bloodbath (live), ex-Shadows Past, ex-Lamia Antitheus, ex-Siebenbürgen, ex-Slavegrid
Daniel Moilanen - Drums (2015-present) - See also: Runemagick, ex-Mnemonic, ex-Heavydeath, Den Tunga Döden, ex-Dracena, ex-Lord Belial, ex-Sandalinas, ex-The Project Hate MCMXCIX, ex-Bloodbath (live), ex-Grindnecks, ex-Relevant Few, ex-Notre Dame (live), ex-Engel, ex-Pen Expers
Tracklist:
01. Thrice
02. The Liquid Eye
03. Wind Of No Change
04. Lilac
05. Temporal
06. Departure Trails
07. Warden
08. The Light Which I Bleed
09. Efter Solen
10. In The Event Of
Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/
