Katatonia disapproves of the Black Lodge Records reissue of their old album "Dance of December Souls":

It has been known to us that Black Lodge Records are going to re-issue the old classic "Dance of December Souls" album. Although the CD could just as well have been re-pressed with the original cover and old logo, it now ridicules both the past and present by showing up with a new pathetic cover trying to depict elements from our last album and the abuse of the 'new era' logo on something that was released more than 10 year ago. Don't be fooled into confusing this is for a new Katatonia release. Consequently, we do not support this re-issue and take complete distance from its existance.

Katatonia reports that they are done with touring for the year and will take the winter off to write and record for what will become their seventh album.

Speaking of Katatonia, their old-school death-metal sideproject Bloodbath will finally get a proper US release for their new album "Nightmares Made Flesh" sometime early next year.

Has it really been two years already? Hard to bellieve I've been doing this for so long already, the time just flies by. So cheers everyone! Here's to another year! Well-wishers are encouraged to send money in lieu of gifts.

Since it's such a special day, I've posted two new mp3s today. First up in Novak with their single "It all works out in the end" from the new album "Perpetual motion". I'm still undecided about the record as a whole, but this song is undeniably catchy. Tons of energy, great hooks and solid guitar work. Next up in "Draped in disease" from Swedish all-star old-school death metal act Bloodbath. Vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth) may no longer be in the band, but he's been more than capably replaced by Peter Tägtgren (Hypocrisy, Pain). Factor in that the rest of the band is fleshed out by Dan Swanö along with members of Katatonia and Witchery and you've got an instant classic.

The "It's a trap! reader's companion" microsite is now open: http://www.itsatrap.com/vol1/
As mentioned earlier this week, CDs are done and should arrive in stock on Tuesday.

Going to see Finland's Hero Dishonest tonight in San Francisco at The Hemlock. Should be fun!

Jonas Renkse of Bloodbath/Katatonia talks to Antenna webzine about the former band's new album and possible plans to play live: http://www.antenna.nu/bloodbath/interview1.php

Check out the video for "Love my love" from the Whyte Seeds: high / low

Diabolique Masquerade, the sideproject of Anders "Blakkheim" Nyström from Katatonia, has decided to call it a day. Read the full statement here: http://diabolicalmasquerade.com/
How long until the continued success of the other Katatonia-related project Bloodbath sidelines the main act? Their latest album "Nightmares made flesh" is absolutely killer, no doubt about it.

Katatonia and Amaran will be doing some European tourdates together centered around the two band's appearances at ProgPower in early October. Here's Katatonia's schedule now:

08/20 - Summer Breeze Open Air, Abtsgmünd (GER)
08/21 - Metalcamp, Tolmin (SLO)
08/26 - Samsen, Kristiansand (NOR)
08/27 - Hole In The Sky, Bergen (NOR)
08/28 - Folken, Stavanger (NOR)
08/29 - Garage, Oslo (NOR)
09/29 - Loppen, Copenhagen (DK)
10/03 - Progpower Europe, Baarlo (NL)

More soon.

Katatonia has posted a bunch of new live photos to their website: http://katatonia.com/

The July edition of Aversionline is now up and features 120 new reviews of all sorts of punk/hardcore/metal stuff from around the globe such as 7th Legion, Abnormi, After Forever, Atrox, Bloodshed, Face Tomorrow, Helion, Hollydrift, Katatonia, Lähdön Aika, Manes, MindGrinder, Morning After, Razor Crusade, Regulations, Sunday Morning Einsteins, Susperia, Under Her Black Wings, Unmoored and tons more. There's also a new spin-off site called Fall of Because dedicated solely to experimental noise. Tons of reviews, a few interviews and the promise of much more to come.

Instead of announcing new bands one act at a time, the people behind the Hole in the Sky Festival have decided to squash the rumors and just announce the whole thing. Acts confirmed so far are Glenn Danzig (US), Entombed, Vader (POL), Katatonia, Aura Noir, Zyklon, Susperia, 1349, Manes (GER), Keep of Kalessin and Disiplin.

Katatonia will be doing a total of four Norwegian dates in August:

08/26 - Markens, Kristiansand
08/27 - Hole In The Sky, Bergen
08/28 - Folken, Stavanger
08/29 - Garage, Oslo

Katatonia and Vader (POL) are the first two bands announced for 2004's Hole in the Sky Festival in Norway.

Those jokers in Katatonia have a good prank posted today: http://katatonia.com/sitestart.html

Looks like there's a new album on the way from Bloodbath, the classic-style Swedish death-metal group featuring Anders "Blakkheim" Nyström (Katatonia, Diabolical Masquerade), Jonas Renkse (Katatonia, October Tide) and Dan Swanö (Nightingale, Edge of Sanity, etc). They've booked studio time for late spring and hope to have a record ready for a late summer release. However, there have been some lineup changes in the group. Vocalist Mike Åkerfeldt of Opeth is out (I assume he's probably too busy) and they say they have replaced him with "one of the biggest names in the scene." My guess would be LG Petrov, but who knows? Maybe Tompa is taking on yet another new project. Anyhow, Dan has also switched over from drums to guitar and taking his place his "yet another big, big name." Look for details to be announced soon.

Representing Scandinavia on the (extremely late) Terrorizer Magazine best-of 2003 writer's poll:

02. Enslaved - Below The Lights
03. Darkthrone - Hate Them
09. Opeth - Damnation
11. Cult of Luna - The Beyond
20. Katatonia - Viva Emptiness

Read the rest (via DJ Martian): http://djmartian.blogspot.com/2004_03_01_djmartian_archive.html#107836349697629256