The Classic Metal Album Review:
Title: Dance of December Souls
Artist: Katatonia
Label: No Fashion Records
Release Date: 1993

Rating: 5 Skulls
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    • Lugubrious's Review:
    Many bands have traveled strange paths throughout their career. Some start off melodic, not even metal at times, and years later form into death metal machines. Sentenced (RIP) started off the opposite, a death metal band that became suicidal rock. Tiamat started off on a similar path, and are now what most would call "Goth." Even the trendy radio band Soil has death metal roots, which you couldn't tell listening to them now. Katatonia has a dark and twisted beginning, one that is melancholic and spine twisting. The Katatonia of today is a completely different beast, one that is soothing, melodic, and in its own odd way almost radio friendly. Not in a bad way though, like the previously mentioned Soil.

    Lets go back to the year 1993. Katatonia was a new band at the time, known by few. It is unknown to me what internal, or maybe eternal, demons Blackheim and the boys were fighting at the time. On Dance of December Souls he showed the world his insides, putrid and rotting. One glance is like staring into oblivion, a dance with Medusa that changes you for all time. It is a slap in the face from reality, removing that smile until once again you can build up enough ignorance and refrain from looking at the world around you.

    As is to be expected, this album is for the most part slow. Slow and agonizing; torture that is ever lasting. The vocals will bring the strongest man to his knees, screams of torment, disgust, and a reflection of the filth seen though Lord Renske's eyes. This is doom the way it should be, and as much as I love what Katatonia has become, this album will always be adored for the pain it makes me feel. Maybe I am a masochist, but this pain is ecstasy.

    "god is dead and forever shall be"
    5 out of 5

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