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KATATONIA My Twin Peaceville (2006)
The release of an EP or a single a couple of months prior to a full-length album is not only a smart promotional move that many bands choose to follow nowadays, but also the one opportunity that is given to their fans to get an idea of what's to follow. Now, seeing as I got the promo of the new Katatonia album in my hands late last year, I assumed that there would be no other release coming from the band in 2006. It seems, though, that people at Peaceville records had other plans for Katatonia, and were kind enough to send me the digipack version of the band's new four-track EP "My Twin".
Even though I loved every minute of "The Great Cold Distance", I did feel that "My Twin" would be the ideal contender for the promotion of the new album, and I was happy enough to see that Katatonia felt exactly the same way. "My Twin" has already proven its credentials, with its beautiful display of dark intimate melodies, emotional vocal parts and cutting-edge riffs. The question is whether the remaining songs of this EP are capable of convincing people to invest in this release.
This release also features an alternative version of "My Twin" which was described by the band as "Opium Dub Version". I do not know what Katatonia had in mind when they chose this title, and I do intend to find out when I interview them, but this is effectively a "sans guitar" version of the song with some added keyboard effects which make it sound more dark and melancholic.
In comparison, I prefer the original version, seeing as it's the guitars that make the song sound so special, and their absence created a negative effect as far as I'm concerned - still, it is a very interesting version indeed.
The band's more progressive and experimental nature is satisfied through "Displaced", the first of the two non-album compositions that's featured in this EP. The main attraction here is the band's drummer Daniel Liljekvist, whose great abilities are presented openhandedly.
Intense but approachable, heavy guitar riffs are mixed with distorted vocals and another killer song is born. For dessert, the band has prepared a more inviting atmospheric composition that allow Jonas Renkse to prove why he deserves the title of one of the most emotional frontmen in recent years.
If you want to find out what the new Katatonia album is going to sound like, "My Twin" is a really good guide. If you think that it's probably better to wait one more month and get your hands on "The Great Cold Distance" instead...well, you could do that, but are you really willing to miss out on two really good songs?
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Review by John Stefanis
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