Track Listing
1. Disposession 2. Chrome 3. We must bury you 4. Teargas 5. Transpire 6. Tonight's music 7. Clean today 8. The future of speech 9. Passing bird 10. Sweet nurse 11. Don't tell a soul Year: 2001 Label: Peaceville - Official Site |
Katatonia - 'Last fair deal gone down' - By M. Freeman
Once again Jonas Renkse takes the helm of the vocal duties with another progressive album from the Swedish black metal kings. It is most definitely one of the best produced and all round excellent albums from 2001. The album sets off with a gentle orchestral beginning to 'Dispossession' which will clearly branch out into a fuller sound before it even reaches that part. Once the drums kick in this track is instantly memorable, the slow yet clean vocals throughout the track leave an imprint on your mind which is a good indication of how this album is going to continue. If you liked 'Dispossession', you will equally like 'Chrome', the second piece which starts in a similar slow manner and builds with flashy drumming and power chord leads which seem almost too good. Haunting lyrics are an ever present feature of Katatonia's work and this track boasts them to an extent that the music requires. Renkse's voice fits chillingly with the concept and captures the emotions in a way that pulls the listener in. Track three, 'We Must Bury You' is a short and simple cry for help. It's even quite worrying to try and imagine what was going through Renkse's mind when this was written, the title says it all and it could quite easily be on a soundtrack for a very dark movie. 'Teargas' is by far one of the best pieces ever written by Katatonia. I would go as far to say that this song is an anthem for the broken hearted, it's that powerful. Another gentle, melodic intro, powerful drumming to set the track into it's theme and then into the emotional rollercoaster. 'Is this your way of telling, another has been found? Now I know it's teargas in my eyes' is the line that stands out and hits the heart everytime as if you know the feeling so well. 'I Transpire' changes the direction which the previous tracks have taken and instead starts with a powerful lead and evolves into a slower moment for the beginning of the vocals. In all honesty at first listen the feel of the vocals doesn't seem right to begin with, but after a few listens of the whole track and how the verses merge into the chorus, it is actually a really good song. 'There is no way I am going to be free, because their hearts, they are similar to mine' is emotional, but not in the same way that 'Teargas' is, giving it a less appealing outlook, but very good all the same. If after 'Teargas' you were left wanting more of the same, here it is, in the shape of 'Tonight's Music', another piece scattered with beautiful orchestrated melody. It's a dark song, a song typical of Katatonia, a song which reaks of self pity and the lonely moments in life. Listening to this alone allows time for thought, after all this is one of many thought provoking masterpieces this album can be proud of, a striking few minutes of emotions which shouldn't fail to move any listener. Another slight change of angle to the musical content, the introduction to 'Clean Today' is darker guitaring which gathers pace and fades into an almost stacatto filled vocal arrangement. A song which portrays walking alone on a dark night and it feels just like that all the way through. 'Or am I just happy whenever not sober' shows the mood is carrying on from that of the very first track and is never left over the record. Ever felt like everything good has gone, all is lost? That is the moral behind 'The Future Of Speech'. If listening to the lyrics and all round vibe of this track fails to touch you then you need medical help, either that, or you don't know true sadness. 'A brand new day, it can't get worse, hear myself say, it can't get worse' pound away nearing the end of 'The Future...' and the power expressed by this alone is enough to make you realise that no matter how bad things are, they could be worse. This is one of the best songs to come out of 2001 and Katatonia have a winning formula along with it. 'Passing Bird' for me, is the low point of the album, it's still good, still has all the ingredients to make it a Katatonia song, but something seems a little lacking. Apart from that, there are some nice vocals and the use of echoes on Renkse's voice late on, also some trademark memorable drums, perhaps I was a little hard on it, it's not a bad track after all. This may come as a shock, 'Sweet Nurse', the penultimate track actually has an optimistic feel about it. Granted, it's not claiming that all is well in life but the powerful chorus seems to be telling the listener that there is hope left and there is light at the end of the tunnel. It's very different to much of the disc, there's no denying that, maybe some long-time Katatonia followers will dislike the track because of that, but I think it has a nice, comfortable feel about it. A track that never bores. And so onto the finale, 'Don't Tell A Soul', ending an album really doesn't come much better than this. Revisiting the almost folky orchestral introduction that mixes so well in the Katatonia engine you could be forgiven for thinking this is going to be a simple instrumental. It turns out, though, to be one of the best sounding pieces on the record. The drumming is at it's best, the vocals are as strong as ever and the guitar riff is a reminder of just how good this album is, the orchestrated elements are an added bonus. 'When you have no one, no one can hurt you' just re-itterates the fact that Katatonia can keep churning out simple, yet so meaningful lyrics. There really couldn't have been a better way to finalise such a brilliant album. If you like any of the tracks on the album, you will like the record in it's entirity, with every listen it gets better and better and there is no doubting Katatonia have found a sound which is their own. A timeless classic. Metal Obsessive Grade: 95% |