I consider this album to be the best in the Katatonia's modern era. Every song is memorable and performance is top class.

Written by NocturnalStalker on 23.02.2012 at 11:33

I consider this album to be the best in the Katatonia's modern era. Every song is memorable and performance is top class.

It is Renske's vocal performance is one of the highlights

Written by InnerSelf on 23.02.2012 at 13:30

It is Renske's vocal performance is one of the highlights

I completely agree.

Written by NocturnalStalker on 23.02.2012 at 13:43

Written by InnerSelf on 23.02.2012 at 13:30

It is Renske's vocal performance is one of the highlights

I completely agree.

Absolutely! His voice is amazing in this album.
Probably my favourite Katatonia album (BMD, LFDGD and TGCD are very close)

This is one hell of a good album, i have to say. The variation that goes through each of these songs shows just how talented katatonia are, whilst Renkse's vocals soar and croon with such beauty, fitting each atmosphere that is created every time. I also love how the guitars make everything seem so grandiose and epic. Speaking of epics, 'Inside the city of glass' seems to take you to another world with obscure wonder and dreamlike melody. definitely the band's best album of the 21st century.

Amazing album! Katatonia are one of my top five favorite bands of all time because of albums like this. One of my favorites of all time.

Nothing short of a masterpiece! It was also my first Katatonia album so has special sentimental value

It's incredible.
Replayability: ∞

The finest of latter era Katatonia. Their trademark melancholic atmospheres are front and center through the entire record, with Nystrom's great sense of melody shining from track to track. The album also features what is perhaps Renske's finest performance behind the mic. He was never a refined singer to begin with; more of a weary poet. But here, he sounds more haunted than ever, and has clearly matured as a singer as well. Although there is plenty of variety in heaviness and tempo from track to track, the overall dreary mood is very consistent from track to track, showing Katatonia at their best in terms of songwriting and overall album construction.

This will always be in my top 3 of Katatonia's exceptional discography. Great band, great record. Pick it up.

I'm liking the string of high scoring comments this album has received the past few days.

Probably the only album I'm incapable of getting bored of.

By far their best of latter day Katatonia.

I have to once again state my disbelief about the general reception of this album.
To me, this is by far the worst thing they've ever done, 5 good tracks and 8 immensely boring turds. Although, hearing that sample track from their newest one, I think Dead End Kings has the potential to top this one in terms of sucking ass.

Written by Slayer666 on 27.06.2012 at 00:39

I have to once again state my disbelief about the general reception of this album.
To me, this is by far the worst thing they've ever done, 5 good tracks and 8 immensely boring turds. Although, hearing that sample track from their newest one, I think Dead End Kings has the potential to top this one in terms of sucking ass.

Hahahahahahahahahahhahaha.


That is all.








No, seriously... we both know it's useless to argue. So yeah... cheers or something! Have a beer!

Written by X-Ray Rod on 27.06.2012 at 00:50

cheers or something! Have a beer!

No thanks, I'm hungover as fuck...

I wasn't trying to start any arguments or anything, I was just trying to understand, as I've been doing for the past 2 years, what do people hear in this album that makes them go "ooooh, Katatonia's best!". Because it seems to me like I'm missing out on something.

Written by Slayer666 on 27.06.2012 at 00:56
Because it seems to me like I'm missing out on something.

Whatever we're missing, I'm too busy listening to Brave Murder Day to care.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 27.06.2012 at 05:35

Whatever we're missing, I'm too busy listening to Brave Murder Day to care.

Hah, QFT.
Although it's more Dance of December Souls in my case.

^ LAME to both of you

I'll take either one, Slayer.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 28.06.2012 at 16:01

I'll take either one, Slayer.

Don't make me link to the abominations you've been flooding in my lovely New Non-Metal Rec's thread >8[

Written by Guest on 28.06.2012 at 16:14
Don't make me link to the abominations you've been flooding in my lovely New Non-Metal Rec's thread >8[

A lot of contemporary pop music works far better for me than contemporary Katatonia.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 28.06.2012 at 16:16

A lot of contemporary pop music works far better for me than contemporary Katatonia.

I wouldn't call this contemporary Katatonia though, this is more middle-latter era (and it's nearly a decade old). Quite a distinct change in style after this one.

Written by Guest on 28.06.2012 at 16:33

Written by Troy Killjoy on 28.06.2012 at 16:16

A lot of contemporary pop music works far better for me than contemporary Katatonia.

I wouldn't call this contemporary Katatonia though, this is more middle-latter era (and it's nearly a decade old). Quite a distinct change in style after this one.

I just wanted to say the same thing. This is nothing like contemporary mind numbingly boring sleep inducing Katatonia.

Written by Guest on 28.06.2012 at 16:33
I wouldn't call this contemporary Katatonia though, this is more middle-latter era (and it's nearly a decade old). Quite a distinct change in style after this one.

I suppose contemporary was the wrong word - I just lump all of their post-Brave Murder Day stuff into the same category.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 28.06.2012 at 16:39

I suppose contemporary was the wrong word - I just lump all of their post-Brave Murder Day stuff into the same category.

But Discouraged Ones is quite different to the following three, which in turn sound nothing like the two after it ;]

Oh I'm not trying to say all of their post-BMD albums all sound the same. I know some of them still have a strong gothic doom sound and others stick to a more alternative style, and some combine both of those elements. All I meant is that none of those albums work for me so I just kind of place them in the same bin.

THE GARBAGE BIN.

In all seriousness though, there are still a few tracks that I enjoy from their mid-era days. I just can't even remember what they're called. :/

Dunno, I like literally all Katatonia albums, some more some less, other than this one. Which is odd, seeing as how everyone loves the shit out of it.

Is that considered hipster? :/

I first stumbled upon this when I used to pick some tracks from an album and not listen to the whole album. "Criminals" was the song I listened to, and it was amazing. I liked it more and more, and it soon became my favorite song. Later, I decided to listen to the whole album, and as every track proceeded, I thought "why are those songs so mediocre COMPARED to the amazing Criminals?". My thoughts of Viva Emptiness were vastly affected by listening to one song only. I never listened to individual songs after that.

It's a really short life record. I got bored of it really quickly, the songs are good but not outstanding. They never got to the level of Brave Murder Day in any other record (regardless of the style).

Written by Evil Chip on 27.09.2012 at 23:43

It's a really short life record. I got bored of it really quickly, the songs are good but not outstanding. They never got to the level of Brave Murder Day in any other record (regardless of the style).

Man, I strongly disagree... To me this album gets better and better like good old wine. One of their most memorable albums. I love their first 3 albums just as much but this one is the only one which I keep discovering new stuff.

Oh how the mighty have fallen...

Written by X-Ray Rod on 28.09.2012 at 17:25

Written by Evil Chip on 27.09.2012 at 23:43

It's a really short life record. I got bored of it really quickly, the songs are good but not outstanding. They never got to the level of Brave Murder Day in any other record (regardless of the style).

Man, I strongly disagree... To me this album gets better and better like good old wine. One of their most memorable albums. I love their first 3 albums just as much but this one is the only one which I keep discovering new stuff.

Oh how the mighty have fallen...

Really? This is the one I come back for singing along. Lot of good songs but I don't get the album experience of this one and it gets boring (at least for me) after a while even though I never overplayed it.