Katatonia - 'Sky Void of Stars' - Album Review

The modern metal scene, much like the real world, has been getting increasingly polarised, pushing its opposing boundaries to the extreme. While the deathcore and related troops have determininedly brought the heavies beyond the edge, there has been an equally strong focus on expanding the melodic and ethereal outside of our wildest imagination. With all this in mind, it is only fitting that 2023 starts with Sky Void of Stars, the latest chapter in the hauntingly beautiful world of Swidish legionaries Katatonia.

Mentioning Katatonia within the context of the modern metal world is a bit of a paradox, considering these guys have been making music for longer that most of us have even existed, and yet they have directly or indirectly influenced a lot of the bands we consider groundbreaking nowadays. More than thirty years and twelve full studio albums in, I am beyond happy to see Katatonia not only going as strong as ever, but remaining just as true to themselves as we have learned to expect and enjoy for decades.

Say whatever you want, but noone brings doom, gloom and melancholy with such charm and flair as Scandinavian bands. Hailing from Stockholm and embodying those distinctive Swedish sensibilities like almost no other, Katatonia are as influential and unrivaled, as underrated and neglected. This, however, seems to be their comfort zone, quietly but confidently developing their sound into the trademark that is today, with Sky Void of Stars the sonic personification of everything one loves and anticipates from them, if not better.

Throughout their extensive career, Katatonia have been labelled as everything from black and death metal in their early days, through doom and goth, all the way to progressive rock and alternative metal. However, if there was ever a band to defy genres with such versatility and shape their own path while successfully avoiding cliches and limitations along the way, it is Katatonia. As dark, melancholic and poetic as usual, their latest offering is another bold statement of their consistently excellent musicianship and lyricism.

Despite multiple lineup changes in the past three decades, at the the very core of Katatonia has always been the indestructable chemistry between founders Jonas Renkse and Anders Nyström. Credit to all of the wonderful musicians that have taken part and left their mark on the band's history, and especially current members Niklas Sandin, Daniel Moilanen and Roger Öjersson, but the driving force behind Katatonia' unique and enchanting sound has always been the lasting and fruitftul partnership between Renkse and Nyström, and this has even become more apparent as the years went by.

Katatonia's music hardly needs a dissection and much like all of their previous albums, the only way to experience Sky Void of Stars is in its beautiful entirety. Sure, there are few standalone tracks, namely the cleverly selected lead singles 'Atrium', 'Austerity' and 'Birds', but while they hold strong on their own, they shine even stronger within the overall mood, vibe and themes explored throught the record within its intended order and progression.

Musically, Sky Void of Stars picks up where City Burials (2020) left off, in the same way it did the same with The Fall of Hearts (2016) in the ever-expanding journey that started all the way back in 1993. Embracing what they do best, Katatonia have once again managed to deliver more of the same that somehow sounds as fresh, current and captivating as The Great Cold Distance did in 2006. Some fans will disagree but for me every new Katatonia record is their best one yet, and Sky Void of Stars will deservedly hold that title for a while.

One major difference here is that this is Katatonia's first album for Napalm Records, following more than two decades with Peaceville Records. Whether this actually changes the band's future in any way remains to be seen but so far the are arguably getting a more powerful publicity and distribution, which hopefuly leads to a well-deserved bigger exposure. Business details aside, all we get to do is enjoy Sky Void of Stars to ithe fullest and hope Renkse, Nyström and co. keep driving Katatonia forward for years to come.

In the last few years, we have witnessed many bands rise and fall overnight, and one can bet 2023 will continue the trend. Whether we keep obsessing over Lorna Shore, wait for Spiritbox' next move, cheer for Imminence's brilliance, or witness the grand ascend of Sleep Token in the following months, we should not forget or ignore the latest masterpiece by Katatonia, whose subtle and unsung influence over the entire scene might just be the one thing our contemporary heroes all have in common.

Katatonia - 'Sky Void of Stars'

Country: Sweden

Released: 20 January 2023

Label: Napalm Records

Tracklisting:

1. 'Austerity'

2. 'Colossal Shade'

3. 'Opaline'

4. 'Birds'

5. 'Drap Moon'

6. 'Author'

7. 'Impermanence'

8. 'Sclera'

9. 'Atrium'

10. 'No Beacon to Illuminate Our Fall'

11. 'Absconder'