Katatonia - Discouraged Ones
Avantgarde Music - 1998
By John Knudsen
When I first heard that my favourite band throughout the years Katatonia was going to change their style because singer Jonas Renkse was unable to growl, I was VERY sceptical; I expected they had sold out, and would be just as shitty as Paradise Lost. But after hearing Discouraged Ones I changed my mind totally! All the songs on this album is awesome, none are lacking in style!
The guitar playing of Anders Nyström has improved from their latest release Sounds of Decay. Not because he lacked in skill on Sounds of Decay, but because the guitar style grips better into Jonas Renkse's new singing style. Instead of growling, he is singing 100 % clean voices - a thing he does very good even though he has become better on their two latest releases (Tonight's Decision [Peaceville 1999] and Last Fair Deal Gone Down [Peaville 2001]). He seems to cry more than sing, and this gives the songs more feeling than they could ever have gotten with his growling.
Personally I still like their Brave Murder Day from 1996 the most, but with Discouraged Ones they've created a superb album.
Avantgarde Music - 1998
By John Knudsen
When I first heard that my favourite band throughout the years Katatonia was going to change their style because singer Jonas Renkse was unable to growl, I was VERY sceptical; I expected they had sold out, and would be just as shitty as Paradise Lost. But after hearing Discouraged Ones I changed my mind totally! All the songs on this album is awesome, none are lacking in style!
The guitar playing of Anders Nyström has improved from their latest release Sounds of Decay. Not because he lacked in skill on Sounds of Decay, but because the guitar style grips better into Jonas Renkse's new singing style. Instead of growling, he is singing 100 % clean voices - a thing he does very good even though he has become better on their two latest releases (Tonight's Decision [Peaceville 1999] and Last Fair Deal Gone Down [Peaville 2001]). He seems to cry more than sing, and this gives the songs more feeling than they could ever have gotten with his growling.
Personally I still like their Brave Murder Day from 1996 the most, but with Discouraged Ones they've created a superb album.
