Katatonia - Dead End Kings - guest review
Katatonia - Dead End Kings - guest review
Tracklist
01. The Parting02. The One You Are Looking For Is Not Here [feat. Silje Wergeland]
03. Hypnone
04. The Racing Heart
05. Buildings
06. Leech
07. Ambitions
08. Undo You
09. Lethean
10. First Prayer
11. Dead Letters
12. Second [limited edition bonus]
13. The Act Of Darkening [deluxe edition bonus]
Guest review by
CobiWan1993 December 28, 2012
As with every album up to this point, the production on Dead End Kings has only become more resolute, allowing every instrument in the bunch to clearly resonate every refined note and melody through the speakers. Each member of the band has also become tighter and more confident with their respective instruments, most particularly Renkse, who by this point has gained a firm hold on the sound of his clean vocals, more so than on any of the albums prior to Viva Emptiness, and that leaves for a more focused and concise listening experience overall.
The title of the album itself is an essential juxtaposition in understanding the theme and sound that Dead End Kings presents to its audience. With "Dead End", here are two words that reveal this album will primarily dwell in a dark mood of course, and the fact that the sole positive word of the three, "Kings", appears at the end, could perhaps mean that there is a light at the end of the tunnel so to speak, which is definitely present within the music as well. The chorus of "The Racing Heart", the bright, swelling keyboards of "Undo You", and the shining acoustics of the bonus track "The Act of Darkening" have an almost positive, hopeful edge to them, as more morose, gloomy songs as "Buildings", "Ambitions", and "Dead Letters" are shadowing over them.
Upon first listen, long-time fans may feel somewhat disappointed or discouraged (no pun intended) that the album doesn't immediately "hook" them, for lack of a better word, primarily because of the more laid-back and mellow direction present in almost every song (exceptions including the harder-hitting "Buildings" and "Dead Letters"). Others might complain that some of the songs sound extremely similar to one another, and there is not much diversity between them, causing a sort of "blur" effect through the flow of the record. However with repeated listens, and perhaps better headphones, one may notice various subtleties and surprises that haven't been heard quite as clearly in previous hearings, such as a vocal harmony, an echo, or a resounding keyboard riff being played over the guitars, just to name some examples, that will allow each song to reveal its true colors and become far more diverse and enjoyable with successive hearings.
Over time, this release has the potential to become one of Katatonia's slow burning classics, one that with each return down its dark, meandering road only becomes more powerful and meaningful, the more it is taken in and absorbed.
A highly enjoyable release from these melancholic Swedes.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 9 |
| Songwriting: | 8 |
| Originality: | 8 |
| Production: | 10 |
Written by CobiWan1993 | December 28, 2012
Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
Comments
Comments:
6
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Posts: 1374
I think this might be one of the better reviews I made so far. Not bad! 
---- Ordinary men hate solitude. But the Master makes use of it, embracing his aloneness, realizing he is one with the whole universe (Lao Tzu).
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Posts: 6212
Let me give you my interpretation of the title: "Dead End" because that's where the band is. "Kings" because they're the most stagnant band out of all the bands I like.
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Posts: 159 Quote: That means - get yourself a proper release or these tunes in FLAC format! Also, yes, good audio system or headphones, like it is mentioned in the review.
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Posts: 1374 Written by tea[m]ster on 02.02.2013 at 17:02 Thank you, I personally liked this album a tad more than NITND, but NITND still has that sentimental charm for me nevertheless, since it was my first exposure to this group.
---- Ordinary men hate solitude. But the Master makes use of it, embracing his aloneness, realizing he is one with the whole universe (Lao Tzu).
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