Katatonia Kopy Kats :p

[Scapegrace]

Well, I should be asleep with the night right now however, I have had this one topic on my mind for a long time now...
-Bands which are considered "Katatonia Clones"-

Are these bands "ripping off" Katatonia ? Points :

1-RAPTURE (Futile)
This album is total BraveMurderDay worship and these guys took some major jabs for it. Apperantly even Anders Nystrom was pissed about this (confirmation?). Personally, I think although you cant deny the Katatonia influence - this album is a solid 9/10. Also cool that it is more BMD than jumping on the bandwagon and going for Katatonia's "new sound". This is a great album for those of you who miss the BMD era with harsh vocals.

2-AUTUMNBLAZE (Bleak)
When I first heard this album, I was shocked at how much it sounded like newer Katatonia... which seems very intentional.
The music is bleak, subtle at times and very very KATATONIA sounding throughout... the singer even sounds quite a bit like Jonas, the guitarist tries to be Anders and the drums are kinda sounding like "Discouraged Ones". Though, I would say this is another great, highly emotional album... with at leat some small touches of individuality.

3-VARIOUS BANDS (world wide)
Well, there are other bands which I wont mention now that are tagged as Katatonia clones, but my point now is this :

None of these bands are ripping Katatonia off. What katatonia did was make a whole new genre of music... and these afformentioned bands are just contributing to that genre. I mean, just cause someone plays Swedish Deathmetal does not mean they are an At The Gates ripoff, right ? Sure Katatonia might be an obvious influence on these bands, but Katatonia has influences themselves...I can pick a few bands that even Katatonia sounds like ! So are Katatonia ripoffs too then ? No I dont think so.

So, what do you think ?
(are you ready to ruuuuuuuuummmmmble !?!?!?)

 

[_Transparent_]

i think that everyone gets influence from other bands, but i find it frustrating/annoying when a band blatently copies another and then becomes more famous , bastards.

 

[my dying groom]

Concerning Rapture I can't say anything because I don't have the album (yet), but Autumnblaze is wrongfully accused, I think.

the singer even sounds quite a bit like Jonas, the guitarist tries to be Anders

The singer and the guitarist is the same person...how multiple of him

and the drums are kinda sounding like "Discouraged Ones".

I don't think so, it's rather the typical drum sound of Schwadorf's (Empyrium, SOTS) 'Klangschmiede E' studio. To my mind the additional drum loops make the cd quite individual.
Perhaps the right Kopy Kat choice would be Blazing Eternity from Denmark ('Of Times & Unknown Waters'). Just to make it clear, having influences isn't a bad thing at all, but the obvious copying of other styles is pathetic.

Cheers

 

[ColdDarkNord]

rapture and novembre
both bands suxx for my vision... no no no, all is professional but absolutly not interesting. I can listen roxette in my car without problems, for example, but this do not mean than Im gonna listen them when I work or at home. Same with mostly metal bands. 90% is total clones.

 

[yourdeadgroom]

Well, Katatonia have developed from being a Paradise Lost rip-off, so no-one can really throw stones at anyone else

They leave PL for dead, anyway.

 

[jesse]

Originally posted by Scapegrace
1-RAPTURE (Futile)
This album is total BraveMurderDay worship and these guys took some major jabs for it. Apperantly even Anders Nystrom was pissed about this (confirmation?). Personally, I think although you cant deny the Katatonia influence - this album is a solid 9/10. Also cool that it is more BMD than jumping on the bandwagon and going for Katatonia's "new sound". This is a great album for those of you who miss the BMD era with harsh vocals.

Anders was not pissed at all about this. Actually, the opposite. He _loved_ (and still does) the album and has told me personally of bringing it along on trips to crank in his headphones..

While that album is clearly heavily influenced by BMD, it is also obvious that it has a very different vibe if you are familiar with both albums.. I personally think it fucking rules...

 

[MacMoney]

What new genre has Katatonia invented? Their newer stuff doesn't sound really new to my ear.

 

[discouraged1]

My first impression on Autumnblaze's Bleak was how would Katatonia sound if they recorded Alternative 4.

If you think Autumnblaze is Katatonia ripoff, just wait to hear latest Paragon of Beauty - Comfort Me, Infinity !

 

[Scapegrace]

Well, good to hear Anders enjoys Rapture.
And the new genre that Katatonia slowly created (IMO) could be called "Bleak Rock" (Metal would not be fitting anymore).
Other bands that have joined this style (more or less) are :
Rapture, Autumnblaze, Daylight Dies, Paragon of Beauty etc etc etc. This genre DOEST NOT include somewhat related bands Opeth and Anathema as they are far different and more intricate than the above. "Bleak Rock" consists of certain approaches and playing styles. I'd say Opeth is more Prog, maybe Anathema too and possibly Daylight Dies. But really - who cares what it is ?! We can all agree on one thing, IT IS ALL GOOD.

 

[WashedAway]

Yes especially the Opeth part

 

[K-tonic]

Yeah, Rapture rules! Can´t wait for their new album...

 

[MacMoney]

Actually, we can't agree since I don't like Katatonia's newer stuff

 

[berkleyblack]

rapture, yeah i can see that, but at least they still growl.

but novembre, fuck that. they are brilliant and in a totally different vein. they are more like opeth rip offs, yet they retain a lot of personal uniqueness (sp?). very dynamic and progressive much in the way of opeth (the gods of modern metal) but with more a black metal scream than a death metal growl, the dynamics in the writing, and progressive melody...does katatonia have these, um, nope.

katatonia is in my top 5, novembre is in my top 20. but to say that they are similar just means that you havent heard enough of novembre to say that.

any other time though, Nord, you tend to be right on. and i love your site.

sentenced reminds me a lot of katatonia getting back to topic, or should i say it the other way since sentenced has been around longer. plus they both started out heavy and majestic to turn gothic and melodic. great stuff on both ends though. perhaps sentenced is more of a dumbed down katatonia, but they are similar.

paradise lost perfected the area of goth/melodic with draconian times and perhaps shades of god (though there be a little more growling there), and have fallen to goth-pop wayside since. i still like it, but now they are playing catch-up to katatonia, which is kinda sad, but at least they know what they need to do.

as far as a direct clone of Kat., i cant think of one. they rule way to much for me to put another band that close to them.

 

[the-lull]

I remember someone from the band describing Katatonia as being a logical evolution of Paradise Lost if they hadn't turned electronic. It was for 'Tonight's Decision' I think.
I dislike people spitting on bands that are too much Katatonia-influenced according to them. Katatonia was really influenced by Paradise Lost ('Inside the city of Glass' seems to be a Greg Mackintosh song by the way!), but creates something of their own out of this influence, cause they dig into the music to find something even bleaker than what Paradise Lost did.
It is without doubt be the case with Rapture, Daylight Dies, and others. THey dig into Katatonia music to take what they found interesting and add what they have to give from their own.
Moreover, you just can't take your guitar and tell yourself,"well, I'm goinf to make a Katatonia song". It has to come from within. You can't lie with that type of music. I think it really has to be painful to create this music.
I was myself told to be too much influenced by Katatonia. That's not the way I tried to create the songs. When I listen to them, I can only say to myself "This is me, this is what I wanted to create", I haven't even tried to be as good as them, I just play the mood I feel, and that mood is close from waht Katatonia express, that's it.

 

[Erik]

lull... I've listened to your record several times since you sent it to me and while there is a discernible Katatonia influence in riffing style and mood, song structures and progression within the song are really vastly different from anything Katatonia. Anyone calling that music clonery should listen closer. I like your stuff very much.

 

[Dora]

bollox

 

[philipmartin]

pffffffff, ¡'m tired of this, guys there are millions of bands, some with growls some with normal vocals,music is music, if you don't like a band listen to another and the problem is sold

 

[ucsbdude]

Rapture is tight. Yea, Futile has some BMD influences but it has moments of their own.
Songs of the Withering sounds very different from Futile IMO.
There's this band from Italy called Room with a View that has BMD all over it.

 

[None_So_Vile]

Withering Surface

 

[Lord_AgathoN]

"They leave PL for dead, anyway." ????????????????????????????????

Well, seems to me that your mind is a little bit twisted.....
Sorry, but the brilliance of Gothic, Shades of God and Icon will never even be touched by Katatonia. I like Katatonia.....they are on my Top10......but old Paradise Lost are a whole different league.......maybe you should listen again to this jewels. Perhaps u never have to...

And what the hell is withering surface ripping off?