Review Summary: While the album does contain some incoherent lyrical moments, there’s an incredible amount of fluency to the music...
Every so often, a band comes along that connects with you in such a powerful way that you make an emotional connection to them that often lasts forever. For me, Katatonia is one of those bands. They can do no wrong in my book and whatever it is that they end up doing, I’m already sold on it before it is even released to the world. That’s the quality and power of their music.
While Katatonia did start out as a death/doom metal band, they certainly have come a long way since Brave Murder Day. The band quickly changed their ways and moved into the more melancholic music styles of gothic metal. They have refined everything to the point where I think they’ve found a happy medium between the mainstream and the downtrodden nature of their music. Katatonia’s music and sound is difficult to pen, the themes are always about life’s most sullen moments and they convey that emotion and sorrow with catchy rock songs.
The Great Cold Distance contains more complex musical patterns than Viva Emptiness and The Last Fair Deal Gone Down. Song arrangements and compositions - I’m talking about the many tempo changes, transitions, solos and musical interludes - are of the highest possible quality and those Tool influenced moments are further proof of the band’s attempt at expanding their fan base. As Renkse states on the opening track: “I sold my song, my mouth was sewn, but it’s coming undone, and that’s why I sold out.” Those who think the band has sold out will be surprised when they hear Renkse’s harsh vocal style of the past make a brief appearance in this same lead off track and again very briefly on another track a little deeper into the album.
While I’m on the subject, “Leaders” - the opening track - is a most fascinating song. The complexity of the music will make it difficult for most to get into it as it is not immediately gratifying music. It takes more than a few spins to finally “get it.” The same goes for much of the album. I’m so reminded of Tool’s music it ain’t funny.
Many of the songs on the album contain these cool little licks that either come from the guitar or bass as no piano or keyboards where used to help create the dark atmosphere and haunting mood of the album. Renkse dry vocal delivery may also be something of an acquired taste.
The Great Cold Distance is also a little different from past offerings Viva Emptiness and The Last Fair Deal Gone Down. The band has included more progressive elements and as I’ve already said, some clearly identifiable “a la Tool” influences into their compositions. If Viva Emptiness was a little heavier than The Last Fair Deal Gone Down, then The Great Cold Distance continues with the heaviness but it also has evolved somewhat from their last offering, perhaps adding more complexity to the mix...
Production is again of the highest quality. The band does make use of some loops but if they don’t use keyboards and the atmospheric moments are indeed created by guitars, many bands obviously have much to learn about the use of guitars to generate atmosphere, mood and feeling to their music. Every time I listen to this album, I’m astounded at how they did it, at what exactly they did with their guitars to come up with that particular sound or that peculiar fragile atmospheric melancholic mood? That’s what’s most interesting about The Great Cold Distance!
Trying to appeal to the masses without completely abandoning their roots is a goal that I think many underground metal bands try to achieve but seldom do. I think Katatonia have come as close as you can without compromising their music. This is a great album in the genre and style of music it represents.
