Katatonia Bring The Power of Swedish Metal to the States
By: Alex Distefano![]()
Mathias Blom
Sweden is well known for producing some of the darkest, gloomiest metal bands on the planet--from Bathory, At The Gates, Entombed, Amon Amarth, Meshuugah Ghost, Opeth and many more.
Katatonia is no exception. Formed in 1991, the band launched into a sound that was a more melancholy doom/death metal vibe. Katatonia would come to be a band that would help to usher in a sensible mix of Swedish metal that was distinctly its own, even though it has been duplicated by many but replicated by few. With nine studio albums, and two decades worth of touring all around Europe, North and South America, Katatonia are ready to tour in America again, as the band just initiated the first show of a tour with fellow metal band Opeth.
Jonas Renkse, Katatonia's former drummer/current vocalist and founding member, took time to speak with the OC Weekly about how the band chooses a set list for each tour, how he plans to bring Katatonia to Japan soon, for the first time ever, and the possibility of performing old songs with Opeth singer Mikael Akerfedlt, (the vocalist appeared on the 1996 Kataonia release, Brave Murder Day).
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