Viva Emptyness, not quite as different as many think!

[Her own Pride]

Viva emptyness sounds like a big change in step for katatonia, I love this album and after listening carefully I can see that a lot of their previous work has been carefully polished to provide us with this fantastic step.

Take "No good can come of this", a great example that links well to "Criminals" with both chorus's following similar directions. Also in this case I suppose "For my Demons" has a similar feel to it.

Also take "Sleeper" which shares the "Now I'm Breathing in" the first heavy section in the song, with Disposession's chorus "how long will it take until
there will be room enough for hope, it is so sad to see, dispossession"
,the same bassy sliding guitar is found.

Maybe I'm last with working this out, but many who have reviewed this album have definitly reviewed it in haste as I am listening to a lot more of the old Katatonia songs only to hear little bits of Viva emptyness all over the place.

Its like a produced mix of everything they've done with a bit extra. The sweet melodic guitars of Anders may have disappeared but everthing else is still there. I think that Jonases vocals are the key, in order to let them shine they have placed them forfront of this album, I have never really respected music as much as this, a band that are complicated but brilliant song writers.

It keeps getting better..........

 

[Cerulean]

Who wants pie?

 

[Erik]

Maybe I'm last with working this out, but many who have reviewed this album have definitly reviewed it in haste as I am listening to a lot more of the old Katatonia songs only to hear little bits of Viva emptyness all over the place.

Isn't it more like, "as I am listening to a lot more of the old Katatonia songs I hear little bits of them in 'Viva Emptiness?'"
'Cause while it is quite clear that it is the same band that recorded LFDGD and VE because bits and pieces of old Katatonia shine through, when you have to post topics such as these it makes it even more obvious that there WAS a substantial style change to VE...

 

[no country for old wainds]

It is very different, atmospherically. Good though, in its own way.

 

[Her own Pride]

I agree that it's different but I think that when you first hear it it washes over you in quite intense ways. After I have listened back to previous albums, that I have heard time and time again I suddenly hear something quite Viva Emptyness hidden in there, obviously for the band this would be the other way around, however it makes me see it from a different point of view, from a point that shows you where they wanted to go but with less of an idea of how to get there, it shows a true band working for what every real musician is doing the music for, the journey of creative discovery of themselves. I just think Katatonia have pulled this of rather f**cking successfully. And amazingly they have done it with every album. Some bands take years just to change a little bit, and a lot of them don't feel like they are progressing very much at all, or if they pull of a positive progression, the songs are lacking in quality. I hope Katatonia get lots of money and chart selling's, cos they are one of few bands that seriously deserve it.

 

[Demonspell]

I agree that on first listen it seems like an abrupt change, it takes a while for the Katatonia-isms to become present, and I think the increased heaviness works against the music on only a few occasions.

 

[thebleakhorizon]

the guitars are sharper, the tempo is a little more urgent and there isn't as much of the "lonely" lead harmonies as before...otherwise, not that different.

 

[coronerox]

yes, its not that different.......
But it has a place on the best of 2003 on my list

 

[Her own Pride]

I worked out the key to their new sound last night. The guitars are dropped down the tuning into the key of C, the is much lower than most guitars get dropped but it gives that thick lush sound.

Then I went on to work out the songs on the album, actually none of them are very difficult, its the drop C that creates the overall emphasis on the rhythm, I have to say that it took me a while to realise this is what they did, only when I tried to work out the songs did I realise the drop "C" tuning.

The biggining to wealth is a good example, the starting riff that is played is only 1 chord with 3 notes, but works so well in creating something not heard often on the guitar.

The drop C also makes it much easier for Jonas to truely sing his heart out, definitly Katatonias secret key to a great sound.

 

[Incendiare]

Each Katatonia album is different in its own way. I heard a few people saying they don't think Katatonia is metal anymore because of VE, but I'm assuming they've only listened to it once.

 

[coronerox]

I couldnt agree more

 

[Her own Pride]

No its not metal. It's too heavy for that, its actually decent f**cking dark music, not crap that floats around us, this is a band pushing boundries, I listen and enjoy lots of music, and I can hear the bands that change it, this is one such band, they should be the next Nirvana if nothing else.

 

[Sounds Of Decay]

Next Nirvana? .....I don't want to see Jonas OD on heroin

But honestly, of COURSE you hear previous Katatonia work in their latest album.....just as you hear older Immortal in the newer material, older Opeth in the newer material, etc etc. Doesn't matter to me. The album is fucking brilliant and tops all of their previous albums hands down.

But seriously though...I have no idea how they're going to top VE.

 

[SolarKnife]

Of course the songs are built up in the same kind of way. It's the same band you know!

 

[shivering corpse]

yeah it's not that different and it's a good album

the thing that i miss is the mournful leads, those were the katatonia trademark

 

[Blakkheim]

i have to agree, the "sorrow leads" are huge part of katatonia's trademark. i wouldn't be surprised if the leads are coming back in spotlight on the next one. actually, i just bought a new guitar for that purpose.

 

[kambouris]

any idea or prediction how the next one is gonna sound????(curious).come to greece please!!!!!!!!!!

 

[salisbury]

actually, i just bought a new guitar for that purpose.

Congratulations! What kind of guitar is it?

 

[Kara]

any idea or prediction how the next one is gonna sound????(curious).come to greece please!!!!!!!!!!

Calm down!!! it's still Viva Emptiness time!
All I'll say is that the fresher the album the better it gets, as the band is still evolving and finding the new sounds and solutions...but the typical darkness and sorrow still remanis ...So, VE is still in my HI-Fi for about 6 months right now, and I'm discovering new things on and on! Good piece of work.

 

[no country for old wainds]

No its not metal. It's too heavy for that, its actually decent f**cking dark music, not crap that floats around us, this is a band pushing boundries, I listen and enjoy lots of music, and I can hear the bands that change it, this is one such band, they should be the next Nirvana if nothing else.

If VE is too heavy to be metal, what the hell are Mortician? And if Katatonia become the next Nirvana, Jonas won't be the only one ODing.