Katatonia

"This article is about the band Katatonia, not to be confused with the Welsh Pop-Rock band Catatonia. For the medical disease, see Catatonia."

Infobox musical artist
Name = Katatonia


Img_capt = From left to right: Daniel Liljekvist, Anders Nystrom, Mattias Norrman, Jonas Renkse, and Fredrik Norrman
Img_size = 250
Landscape = Yes
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Stockholm, Sweden
Genre = Death/Doom (early era) [Garry Sharpe-Young's "Definitive Guide to Metal", p. 379, "propagators of ambitious and supremely melodic doomdeath metal with heavy gothic elements"]
Doom metal
Goth rock (later career)
Alternative metal (later career)
Years_active = 1991–1994
1996-present
Label = Peaceville, Avantgarde Music, No Fashion Records, Vic Records
Associated_acts = Opeth, Bloodbath, Diabolical Masquerade, October Tide
URL = [http://www.katatonia.com/ www.katatonia.com]
Current_members = Jonas Renkse
Anders Nyström
Fred Norrman
Mattias Norrman
Daniel Liljekvist
Past_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 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 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

Current members

* 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 guitar (1999 - present)
* Daniel Liljekvist – drums, percussion (1999 - present)

Former members

* Guillaume Le Huche – bass guitar (1992 – 1994)
* Mikael Oretoft – bass guitar (1996 – 1997)
* Mikael Åkerfeldt – vocals (1996 – 1997)
* Dan Swanö – keyboards (1992 - 1993), drums, percussion (1999)
* Kenneth Eklund – drums, percussion (live, 1996)

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)
* "TBA" (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)

ingles

* "Ghost Of The Sun" (2003)
* "My Twin" (2006)
* "Deliberation" (2006)
* "July" (2007)

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")"

ide 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. 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

* [http://www.katatonia.com/ Official website]
* [http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=katatoniaband Katatonia] at YouTube
* [http://myspace.com/katatonia Katatonia] at MySpace
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* [http://www.metal-archives.com/band.php?id=6 Katatonia] at Encyclopaedia Metallum