Friday is always a good day to dive into the darkness and bleakness of the Swedish winter, even in the middle of May. And KATATONIA together with our very own UNIVERSE217 were a guarantee for exactly that.

The crowd had started filling up Floyd early on and, unlike most shows hosted there, this time an additional support act had been added: the exerienced UNIVERSE217. The Greek doom metallers entered the stage quietly, without unnecessary theatrics. The Athens-based quartet took their positions with vocalist Tania Leontiou at the front, and without hesitation plunged straight into the abyss, dragging us along with them.

The doom metal of UNIVERSE217 does not deviate. It is not doom mixed with something else. It is simply doom. Heavy, slow-burning, painfully imposing and with Tania unleashing one heart-rending cry after another, they completely captivated the audience and perfectly prepared the ground for what was to follow. The excellent lighting worked as a perfect ally, creating a visual spectacle that blended seamlessly with the music.

Their music is not easy listening, and the audience didn’t seem particularly familiar with their songs, judging by some random applause at inappropriate moments. Nevertheless, by the time they closed their set with “Never,” they received wholehearted applause.

Setlist

1. Rest Here
2. Mouth
3. Change
4. Never

At exactly 22:00, the lights dimmed and, one by one, the members of KATATONIA took their places as the opening notes of the fresh “Thrice” echoed heavily through the venue.

For some strange reason, KATATONIA chose to open with five songs from their more recent releases, which resulted in a somewhat restrained audience reaction, either because many were unfamiliar with the material or because they simply preferred the band’s older albums. “Thrice” and “The Liquid Eye” from their latest lukewarm album “Nightmares as Extensions of the Waking State”, “Atrium” and “Austerity” from the clearly superior “Sky Void of Stars”, and “Rein” (I can think of at least four better choices) from the controversial “City Burials” created a rather cold atmosphere.

That changed immediately when the first notes of the magnificent “Consternation” kicked in. From that point on, and almost until the very end, we were rewarded with one anthem after another — naturally drawn from the band’s middle era, since for years now they have blatantly ignored monumental albums such as “Viva Emptiness” and “Brave Murder Da”y. In fact, this was reportedly one of the reasons why Anders Nyström left the band last year.

But, it is what it is, and no one was complaining when “Dead Letters” or “The Longest Year” were played. Even less so for the catchy “July” or “Lethean,” which has long been my eternal cellphone ringtone. Even “Wind of No Change” from “Nightmares…” sparked enthusiasm and will probably end up being the only song from that album to survive in their setlists five years from now.

They nearly spoiled things again toward the end with “In the Event of,” which closed the main set, but the encore featuring “Forsaker” reminded us why we love them and why we will always be there whenever they return.

Performance-wise, there is little to criticize. The songs were executed excellently (with a major contribution from the new guitarist Sebastian Svalland), and there was plenty of energy on stage from all the musicians, even from Jonas Renkse, who seemed to be in particularly good spirits.

Of course, his voice is no longer what it used to be. The same warmth remains, the same rasp, the same distinctive tone, but his range has noticeably narrowed — just enough to comfortably get through a 70–80 minute set. The lighting arrangement was once again outstanding, while the visuals projected on the video wall added extra points to the overall experience.

Setlist

1. Thrice
2. Atrium
3. Rein
4. The Liquid Eye
5. Austerity
6. Consternation
7. Dead Letters
8. Wind Of No Change
9. The Longest Year
10. Old Heart Falls
11. July
12. Lethean
13. No Beacon to Illuminate Our Fall
14. In the White
15. In the Event of
16. Forsaker (encore)

It may not have been their best performance in our country. And perhaps we will never again see KATATONIA the way we remember them from a few years ago. But old loves are never forgotten, and the voice of Jonas Renkse will always move us and reach deep into our hearts with ease.

Live Correspondent: Kostas Boudoukos

Photos: Katerina Stefanou