KATATONIA “Dance Of December Souls” /CD/

Re-release of the debut full-length studio album by legendary Swedish Depressive Death/Doom Metal band.
With their first album, Katatonia proved, that classic Death/Doom Metal need not come from England, whence, until then, the genre had flourished at the hands of Paradise Lost, Anathema, and My Dying Bride. In fact, "Dance Of December Souls" manages to drag Heavy Metal to a near-standstill along with the best of 'em, combining cookie-monster growls, slothful riffing, morbid guitar melodies, and slow but busy drumming into a mesmerizing wash of depression. Eight-minute highlight "Gateways of Bereavement" and the desolately beautiful instrumental "Elohim Meth" are both perfect examples of these exquisitely sluggish and gloomy capabilities, although other offerings like "In Silence Enshrined" and the fan favorite "Without God" do eventually pick up the pace somewhat - also with very positive results. Not so the ensuing twin monoliths stacked back to back, "Velvet Thorns (Of Drynwhyl)" and "Tomb of Insomnia", both of which exceed 13 minutes in length and prove simply suicide-inducing for all but the most patient of metalheads - despite any number of memorable passages strewn about their massive girths. Then again, it could be said that, by inspiring such thoughts of self-destruction, Katatonia accomplish their mission.
"Dance Of December Souls" has stood the test of time pretty well, and thus remains one of the Doom/Death genre's important building blocks.
This re-release features new artwork and the new age Katatonia logo.
Black Lodge Records, 1993/2004 (BLOD 017CD). Made in Sweden.


Tracklist:
1. Seven Dreaming Souls 0:45
2. Gateways Of Bereavement 8:13
3. In Silence Enshrined 6:29
4. Without God 6:49
5. Elohim Meth 1:40
6. Velvet Thorns (Of Drynwhyl) 13:55
7. Tomb Of Insomnia 13:07
8. Dancing December 2:18
Total playing time: 53:16 min.