I was just going through my Katatonia CDs one by one. I played the earlier stuff through Discouraged Ones yesterday. Then, today, I played everything through Night is the New Day. Normally, Discouraged Ones would be the album that marked the stylistic change in Katatonia's musical direction, rightly so. Granted, the album falls short off the mark in more than one spot, but, to some, it is its imperfections that elevate it to higher level.
Anyway, I was wondering how everyone on this board assesses the album from both a historical and musical standpoint. I've heard people call Discouraged Ones the "darkest" and "most depressing" Katatonia album. They would cite Jonas' imperfect vocalizations and the steady 4/4 drumming as crucial elements contributing to its overall character.
As an old-timer fan who followed the band from way back, I remember picking up Discouraged Ones, and unlike a great many of my friends, being able to relate to it, despite my being very heavily into the doom-death sounds of the time. I immediately accepted the album for what it was, but never really considered a masterpiece of any stretch of the word.
For me, the album was a stepping stone for Jonas and Anders to actually go out there and make a statement. It would even take another full album to actually establish their identity and cement their musical signature. I could make similar arguments for Tonight's Decision, which in itself is a solid piece of work, but fails to rank as high as either the earliest stuff or their post-Last Fair Deal Gone period.
Anyways, I'd like to see what everyone else thinks of Discouraged Ones. Also, feel free to chime in with your observations as to what your other Kata friends may be saying about it. This disc could be the most controversial album in their catalog. I've heard people call it a masterpiece of the genre and also their most unrealized body of work.
What do you think of it? How does it hold up against either Tonight's Decision or the stuff that came prior? Is it a record that helped solidify the sounds they would later explore on Viva Emptiness or was it a one-off experiment?
Any thoughts?
NP: Warning - Watching from a Distance
Anyway, I was wondering how everyone on this board assesses the album from both a historical and musical standpoint. I've heard people call Discouraged Ones the "darkest" and "most depressing" Katatonia album. They would cite Jonas' imperfect vocalizations and the steady 4/4 drumming as crucial elements contributing to its overall character.
As an old-timer fan who followed the band from way back, I remember picking up Discouraged Ones, and unlike a great many of my friends, being able to relate to it, despite my being very heavily into the doom-death sounds of the time. I immediately accepted the album for what it was, but never really considered a masterpiece of any stretch of the word.
For me, the album was a stepping stone for Jonas and Anders to actually go out there and make a statement. It would even take another full album to actually establish their identity and cement their musical signature. I could make similar arguments for Tonight's Decision, which in itself is a solid piece of work, but fails to rank as high as either the earliest stuff or their post-Last Fair Deal Gone period.
Anyways, I'd like to see what everyone else thinks of Discouraged Ones. Also, feel free to chime in with your observations as to what your other Kata friends may be saying about it. This disc could be the most controversial album in their catalog. I've heard people call it a masterpiece of the genre and also their most unrealized body of work.
What do you think of it? How does it hold up against either Tonight's Decision or the stuff that came prior? Is it a record that helped solidify the sounds they would later explore on Viva Emptiness or was it a one-off experiment?
Any thoughts?
NP: Warning - Watching from a Distance
