SKY VOID OF STARS

Sweden's goth-leaning prog metal legends Katatonia released their thirteenth studio album in January of 2023, after two very solid releases from 2016 and 2020, seemingly following up and expanding upon that well-established contemporary alt-metal sound. Somber, dense and heavy, the prog-shaded compositions on here continue a trend we have been observing in this latest era of the band, with a stylistic departure from the early 2000s music of the Swedes. These more recent albums have been exploring relatively accessible structures, more thorough song build-ups as well as the extended use of electronic instruments and synths, providing a fine, textured and often ominous ambience to many of the songs. 'Sky Void of Stars' is like an organic blend of the previous two releases, kind of taking the moodiness and the complexity of 'The Fall of Hearts' and interpolating it with the gloomy, ethereal soundscapes found on 'City Burials', resulting in a sentimental, longing collection of marvelous tracks, all pretty recognizable and memorable.

The entire album is quite enjoyable and cohesive, it has been very well-constructed and above all, it contains a plethora of very beautiful moments where the band is certainly at the top of their game. While it might not rival iconic records like 'Last Fair Deal Gone Down' or 'Brave Murder Day', this one is a gorgeous snapshot of where Katatonia is at the moment, in what may be seen as their most melodic and forward-thinking period yet, also a period in which the band's name has become synonymous with quality and consistency, if this has not been strongly established already. For what concerns the songs on the album, the riff-heavy pieces are often elevated by the strong melodies, and the overall sound becomes rich and balanced, only gracefully embellished by the strong production and the fine use of synths and electronica, sparse but intelligent and calculated. And yet, the atmosphere and the moodiness of a typical Katatonia album is here, depicted perfectly by highlight songs like 'Austerity', 'Colossal Shade', and 'Opaline' as well as by heavier entries like 'Birds', 'Atrium' and 'Author'. Soen vocalist Joel Ekelöf makes a guest appearance on 'Impermanence', another strong and doomy track off the album, while the closing number seems to carry that progressive edge that has always been lurking around the band's catalog. 'Sky Void of Stars' does require repeated listens in order to be fully understood and digested, but it is definitely worth it as it stands among the strongest and most melodic works of Jonas Renkse & Co.

Social review comments

Review related links

• Send comments to A Crimson Mellotron
• Report this review (#2879564)
• Buy KATATONIA music online with PA partners
• Show all KATATONIA MP3/Stream
• Go to KATATONIA page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Sky Void of Stars page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for KATATONIA related discussions