Fretplay.com Katatonia CD reviews Katatonia guitar tabs Katatonia CD reviews Katatonia tabs Viva Emptiness


Katatonia - Viva Emptiness Audio CD

A fair review of the Katatonia "Viva Emptiness" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Katatonia reviews here, or go back to the Katatonia tabs.

Katatonia Band: Katatonia
Title: Viva Emptiness
Rating:
Release Date: 2005-02-15
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Ghost of the Sun 2: Sleeper 3: Criminals 4: Premonition 5: Will I Arrive 6: Burn the Remembrance 7: Wealth 8: One Year from Now 9: Walking by a Wire 10: Complicity 11: Evidence 12: Omerta 13: Inside the City of Glass

first great album by Katatonia
I believe Viva Emptiness consolidates the maturity of their style; a style that evolved after they switched the old vocals for clean ones. I don't think Katatonia's previous albums are masterworks, but I think this one is. In the transition albums, the music was more predictable and the vocals were overly timid. This album shows that Katatonia has grown comfortable in their style, not overdoing the songs, keeping a perfect balance of eclecticism, elegance and aggression, and, finally, singing with conviction.

This is a review that comes years after the release of the album. I believe The Great Cold Distance is equally good to Viva Emptiness if not better. I have not yet made up my mind on Night is the New Day.


Fantastic, ineffable...
And not just a couple tracks, the album is full of interesting and catchy segments - taken as a whole it is fantastic. I can't quite explain what it is that I like so much about this album, but it's simply great. I catch myself humming parts of it all of the time, and was surprised to notice that it bumped Opeth's "Watershed" out of my frequent play list rotation. Not that there's really much basis comparison between the albums - Opeth is definitely heavier, whereas this reminds me a little of Porcupine Tree, but more cohesive, and again, catchier. If either of those band names mean anything to you, you might like this.


What I've Been Looking For
My previous favorite, Misery Loves Co. This was my introduction to this band, and it made them my favorite band. disbanded in '00. But this band creates a darkness unrivaled by any other band I've listened to. It's not a brutal, horror-movie kind of darkness, but a psychological and depressive kind of atmosphere. . . like Sin City w/o any happy parts.

One of the stand-out tracks lyrically, is the song 'Criminals. ' The singer apologizes for leaving his wife/lover behind to be killed by someone else. . . in pain he wills her strength:

"So gather your strength and break free
Or you will surely die
Gather your strength don't follow me
'Cause I will surely die"

This album--every time I crank it up--reminds me of fall. They're THAT good at conjuring mental imagery. Of any well known band they probably compare with A Perfect Circle more than anyone else.

Another one, a fan favorite, "omerta," seems like a light drinking song, until you listen carefully to the lyrics and realize. . . its a suicide note. (Or someone just poisoned him--its tad ambiguous. ) The last half of the album almost has a spiritual quality. . . it seems to lift off the ground and attain a dreamlike state.

There are some people who were really, really down on this album when it came out. . . and usually I just say, "That's their opinion. " Well, never has an opinion been MORE wrong than the one that does not give credit to what these swedes have done so masterfully. . .

And to think that sonically they categorically take this sound further on "A Great Cold Distance. ".


Katatonia are like Tool meets Venom with a little Pink Floyd thrown in there
Their style is a mix between heavy and somber, slow and mid-paced, with mainly clean vocals and mainly distorted guitar, but they use the clean guitars a lot more often than their peers. Katatonia is probably THE most unique band in the underground metal scene, I wish these guys could get more recognition than they do. There is some incredible songwriting on this release, lots of dual guitar work but not what you'd expect. They are as progressive as Tool or Dream Theater, heavy as Venom or ". . . Puppets" era Metallica, somber like Opeth or Pink Floyd, but also sometimes catchy like Black Sabbath, CKY, Black Label Society or Lacuna Coil. If you like ANY of the bands I mentioned, or bands like Perfect Circle, Rush, even Korn, Godsmack or Disturbed, you will definitely like Katatonia!!.


You can see a complete list of all Katatonia discography, or go back to the Katatonia tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

Search guitar tabs

#ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
[ Search tabs | Guitar tabs | Bass tabs |
Easy guitar tabs | Guitar solo tabs |
Acoustic guitar tabs | Guitar chords |
How to read guitar tabs ]
Forum topics
Music forums
- Bands and artists - Songwriting and lyrics - Tablature talk - Promote your band
Instrument forums
- Guitar basics - Gear & accessories - Bass guitar
Community
- The pit - Site Feedback - Reviews
[ User survey | About us | Privacy statement ]