Seemingly & honestly, Katatonia
release one gem right after another. Whence... they now have quite the musical
catalogue! The Great Cold Distance boasts of 12 tracks with just over 50
minutes of playing time. Their endeavors with this release are a bit heavier
and a little more upbeat, but taking nothing away with the progression they
have chosen from the last 2 or 3 releases. Katatonia have basically, just
become a lot better. Starting with the vocals, Jonas has matured into one
of the best metal and rock vocalists the world has to offer. He has a distinct
voice, but also remains similar to Maynard James Keenan and Robert Smith.
Let's talk about the guitar work. Anders and Fredrik have a closer association
with the older-Katatonia mixture of acoustic / electric again on this release
and they have a much tighter grasp on effects dynamics. Mattias has a HUGE
role on this release, as the bass is more in the front of the mix and he
is quite an amazing bassist to begin with! As for the drums... well, they
suck! Just kidding. Daniel is quite possibly one of the top 5 best drummers
in the metal genre. He has shown some patience (on the slower parts of the
album) and also has utilized his not-so-unusual combo attacks and great
fills. The album, in general, gives the listener an uneasy but also a relaxing
sense at the same time. My favorite tracks are July, Increase, and My Twin.
The overall best tracks are the entire album! This 2006 performance is absolutely
essential for all walks of life... and death!!!
Rating: 97
Reviewed By: Thomas Mitchell |
