Last December, Finnish gloomsters were treated to a very special announcement. Not only were the Swedish melancholy masters, KATATONIA, added to the festival lineup for the upcoming 2-day prog-and-post-rock summer extravaganza in Tampere, the aptly named Ankea Festival, but it was also announced that they would perform one of their most cherished albums, “The Great Cold Distance,” in full! Released on March 14th, 2006, on the pedigree metal label Peaceville, this album remains a straight-up masterpiece, filled with catchy bangers that drip emotion. For me, the album was also the gateway into their darkly shaded melancholy, which is why it holds a special place in my heart; at least on some subliminal level, I have used it as a yardstick every time the band has released new music, pondering to myself whether those new endeavors were anywhere as good as this particular beast. (Well, its sequel, “Night Is the New Day” (2009) did everything a little bit better, to be honest, but the first time is always something you won’t forget, I guess…) Having been introduced to their music through this album, which marked the beginning of a new, more polished-sounding era, I’m not so big on their first few albums. Yeah, I’m well aware that “Dance of December Souls” (1993), “Brave Murder Day” (1996), and “Discouraged Ones” (1998) have become canonized relics among older fans; I just don’t think harsh vocals were ever Jonas Renkse‘s greatest forte. The first time I saw KATATONIA on stage, warming up for PORCUPINE TREE in 2009, they tried some of those older songs, and the harsh vocals sounded just awful. I’m sorry. The couple of albums before this gem – “Last Fair Deal Gone Down” (2001) and “Viva Emptiness” (2003) – already flirted with a novel sound, but this 2006 affair proved to be the very album to hit the jackpot. The appeal is not merely about the band getting more comfortable with clean vocals, though. “The Great Cold Distance” also pushed slightly deeper into the progressive realm with even more atmospheric nuances than its predecessors.
Even if you were a fan who had missed the singles at the time, the brooding atmosphere and jarring prog rhythms in the opener, “Leaders,” made it clear right off the bat that the band had something novel to offer this time. (On a side note: there is quite an impressive scream somewhere along the way, and for a long time, it puzzled me why Renkse‘s harsh vocals sounded so good on this album and sucked so badly live. Then, I found out that their drummer, Daniel Liljekvist, did the screams in the studio for this outing…) For me, the entry point to KATATONIA was the poignantly wistful third single, “July,” and especially its B-side, the slinky riffage entitled “Soil’s Song.” So, when I plunged headlong into the album, expecting a balanced blend of atmospheric melancholy and heavy riffs, I sure as hell was not disappointed. The emotional depth paired with such an immaculate songcraft and cohesive production converted me into a fanboy on the spot. The album is widely regarded as a pivotal point in the band’s evolution from their death/doom-ish roots toward their current progressive sound for a reason.
One of the most haunting tracks is the lead single, “My Twin.” It is probably one of the most poignant breakup songs ever – just put it on during one of those dark nights of the soul and you will see. The “Opium Dub” remix also nicely foreshadowed the sound of their “Dethroned and Uncrowned” (2013) album, on which the band reworked their old bangers into even more atmospheric versions. I liked the remix so much, in fact, that I had to get the CD single, as well. I guess the band didn’t just make me a fan, but turned me into a drooling die-hard while at it. After “The Great Cold Distance”, I have bought every new album on the day of its release – and I have not been let down once yet.
And speaking of the lyrics, once again the album is characterized by introspective lyrics centered on pretty profound themes – isolation, loss, emotional distance, a sense of detachment from the world. I guess the album title is more than a dead giveaway. The atmospheric-prog approach works really nicely with the cold and emotionally sterile landscapes conveyed by the lyrics. You could say that, both lyrically and musically, the album builds upon the foundation laid on “Viva Emptiness,” only this time the execution is a tad more polished, yet no less poignant. The band’s core songwriting duo of Renkse and guitarist Anders Nyström really hit it off on this endeavor. The songs are packed full of emotional resonance and dopamine-inducing ear candy. There are no skippable tracks whatsoever. I think each song has been my favorite from this album at some point. If I were to pick one now, I might have to go for “In the White,” simply because its main motif is such a painfully wistful heart-wrencher. Well, they all are, but there’s something especially haunting in this one.
However, even though the album received widespread critical acclaim upon its release, for its riff quality, melodic punch, and its overall immaculate songcraft, by 2025, “The Great Cold Distance” had not yet received any major RIAA certifications – no gold, no platinum, nada. That’s quite peculiar since the album is frequently included among the highest-ranking entries in the band’s discography on progressive and metal music databases. At the time, the album peaked at #8 on the Finnish album charts. Then again, I reckon the album’s enduring popularity has been aptly evidenced by all the numerous reissues over the years. While the band perfected the formula of this album even further with their next studio effort, 3 years later, this particular album remains a flawless monument to KATATONIA‘s new sound.
Written by Jani Lehtinen
Tracklist
- Leaders
- Deliberation
- Soil’s Song
- My Twin
- Consternation
- Follower
- Rusted
- Increase
- July
- In the White
- The Itch
- Journey Through Pressure
Lineup
Jonas Renkse – vocals, additional guitar, keyboards, programming
Anders Nyström – guitars, backing vocals, keyboards, programming
Fredrik Norrman – guitars
Mattias Norrman – bass
Daniel Liljekvist – drums, percussion
Label
Peaceville
