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Rating: They borrowed a church in London and set up the stage and instruments, resulting in one of the most beautiful unplugged sessions in recent years.
Perhaps the location was just to sell the DVD, but the choice didn't turn out to be risky. And yes, Katatonia have always been, in their own way, extreme. From their black/doom metal beginnings to their current evolution, they have reached a very particular dark sound, which emerges even more original and innovative with this second acoustic endeavor - following the "Dethroned and Uncrowned" (2013) experiment.
"Sanctitude," therefore, published primarily as a live experience for viewers, sounds even more definitive and complete to the listener, as if it were their own "made in Japan."
The Scandinavian band's decision to include only one track from "The Great Cold Distance" (2006) might discourage less attentive fans, but it reveals the intention to select tracks that allow for the use of new atmospheres, made possible by acoustic arrangements.
The opener is "In The White": J. Renske begins to recite in his pale tones: "are you in or are you out, words are stones in my mouth." His timbre is even colder than usual in this context. It is followed by the splendid interpretation of "Ambitions": with each attack of the guitars on the choruses, the piece is regenerated with new creative energy. Just these two tracks are worth the entire album. In fact, the Swedish singer already greets the audience and doesn't hide behind the mask of the stage: "hello London. It's so good to be here.... I believe we're all very nervous, but I think it will work out anyway out".
Noteworthy is the attention with which the strings and carpets have been redesigned, even in those tracks that hadn't been revisited in the previous work: "Teargas" is just one example.
And while the keyboards may not have undergone excessive restyling, the percussive parts have been muted – an indispensable option given the acoustics of a church. In "Evidence" and "Sleeper," the drums have been transformed into djembe, as well as in "Day," which entirely loses its original inspiration borrowed from Joy Division, but gains in originality.
Using the same percussive solution for a piece already semi-acoustic like "Omerta" adds nothing to the studio version.
The overall result is that not all songs have been revolutionized, which, however, doesn't risk transforming "Sanctitude" into an unplugged like so many other uninspired ones. Thus, even "Undo You" and the concluding "The One You Are Looking For" - the latter a duet with a Norwegian singer borrowed from The Gathering - echo what was already heard in the 2013 work and differ only partially from the original versions present in "Dead End Kings" (2012). In recent albums, in fact, Katatonia had already developed a new, well-defined stylistic personality, which we hope is still perfectible.
Even "Idle Blood," the only track from "The Night Is The New Day" (2009), can be ascribed to the aforementioned category of already mature compositions, which therefore didn't need to be revolutionized to be included in this setlist.
Having bid farewell to the Norman brothers, the core of Katatonia remains in the Reske/Nyström duo - vocals and guitars respectively - something that should allow the project to maintain its distinctive stylistic character. Indeed, we can expect them to move forward, hoping they won't soften the sounds too much in their next studio work.
A final note for the version of "The Racing Heart": a passionate interpretation, outlined in light and shadow with the dynamic play between verses and chorus, which still retains an untouched novel dark verve. Unthinkable, just ten years ago, that they could color their tones with sinister and cold light right within the Apollonian acoustics of a Gothic cathedral. The mistake of underestimating a heart that beats.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
05 A Darkness Coming (05:16)
So near
So close
Something bad is seen
But I
Seem to be
The only one that can see
There is a darkness coming
And they
The others
They don't know a thing of what's next
But I'm not here to say
What should be done about this
I just lift my eyes to watch
I saw it coming
Something bad
So near
So close
Something bad is seen
But I
Seem to be
The only one that can see
There is a darkness coming
07 Idle Blood (04:45)
You there, the bringer of my despair
You are stagnation of hope and will
Oh, you personify loss and remorse
And you hide until my fear reappear
The love for life once bright
A burning fuse the only flame I have
Fate's spiral down this curve
The seed's growing my misery
These wounds kill time
My struggle sublime
Idle the blood, black state of mind
All dreams left behind
You claim to be my long, absent friend
You are the cancer that just moved in
You come with the dark night of the soul
But I'm turning my back on you, you know I do
The love for life once bright
A burning fuse, the only flame I have
Fate's spiral down this curve
The seed's growing my misery
These wounds kill time
My struggle sublime
Idle the blood, black state of mind
All dreams left behind
Idle the blood
The black state of mind
All my dreams left behind
Idle the blood
Ooh, the black state of mind
All my dreams left behind
11 Sleeper (04:39)
O my your fever's high
I lay my hands upon you
O my haven't you heard
The truth is untrue
Now I'm breathing
I could not breathe until you did
I'm one second after you
Just a second after you
Someone inside your room
Who is it there behind you
What does he want from you
Sleeper, what did you see
I close the window to the street
Parents died and left their child
Unattented for a while
Now I'm breathing
I could not breathe until you did
I'm one second after you
Just a second after you
Someone inside your room
Who is it there behind you
What does he want from you
Sleeper's song will you listen to me sing
The bird is here I can see the edge of his wing
If you die now how can I then live on
Don't give up you must live on
12 In the White (05:27)
Are you in
Or are you out?
The words are stones in my mouth
Hush little baby
Don't you cry
Truth comes down
Strikes me in the eye
Turning seasons within
Brand new nails across my skin
Who am I to imply?
That I was found
That I found you in the white
To overcome this I become one with
The quiet cold of late November
If you don't see I'll remain unseen
Until there's time to be remembered
So I had a green light
I was lost in city lights
Not so far from a try
This is not our last goodbye
So I found you
Found a way all through
The quiet cold of inner darkness
And now that you're here
It becomes so clear
I have waited for you always
13 Gone (03:49)
A dead start in my head
And the day's been laid
The things i really want
Always torn from my heart
You never saw the way
How i wanted you to stay
And now you're gone
I'm on my own
When i was thinking this
Was something permanent
You were already thinking
Of going away
14 Teargas (03:12)
Why have you put so many things into my eyes
That I can't see clear
Who's paid you for telling me what I'm worth
And run in fear
It has been for me a strain to see already
What have you done
The rising noise
The sharpened smells
The deadened sight
What is it in my eyes
A piece of broken glass
Is this the time I should be on my knees for you
Is this your way of telling
Another has been found
Now I know,
It's teargas in my eyes
What is it in my eyes
A piece of broken glass
Is this the time I should be on my knees for you
Is this your way of telling
Another has been found
Now I know,
It's teargas in my eyes
15 Day (04:40)
Grey park look the same
And the days are pale
I never thought it would rain this way
I should be knowing that it used to be me
Let's stay here for a while
Is something gonna happen today
Your smile has decayed
It will never be the same
I never thought it would laugh again
I should be knowing this it used to be
Me let's stay here for a while
Is something gonna happen today
Now it's dark and you're colder now it's dark
And I'm older now it's dark and you're colder
And you tell me my parks are grey
Let's stay here for a while
Is something gonna happen today
Grey park look the same
All the days are pale
I never thought it would rain this way
I should be knowing that it used to be
Me let's stay here for a while
Is something gonna happen today
16 Evidence (06:10)
I hold my breath and check the time
One minute no collapse
If you only knew what I would do for you
One thirty breathing lapse
We're going in my voice is thin
When I tell you to remember
That no one will find you
My promise from the heart
If we part my pulse will guide you through
Be still for a moment
Everything depends upon you
If you die I will die too
Once we were heroes
But everything has changed since then
Now they recognize you too
I stay too long something's wrong
You walk out of the picture
I hold my breath and check the time
One thirty i collapse
We went in my voice was thin
When I told you to remember
That no one will find you
My promise from the heart
If we part my pulse will guide you through
Be still for a moment
Everything depends upon you
If you die I will die too
Once we were heroes
But everything has changed since then
Now they recognize you too
I'm the evidence
You passed the test and that's so good for you
Oh love will you read the letters I will send to you
Will I come along
Will they let me out to take the test
Oh love is the score enough for me to pass the test
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