Katatonia- Night Is the New Day

ARTIST: Katatonia

CD TITLE: Night Is the New Day

LABEL: Peaceville

REVIEWER: Peter Cooper

DATE : 1-11-10

Listening to Katatonia's "Night is the New Day" album I am hearing many different styles of hard rock/heavy metal; an eclectic mix of sound and style. In addition, the album has many layers of production, which may or may not turn people onto it. For doom metal purists, some may say the album is overproduced. I think the synthesizers are too prevalent and frequent in the production as opposed to being used atmospherically and for ambiance. Guitar solos are almost nonexistent. The dynamics used by the band are clearly evident on all of the tracks which is nice. There is no question that the overall mood and feel of the album is dysphoric, which has always been a staple of Katatonia's sound and vibe. "Liberation" is perhaps the most straightforward and to the point in terms of production and outright heaviness. Guitars and vocals are out front, with the rhythm section solidly holding the fort and synthesizers are heard only vaguely. There is plenty of dysphoria on the album, but I would have liked to hear more anger. In essence, I am not enthusiastic with "Night is the New Day" and this new direction of eclectic diversity. However, I must applaud the band for venturing out into realms they have not yet explored; this takes guts and balls and Katatonia deserves respect for doing what they want to do as a band. They have been around a long time and will most likely forge ahead for years to come.

Check out the band: https://katatonia.com

3/5 stars -Pete Cooper www.facebook.com/pages/Peter-Cooper-Band/103553261084