Look...
This is obviously over the new album.
Katatonia have evolved, the fact that they could do better live etc is another discussion.
But I have listened to the new album a bit now and quite frankly its good, but its just not got the magic I loved when they used to write songs rather than copy paste stuff together.
I have listened hard and put LFDGD on again recently and I am sorry but no matter how god the new album is its just not got any powerful songwriting.
Yes its good ok, its a good fucking album, I think I like it.
But it the first album where I feel stuck wishing for something more, the first time I have felt that.
So this thread is fair to those making a fast point and calling it shit, but not everyone is going to come here and write a long reason behind their feelings, they probably have more of a life than you or me.
Katatonia have made 9 or so studio albums, for a ninth album to still be good is fantastic. At the same time, music industry is changing, and everyone who was or is a fan changes.
Its not shit thogh, its just not something that I would refer to when I wanted some real Katatonia. The lead guitars have gone, fair enough, the riffs have pretty much dried up (shame) and the vocals are a bit too loose. But then the bass is class, the drums are fantastic, the atmosphere and production are great.
However the songwriting has taken a sidestep, and that is a bad sacrifice.
But its not shit, just a sidestep.