warrus said:
it doesnt really matter...whats important here its the music...ok? THE MUSIC..................................and i love it.
I do have to agree with you. However, and many here are going to despite me for saying this, I think that Katatonia died a while ago and have nothing else to offer (or perhaps are not showing any musical and conceptual growth).
I remember when Dance of December Souls came out many years ago, when I was a teenager: that record represented something special it was articulated and meaningful. Then, Brave Murder Day (to date their masterpiece) came along... those deep lyrics, that sorrow, the pain, the nails on the wall, the glass on the floor, the puddles of rain, that genuine desperation... Where did it all go? Katatonia, through that record, introduced a new sound and succeeded where Paradise Lost failed. It was a magic era. They inspired many bands in exploring a new sound, a different interpretation of the death metal drumming, and guitar technical strategies they introduced something fresh to the table
Suddenly, and many might not agree with me, somewhere along the line the band forgot its mesmerizing desperation and started replacing it with the current (and perchance evident) pop-emo-numetal-whatever-you-want-to-call-it songwriting style: In the lyrics there seems to be no content and whatever is supposed to be poetic ends up appearing extremely banal. I believe that they "vulgarized" and bastardized their concept - now they are simply another rock band with nothing else to say and offer (lyrics wise and music wise).
Where is the poetry of "day" or "quiet world"?
Going further, so many things have been happening throughout the world. The band members are now adults... can we see some sort of sense of social purpose or political involvement? Let's consider the notion of art, what it represent, and its responsibilities: Art grows, develops itself, and is responsible to mirror not only a microcosmic, intimate, or existentialistic (selfish?) perspective but especially a larger one; art is responsible to expand and reach out. My question is: what does "the great cold distance has to offer"? I could easily listen to "last fair deal gone down" or to bands like A Perfect Circle (who's last record, ironically, is an anti-war propaganda), Godspeed!youblackemperor, Dredg, Thursday? What else could the band offer? Are they creating art or is their dark-ness a mere gimmick? The same story could be easily applied to Opeth (who died after My Arms, Your Hearse).
I am not attacking. I just want you to meditate on these things. I might be wrong. I also suggest you to listen to KLIMT 1918's music and to read their lyrics and to tell me if you notice something different.