Not too many bands get to album nine. However, a look into the world of death metal/darkwave sees acts having longer careers than standard. In part that's because there tends to be less fannying around with big international record labels. Secondly death metal is a well-documented lifestyle over mere entertainment. It’s not a case of disposable fun but musical partnerships that endure. But Katatonia are no longer black/doom metal.

Dead End Kings is a series of touching ballads, each one produced with a sheen that steps increasingly further away from the screaming, noise drenched showers of some 20 years ago. Throughout, Dead End Kings trembles with the angst and slight eastern cadences of Jeff Buckley, occasionally thrashing out progressively like some current day King Crimson.

As a result much of this actually plays pretty straight and whilst it’s undoubtedly a heavy listen, there’s nothing petrifying here. In some ways that's a shame, but the band’s objectives have changed. Jonas Renske’s superb vocals roll out close to a monotone, there to either glide over shuffled drums and violin lines, as in closer ‘Dead Letters’, but also to contract and shrink as the implosion that triggers the cascading walls of guitar, the silence before the avalanche.

Dead End Kings succeeds because it is massively gothic and atmospheric. Stockholm’s thirteenth century architecture and endless nights provide an undoubted influence to the graceful, majestic sadness. ‘Hypnone’ gently explodes in its chorus “_I need the sound of the rain/ Wearing dependence down/ The line must be kept so thin/ To live near life - not within.Not too many bands get to album nine. However, a look into the world of death metal/darkwave sees bands having longer careers than standard. In part because it takes longer, in the case of Katatonia smaller label releases were needed before the multi-national came in, if they come in at all (music for generation y needs to be big and quick, otherwise there’s nothing). Secondly death metal is a well-documented lifestyle over mere entertainment. It’s not a case of disposable fun but musical partnerships that endure – but the band is no longer black/doom metal.

Here Katatonia are, at album nine. ‘Dead End Kings’ is a series of touching ballads, each one marches, solidly, unfalteringly, produced with a sheen that steps closest to the commercial sound and furthest from their screaming, noise drenched showers of some 20 years ago. Throughout, Dead End Kings trembles with the angst and slight Eastern cadences of Jeff Buckley, then to thrash out progressively as though some current day King Crimson.

As a result much of this actually plays pretty straight and whilst it’s undoubtedly a heavy listen, the guitars packed with bombast, there’s nothing petrifying here, which in some ways a shame but the band’s objectives have changed. Jonas Renske’s superb vocals roll out close to monotone as an ever present series of reference notes, there to either glide over shuffled drums and violin lines, as in closer ‘Dead Letters’ and also to contract and shrink as the implosion that triggers the cascading walls of guitar, the silence before the avalanche.

Dead End Kings succeeds because it is massively gothic and atmospheric. As a Stockholm band you can picture pounding the cobbles of the 13th Century Old Town and it’s Germanic architecture. Despite its predominantly tourist population, Stockholm’s architecture and endless nights provide an undoubted influence to the graceful, majestic sadness. ‘Hypnone’ gently explodes in its chorus “I need the sound of the rain/ Wearing dependence down/ The line must be kept so thin/ To live near life - not within.”

There really is only one colour in this album, a soft grey, ‘The Racing Heart’ is composed superbly, the vocals lift and fall gently, electronics and xylophones are tightly paired and violins swell to accentuate beautifully. The guitars are so distorted that they themselves become a formless, soft, sound with the picked parts providing clarity and focus. It’s composed with the emotional effect of a Danny Elfman score, but twisted so much that it paints nothing but drizzle.

Dead End Kings is an excellent album; an album that swirls in its own resigned misery. Some may find it conventional gothic metal, but that would overlook just how well this is put together. As metal is increasingly forced far away from the charts, it’s impressive to be reminded how complex the emotional impact metal and it’s many sub genres can be. That this has such a wide range of sounds brought together so perfectly under the misery of Renske’s vocals and foggy guitars will demand repeated, introverted listening and reflection. Perhaps it’s self indulgent, but it’s certainly therapeutic and more than welcome. An album that surely marks another high point, but not a crest, for a band of prolonged excellence._”

There really is only one colour in this album, a soft grey, ‘The Racing Heart’ is composed superbly, the vocals lifting and falling gently, electronics and xylophones are tightly paired and violins swell to accentuate beautifully. The guitars are so distorted that they themselves become a formless, soft, sound with the picked parts providing clarity and focus. It’s composed with the emotional effect of a Danny Elfman score, but twisted so much that it paints nothing but drizzle.

Dead End Kings is an excellent album; an album that swirls in its own resigned misery. Some may find it conventional gothic metal, but that would overlook just how well this is put together. As metal is increasingly forced far away from the charts, it’s impressive to be reminded how complex the emotional impact of metal and its many sub genres can be. That this has such a wide range of sounds brought together so perfectly under the misery of Renske’s vocals and foggy guitars will demand repeated, introverted listening and reflection. Perhaps it’s self indulgent, but it’s certainly therapeutic and more than welcome. An album that surely marks another high point, but not a crest, for a band of prolonged excellence.