Katatonia - Dance Of December Souls

Dance Of December Souls album cover
8.2 | 527 votes |
Band
Katatonia
Style
Blackened doom metal
Release date
14 December 1993
Owners
645 have it
37 want it
2 trade it
Tracklist
01. Seven Dreaming Souls
02. Gateways Of Bereavement
03. In Silence Enshrined
04. Without God
05. Elohim Meth
06. Velvet Thorns (Of Drynwhyl)
07. Tomb Of Insomnia
08. Dancing December
09. Midwinter Gates (Prologue) [2007 Re-Release bonus]
10. Without God [2007 Re-Release bonus]
11. Palace Of Frost [2007 Re-Release bonus]
12. The Northern Silence [2007 Re-Release bonus]
13. Crimson Tears (Epilogue) [2007 Re-Release bonus]
Line-up
Jonas Renkse - drums, vocals
Anders Nyström - bass, guitars, keyboards, vocals
Guillaume Le Huche - bass

Session musicians
Dan Erland Swanö - keyboards
Guest review by
Allen
Rating:
8.0
Rating:
8.0
Sorrow. Despair. Darkness. The essence of Katatonia and the inspiration behind their debut album, Dance Of December Souls. An album so dark, so morose, that no smiling face or joyful soul could hope to escape its effects. It's here where Jonas Renkse (aka Lord J.Renkse) and Anders Nystrom (aka Blackheim) took the foundation of Paradise Lost's classic Gothic album and injected it with even more darkness and misery.

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published 18.09.2003 | Comments ( 34 )
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Comments

Comments: 57 Visited by 942 users

Posts: 1506
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25.09.2011 - 20:51
Rating: 7

Posts: 1506
Not a bad album to start with,but bands as successful as katatonia have to start somewhere. On the whole a good album,but a couple of tracks can become tedious very quickly.
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InnerSelf
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25.09.2011 - 22:05
Rating: 9
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Written by musicalkaratekid on 25.09.2011 at 20:51

Not a bad album to start with,but bands as successful as katatonia have to start somewhere. On the whole a good album,but a couple of tracks can become tedious very quickly.

Some might argue that this is their best album
----
He who is not bold enough
to be stared at from across the abyss
is not bold enough
to stare into it himself.
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Marcel Hubregtse
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25.09.2011 - 23:13
Marcel Hubregtse
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Written by InnerSelf on 25.09.2011 at 22:05

Written by musicalkaratekid on 25.09.2011 at 20:51

Not a bad album to start with,but bands as successful as katatonia have to start somewhere. On the whole a good album,but a couple of tracks can become tedious very quickly.

Some might argue that this is their best album

I will argue that Brave Murder Days is their best and that this one comes in good second.
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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25.09.2011 - 23:15
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I'd happily chuck this Viva and Brave all in at 1st place to be honest.
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Marcel Hubregtse
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25.09.2011 - 23:15
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Written by [user id=4365] on 25.09.2011 at 23:15

I'd happily chuck this Viva and Brave all in at 1st place to be honest.

Viva is up their too for me. The differences aren't too big quality wise between those three.
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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25.09.2011 - 23:23
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Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 25.09.2011 at 23:15


Viva is up their too for me. The differences aren't too big quality wise between those three.

Yep, but their styles are which is really nice. Three great examples of three quite different approaches to doom and melancholic music.
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Marcel Hubregtse
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25.09.2011 - 23:25
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Written by [user id=4365] on 25.09.2011 at 23:23

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 25.09.2011 at 23:15


Viva is up their too for me. The differences aren't too big quality wise between those three.

Yep, but their styles are which is really nice. Three great examples of three quite different approaches to doom and melancholic music.

Yes, indeed. Actually if you own these three that's enough to hear from Katatonia cause those three represent their three style best.
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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25.09.2011 - 23:35
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Quote:
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 25.09.2011 at 23:25

Yep, but their styles are which is really nice. Three great examples of three quite different approaches to doom and melancholic music.

Yes, indeed. Actually if you own these three that's enough to hear from Katatonia cause those three represent their three style best.

I occasionally listen to odd songs from Discouraged, Tonight and Last Deal and the EP that came after Brave but yeah, they're the only albums I really listen to on the whole.
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25.09.2011 - 23:44
Rating: 7

Posts: 1506
Yeah i agree. I like all of katatonia's albums but their earlier works do it for me.
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26.09.2011 - 10:50

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Written by InnerSelf on 25.09.2011 at 22:05

Written by musicalkaratekid on 25.09.2011 at 20:51

Not a bad album to start with,but bands as successful as katatonia have to start somewhere. On the whole a good album,but a couple of tracks can become tedious very quickly.

Some might argue that this is their best album

Here, here. By far their best. Hell, even my favorite Doom album of all times, with very little chance of anything topping it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for that to happen, though, because it would mean that I would never need another Doom record again.
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26.09.2011 - 17:59
Rating: 9
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Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 25.09.2011 at 23:13

I will argue that Brave Murder Days is their best and that this one comes in good second.

I would pick Brave over this everyday

Written by Slayer666 on 26.09.2011 at 10:50

Here, here. By far their best. Hell, even my favorite Doom album of all times, with very little chance of anything topping it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for that to happen, though, because it would mean that I would never need another Doom record again.

It is not only top quality but also really influential too, I keep hearing those riffs in many Doom albums
----
He who is not bold enough
to be stared at from across the abyss
is not bold enough
to stare into it himself.
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Permalink
08.12.2011 - 17:24
Rating: 9

Posts: 905


Stunning Death/Doom, Beaten only by Brave Murder Day in Katatonia's Discography.
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08.12.2011 - 17:54
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Written by @gent_-_orange on 08.12.2011 at 17:24

Stunning Death/Doom, Beaten only by Brave Murder Day in Katatonia's Discography.

Actually I think most would call this blackened doom
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09.12.2011 - 01:18
Rating: 9

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Written by [user id=4365] on 08.12.2011 at 17:54

Written by @gent_-_orange on 08.12.2011 at 17:24

Stunning Death/Doom, Beaten only by Brave Murder Day in Katatonia's Discography.

Actually I think most would call this blackened doom

Damn Sub-Genres TBH I dont really hear the "Blackened" elements, Regardless this is great stuff.
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09.12.2011 - 01:20
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Written by @gent_-_orange on 09.12.2011 at 01:18


Damn Sub-Genres TBH I dont really hear the "Blackened" elements, Regardless this is great stuff.

Pretty much just the vocals really. That's often enough for inclusion in a sub-genre and I think (I may be wrong) this album is considered amongst the very first blackened doom albums.
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09.12.2011 - 01:26
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I wouldn't call this blackened doom. :/
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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09.12.2011 - 02:46
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Written by Troy Killjoy on 09.12.2011 at 01:26

I wouldn't call this blackened doom. :/

I'm fairly sure I've read a few accounts of this being a progenitor to the blackened doom sphere. It certainly isn't totally so by today's standards but you could argue there's a proto- element in it.

In any light wiki has blackened doom mentioned, and we all know how much we believe in wikipedia. Also Discogs.
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09.12.2011 - 02:49
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Written by [user id=4365] on 09.12.2011 at 02:46
In any light wiki has blackened doom mentioned, and we all know how much we believe in wikipedia. Also Discogs.

I've always thought of this and The Revival EP as pure death doom. It's been a while since I've listened to either though; maybe my opinion would change if I listened to them again.
----
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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09.12.2011 - 02:52
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Written by Troy Killjoy on 09.12.2011 at 02:49

Written by [user id=4365] on 09.12.2011 at 02:46
In any light wiki has blackened doom mentioned, and we all know how much we believe in wikipedia. Also Discogs.

I've always thought of this and The Revival EP as pure death doom. It's been a while since I've listened to either though; maybe my opinion would change if I listened to them again.

Death doom is often largely defined by its vocals and Renkse has far more in common with black here (compared to Akerfeldt's largely death growls). I'm sticking with 'pedia and the discogs.
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09.12.2011 - 02:54
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Written by [user id=4365] on 09.12.2011 at 02:52
Death doom is often largely defined by its vocals and Renkse has far more in common with black here (compared to Akerfeldt's largely death growls). I'm sticking with 'pedia and the discogs.

If anything this has at least given me an excuse to listen to early Katatonia tonight.
----
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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09.12.2011 - 02:56
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Written by Troy Killjoy on 09.12.2011 at 02:54

If anything this has at least given me an excuse to listen to early Katatonia tonight.

Go for it, I'm doing it now. This could be one of those instances where I've always blindly thought this of the blackened variety but not given it much thought. Doesn't seem to be much on the net in general to confirm it.
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09.12.2011 - 03:27
Rating: 9
JÄY
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I could understand someone calling this blackened... It's Death/Doom to me tho
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Marcel Hubregtse
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09.12.2011 - 03:34
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Proto blackemed doom this is. brave murder day is death doom. Both in terms of vocals and in terms of music.
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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05.02.2012 - 14:29
Rating: 8
NocturnalStalker
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I totally agree with this album being one of the three strongest Katatonia records up to date, along with Brave Murder Day and Viva Emptiness.
There are some really beautiful and melancholic riffs present here, and Renkse's rasp sound pretty wicked.
----
"And we are not who we think we are
We are who we're afraid to be"
- Lux Occulta "The Opening of Eleventh Sephirah"
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09.05.2012 - 22:58
Rating: 9

Posts: 905


Only recently I realised this is the Katatonia album I come back to the most, This is their best album, Brave Murder Day is great of course but this just beats it IMO.
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Kenos
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10.05.2012 - 00:12
Kenos
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Their best, along with Brave Murder Day, Discouraged Ones, Tonight's Decision, Last Fair Deal Gone Down, Viva Emptiness, The Great Cold Distance, Night Is The New Day and probably the forthcoming new album.
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10.05.2012 - 00:16
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Written by [user id=39762] on 10.05.2012 at 00:12

Their best, along with Brave Murder Day, Discouraged Ones, Tonight's Decision, Last Fair Deal Gone Down, Viva Emptiness, The Great Cold Distance, Night Is The New Day and probably the forthcoming new album.

Yeah, Katatonia's other albums suck.
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Cuca Beludo
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15.07.2012 - 22:26
Cuca Beludo
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Not bad at all I disliked the vocals a bit, anyway.
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15.07.2012 - 22:46
Rating: 9

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Written by [user id=114505] on 15.07.2012 at 22:26

Not bad at all I disliked the vocals a bit, anyway.

Really?, I think they are great, and tbh I'd would have loved to hear Jonas doing harsh vocals on Brave Murder Day as well. But that's just me dreaming.
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15.07.2012 - 22:50
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Written by @gent_-_orange on 15.07.2012 at 22:46

Written by [user id=114505] on 15.07.2012 at 22:26

Not bad at all I disliked the vocals a bit, anyway.

Really?, I think they are great, and tbh I'd would have loved to hear Jonas doing harsh vocals on Brave Murder Day as well. But that's just me dreaming.

Brave Murder Day has clean vocals?? If so, I'm gonna check it out.
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