Swedish grand masters of gloom Katatonia return with an early contender for album of the year lists with Sky Void of Stars, a stirring ode to those lost and astray.
I have learnt that even though Katatonia have been around for three decades, every album seems to be another evolution and with album opener “Austerity” setting the mood and tone I’m already invested. The emotion is already spilling through in waves, following this is “Colossal Shade” which has some fantastically radiant vocal lines.
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Early contender for highlight track, “Opaline”, is just irresistibly gloomy, which is paired with the gothic tinged “Birds” and the brooding basslines and soundscapes of “Drab Moon”. This portion of the album encapsulates everything I love about the band.
The album continues to go from strength to strength with “Author” still maintaining the constant level of gloom but is laden with solos and prog undertones. Then showing that the band are not afraid to go back to their doom roots on “Impermanence” which is incredibly powerful in its delivery.
Slowing things down to a melancholy heartbeat, “Sclera” is another example in boundary shifting whilst “Atrium” is highly energetic in comparison and is almost Ghost-like.
Finally the album concludes with penultimate and longest track “No Beacon To Illuminate Our Fall” and bonus track “Absconder” which concludes what has been a journey of thrilling emotions.
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Sky Void of Stars is out January 20th
Check out all the bands we review in 2023 on our Spotify and YouTube playlists!
