KATATONIA

'Katatonia' are a Swedish metal band formed in Stockholm, in 1991 by Jonas Renkse (formerly Lord Seth) and Anders Nyström (formerly Blakkheim). The early Katatonia albums are noted for the overall melancholy of their sound, often giving them the classification of Doom Metal or Dark 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 scream 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 EP's 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.

Contents

Personnel

Current members

Former/session members

Discography

Albums

Live albums

EPs

Demos

Singles

Compilations

Side note

External links

Personnel

Current members

★ Jonas Renkse (aka Lord Seth) – vocals (1991–)

★ Anders Nyström (aka Blackheim or Blakkheim) – guitar (1991–)

★ Fred Norrman – guitar (1994 –)

★ Mattias Norrman – bass guitar (1999 –)

★ Daniel Liljekvist – drums (1999 –)

Former/session members

★ Guillaume Le Huche (aka Israphel Wing) – bass guitar (1992–1994)

★ Mikael Oretoft – bass guitar (1996–1997)

★ Mikael Åkerfeldt – vocals (1996–1997)

★ Dan Swanö (aka Day Disyraah) – keyboards, vocals & drums (session)

★ Kenneth Eklund – drums (live)

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)

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'' (1991)

★ ''Jhva Elohim Meth'' (1992)

Singles

★ "Ghost of the Sun" (2003)

★ "My Twin" (2006)

★ "Deliberation" (2006)

★ "July" (2007)

Compilations

★ ''W.A.R. Compilation Vol. 1'' (1994)

★ ''Identity Five'' (1999) Century Media ''(features "Deadhouse")''

★ ''Brave Yester Days'' (2004)

★ ''The Black Sessions'' (2005)

★ ''Split 10"'' (1996)

Side note

Norrman and Renkse were both in the doom/death band 'October Tide' while in ''Katatonia''. ''Rain Without End (Vic Records, 1997)'', recorded in 1995, would be Renkse's last use of guttural vocals. '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).

External links

★ Official website

★ Katatonia at YouTube

★ Katatonia at MySpace

★

★

★ Katatonia at Encyclopaedia Metallum

★ Reviews and interviews at Chronicles of Chaos

★ Interview with Katatonia vocalist at Blabbermouth.net

★ Interview HallOfMetal

★ Encyclopaedia Metallum - bands by letter - K - Katatonia