Katatonia | Nightmares As Extensions Of The Waking State | Napalm Records

 

 Formed in Stockholm in 1991 by Jonas Renkse and Anders Nyström, Katatonia has undergone a gradual transformation from their early death-doom origins into one of Scandinavia’s most influential purveyors of melancholic and atmospheric rock. With a discography spanning over three decades, the band has become known for their introspective lyrics, layered arrangements, and a sonic palette that constantly evolves while retaining its emotional core. Over the years, Katatonia has consistently embraced changes in lineup and tone, from the haunting heaviness of “Brave Murder Day” to the refined gloom of “The Great Cold Distance” and into the textured alternative realms explored on albums like “The Fall Of Hearts” and “City Burials.” Following 2023’s “Sky Void Of Stars”, the band returns with their fourteenth studio album, “Nightmares As Extensions Of The Waking State,” continuing their exploration of atmospheric weight and existential introspection.

“Nightmares As Extensions Of The Waking State” presents Katatonia at a point of balance between evolution and continuity. The album is steeped in an ambiance that feels both intimate and distant, like a memory receding behind a cold sunrise. The production, helmed by Jonas Renkse, allows space for every instrumental element to breathe, avoiding unnecessary density while retaining emotional gravity.

The guitar work of Nico Elgstrand and Sebastian Svalland shifts with fluid grace between layered melancholia and sharpened tonal accents. Their interplay maintains a steady pulse without dominating, allowing textures to rise rather than erupt. Niklas Sandin's bass and Daniel Moilanen's drumming create an understated rhythmic presence that supports rather than propels, opting for a patient cadence. Subtle electronic elements and ambient tones are integrated seamlessly throughout, adding contour rather than contrast.

“Thrice” opens with a tempered urgency, shaped by measured tempo and moody riffing, setting the emotional atmosphere early. “The Liquid Eye” and “Warden” introduce denser sections while avoiding overstatement, favoring gradual dynamic shifts. “Lilac” leans into a more progressive mold, where repetition builds into resonance. The track “Temporal” unfolds around a recurring theme of emotional restraint, with a chorus that opens without reaching melodrama.

“Efter Solen” stands apart as the most subdued and minimal moment, sung in Swedish, and it evokes a calm desolation that fits the album's broader tone. The closing piece, “In The Event Of,” reinforces a sense of circularity, rather than resolution, echoing fragments of melodies heard before.

The inclusion of a KISS cover, “A World Without Heroes,” is handled without sentimentality. It’s stripped down and recast in the band’s own sonic identity, more of a mirage than a tribute. The remix of “Wind Of No Change” by Karin Park adds a slight curve, though its synthetic framework feels deliberately detached, functioning more as a reflection than a reimagining.

This album does not gesture outward. It remains internal, built upon mood, texture, and silence as much as it is on melody or composition. There is no moment designed to dazzle, and none that seeks to comfort. Instead, “Nightmares As Extensions Of The Waking State” feels like a grey corridor slowly folding in on itself—not closed, not open, just infinitely suspended.

Score: 7