INTRO
JONAS RENKSE
Q & A
As Katatonia release their new rarities compilation, their vocalist muses on three decades of music, opening up on the band’s sonic evolution, his friendship with Opeth’s Mikael Åkerfeldt and his songwriting partnership with Anders Nyström.
Words: Phil Weller Portrait: Ester Segarra
Thirty years ago, Jonas Renkse and Anders Nyström formed Katatonia as a studio-only project in which they could indulge their shared love of doom and death metal. The myriad twists and turns that followed have seen the Swedish band transform into one of the finest purveyors of dark and melancholic progressive rock. Their latest collection, Mnemosynean, celebrates their 30th anniversary with a selection of B-sides, rarities and remixes from their extreme metal early days to their polished and prestigious modern-day sound. As the band gear up towards touring their back catalogue in 2022, Renkse takes the opportunity to reflect on what was, and what still can be for Katatonia.