Would I like Katatonia?

[Meedleyx10]

Ive heard great things about Katatonia from a lot of people I know, but I dont like dropping 15 bucks on music without being a little educated. I'm mostly into a lot of progressive music. My favorite band is Dream Theater. I'm really into a lot of stuff like Ayreon, Liquid Tension Experiment, Suncaged, Queensryche, Symphony X, Adagio, etc. I listen to a lot of shred music too like George Bellas and Greg Howe. A little bit of death metal from time to time. Im also a huge jazz head......but thats besides the point. Im a HUGE Opeth fan, which is why most people tell me I would like Katatonia. What are they like? What kind of vocals do they have? ALso, what album(s) would be a good place to start?

 

[Mantraschism]

Katatonia are utterly different from all of those bands except Opeth, and they are still very different than them. From Saw You Drown (not that you will find this release) to present day the vocals are all clean, but they aren't high-pitched or anything like most prog or power metal bands. Katatonia are about sheer emotion. They are not technical, although they are all accomplished musicians. Jhva Elohim Meth through For Funerals to Come.... are doom-black, pretty much; Brave Murder Day and Sounds of Decay are doom-death. Dance of December Souls (first full-length album) reminds me quite a bit of Opeth's Orchid. Their sound now is not really metal anymore. It's just its own thing. Don't expect shredding guitars. Except the earlier stuff, don't expect 10+ minute songs. Don't expect complex song structures (except the earlier stuff, which tended to go through more movements). Expect very dark, affecting music. Katatonia are far beyond (METAL -- er, sorry - Strapping Young Lad outburst) nearly every band out there, in my opinion, just for the fact that they pack so much emotion into EVERYTHING they do.

But don't take my word for it. Just take the plunge and drop that 15 bucks on anything that says 'Katatonia' on it and hear for yourself. And give it some time, too -- it's very likely you won't be blown away on the first few listens. My first Katatonia album was Viva Emptiness, and while I really liked it at first, it didn't quite sit right with me somehow, and I went for a while without listening to it, until I got Tonight's Decision, which I liked a lot better. And then I got addicted -- you can go to the thread 'katatonia collection' and see my addiction for yourself (then you can look at Deliverance6's and realize that mine ain't shit in comparison =p). So, yeah. I don't recommend anything in specific. Just buy any album of theirs.

 

[Aaron A.]

I added you to my buddy list on AIM. Do the same for me (Severed Lynx) if you want.

I'll send you their best work, and you can purchase it if you like it. ^_^

 

[Jinn]

of course you'd like Katatonia. Everyone likes Katatonia. Katatonia is kvlt.

 

[Falling_Demon]

I Agree, you should enjoy Katatonia..pure emotional music, prefect to sit down and relax too, also there later albums remind me of Opeths - Damnation, so if you enjoy that album its a fair bet you would enjoy any of the later Katatonia releases

 

[The Great Katatonic]

if you like music,you will love Katatonia.everyone who likes them knows they should get more recognition than they do.if they were american,the media would probably shit their pants over them.i would personally recommend Last Fair Deal Gone Down.and what the others say is very true,they are not an 'immediate'band,it takes time to appreciate them,but it's well worth it.

 

[Aaron A.]

I can't see you not liking them... that is definitely true. Especially if you like Opeth (who I would compare them to... but then again... not really).

 

[cthulufhtagn]

it's hard to tell you whether or not you would like them based on that list of bands...but who knows, they have a style and sense of melody all their own. tonight's decision or last fair deal gone down might be good places to start...

 

[Jinn]

Nah, start with VE and work yer way backwards.

or start with Brave Murder Day.

 

[salisbury]

They're unique, noting souns like their stuff so check'em out and see if u like it. Take care they varied their style over the past few years; me as a progfan like more the new stuff deathmetalpeople would prefer the old stuff; both things ain't bad...