Date Of Release: May 2001
Country: Sweden
Genre: Doom Metal / Alternative Rock
Background Information: Katatonia is a Swedish band, formed in the early 90s. At first they played Doom/Death Metal - while mixing death grunts and clean singing style, as seen on their debut, 'Dance of December Souls'. At some point, vocalist 'Blackheim' (Anders Nyström) lost his ability to growl, so then Opeth vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt was asked to growl on their next album, 'Brave Murder Day'. But since their next album, 'Discouraged Ones', they metamorphed their music into a very unique style. I would define it as depressive rock, but it can also be considered as a mixture of Doom Metal, Alternative Rock and even a little bit of progressiveness. This album, Last Fair Deal Gone Down, is their best album in my opinion, since their musical metamorphosis.
Review: Some people might disagree with me, but I think that this album is Katatonia's peak as musicians. I know that Viva Emptiness is considered to be their best rock album, but this one's a very emotional and sentimental one too.
First of all, it is so eclectic: it combines elements of prog (in songs such as 'Chrome'), elements of industrial (as seen on 'We Must Bury You'), and it even includes a radio-friendly song - 'Teargas'. All of the above are done while maintaining a high level of depression that's reminiscent of bands such as Anathema, Opeth, and even Muse. The atmosphere is really dark and suicidal - this album is not recommended for mentally ill people - and if you are mental, well, try to keep yourself away from knives.
The production and the sound is not 100% perfect, it's not the lab-clean sound of Porcupine Tree nor the swiss watch exact sound of Dream Theater; But still it is of good quality, and it fits the atmosphere so good that I wouldn't change a thing about it.
Some of the songs are repetetive - in a good way. Katatonia know how to find a good riff/musical idea and repeat it without letting you getting bored. It is mostly a slow, heavy and serious album, it has no happy moments or optimistic. It is mostly pasimistic, nihilstic, and everything else that sounds intimidating and ends with 'tic'.
Score: 9.5 out of 10. Spectacular album, recommended for both metalheads and proggers.
Track Listing:
- Dispossession - 5:36
- Chrome - 5:14
- We Must Bury You - 2:50
- Teargas - 3:23
- I Transpire - 5:56
- Tonight's Music - 4:20
- Clean Today - 4:23
- The Future Of Speech - 5:40
- Passing Bird - 3:38
- Sweet Nurse - 3:57
- Don't Tell A Soul - 5:42
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2 comments:
Anders Nystrom isn't the singer, Jonas Renkse is.
The link of download is for "viva emptiness"
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