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Night Is the New Day | 
| Artist: Katatonia
Label: Peaceville UK
Category: Music
List Price: $17.98
Buy New: $11.17
as of 3/15/2010 20:29 CDT details
You Save: $6.81 (38%)
New (32) Used (1) from $11.17
Seller: toomanydiscs00
Rating:  21 reviews
Sales Rank: 1989
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 271
UPC: 801056827128
EAN: 0801056827128
ASIN: B002NXX8EC
Release Date: November 10, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Forsaker | | • | Longest Year | | • | Idle Blood | | • | Onward into Battle | | • | Liberation | | • | Promise of Deceit | | • | Nephilim | | • | New Night | | • | Inheritance | | • | Day and Then the Shade | | • | Departer |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Album Description
Katatonia was formed in 1991 by Anders Nyström and Jonas Renske & their debut album, `Dance of December Souls', was released in 1993, gaining the band recognition for their eclectic brand of gothic doom/death metal & joining acts such as Paradise Lot & 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 & structured collection of melodic dark rock songs that became third album `Discouraged Ones'; the main evolution point for modern day Katatonia. On the back of the monumental & most successful album to date, 2006's `The Great Cold Distance' - including 3 singles & an American & European tour - there came a period of soul-searching from the Swedes, facing a task of making a wor- thy & relevant successor to the ground-breaking album. With a conscious effort not to merely repeat themself, Katatonia took their time with their next steps, while Anders & Jonas also remained busy with death metal group Bloodbath, alongside Mikael & Martin from Opeth. Night is the New Day' is Katatonia's eighth studio album. It was recorded throughout July 2009 & was co-produced, engineered and mixed by David Castillo. A continuation of the heaviness, depth & atmosphere of their previous album, `Night Is the New Day' is also a more multi-dimensional effort - waltzing between prog moments, doom, folk & the classic melodic anthems that are the staple of Katatonia's uncompromising sound, completed by the haunting tones of Jonas Renkse's vocal journeys of urban & emotional decay.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 21
Mind blowing dark, "soft" progressive metal March 10, 2010
Scott Eilers
Katatonia has been slowly forcing their listeners to redefine exactly what constitutes being a "Heavy Metal" band with each new release they put out. On "Night Is The New Day" genre labels no longer seem appropriate to describe the music contained within. The majority of songs on this album are relatively soft, sometimes almost soothing, although the lyrics remain as dark as ever. What really makes Katatonia unique is that even on the softest, quitest moments of the album there is a sense of musical mastery that recalls the bands doom metal roots. Electronics, mellotrons, and other atypical instrumentations are much more pronounced on this album than on previous releases which creates an ethereal, genre-defying atmosphere. Vocalist Jonas Renkse sounds better than ever, displaying much more vocal range on this album. The result of all these seemingly dichotomous aspects is a dark, unique, and beautiful journey. There was a moment while listening to this album where I stopped trying to listen to the individual aspects and instruments of the songs and simply let the music overtake me, to be what it is. I would recommend this album without reservations to any fans of music, period. You do not have to be a fan of heavy metal or gothic themed music to appreciate the beauty and genius contained within.
 Solid Solid Release March 2, 2010
factory35 (usa)
I got into Katatonia strictly through suggestion on Amazon and I must say that my CD collection has grown by leaps and bounds since Amazon introduces so many products within the realm of music you already buy. So I basically discovered them through a few extra bucks and being a fan of Anathema, Porcupine Tree and Antimatter type stuff.
I started with 'Discouraged Ones' so I am yet to be formally introduced to their 'heavier' sound, which is just as well. I look forward to discovering that side of the band so I can only comment on their softer based sound.
This disc is really really good. I swear that some of these songs just sit in your mind. There are no hooks, just layers of harmonies and soft tempos that stay with you for the most part. Its hard to describe, but if you already like the band you understand. Its a mood. You will find yourself just looking into the distance, washed away by the somber melody lines in some of these songs.
Quick Breakdown :
Forsaker - Heavy opening track with soft and heavy backdrops. Opens it up.
Longest Year - Good mid-paced track with excellent sounding drums and harmonies.
Idle Blood - Brilliant. Great acoustic sounds with orchestration. Solid track. This is what the band does best.
Onward Into Battle - OK. Not my favorite. Has some decent sections, but I usually skip it.
Liberation - Excellent. Nice chord based, electric track. Great Drum sound as well.
Promise of Deceit - Very Very strong song. Gets in your mind and you wont forget. Excellent harmonies and slight off beat chorus. Just a great great song. Probably the best of them all.
Nephilim - Great song! Very Sabbath-esque. Great dark vibe and well sung chorus. Another very strong track and soft/heavy interaction. Great song.
New Night - Good song. Mid-paced and good. Not great.
Inheritence - Very slow and moody song. Fits well and has that 'Porcupine Tree' experimental sound. Decent.
Day and Then... - Really good song. Nice chord based, heavy track. Good vocal. Really sits in your mind. The haunting melody line is nice. Though I will say that the song ends rather abruptly, which is too bad.
Departer - A nice transitional song to end the disc. Has an Anathema type sound. Somber yet uplifting. Very nice way to end it.
Overall very good. A couple tracks are not perfect, but the ones that hit right are EXCELLENT! I highly recommend and think they are good in their own right. They may draw some comparisons to other bands, but overall they have a unique vocal delivery and mood to their music. This release is the next step and delivers big time.
The actual sound of the disc is incredible. No need to fear bad production as this is crisp and clear.
If you like somber music and haunting melodies, look no further. Its all here. This is an excellent release.
I hope my 4 doesn't kill the overall 5 rating.
GOOD GOOD March 1, 2010
Curt Quentien (San Francisco, California)
What a refreshing find. At times it feels like forever searching for the next "Opeth" or "Tool", and by that I mean simply finding an album with solid musicianship and production, not to mention something original and of course heavy. What's interesting about this album is that it seems heavy and NOT heavy at the same time. (Which works for me as my fiancee was able to sit through the whole thing while driving) I wonder if more metal albums sounded like this, the genre might get more of the respect it deserves.
Anyway, in a nutshell, if you're looking for something that's moody, tight, has hints of an industrial sound, throws in a little prog-rock, and has that all too important "chugga-chugga" sound, then "Night..." is the new album for you.
METAL
Katatonia's new masterpiece February 28, 2010
Murat Batmaz (Istanbul, Turkey)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The first thing that stands out on the first couple of listens is Jonas Renkse's amazing vocals. This partly stems from the fact that he has written nine of the eleven songs by himself, thus rendering it almost a solo album in a sense. This may lead one to think that the songs on this disc are somewhat samey offering little variation in their context. However, that is certainly not the case. The Katatonia sound is still intact here -- this album has such an emotional attachment to it, and its most rewarding moments have been hidden for the attentive listener.
It is only with repeat listens that the rest of the album reveals itself, hence why it seems less accessible than its predecessor, the incredibly amazing The Great Cold Distance. Where the previous album was a display of dynamics focusing on complex rhythmic patterns and nimble drumming, Night is the New Day is a thorough study in pure atmosphere. Tracks may seem rather one-dimensional in the beginning, but that is more likely the result of being engulfed by Renkse's otherworldly singing. This album is his pinnacle from a vocal standpoint, his deep, breathy, sparse vocals take on almost hypnotizing quality on each track, drawing you into the compositions like never before. He has never channeled so much colour and palpable emotion into his songs as he has on this album.
The songs have more resolution and character, and the compositions are more amorphous. The band no longer opts for the crushing quiet/loud dynamics heard on the previous disc. There is no effort to create huge, catchy choruses either, as each track on this disc is informed by pure, hollow emotion. Don't expect any choruses to leap out at you. It's not that there aren't any catchy vocal parts. On the contrary, they are in great abundance here. They have just been built into the tracks without stealing away from the rest of the composition. On "Inheritance", for instance, Renkse delivers the ultimately gripping chorus only towards the end of the composition. He sings: "Let them inherit this fire now | Lest they will forget that we were ever here." This just feels so right in the context of the song as it follows the tense trip-hop beats and precedes Nystrom's beautiful guitar theme -- and yet it stays with you for days on end.
The same thing applies to "New Night" or "The Longest Year", which would be a great representation of the current Katatonia sound. With its ever shifting dynamics (easily the best Katatonia production!), nuanced drumming, sparse yet supremely melodic vocal lines, this is one of their most patient and complete songs in their career. The passage where the analog synth note is held and streteched just after the first chorus is simply spellbinding. There is a wealth of nuance and subtlety to discover here, as the inner-song structures are actually smoother than ever.
This is not to say Night is the New Day consists of tracks alike. "Liberation" marries electronic elements with thick yet organic sounding guitars while "Idle Blood" recalls Opeth circa Damnation for its finger-picking acoustic guitars, harmonized vocals, and depth of the keys. Again, the guitar theme on this song is absolutely masterful. "Forsaker" stands out for its use of heavy guitar riffs and laidback verses, not to mention the great guitar tone and Rhodes piano in the mix.
"Nephilim" is the band's doomiest composition in years, perhaps since Brave Murder Day. Its huge, sludgy cascades of riffs and guitar feedback make it the darkest and most sinister number on the album, but the band prevent it from breaking the album's flow, as they insert weird, theatrical vocal melodies at the end -- I could swear there is a female vocalist singing along with Renkse in the outro, but the CD booklet won't confirm my theory.
Enter The Hunt's Krister Linder appears on the final song "Departer", easily the most moving track on the album. It is a very atmospheric song with an abundance of synth layers and Linder takes over the second half of the song concluding it with utmost emotion.
Kudos to Katatonia for not succumbing to the loudness war, and producing such an album. David Castillo's mix and engineering as well as Jens Bogren's mastering are in one word perfect. The level of detail in the songs is stunning and the album has more character in this respect than any other Katatonia release prior. Also, the artwork and packaging are great. I especially love the jewel case -- it's like Steven Wilson's solo album but comes in a cool cardboard box.
Mikael Akerfeldt certainly wasn't exaggerating when he proclaimed Night is the New Day "the greatest heavy record in the last ten years". Indeed, this is Katatonia's new masterpiece and it is bound to unlock new horizons for them. I can't wait to see what direction they will take with their next album.
A must have for Opeth and Porcupine Tree fans February 15, 2010
Scott Hedegard (Fayetteville, AR USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
When Mikael Akerfeldt, the genius behind Opeth, lauds a band, you can rest assured they're going to be good. Even with that glowing endorsement, this reviewer was amazed at how good Katatonia's "Night Is The New Day" is. It's the first Katatonia CD I've owned, and it will not be the last by a long shot.
I don't know what it is about Scandinavia that makes bands so uncompromisingly heavy and brutal, like the legendary Emperor or Mayhem, or a mix of heavy/melancholy that sounds like the band never sees sunlight. For those who like the moodier side of Opeth and Akerfeldt's clean vocals, which are some of the best in any genre anywhere better than the death metal growling he also still does, Katatonia is the place to go. This Swiss outfit redefines the term morose, and layers slabs of very heavy guitar over lush spacey keyboards, and also delights in quiet ethereal passages that move in like a fog on a moonlit night. The vocals are soft and weary, as if Jonas Renske has resigned his fate to whatever abyss he thinks it's plunging. It's very haunting and some might even call it depressing.
But don't be misled. The musicianship is beyond reproach, and the sonic mix at times reflects the ambience of early Porcupine Tree and as stated before, the quieter side of Opeth, especially the underrated "quiet" album "Damnation". But the sound is its own, and never gets out of hand or too proggy for its own good. Katatonia is not a wanker band.
"Night Is The New Day" will also appeal to Pink Floyd fans, especially around the "Meddle" era before Roger Waters started inserting a decidedly twisted bent to the later works. It's a beautiful piece of music that will last for years.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 21
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