The Fall of Hearts

A common thread you wind up finding in every Katatonia album is that every one of them exhibits a different kind of melancholy. Each expression of that one emotion changes with each stylistic shift or altered lyrical approach, but either way, the melancholy still returns in some way. Perhaps it comes in the form of desperate wails and screams over crushing doom-laden riffs (Dance of December Souls). Maybe it can be found in gritty imagery involving the ills of crime and street life (Viva Emptiness). Alternately, the looming darkness of orchestral strings and mellotrons could seal the deal (Dead End Kings). But when it comes to The Fall of Hearts, the dreary atmosphere is expressed somewhat… differently. It might come down to a lack of metal influences this time around, but there’s an unusually surreal and dreamlike touch to the music. The songs are sad, yes, but also given a sort of levity and weightlessness by the shimmering clean guitars and light piano melodies that coil around the increasingly progressive rhythms. Jonas Renkse has channeled his sorrows through more passionate vocal passages (just listen to the chorus of “Last Song Before the Fade”!) while the music surrounding him has become more abstract compared to past efforts.

Really, I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s not like this progressive influence is just out of the blue; the last few records, especially Dead End Kings, were already hinting at this bold new direction. But I suppose the fascinating thing about The Fall of Hearts is just how well they pulled off those influences. Instead of the crunchy, churning alternative metal riffs that dominated a good chunk of the band’s career, there’s now more respect and care given to the atmosphere than ever before. If you ever hear a downtuned metal riff (“Takeover,” “Passer,” “Serac,” and “Last Song Before the Fade” still bring the heaviness to a degree), you can be sure that a beautiful slow passage will be just around the corner to counteract the aggression. “Serac,” for instance, brings a fresh melding of progressive metal and soft rock that’s not too dissimilar to Opeth’s best works from the early 2000s (minus the growls, of course). Then you have “Passer,” which kicks off with a shredding guitar solo over a rapid-fire galloping snare rhythm before it almost immediately dies down to give us one of the most emotionally potent verses the band have ever concocted. It’s not that the band have lost their edge, but that they simply reserved it for the best moments this time around. And really, a lot of that can be attributed to the fact that Katatonia didn’t really subscribe to a set songwriting formula this time around. The arrangements are quite labyrinthine and unpredictable compared to what we’re used to from these guys, and the opening 7-minute track “Takeover” is an immediate example of this. This mini-epic takes you in so many directions in such little time, from a beautiful dreamlike intro/refrain to a rousing metal section to a deeply orchestral chorus to a stunning piano break. Add to that a killer guitar solo from newcomer Roger Ojersson on top of that, and you’ve got one of the best openers in recent memory.

In fact, let’s talk about those newcomers for a second. Guitarist Roger Ojersson and drummer Daniel Moilanen were a huge asset to the sound The Fall of Hearts would ultimately adopt and cultivate, as their technical proficiency allowed the band to work outside of their typical framework a bit more. The solos in “Takeover,” “Passer,” and especially the harmonized portion of “Serac” are incredible ways to build on songwriting that already takes pride in taking listeners on a real journey. Meanwhile, Daniel absolutely kills on the drumkit. His grasp of varying time signatures and subtle dynamics is just impeccable, and he can shift styles with ease to fit each mood perfectly. As for the songwriting, however, you may notice in the credits that it’s all Jonas Renkse and Anders Nystrom as usual. Maybe that’s the most fascinating thing about The Fall of Hearts, really. Just the fact that these two had it in them to make this record all along, but they simply needed the right circumstances and band members to make it happen. If you want a good marker of just how much they’ve evolved as songwriters, just take into account the fact that “Pale Flag” and “Shifts” are minimalist folk rock ballads with almost none of the band’s typical sonic trademarks present, and yet they’re not out of place in the slightest. But then again, nothing on The Fall of Hearts is out of place; it’s just the sound of a fully-evolved, fully-realized Katatonia that was always trying to break free from the mire of comfortable familiarity.

I love Katatonia deeply, but these days they're really straining the relationship.

While I would rate the albums from ‘Brave Murder Day’ through to ‘Last Fair Deal Gone Down’ as four of melancholic metal’s greatest releases, I’ve found that much of their later material has had a proclivity for filler, especially the fairly lacklustre ‘Dead End Kings’, which left me cold for all the wrong reasons. Since 'Night is the New Day' their material has tended towards a chugging djenty style in some tracks and an excessive penchant for progressive twiddle twaddle in others. They've also hit upon an outstanding production and melancholic atmosphere that is nothing short of sublime, and they're writing some of the best songs of their career.

In light of all this, ‘The Fall of Hearts’ is the album that I’m most ambivalent about. It has some absolutely stunning tracks, yet also a substantial amount of material that leaves me not just cold, but slightly irritated. And I know exactly why: never have they had an album with such emotionally powerful straight-ahead rockers juxtaposed with bloated progressive excess.

Firstly the good. ‘Old Heart Falls’ could well be my favourite Katatonia song of all time. It’s such an emotional blockbuster, with its haunting opening of a fragile guitar with delicate keyboards, before launching into one of the great choruses of dark rock. The lyrics are profound indeed, as they explore the concept of leaving dreams behind. Then there’s ‘Serein’, an apparent ode to hard drinking, which just drives along at that mid-pace that hits you in the heart. Album closer ‘Passer’, with its stunning guitar solo opening and its haunting and emotionally powerful final few minutes, is utter brilliance. The end of the song, with the protagonist watching a plane disappear over the horizon and Jonas emoting the words “divide like wings”, is an evocative coup de grace. These are some of my all time favourite songs of any genre.

While I’m on the positives, it should also be pointed out that Katatonia is probably the number one band in metal for incredible B-side tracks. ‘Wide Awake in Quietus’ is another driving rock song with huge hooks and a great chorus, while the urban sounding ‘Vakaren’, sung in Swedish, presents the fresh nighttime atmosphere of a European city. It’s an absolute travesty that these songs weren’t included on the album proper. So the album sessions have produced at least 5 absolute brilliant songs. Another five or six decent tracks and we're looking at a true classic. Alas, however...

Firstly, the bloated running time. Even the standard edition without any bonus tracks is over 67 minutes long, almost 19 minutes longer than ‘City Burials’. Seven tracks are over five minutes in length, compared with just two on ‘City Burials’. ‘The Fall of Hearts is a long album, and unfortunately there isn’t enough engaging material to carry it.

While they evidently appeal to a certain demographic, the increasingly progressive songs are a significant problem. So many tracks suffer under an undue complexity that reminds me a bit of Opeth about 15 years ago. Why Jonas and Anders have felt the need to emulate Mikael to this extent is perplexing. Yes, I understand they are keeping things interesting for themselves, and every band has the right to evolve, but they used to be the masters of bleak musical landscapes - now they twang and bop anti-rhythmically as if they need to impress us all with their cleverness. Tracks like ‘Serac’, ‘Sanction’ and even the generally decent ‘Takeover’ just tend to annoy with this obsession for progressive frills.

Yes, Daniel Moilanen is a great drummer, but he needs to settle down. Every damn moment he’s trying to play a mathematical equation rather than a drum beat. How can a band that is essentially playing sombre and darkly emotive anthems to despair and self-doubt have a drummer that sounds like he should be in an amphetamine-using jazz band? It just doesn't work for me.

However, it's not just the prog songs that are problematic: in ‘Decima’, ‘Shifts’ and ‘Pale Flag’ we also have two too many slow songs. Why all three of these tracks need to be on the album at the expense of ‘Wide Awake in Quietus’ or ‘Vakaren’ is anyone’s guess. The effect is simply to drag things out too much with no excitement whatsoever. There are also another three songs which are of middling quality at best. All I can say is, it’s a mercy that Katatonia have pulled back on the excess when it comes to ‘City Burials’, and while that album may not have an 'Old Heart Falls', at least there's a focus and an atmospheric theme.

Overall, I’m still rating 'The Fall of Hearts' quite highly. The production is to/die/for, Jonas sounds great, and the good songs are so good that I keep coming back to this album, and I know I always will. The artwork is also simply beautiful and it's one of their best album covers for sure. So overall, while I do enjoy the album I’m just glad my CD player has a skip button…

While similar in style, The Fall of Hearts is a clear step forward for Swedish depressive rock band Katatonia after the dull Dead End Kings. Even though this record oozes with somber atmosphere, the different tracks show enough creativity, diversity and emotions to entertain from start to finish. The sum is greater than its parts as the musicians' skills complement one another and make for a balanced, fluid and organic record.

The soothing vocals don't only sound dreamy and melacholic but also fresh and hopeful at times. The guitar work has become more adventurous with progressive rock solos, classic heavy metal riffs and calm ambient tones. The rhythm section is overall smooth but never boring because it comes around with careful details and variations. The keyboards are better integrated than on the predecessor as they complement vocals and guitars atmospherically to give the record a slight cinematic and conceptual touch.

Among numerous highlights, one has to cite ambitious opener ''Takeover'' that skips any unnecessary introductions and plunges the listener headfirst into a marvelous world of melancholy. The emotional side of the track is complemented by a fluidly progressive song structure and at times heavy guitar play.

''Last Song Before the Fade'' is a gothic metal track with an intriguing story and strong lyrics that evoke an apocalyptic atmosphere that could easily be used for a film or video game adaptation of a dystopian story. The haunting sound of sirens, the desperate clean vocals and the reduced instrumental approach make for this album's most profound track.

''Passer'' ends the album with a bang as it is clearly the heaviest song on the record. It sounds dynamic, focused and intense right from the start and never lets go despite creative songwriting with many interesting ideas. If the band were able to write an entire record with such intensity, they might create a genuine gothic metal milestone.

Katatonia's The Fall of Hearts will appeal to fans of gloomy gothic rock and metal music. It sounds balanced, diverisfied and fresh and opens and closes on particularly strong notes. The mellower tracks in the middle section ooze with atmosphere but need some time to unfold to find their own identities. With even more concise songwriting, the Swedish veterans could take the next step and compete with younger gothic doom metal bands like Daylight Dies, Swallow the Sun and The Foreshadowing for the genre throne.

Katatonia, after coasting since 2012 on the success brought by their splendid "Dead End Kings" album, have unveiled a new release which charts new territory for the ever-expanding musical domain that this band holds.

Unlike previous albums, where progressive metal has had a mere influence, "The Fall of Hearts" delves deep into the world of progressive music with the new members, guitarist Roger Öjersson and drummer Daniel Moilanen, greatly contributing with their own style of play to the tried-and-true depressive atmosphere that Jonas Renkse and Anders Nyström have cultivated over the years.

The songs themselves are very diverse. With the exception of the slower songs like "Decima" and "Pale Flag", no two songs are the same. Each one contributes something unique to the album. Such a broad array of styles between songs makes it so that there's something for everyone in this release. If you want an upbeat, intense tune, "Serein" is for you. If you prefer quick alternations between different melodies, "Serac" and "Takeover" got you covered. In this album, there's a hook for everyone!

The things that are common for all of them, though, is what each band member brings to the field. The drumming is superb. It's as if it plays it's own melody in addition to supporting the already technically complex guitar rhythm and leads which, depending on what song is playing, will barrage you with crushing heavy rhythms; soaring, intense leads or soothing warm melodies. The vocals are what one would expect from Renkse, although I feel that, in this album, he branches away from the lullabies he confined himself to, and lets loose his voice in songs like "Passer" and "Sanction". Lyrically, one could say that Renkse has "let loose" here too, with the lyrics conveying a sense of acceptance and a sort of jaded serenity, as if the "character" from "Dead End Kings" matured and is now above the situation he was once in. Then again, one should keep in mind the fact that Katatonia's lyrics are ostensibly written without any specific meaning, and it's up to the listener to interpret it to their liking. Another notable feature in this album are the acoustic parts and the synths. The acoustic parts are played really well, and they're usually paired up with another instrument giving them a nice synergy. Likewise, the synths blend in perfectly with the conventional instruments used, making them at certain points indistinguishable, a true feat for a self-produced album.

The only issue I have is that the "progressive" aspect has been forced at certain points, like in "Serac", where the transitions between motifs is done in a very clumsy manner. An example in "Serac" would be the intro and first verse, which build a more intense atmosphere with each lick, only for the anticipation and excitement to be unceremoniously deflated in the second verse. I know what they tried to do - to mimic Opeth's transitions. Åkerfeldt and Renkse are very good friends, and influence one another very much. But sometimes, it's best to stick to your own style.

In summary, this is a great progressive metal album which definitely made a mark in the metal scene in 2016, and one which earned a treasured place within my music library.

This is my favorite album of 2016. Not just in metal, but in all of music. Katatonia's long-awaited album The Fall of Hearts completely trumped (heh) all expectations and exceeded in every way possible. Every emotion is heightened, every note accented with glory, every vocal line rich with the sombre yet subtly diverse emotional capability of Jonas Renkse...it's an utter masterpiece with no counterpart in its release year and few if any in the last decade. After 2012's Dead End Kings was met with good but far-from-great reception (it's still full of good work but also kind of by-the-numbers as well), Katatonia took four years to really re-invent themselves. Band members left and were replaced, acoustic reworkings and semi-unplugged tours helped explore new sounds, and eventually the band returned with their best album in a decade, maybe more.

Katatonia's post-Brave Murder Day releases are often associated with rather catchy gothic tunes, melancholic alternative songs with conventional arrangements and vocal lines. The Fall of Hearts begins with the polar opposite; a seven minute long progressive metal epic with off-kilter vocals, Mellotron backing lines in vein of Opeth, and unpredictable drumming. "Takeover" is a sudden yet perfect introduction to this band's new era. And it isn't to say that the album doesn't have it's catchy moments. The songs "Serein", "Old Heart Falls", and "Shifts" take Katatonia's older style and add new elements like a greater keyboard presence (throughout this album) and a wider vocal range. Seriously, Jonas Renkse sounds better than ever before with explorations into high and low singing that reminds me of some of Steven Wilson's work in Porcupine Tree.

The band produced this album themselves, as they have done multiple previous ones, and here they have perfected the craft of self-editing. Even for an album that reaches sixty-seven minutes in length, making it Katatonia's longest to date, The Fall of Hearts doesn't feel one second too short or one second too long. The songwriting is absolutely phenomenal on every track, but standouts would be "Residual", "Serac", "Last Song Before the Fade", "The Night Subscriber" (which might have Katatonia's best chorus ever), and "Passer". The mixing is an artwork within the art that is the music itself. Every single instrument, every single note in fact, can be heard perfectly and is at the appropriate level of audibility. Guitars sweep in like cool breezes, the bass is thick and deep (heh), the drums straddle the sonic landscape with ease, and Jonas' vocals are just mindblowingly beautiful. The addition of extra percussion, predominantly hand drums, in songs like "Takeover", "Decima", "Residual", and "Serac" add a whole new dynamic to the music. This is a modern sound in its absolute perfection. Every band on the face of the planet can learn from Katatonia right now.

Lyrically we have some of Renkse's best work yet. He's already a lyrical poet with such phenomenal songs as "Unfurl", "Evidence", "Omerta", "Lethean", "Deliberation", "Sleepers", and "Dead Letters" to name just a few, but here his wordplay is beyond unique and appropriate. "Old Heart Falls" probably has the best delivery, along with "Decima", the Tool-infused "Sanction", and "The Night Subscriber". The choice to have two predominantly acoustic tracks, those being "Decima" and "Pale Flag", is excellent and ultimately kind of fresh for Katatonia, as well as an obvious result of their semi-unplugged tour for the Dethroned and Uncrowned reworked rendition of Dead End Kings. These songs give the band a greater opportunity to shine on a somewhat more minimal level, and the auxiliary percussion has a chance to show off separate from the drumming, which is done perfectly by newcomer Daniel Moilanen.

I saw Katatonia in March of 2017 and was absolutely blown away by their performance. A great many songs from The Fall of Hearts were played, of course, and though I had already declared this album the GOAT of 2016, hearing them pull off "Serein", "Old Heart Falls", "Residual", and "Passer" flawlessly made me explore it even more. The dynamics, layers, and creativity are unmatched today and open the gates for Katatonia's very hopeful future. I wish them the absolute best of luck in trying to top this album.

Katatonia have never stopped changing throughout their now 25 year careers, although it's no longer their musical genre that is shifting but in fact their trademarks and sense of identity. Before The Fall of Hearts I had been away from the band for a while, not giving more than a cursory listen to Dead End Kings nor the preceding Night Is the New Day, since it seemed as though the Swedes had ceased to capture the same bittersweet melodies and lyrical vignettes that their late '90s and early '00s work explored so well. However, curiosity brought me back, mainly due to an unprecedented (if not exactly drastic) change between Dead End Kings and this release. I was very surprised to see that the songs had become longer, extended to an average of over five and a half minutes, while my initial reconaissance listen told me that the songs had grown correspondingly lusher and more detailed too. Dead End Kings was reckoned to be a grower by many fans and - owing to the greater length and complexity of its songs - The Fall of Hearts is even less of an immediate album even by Katatonia's own standards.

Frankly, the only reason I actually decided to get this album was due to some of the chorus hooks, which are huge in a way that the band's prior subtlety had never allowed, while a few stone cold heavy riffs also tempted me to bring my face to the fire. These elements are the most obvious parts of the album and, along with some prominent guitar solos courtesy of guest guitarist Roger Öjersson, make certain songs stand out due to the climactic power and emotion contained therein. The first crunching riff bursts in about 80 seconds into opener 'Takeover', hustling the often laconic voice of Jonas Renkse to greater feats, while the solo towards the end is an odd, if welcome, addition to the music of a band who have never seemed to believe in lead instruments. Some of the hooks totally blow me away every time I hear them, such as the great surge as 'Serein' bustles into its chorus section or 'Sanction' lurches onwards through the refrain. Best of the lot is probably the energetic verses to 'Last Song Before the Fade', which magically refresh into a chorus that ends with a lick that sounds like God humming.

What dramatically complicates that seemingly winning formula is that Katatonia have also opted to place alongside those rousing hooks a great deal of slower, sparser material that spaces out the exciting parts very wide. There has always been room for downbeat contemplation and delicate acoustic or piano or keyboard work in the band's sound, yet The Fall of Hearts takes that element further than ever before, playing the majority of the title track, 'Decima', 'Residual', 'Shifts', and 'Pale Flag' at low intensity, subtley focusing on the talents of each instrumental player and giving Renkse's restive vocals time to breathe. This part of the album is certainly going to take a long time to grow on the listener, especially since there isn't much catchy about these less intense songs, more a peace and reflection that can be best understood when in a certain mood. The transitions between vivid hooks and hazy reflection are also often made with deliberate disguise or unintuitive links, so that the switch between the two can be suddenly glorious or slightly annoying, since you will feel like the band are tricking you into anticipating incorrectly.

Increasing the "difficulty" of the album, there are many instruments and styles of playing used during the album's length, such as the hand drum audible in 'Residual' and a few other numbers (it almost sounds like a jug on 'Sanction'), plus a lot of supporting and focal keyboard work, not to mention the more progressive styles of the usual guitar, bass, and drums. Taking a look at the mid-section of 'Residual', one can see how there was a jam-like tangent fitted into the low ebb of the song, built up on the hand drum, a juddering bassline, and a slightly synthesized guitar pattern. It's a really good idea and segues quite naturally from one verse to the next, while Renkse continues to sing without pause, yet it seems slightly out of place in the song, upsetting the sombre mood with a burst of excitement and simply disappearing back into the same refrain again as if nothing had changed. In many ways, I wish the band had just used that idea to form the basis of the song or to progress onwards from the initial tangent instead of returning to the original elements. There are other moments on The Fall of Hearts when it sounds like Katatonia almost abandoned their body of work and opted to make a progressive rock album without limitations or preconceptions. That might have been better than what eventually happened, which is more like a wilfully difficult version of their previous style, avoiding completely conventional song structures (we rarely get three choruses in any one song) yet still responding to their tempting call.

Because of the band's newfound complexity, the many styles, and the long running time of 67 minutes, The Fall of Hearts is absolutely bursting with content. I would argue that the band could and should have cut down the overall length even if they didn't want to shorten individual songs, the leisurely sprawl of which is one of the distinct elements of this release. Perhaps 'The Night Subscriber' and 'Decima' would be my choices if songs were to be dropped, although that reflects my preference towards the heavier and hookier material. That said, there is little specifically wrong with any of the songs on here, with an ample mixture of skill, invention, and atmosphere being displayed from start to finish. The sense of playful laziness and wistful memory on the gentler numbers should appeal to fans of Opeth's lighter work, plus 'Serac' also does a good job of bringing back some of Ghost Reveries without aping it exactly. A Tool riff pops up once or twice, as do a couple of the same rhythmic tricks, though some of that influence might be the guitar tone that Anders Nyström uses rather than his actual style. Other than that, fans of post rock and modern progressive rock will also be in their element on the softer songs, but Katatonia continues to sound like themselves, just further removed from our preconceptions of what Katatonia should sound like. The Fall of Hearts is another few mazy strides on a seemingly abstract journey.

I was perplexed the first time I heard this album. Katatonia has been favorite band for over 10 years, but "The Fall of Hearts" just didn't click. Opener "Takeover" presented vocal lines that felt almost forcibly awkward, as well as an equally strange song structure. The "Forsaker"-like heavy chorus in "Old Heart Falls" felt anything but "Forsaker"-like in terms of impact. "Serein", the second lyric video released after "Old Heart Falls", also left me very cold.

For a while, the only songs that felt interesting were dynamic, Opeth-inspired "Serac" and post-rock closer "Passer". Since I was in a similar struggle to understand Deftones schizophrenic new "Gore" album at the same time, it was a frustrating time as a music listener. I mean, this was the period where two of my favorite bands were supposed to cement themselves in the top of my 2016 list. However, after twenty spins or so, the album started clicking.

I suppose two reasons made the album such a grower. Reason one is that Jonas Renkse certainly tried to make the vocal lines more twisted, something that feels like a concious decision. We are rarely treated with the radio rock simplicity found in "My Twin", "Teargas" and "The Longest Year" on this album. It's very awarding to finally get a song like the dwelling, moody "Residual" in my head; a place where it certainly wasn't during my first twenty spins.

"The Fall of Hearts" also has a very long running time: 67 minutes without the three bonus tracks. The calmer songs like "Pale Flag" and "Decima" really made it drag, since the heavier songs on here aren't exactly extreme. It's definitely a less intense album compared to "Dead End Kings", which had a few driving numbers like "Buildings" and "Lethean". The focal point here is mood and atmosphere, even more so than on previous Katatonia albums.

What I was describing earlier about "Residual" is an overall factor that I now enjoy a lot about "The Fall of Hearts". Most songs are moody both lyrically and musically, which allows for more unexpected turns compared to the last two albums. For instance, closer "Passer" goes from a cold, bitter first verse to a bursting post rock ending, and manages to squeeze in a lot of instrumental dynamics on the way as well. "Sanction" combines warm summer longing in the verses with a heavy Tool-inspired chorus where Jonas really gets to exercise his vocal chords properly.

There are some more conventional Katatonia cuts on here as well. "Old Heart Falls" is deservingly the main single, as it has every ingredience: the signature sorrowful lyrics, goth metal atmospherics and a big chorus. "Shifts" is the best calm song on the album, and recently got rewarded with a complimenting music video. Jonas delivers some chilling lower vocals in it that displays his ongoing growth as a singer.

Speaking of Jonas; he sings flat out amazing on this album. It seems that he gets more present and daring with every new Katatonia release. Age only seems to do him well, as he often goes for a lower register that sounds more comfortable. In terms of guitars, this is what we've come to expect from Katatonia: the distorted parts are often similar to other prog giants like Opeth and Tool, and there are plenty of clean and acoustic sections with great tone and emotional impact. The rhythm section is busy, especially in the heavier parts.

There will definitely be those claiming that "Night is the New Day", "Dead End Kings" and "The Fall of Hearts" are essentially the same album. I claim there is a substantial shift in songwriting technique on display here. This moody version of the Katatonia sound is, in it's increased weirdness, something that feels both confident and adventurous. This album as a whole doesn't reach the extreme heights of their best works, but it's certainly a great addition to their discography.

Katatonia have always had this strange expertise in creating simplistic music in a way that no one else can concoct. The weightlessness of their tenth album, “The Fall of Hearts” represents the light end of the tunnel that has channelled the depressive doom and gothic gloom for the past 25 years of their career. Despite the lyrical composition (at times), it feels like the band are just stripped of burden- there’s nothing different here from what they have mastered before; nor is there anything challenging that other bands could effortlessly replicate. “The Fall of Hearts” is purely Katatonia at their most expressive and explorative yet.

Jonas Renkse’s tender voice has the power to reach out and touch the hearts of the masses throughout this album. Nothing has altered about his style from any previous work- the whispers, the affectionate lyrics, the unfussy tone et al- but it is enforced by the tranquillity of the instrumentation that lies behind the singing. The punishing beating of drum and guitars during ‘Sanction’ matches the implication of the accusing song title and exemplifies the sinister side of Katatonia yet in contrast, ‘Old Hearts Fall’, ‘Residual’ and the acoustic ‘Pale Flag’ all drip with sombreness and are bursting with emotion that the Swede’s can conjure. The former sounds so Katatonia-nly despondent that it transports you to a lonesome place where you are curled up in the corner of an unlit room where the only comfort is reciting the heightening chorus.

While “The Fall of Hearts” hearkens to past work like its successor, “Dead End Kings”, and 2003’s “Viva Emptiness”, Katatonia are clearly taking a breath of rejuvenation which is strengthened by the fact that there are 2 new additions to the band: Roger Öjersson (Ex Tiamat) and Daniel Moilanen. Öjersson builds a luminescent guitar tone in ‘Decima’ that sways alongside the folksy flute arrangements and flanks Anders Nyström’s classic leads with soothing interludes in ‘Serein’. Electronics have also entered the fray in a more significant fashion that summons blossoming textures to songs such as ‘Serac’ among the yawning bass lines.

One of the most impressive things about Katatonia’s career is that they have managed to develop without losing the reverence of their fan base. Slowly but surely, they have crawled through the tunnel of gothic depression and longing towards this newfound peacefulness that is “The Fall of Hearts”. This sinuous evolution plays a large part of the album and consumes the resilient ‘Last Song Before the Fade’ which this sounds like the most confident song on the album mainly due to its genuine animation that, in contrast to the overall mood of most of the songs, do not sound isolated and melancholic.

Just like depression itself, this album will grow on you. Its laid-back effect may not be immediate on first listen due to the shift in dynamics Katatonia have dared to take. After a couple more spins, “The Fall of Hearts” will extend its soothing nature unto your downcast soul. You’d be wise to embrace it.

Originally written for http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/70776/Katatonia-The-Fall-of-Hearts/