Katatonia Albums Ranked

Heavy Hearted
Jul 26, 2024
10 min read

Katatonia is one of my favorite bands, and sometimes I feel like they're the only ones who understand me the best with their honesty and sincerity. While their place in my heart is carved in stone, they don't have a perfect discography. They have some monumental achievements alongside some flawed and wounded outputs. But that's when the sincerity kicks in because you can understand Katatonia and see that they're not afraid of their flaws and don't let those get in the way of their creative process. You may not like one Katatonia record for how it sounds or how it has been put together, but that record means something to the band. They're making albums like they breathe fresh air into their lungs.

While Katatonia was formed as a two-piece with Jonas Renkse and Anders Nyström, they were accompanied by many talented musicians along the way and forged their legacy with every step they took. Let's take a look at these Swedish powerhouses' discography and rank their outputs according to their own greatness.

12. Dance of December Souls (1993)

Something has to come last, and believe me, even after I made up my mind on which album would take the last place, I still thought about it for 10 more minutes. The reason that Dance of December Souls takes the bottom place here is this: it's far from a focused album, and it doesn't sound like Katatonia at all.

December Souls delivers emotions differently when compared to the rest of Katatonia's discography. You may match Katatonia's sound with melancholy or even cathartic, but this is straight-up despair. December Souls sounds like a painful journey full of agony. Melodies, cathartic vocal delivery by Jonas, and the general atmosphere serve their ambition. However, that ambition wasn't enough for the creation of a solid output, and December Souls turned out to be a flawed effort by an ambitious beginner band. A beginner band capable of a superior piece like Gateways to Bereavement.

Highlights: Gateways of Bereavement, In Silence Enshrined, Without God

11. City Burials (2020)

From debut to one of the recent ones. There are a few reasons that City Burials passed Dance of December Souls: it definitely sounds like Katatonia and has a cohesive feeling with a backup of a very strong first half.

City Burials was released during the pandemic, a time when Katatonia had so much going on inside. Yes, many bands released solid outputs during the pandemic, but we can't know every band's conditions. Even with these tough conditions, they managed to create an album with their signature sound. The main reason that dragged Burials down is its unbalanced nature. The album's first half is very strong, and let me tell you this: if the rest of it could be like this, we could be talking very differently about this one. Songs like "Heart Set to Divide," "Behind the Blood," and the obvious highlight "The Winter of Our Passing" set the tone so well that they almost prepared us for a one-of-a-kind Katatonia record. Yes, it was a more simplistic and polished output than their latest, but the way they experiment around fresh sounds is always exciting. Unfortunately, this experimentation wasn't enough to save the weak points.

Highlights: Heart Set to Divide, Behind the Blood, Rein, The Winter of Our Passing

10. Discouraged Ones (1998)

I acknowledge that this is a beloved one among the OG Katatonia fanbase, but let's get realistic. While I love and constantly spin this album, Discouraged Ones is heavily flawed. In fact, for some time it was lower on my list. The reason I put it higher is that I admire their ambition to create a completely different record after Jonas lost his voice. In about two years, the band created a record that is totally opposite of what they'd been doing for the past two records. They had already perfected their formula with Brave Murder Day and then turned in a completely different direction after its success. The outcome was fairly enjoyable but flawed due to a lack of creativity and general repetitiveness.

This was the direction that Katatonia was heading, and after this record, it became a fact. The fact that they were fairly a new band actually made the transition easier, and this sound became the core of their signature sound. While it's a flawed and scarred journey, Discouraged Ones is a courageous record.

Highlights: I Break, Stalemate, Deadhouse, Relention, Scarlet Heavens

9. Tonight's Decision (1999)

Tonight's Decision shows Katatonia as they're blossoming, evolving, and growing strong. They shifted their critically acclaimed style with a different approach in their previous one and were ready to move in a different direction. While Discouraged Ones is atmospherically stronger, Tonight's Decision is a more memorable and durable record. It's like they know what they're doing this time. One year changed a lot for these guys, and while the band expanded their sound quality, Jonas also experimented with his new vocal style.

While the record is still basic Katatonia, their progressive sound also started to show itself. The songs were more layered, and their creative thinking evolved. The opener For My Demons is a good example of that. Additionally, the production quality and overall songwriting improved. While this clearly falls behind Brave Murder Day due to their imminent style shift, they still managed to create a strong one. Even if the second half clearly has some fillers considering how strong the first half is, this unbalanced nature does not change that Tonight's Decision is a success for Katatonia because it shows how their style shift works very well.

Highlights: For My Demons, I Am Nothing, In Death A Song, Right into the Bliss, Strained

8. Dead End Kings (2012)

I love Dead End Kings; its melancholic feeling is unmatched by many other Katatonia records. When I think that it’s a little unfocused, I begin wondering how they managed to lose focus between two great albums.

Nevertheless, while it has some filler tracks and overall repetitiveness, Dead End Kings is a great album. The fact that we're placing great records in the 8th spot says a lot about Katatonia's legacy. While it has some fillers, the album opens with the great progressive piece The Parting and carries on with gems like The Racing Heart and Buildings. Towards its end, it graces us with now-classic Katatonia songs like Lethean and Dead Letters. Even if the singles are strong and sound even stronger than some of its predecessors, Dead End Kings suffers from repetitiveness at points, and it’s an unfortunate drag. Still, it's a great album.

Highlights: The Parting, The Racing Heart, Buildings, Lethean, Dead Letters

7. Viva Emptiness (2003)

Viva Emptiness was a huge accomplishment for Katatonia. It was the first album where they revolved their ideas around more complex structures and layered compositions. They intended to achieve what The Great Cold Distance did with this one but couldn't quite pull off that level of power.

Instrumental passages and the progressive nature of the album showcase Katatonia's undiscovered powers. With Last Fair Deal Gone Down before this, they had already started shifting to this side, but while Viva Emptiness is weaker compared to Last Fair Deal, it's still what they were aiming for.

Pieces like Ghost of the Sun, Criminals, and Burn the Remembrance demonstrate Katatonia's ability to create progressive pieces, while songs like Evidence and Omerta offer their signature sound with a more nostalgic approach. While the structure of the album is solid, Viva Emptiness could be more effective if more of the songs were memorable and the production was stronger. Nevertheless, it holds a solid place not just in Katatonia's discography but in the genre as a whole.

Highlights: Ghost of the Sun, Criminals, Will I Arrive, Burn the Remembrance, Wealth, Omerta

6. Sky Void of Stars (2023)

Sky Void of Stars is Katatonia's latest studio album to date and it came after the controversial City Burials. While Burials didn't destroy Katatonia's well-built legacy, it did make Sky Void of Stars unexpected. There is a huge difference between these two efforts; while City Burials is far from memorable, Sky Void of Stars is memorable from start to finish. It showcases both Katatonia's strengths and their weaknesses at their best. They excel at expressing emotions and letting them out.

Katatonia has already proven that they are among the best progressive metal outfits today, and they do so with their own signature sound. No one sounds like Katatonia, and no one does it like them. They introduced melancholy into the modern progressive scene with their beautifully crafted compositions, and with Void, they solidified their place.

The album opens strongly with Austerity and continues with highlights like Opaline, Birds, and Impermanence. It closes with a bang with the magnificent Atrium and the dark No Beacon to Illuminate Our Fall. Void demonstrates that when Katatonia releases another album, it will be a total game changer. These guys are professionals at what they do.

Highlights: Austerity, Opaline, Birds, Impermanence, Atrium, No Beacon to Illuminate Our Fall

5. Last Fair Deal Gone Down (2001)

Is it a blasphemy that I placed Last Fair Deal Gone Down at fifth? It’s not. This placement doesn’t diminish the fact that this is a great record. Last Fair Deal Gone Down holds a special place in my heart, as it features some of the best tearjerker tracks by Katatonia. However, we’re ranking albums here, not singles or individual tracks. The reason it’s not at the top is that it contains some filler moments that overshadow the overall feel of the album. Tracks like We Must Bury You, Passing Bird, and Don't Tell a Soul have notable low points compared to the rest of the record. Otherwise, this album contains some of Katatonia’s peak moments. While Dispossession and Chrome mark a great start, Teargas hits you like a brick, being one of the best tracks Katatonia has ever written.

I still hold Last Fair Deal Gone Down dearly. Even if it suffers from some minor hiccups as a whole album, it doesn’t diminish the strength of this beautifully crafted work. Last Fair Deal Gone Down remains a shining achievement for Katatonia and one of the best records in the genre.

Highlights: Dispossession, Chrome, Teargas, Tonight's Music, The Future of Speech

4. Brave Murder Day (1996)

Brave Murder Day is a genre-defining moment for Katatonia. Death doom had never been this powerful until then. It’s bittersweet that this album marks both the beginning and end of a certain era for Katatonia. After Dance of December Souls, Murder was what they had been aiming for, and in just one record, they perfected their formula, creating one of the best death doom albums ever released. After Jonas lost his voice following Souls, Mikael Åkerfeldt, a good friend, took on the harsh vocal responsibilities, and Murder became and remained their strongest record for a time.

While it follows Katatonia's simple yet effective method, Murder is also a layered and complex record. Each track has its own meanings and deep cuts. It might seem like a failure due to how they attempted to blend their future sound with their current approach, as the album's balance lies more in its atmosphere than in its composition. Nevertheless, they produced the strongest record in the genre while navigating career-threatening issues. Brave still hits me like a wrecking ball.

Highlights: Brave, Murder, Day, Rainroom, 12, Nowhere

3. Night is the New Day (2009)

Talking about melancholy. I don't recall the exact moment when Night Is the New Day hit me, but I'm pretty sure I felt struck down. For a while, I didn't appreciate this record as much as I should have. That was a mistake. Night Is the New Day showcases Katatonia's greatest strengths in one beautifully composed piece. While this is one of Katatonia's most cohesive records, it is also one of their most emotionally packed creations. Jonas' vocals reached their full potential, elevating the band's capabilities to new heights. The progressive evolution, improved sound, musicianship, and experimentation with different soundscapes make this record one of Katatonia's best.

Although it may not be as heavy as some of their other work, it still delivers some of the heaviest moments of Katatonia's career, with tracks like the opener "Forsaker," the groovy "Liberation," and the doom gem "Nephilim." There's a profound beauty in their pain that’s hard to grasp. Katatonia has managed to transcend the boundaries of genres like progressive metal and doom metal with this monumental release, creating an experience that is both hauntingly beautiful and emotionally powerful.

Highlights: Forsaker, The Longest Year, Idle Blood, Onward into Battle, Liberation, Nephilim

2. The Fall of Hearts (2016)

Never let the brilliance of The Fall of Hearts go unnoticed, as so many have. With this masterpiece, Katatonia not only solidified their dominance in their genre but also set their sights on the expansive realms of progressive metal, preparing to claim their place at the forefront. From the moment the opener Takeover begins, it's clear that this is a formidable and emotionally charged journey, and it stands as one of my favorite progressive compositions to date.

Each track on the album contributes to an evolving narrative. Serein exemplifies their talent for evoking both headbanging fervor and profound emotional release, while Old Heart Falls instantly earns its place as a classic and cherished Katatonia anthem. The sheer intensity of Shifts continues to give me chills with its haunting beauty. These elements are testament to Katatonia's peak performance and their commanding position within the music world. The Fall of Hearts is an extraordinary creation that every music enthusiast should experience in its full grandeur.

Highlights: Takeover, Serein, Old Heart Falls, Decima, Serac, Shifts, Passer

1. The Great Cold Distance (2006)

Determining the greatest Katatonia album is an immense challenge, one that has led me to reevaluate and rearrange my rankings numerous times. I suspect I’ll continue to shift them as I delve deeper into their discography. For me, The Great Cold Distance stands as the quintessential Katatonia album. Although some reviews suggest that this record lacks the raw emotional depth and visceral impact of other Katatonia works, I firmly disagree.

The Great Cold Distance represents the zenith of Katatonia’s evolution. Critics may argue that this album doesn’t evoke the same emotional intensity as their earlier records, but I see it as a testament to their matured musicianship and creative prowess. This album reflects a band that has honed their skills and strengthened their artistic vision to deliver a compelling and sophisticated statement.

The signs of Distance’s greatness were already apparent during the recording of Viva Emptiness. The band wasn’t quite ready at that time, but the three years that followed allowed them to reach a new level of maturity. With unparalleled production quality and top-notch creative thinking, The Great Cold Distance showcases Katatonia at their finest. The instrumental performances are flawless, and every track is meticulously crafted. Jonas Renkse, having found his full potential, leads the band as they establish their definitive sound.

I’ve always regarded The Great Cold Distance as a masterpiece. While it remains accessible, it is also a collection of intricate and progressive compositions. Placing this album at the pinnacle of Katatonia’s discography is not merely a reflection of its complexity but also its profound impact on modern metal. This is an enduring monument to the band’s artistry—one that demands to be listened to and experienced in its entirety.