
Katatonia
Dead End Kings
Peaceville Records
2012
When Katatonia release a new album, it’s so common to see/hear various reactions from the press and the fans. Certainly, there are those who can’t bear the fact that Katatonia changed over the years and became kinda softer than they used to be in their prime and those who got to know them after they changed their sound and wanna see them becoming a full mainstream band in the end. The truth, as always, lies in the middle.
“Dead End Kings” is in the same vein with “Night Is the New Day”… it’s Katatonia, the same old branded style of the band… no surprises at all. It’s well-written, greatly produced (by the singer Jonas Renkse and guitarist Anders Nystrom, and also mixed by David Castillo) and well packaged. It’s a complete music product that moves on safe waters. There’s also a guest appearance by the Norwegian vocalist Silje Wergeland of The Gathering on the song “The One You Are Looking For Is Not Here”. Probably, that’s the only thing I do not quite fancy that much. I wanted them to progress more and not to release something that’s so safe and one of the same. Katatonia is one of a kind no matter how you see things… they are a leading band on their genre… they actually created a whole new musical direction, but I think it’s time to go further… to renew their melancholic, dim, moody, doomy, melodic & atmospheric metal approach. They can do it for sure, even though they choose to be out of harm’s way, trying to please everybody... although it’s hard to do such a thing.
What this album’s missing is what the latest works of Katatonia are missing… and with every new album that issue grows bigger. They’re missing the big songs again. All songs are good, far away from mediocrity but there isn’t a huge tune that will take the album a little higher. Take the amazing “Last Fair Deal Went Down” for instance … there are tracks in there that are already classic. To be frank, the bonus track “The Act of Darkening” is truly delightful. It should have been included in the “normal” CD edition. There’s no doubt that you will revel in this album, if you prefer your metal music to be full of melancholy, darkness, sadness, sorrow, grief, melodies, woe, deep atmospheric textures & desperate soundscapes…
“Dead End Kings” is in the same vein with “Night Is the New Day”… it’s Katatonia, the same old branded style of the band… no surprises at all. It’s well-written, greatly produced (by the singer Jonas Renkse and guitarist Anders Nystrom, and also mixed by David Castillo) and well packaged. It’s a complete music product that moves on safe waters. There’s also a guest appearance by the Norwegian vocalist Silje Wergeland of The Gathering on the song “The One You Are Looking For Is Not Here”. Probably, that’s the only thing I do not quite fancy that much. I wanted them to progress more and not to release something that’s so safe and one of the same. Katatonia is one of a kind no matter how you see things… they are a leading band on their genre… they actually created a whole new musical direction, but I think it’s time to go further… to renew their melancholic, dim, moody, doomy, melodic & atmospheric metal approach. They can do it for sure, even though they choose to be out of harm’s way, trying to please everybody... although it’s hard to do such a thing.
What this album’s missing is what the latest works of Katatonia are missing… and with every new album that issue grows bigger. They’re missing the big songs again. All songs are good, far away from mediocrity but there isn’t a huge tune that will take the album a little higher. Take the amazing “Last Fair Deal Went Down” for instance … there are tracks in there that are already classic. To be frank, the bonus track “The Act of Darkening” is truly delightful. It should have been included in the “normal” CD edition. There’s no doubt that you will revel in this album, if you prefer your metal music to be full of melancholy, darkness, sadness, sorrow, grief, melodies, woe, deep atmospheric textures & desperate soundscapes…