After 32 years in the shadows, Katatonia are finally allowing sunlight to pierce their darkness. Vocalist Jonas Renkse refuses to call their 12th album happy, though, insisting that the upbeat, up-tempo Sky Void Of Stars was born from the need for adrenaline at a time when the stage felt very far away. This is the story of the Swedish band’s enigma.

Words: Phil Weller Images: Mathias Blom

Katatonia make sadness beautiful.

Katatonia have always been a serpentine band. With each new album, they shed their skin to unveil an evolving creature underneath. It’s something that’s earned them countless accolades as they’ve grown from death metal upstarts to cinematic, prog rock veterans. Despite their progressive evolution, however, the Swedes, who celebrated their 30th anniversary in 2021, have always kept a shroud of darkness overhead. What makes their 12th album, Sky Void Of Stars, so intriguing then, is that those shadows now seem to be dissipating. The masters of melancholia have never sounded as upbeat and hopeful as they do here. Just don’t call it a happy album.

“The album is very energetic and uptempo for us,” admits vocalist Jonas Renkse. “It’s straight to the point, but I wouldn’t say it’s a happy record. It’s still sad in its heart.”

Many albums were written while the world was locked down, but for Sky Void Of Stars’ predecessor, City