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Review: Katatonia, Marble Factory
When Opeth’s Mikael Akerfelt moved away from ‘harsh’ vocals under the influence of Steven Wilson, he was at the forefront of a mini musical revolution that saw many a band from the extreme metal underground emboldened to explore their proggier, more melodic leanings. While this wasn’t universally popular with the purist trolling community, it provided a new route map for acts that were in danger of painting themselves into a corner. Rather than being directly influenced, Akerfelt’s Stockholm chums (he guested on several of their early albums) Katatonia underwent a parallel evolution, revealing Jonas Renkse to possess one of the richest, most evocative and distinctive voices in the emerging prog-metal scene.
Nearly five years on from their stunning end-of-tour show at the Fleece, which Renkse recalls tonight as a highlight of the Dead End Kings trek, Katatonia finally return to Bristol with a new album, The Fall of Hearts (why does that seem as though it should be a HIM song?), and even more line-up changes. Indeed, Renkse and guitarist Anders Nyström are now the sole remaining members of the original death metal Katatonia. But both recent additions prove to be great assets. Bespectacled, short-haired drummer Daniel Moilanen might not look especially metal, but he can play the hell out of that kit, effortlessly handling all those tricky time changes, his thunderous intro to the Tool-esque Dead Letters prompting an audience outbreak of air drumming the like of which is rarely seen outside Rush gigs. Guitarist Roger Öjersson not only nails all his solos, but also has a voice that blends perfectly with those of Renkse and Nyström to deliver huge, suitably mournful harmonies on the likes of the achingly melancholic yet strangely uplifting Old Heart Falls.
We get plenty from The Fall of Hearts, the main set being bookended by Last Song Before the Fade and epic album closer Passer. But as though raring to re-embrace their metal roots after that brief detour into acoustic mellowness with Dethroned & Decrowned and the accompanying unplugged tour, Katatonia reach back as far as 2001’s Last Fair Deal Gone Down for crowd favourite Teargas. They also revisit Viva Emptiness for a brace of songs, including the dark, brooding Criminals, Renske spitting out the lyrics “He went too far, the fucker/It’s not like I owe him money/This is different” as though articulating a personal vendetta. Chalk up another triumphant performance from a band at the very top of their game.
is needed now More than ever
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