Katatonia were formed in 1991 by Anders Nyström and Jonas Renkse. Their debut album, ‘Dance of December Souls’, was released in 1993, gaining the band recognition for their eclectic brand of gothic doom/death metal and joining acts such as Paradise Lost and My Dying Bride as one of the genre’s defining bands.
On future albums a newer, sleeker Katatonia sound came to the fore, starting with a streamlined and structured collection of melodic dark rock songs that became third album ‘Discouraged Ones’; the main evolution point for modern day Katatonia.
This 2-disc set gives a great glimpse into the grand scope of progression and craftsmanship from the Swedes, with tracks lifted from their catalogue spanning two decades. This covers Katatonia’s doom origins through to their effortless blend of aggressive rock/metal with strong atmospherics and deep emotional themes.
Having released a total of 9 studio albums in over 20 years of existence Katatonia are now widely regarded as among the true leaders in the field of dark rock/metal. After touring extensively, with multiple headline tours throughout both Europe and America, Katatonia have built a substantial fanbase, particularly over the last few years as their profile soared with recent releases. This has resulted in the band being recognized for their efforts with a recent Swedish Grammy nomination for their 2012 album and new milestone of dark rock and progressive metal – ‘Dead End Kings’.