Katatonia - Sky Void Of Stars

[Pagan Saviour]

Sounds fairly bland, would've gobbled up everything they released from Dance of December Souls up to maybe Viva Emptiness but they sound so safe over the past few albums, thought the long break may have reinvigorated them but not liking the sound of this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB24-hVZ88k

[Blizzard Beast]

Bit like the last album which I thought was good but that new track is a bit meh.

[The Butcher]

That new track doesn't do much for me. Much like Paradise Lost, they have stayed in their safe lane for the past 20 years but overall I've probably enjoyed more of Katatonia's output compared.

[Cailleach]

 Katatonia is very hit and miss for me, most of the albums they have released in the last 10 years I don't really care for

[Paul keohane]

Sounds fairly bland, would've gobbled up everything they released from Dance of December Souls up to maybe Viva Emptiness but they sound so safe over the past few albums, thought the long break may have reinvigorated them but not liking the sound of this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB24-hVZ88k

pretty much the same as me,Viva the last very good one for me,even though I do like The Great cold distance.

[Pagan Saviour]

Great Cold Distance has a moment or two alright but falls flat. I don't think it matter what they do now because the template is always the same, they've gotten a bit heavier, bit more technical etc but it's all really dull, polished and lacking any kind of emotive quality which they were previously renowned for.

[Floss]

Ya these lads haven't put out anything that interested me since viva emptiness... and even those few albums around then were starting to go the wrong way for me. All of those more recent albums are entirely interchangeable - and I think they acknowledged that in a way by publicly taking a break. Im not sure what else they have to add these days by returning.

Those early albums and EPs are where its at. Discouraged ones to this day I cannot listen to, its so bad. The few albums after that were decent but just not the direction I had wished they went...

[Pagan Saviour]

Have to disagree Discouraged ones and Tonight's decision are just as important as the earlier albums for me. There's a naïve  quality about those two that's very endearing, they tried something different but didn't quite have the skill to pull it off. I think the work paid off and things solidified for Last Fair and Viva

[John Kimble]

Much like Paradise Lost, I never had any issue with the change in direction Katatonia took, rather it was the downward turn in the quality of songwriting I take issue with. Viva Emptiness was their last strong album, everything since has been fairly unmemorable. That new one is similarly bland.

[Blizzard Beast]

New album seems to be getting some decent reviews.
Austerity and Atrium arent bad tracks at all.Took a few listens to get into them.
Album out next week.

[astfgyl]

Have to disagree Discouraged ones and Tonight's decision are just as important as the earlier albums for me. There's a naïve  quality about those two that's very endearing, they tried something different but didn't quite have the skill to pull it off. I think the work paid off and things solidified for Last Fair and Viva

I love Discouraged Ones. Has far more feeling to it than anything from the last 20ish years.

[blessed1]

I stuck on Viva Emtptiness the last day.
Great album imo and one of my favourites of theirs. Then they just ended up rehashing it since.

[Blizzard Beast]

Been spinning this over the weekend,another change in direction more rockish but the Katatonia sound is still there.Certainly less heavier than the last album but I like they way they keep trying something new even though not as good as the early and mid era stuff.

[Blizzard Beast]

https://blabbermouth.net/features/jonas-renkse-takes-katatonia-to-cinematic-heights-on-sky-void-of-stars-we-have-the-whole-universe-to-play-with
New interview with Jonas.

[Thorn]

First few listens today, enjoyable though predictable latter day Katatonia. Highlight for me is the lead on Impermanance. Actually I remember saying that the highlight of one of their other recent albums was a big fuck off  lead on one of the tracks towards the end.