KATATONIA: Night is the New Day

Released: 2009

Virtually every review of one of this band's albums since Discouraged Ones talks about the shift from blackened doom to the gloomy alternative rock direction they have now long been in as if the writer is self-consciously trying to show everyone that they knew Katatonia back when Blakkheim and Lord Seth were in the band. Katatonia's musical divergence happened so long ago now that mentioning it is about as relevant as reminding everyone that Metallica was once a thrash band. Yet, despite having left the metal arena some time ago, Katatonia still harbours a massive and loyal fanbase dating back to that period because while their music is stylistically different, they still exist within the dark and moody world they inhabited back then.

For their own part, the band has claimed Night is the New Day to be heavier and more diverse than what they have done in the past, and in some respects that is true, especially with regards to the subtle use of keyboards that help to add another layer to their trademark atmosphere. But underneath the lush production and the somnambulent melodies, it's still the same Katatonia. Like previous albums in their catalogue, Night is the New Day is an exploration of the darkness and solitude of the human condition through a collection of gloomy, repetitive, trance-like dirges, this time peppered with sprinklings of trip-hop keys and drum loops. Anders Nyström drives the tunes with churning minor-key riffs and Jonas Renkse colours em with dark, obscure musings in a melodious voice that evokes comparisons with Steve Kilbey of The Church and, significantly, Mikael Åkerfeld.

More than once on Night is the New Day, Katatonia comes as close as anyone to sounding like Opeth -- a delicious irony when one considers how often Opeth were once accused of sounding like Katatonia. In "Idle Blood" Renkse sounds more like Åkerfeld than Åkerfeld does and the band manages to capture the same emotion as a song like "Bleak", but in less than half the time. It's really no accident that these two bands can be so alike considering their history and influences, but Katatonia plunges even further into abysses of gloom and despair and with the added effects and what could be Jonas Renkse's best vocal performance yet, Night is the New Day is another morose triumph.

1. Forsaker
2. The Longest Year
3. Idle Blood
4. Onward into Battle
5. Liberation
6. The Promise of Deceit
7. Nephilim
8. New Night
9. Inheritance
10. Day and then the Shade
11. Departer

Rating: 89%