KATATONIA — Viva Emptiness (review)

KATATONIA — Viva Emptiness album cover Album · 2003 · Alternative Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
bonnek
Katatonia worked heavily on a new sound for this album. Songwriting and style doesn't differ all that much from the doomy indie rock of "Last Fair Deal Gone Down" but they made it sound much heavier, with a wall of sound consisting of more upfront low-tuned rhythm guitars. It makes the album sound a lot more metal then "Last Fair Deal". Add the very consistent songwriting and you have an album that should please the doomy and goth metal crowds.

Katatonia tends to follow a quite rigid songwriting template, and almost every song here has the same quiet-loud dynamics with anthemic choruses. Together with the very thick and dense sound it makes the album drag a bit halfway in, certainly on the less memorable tracks such as "Walking By A Wire" or "Complicity". But even at those weaker moments, you can count on the band to come up with some interesting effects, sounds and arrangements. This album probably has the most creative and original guitar work of all Katatonia albums. Hats of to Blakkheim! Also, apart from those two tracks, all songwriting is quite perfect and brought with an energetic performance.

It goes without saying that you need to like dark and downcast music in order to like Katatonia, but if you do, then this should be a real winner. Recommended for all fans of heavy indie rock, depressed metal, gothic rock, doomy Prog, and all enthusiasts of gloomy songs that excel in originality and catchiness.
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bonnek wrote:
more than 2 years ago
I considered a 4.5 but didn't want to make my Katatonia worship so overtly obvious.
UMUR wrote:
more than 2 years ago
I love this one!

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