A limited 30th anniversary pink marble-effect vinyl edition of Katatonia’s debut album, Dance Of December Souls.

 

The seminal album by a soon to be legendary band exudes an atmosphere of melancholy, accentuated by the growled, despairing vocals of Jonas Renske.

 

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Katatonia was formed in Stockholm Sweden, in 1991 by Anders Nystrom and Jonas Renkse. Their debut album, 'Dance of December Souls', was released in 1993, gaining the band recognition for their eclectic brand of gothic doom/death metal and joining acts such as Paradise Lost and My Dying Bride as one of the genre's defining bands. On future albums a newer, sleeker Katatonia sound came to the fore, starting with a streamlined and structured collection of melodic dark rock songs which became third album 'Discouraged Ones' which is widely regarded as the main evolution point for modern day Katatonia, where a much more progressive style of metallic rock was successfully embraced.

 

'Dance of December Souls' was recorded at Unisound Studios, April 1993 and released later that same year. Engineering and mixing was handled by Dan Swanö (Opeth, Marduk, Dissection). This early incarnation of Katatonia contained a more doom/black metal approach, whilst always keeping the trademark sorrowful & hypnotic guitar melodies which are still evident today. Katatonia quickly became part of the leaders of the gothic doom movement alongside top UK acts Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride and Anathema.