Recommended Aussie Tunes:Psycroptic | The new single "A Fragile Existence" | Listen

Live Reviews : Katatonia, The Eternal & Myridian @ Corner Hotel, Melbourne 10/12/2016

By on December 12, 2016

Across Melbourne, a sold-out Corner Hotel crowd gathers dot witness the first ever headline tour of Swedish doom metallers Katatonia. Three years since their last visit to our shores, supporting their fellow countrymen Opeth, expectations were high and excitement was even higher for what was to envelope the crowd within the Corner Hotel.

In what could not have been a better decision, Melbourne own The Eternal and Myridian were chosen to open the nights proceedings, much to the praise of every attendee. Myridian took to the stage in a subtle, almost calming manner, building a level of anticipation. The soft-spoken word introductions of vocalist Felix Lane began to gain momentum from all members of the band until the entire stage erupted in a barrage of doom-inspired riffs that were strong enough to bring down the roof. It is obvious the Myridian have found their sound within the confines of ambience and depressed-aggression, and it’s a sound that fit no better than here tonight.

The Eternal, true veterans of their craft and no strangers to the bigger stages of Melbourne, embraced their home for the next 30 minutes and made it their own, capturing the essence of melodic death metal with a more progressive emphasis on their rhythmics. Front man Mark Kelson was in top form tonight, delivering a huge-range of vocal technique, that combined with his rhythm and lead guitar execution, seemed almost super human. I have no doubt in my mind that no one will leave the venue without The Eternal firmly imprinted in their heads. As the lights dimmed, the crowd erupted,, the inventible arrival of the headliners drew ever-closer.

As the curtains Drew, there stood the Swedish doom titans, in all of their solitary, melancholic form. In what was a truly diverse setlist, Katatonia gave Melbourne a mammoth nineteen-song barrage of what many consider to be the peak of metal’s melancholy and hidden aggression. With a strong focus on their 2006 Classic The a Great a Cold Embrace and their latest effort, The Falls Of Hearts, no fan was left dissatisfied in what was given to them. From the die-hard fans up the front to the casual fans down the back, to the one guy from New Zealand losing his mind at every musical turn, there was no surprise that Katatonia had not only lived up to the expectations of the Melbourne crowd, but completely demolished them beneath their feet.

For any band, live performance is without he doubt one of the the hardest accomplishments to get right, and in the over-twenty-year career, Katatonia have refined and built a name for themselves as a true powerhouse of the live scene, and tonight was no exception. Vocalist Jonas Renkse maintained a serene, yet intimidating stature throughout the during of the performance, rarely showing his face beneath his enveloping back hair, nor falling out of key throughout the night. Guitarists Anders Nystrom and Roger Ojersson gelled and played together in such a way that harmonies weren’t something that felt like a task to accomplish, but rather came naturally.

The pulsing and intense low-end of the mix, courtesy of bassist Niklas Sandin and drummer Daniel Moilanen provided a foundation for an experience echoed throughout the ears of every member of the audience, only to be complimented by the remaining member of the band. I don’t know what it is about Melbourne in 2016, but not only are the Australian supports absolutely killing it on every stage they embrace, but every international act has not delivered a single bomb of a performance, and tonight’s doom-metal extravaganza only added another one to that list of quality performances. Both Myridian and The Eternal gave the sold-out crowd truly memorable performances, and I have no doubt in my mind that their momentum as career-musicians has been pushed into overdrive. Katatonia can return to Sweden with their heads held high , knowing that they have delivered and executed a world-class display of brooding melodies and destructive rhythms, that no head within the venue remained still. Why it took Katatonia over twenty years to headline our shores, I’ll never know, but I think I speak for all of the sold-out crowd when I say that after a performance like that, they better be back, and soon!

katatoniaposter