Katatonia

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Katatonia
Katatonia in 2004: (L-R) Jonas Renkse, Fredrik Norrman, Anders Nyström, Daniel Liljekvist and Mattias Norrman
Background information
Origin	Stockholm, Sweden
Genres	Death/Doom[1][2] (early era)[3] Doom metal Gothic rock/metal (later career) Alternative metal (later career)
Years active	1991–1994 1996–present
Labels	Peaceville, Avantgarde Music, No Fashion Records, Vic Records
Associated acts	Opeth, Bloodbath, Diabolical Masquerade, October Tide
Website	www.katatonia.com
Members
Jonas Renkse Anders Nyström Fred Norrman Mattias Norrman Daniel Liljekvist
Former members
See former members

Katatonia is a Swedish metal band formed in Stockholm in 1991 by Jonas Renkse (formerly aka Lord Seth) and Anders Nyström (formerly aka Blakkheim). The early Katatonia albums are noted for the overall melancholy of their sound, often giving them the classification of doom metal. Katatonia's more recent albums have progressed to a wider sound, with modern overtones, dropped guitars, symphonic synths and arrangements, alternative sounds and generally heavier riffs.

Opeth's Mikael Åkerfeldt performed the growling vocals on Brave Murder Day and Sounds of Decay after regular Katatonia singer (and then drummer) Jonas Renkse became unable to perform vocals properly. During this time, the band decided to change their sound to a more soft sound with clean vocals beginning with 1998's Discouraged Ones. This shift in instrumental tone and vocal style was accompanied by an appreciable decrease in the length of the band's songs, with latter period songs typically lasting around four minutes.

Katatonia has released two compilations. Brave Yester Days (the title being a play on their album Brave Murder Day) is a double-disc release including all cuts from EPs up to Saw You Drown, selected cuts from full-length albums Brave Murder Day and Dance of December Souls, and two tracks from a compilation. The Black Sessions is a limited release that documents later releases and includes a live DVD.

Band members

Anders Nystrom and Mattias Norrman

Current

• Jonas Renkse – lead vocals (1991–present), drums, percussion (1991–1999)
• Anders "Blakkheim" Nyström – lead & rhythm guitars (1991–present)
• Fredrik "North" Norrman – lead & rhythm guitars (1994–present)
• Mattias "Kryptan" Norrman – bass (1999–present)
• Daniel Liljekvist – drums, percussion (1999–present)

Former

• Guillaume Le Huche – bass (1992–1994)
• Mikael Oretoft – bass (1996–1997)
• Mikael Åkerfeldt – lead vocals (1996–1997)
• Dan Swanö – keyboards (1992–1993)

Session

• Kenneth Eklund – drums, percussion (live, 1996)
• Dan Swanö – drums, percussion (on Tonight's Decision)

Discography

Albums

• Dance of December Souls (1993)
• Brave Murder Day (1996)
• Discouraged Ones (1998)
• Tonight's Decision (1999)
• Last Fair Deal Gone Down (2001)
• Viva Emptiness (2003)
• The Great Cold Distance (2006)
• Night is the New Day (2009)

Live albums

• The Black Sessions (Best of double disc set with a live DVD) (2005)
• Live Consternation (including live DVD) (2007)

EPs

• Jhva Elohim Meth... The Revival (1992)
• For Funerals to Come (1995)
• Sounds of Decay (1997)
• Saw You Drown (1998)
• Teargas (2001)
• Tonight's Music (2001)

Demos

• Rehearsal '91 (1991)
• Rehearsal '92 (1992)
• Jhva Elohim Meth (1992)

Singles

• Ghost Of The Sun (2003)
• My Twin (2006)
• Deliberation (2006)
• July (2007)
• Day and Then the Shade (2009)

Compilations

• W.A.R. Compilation Vol. 1 (1994)
• Split 10" (1996)
• Identity Five (1999) Century Media (features "Deadhouse")
• Brave Yester Days (2004)
• The Black Sessions (2005)
• Peaceville Classic Cuts (2001) Peaceville (features the track "No devotion")

Side note

Frederik Norrman and Jonas Renkse were both in the doom/death band October Tide while in Katatonia. Rain Without End (1997, Vic Records), recorded in 1995, would be Renkse's last use of guttural vocals until his guest appearance 13 years later on Ayreon's 2008 album, 01011001. October Tide would dissolve after the release of Grey Dawn (1999).

Renkse and Nystrom are both members of the band Bloodbath and have been since 1998 (the same year October Tide is credited with splitting up).

References

1. ^ Doom-metal.com review of Katatonia’s Ihva Elohim Meth... the Revival
2. ^ Rough Edge review of Katatonia’s Last Fair Deal Gone Down
3. ^ Garry Sharpe-Young's "Definitive Guide to Metal", p. 379, "propagators of ambitious and supremely melodic doomdeath metal with heavy gothic elements"

External links

• Official website
• Katatonia @ O2 Islington Academy, London (Live HD) SoundShock.co.uk (3rd November 2009)
• Katatonia at YouTube
• Katatonia at MySpace
• Katatonia discography at MusicBrainz
• Katatonia at Last.fm
• Katatonia at Encyclopaedia Metallum