katatonia where do i start?

[jester00]

obviously when i see that opeth rate this band so highly i need to

check out and see what they are about.

any suggestions on which album or songs to check out first?


just from looking at their album covers the band seems to have

changed quite a bit from beginning to now.


many thanks

jester00

 

[changso]

Being an Opeth fan, I would start with Brave Murder Day. That one will introduce you to both the heavy and mellow side of Katatonia.

 

[Morningrise]

Last Fair Deal Gone Down...........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Check out tracks like Teargas and Tonight's Music

 

[SoundMaster]

The album "Brave.Murder.Day" & the EP "Sounds of Decay" both feature Mikael on vocals - so, obviously, this may be a good place to start.

However, the music on these are not like Opeth. The songs are "long", but are monotonous - the riffs drone on & on! And this is a good thing! The "atmosphere" is thick with depression & gloom....more so than any Opeth release.

I feel, however, that the CDs that represent Katatonia's best work are "Last Fair Deal.." (their latest) and "Tonight's Decision".
Both feature all clean-vocals. And both are among the best metal releases of the past decade, IMO. The songs are shorter, but, I feel, are much more "thought out" & interesting! The atmosphere is still 'depressing', but not as claustrophobic as that found on "BMD" & "SOD".

You just can't go wrong!

Purchase/download in this order:
1) Last Fair Deal
2) Brave Murder Day (to get an idea of their great, older stuff)
3) Tonight's Decision
4) Teargas EP
5) Sounds of Decay
6) Discouraged Ones

 

[yourdeadgroom]

If you want to hear Mike growling, and a really atmosphereic, stunning album, go with "Brave Murder Day". However, this is not representative of current Katatonia, and should be treated as a seperate thing (it's the only thing they did like that, apart from the "Sounds of Decay" ep, which also has Mike on it, but that's hard to find). For recent Katatonia, my favourite is "Discouraged Ones", which is really downbeat, bleak and heavy. "Tonight's Decision" has some great songs on it, but the vocals in places are a little weak (Jonas was going through his 'falsetto' period, which it's safe to say was not a good thing ). The new one, "Last Fair Deal Gone Down" is very solid, good songs, very good vocals, the whole package.

 

[changso]

Originally posted by SoundMaster
However, the music on these are not like Opeth. The songs are "long", but are monotonous - the riffs drone on & on! And this is a good thing! The "atmosphere" is thick with depression & gloom....more so than any Opeth release.

monotonous? Couldn't agree less... Brave Murder Day is a well established masterpiece IMO.

 

[yourdeadgroom]

Check them out here:
http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/224/katatoniacom.html
The band has provided several full songs to download, pick the album you like the sound of most.

 

[yourdeadgroom]

Originally posted by changso
monotonous? Couldn't agree less... Brave Murder Day is a well established masterpiece IMO.

They are monotonus, but in a good way, and that is the whole point of the riffs- the go on and on and on, build up this amazing atmosphere, then when they change to a new riff, it's great :drool:

 

[changso]

Originally posted by yourdeadgroom
They are monotonus, but in a good way, and that is the whole point of the riffs- the go on and on and on, build up this amazing atmosphere, then when they change to a new riff, it's great :drool:

Taken that way, well OKAY

 

[SoundMaster]

Originally posted by changso
monotonous? Couldn't agree less... Brave Murder Day is a well established masterpiece IMO.

It IS a masterpiece, but it's 'because of' and not 'in spite of' the monotany found on this record!

Katatonia made it work! It really helped build the claustrophobic, depressing atmosphere!

 

[changso]

Originally posted by SoundMaster
It IS a masterpiece, but it's 'because of' and not 'in spite of' the monotany found on this record!

Katatonia made it work! It really helped build the claustrophobic, depressing atmosphere!

I agree...I just took wrongly the word "monotany" in a pejorative way.

 

[Fervisson]

Start with Discouraged Ones. It has the musical heaviness from Brave Murder Day, and the non-growled vocals like their most recent stuff, but not quite like Tonight's Decision and LFDGD.

Dive in the middle with Discouraged Ones. Then work your way back a bit with Brave Murder Day, then get the newer two.

1. Discouraged Ones
2. Brave Murder Day
3. Tonight's Decision
4. Last Fair Deal Gone Down

I couldn't pick a favorite out of those 4, so I'm not just going by a biased opinion like others might be doing. I just honestly think this would be the best way to just dive into the world of Katatonia. I'm not really a fan of anything they've down other than the 4 I mentioned, except for maybe For Funerals To Come, Sounds of Decay, and the EP's if you count them.

 

[ham]

discouraged ones is, atm, my fav katatonia disc, but Brave Murder Day stayed in my player for many months longer

 

[J.]

The only essential Katatonia albums are:

Dance of Decembre Souls
Brave Murder Day
Sounds of Decay
Discouraged Ones

Take your pick

 

[jester00]

thanks guys.


popping off to the record shop today

 

[batmura]

I highly recommend Brave Murder Day (one of the best doom metal albums ever released) and their first one Dance of December Souls with Renkse on vocals.

NP: Pentagram - Bir

 

[Morningrise]

Dance of December Souls didn't have Renkse on vocals...

 

[MacMoney]

Originally posted by Morningrise
Dance of December Souls didn't have Renkse on vocals...

Yes, it did.

I recommend starting with Brave Murder Day too. It is definitely their best album with it's gloomy and dark atmosphere and excellent less-is-more riffing.

 

[batmura]

Originally posted by Morningrise
Dance of December Souls didn't have Renkse on vocals...

It did. Go to their website and see for yourself.

NP: Savatage - Rare & Unreleased