Reworking a much loved classic is dangerous territory for any band. Indeed, even a gentle re-mastering can spawn endless debate amongst fans as to which version is best and which version most closely represents the band’s intent. The difference here, perhaps, is that unlike the majority of re-mastering, which is often conducted after a band’s demise, the remix and re-master of ‘Viva emptiness’ has been conducted not only with the knowledge, but also at the request, of Katatonia, a band who have never made any secret of their dissatisfaction with the original release. Even so, a band’s desire can still weigh lightly against the memories of a fan who has heard the album in a certain way for a decade and so it was with some trepidation that I approached this new version of the record.
I need not have worried. Peaceville have been one of the most sensitive labels when it has come to re-releasing an artist’s work and Katatonia, whilst they may have evolved musically, have not been in the habit of approaching their past work in a revisionist way. The work done here, the re-recording of certain elements and the beautifully worked new mix, has been sensitively handled and the result is nothing short of breath taking. This is the aural equivalent of seeing a painting following a professional cleaning job – the picture is still the same, but the lines are clearer; the colours bolder and the overall appreciation of the piece enhanced. Nothing here detracts from the original recording (and if you do prefer that one, no one is forcing you to renounce your previous version), rather it sounds enlivened and the way that the tracks leap from the speaker allow you to appreciate a classic album from a whole new perspective.
‘Ghost of the sun’ sets the tone for the album, and this new version, admirably. It simply explodes from the speakers, the guitars raging away with a force that the original simply didn’t have, whilst the throbbing bass, ambitious percussion and newly recorded piano lines all benefit from a much clearer separation. Gone is the muddy sound that beset the original, gone is the claustrophobic feeling of a narrow sound field, and instead you can truly appreciate the depth and power of Katatonia’s song-writing. Hell, I’ve loved ‘viva emptiness’ for years, but never had I imagined the many elements that built up these well-worn songs. Praise is more than due for David Castillo’s masterly handling of a decade old recording, and Mats Lindfors’ sympathetic mastering is the icing on the cake. Even at high volumes the recording is sprightly and dynamic, and this 2013 edition breathes a whole new life into an album often held up as one of Katatoina’s best. ‘Sleeper’ emphasises the power of this new version, the shift from the atmospheric and gently ambient verse to furiously metallic chorus is now handled with a ferocious power that was originally only hinted at. A firm favourite in the live environment, it now has a recorded counterpart that sounds pristine. If any one track captures the dark power of Katatonia in this period it is ‘criminals’, a song which maintains its hypnotic power thanks to the juxtaposition of seething bass and light synth stings over which the rhythmic pulse of the drums and vocals seem to float menacingly. ‘A premonition’ was always a more gentle song with its subtle guitar lines, but this is also one track that benefits heavily form the newly recorded keys, the sound much more natural than on previous incarnations, whilst the crisp drum sound also adds a great deal to the song’s feel and presence.
After so gentle a song, the rampaging ‘Will I arrive’ now bristles with brutal menace, the band veering between the might of the opening riff and the no-progressive grandeur of the verse, the latter particularly benefitting from the scrubbing the album has received. ‘Burn the remembrance’ with its echoing guitar and tribal percussion is another song that was written with a sympathetic production in mind thanks to the gulf between the doomy power chords and the classically structured solo work, neither of which were highlighted with such skill on the previous edition as they are here. It’s a wonderful song and highlights that Katatonia were already heading down the path that would lead to ‘dead end kings’ even a decade ago. Next up is ‘wealth’, another live favourite thanks to its seething riff, and here it sounds positively feral, the guitars blazing a trail even as the now thunderous percussion threatens to flatten everything in its path. Another beneficiary of the new keyboards, ‘one year from now’ has moved from being simply beautiful to being hauntingly majestic and with the new clarity of sound it is as if a veil has been lifted and you can finally witness the song as it was always intended to sound. The cataclysmic opening riff of ‘walking by a wire’, short as it is, signals a move in a heavier, darker direction whilst ‘complicity’ should be obligatory listening to everyone with a taste for deliciously dark, elegant music. Of the final three tracks ‘Evidence’ was always the perfect showcase of the band at their most restrained and menacing, and this new version allows the subtle flourishes (the almost jazzy percussion, the sweating bass line) to really shine through the mix. ‘Omerta’, meanwhile sounds as beautifully folk influenced as ever, although the strings now sound richer, and more vivid and textured than before, whilst album closer ‘Wait outside’ cruises on a powerfully heavy groove to the record’s conclusion.
This being Peaceville you also get a bonus track in the form of the newly finished (vocals were recorded specifically for this release) track, ‘inside the city of glass’, which proves to be a track that crafts a wonderfully haunted atmosphere with its sky-scraping, gothic riffs and it is a perfect addition for Katatonia fans who see this period as being pivotal in the band’s evolution. Not only that, but the album benefits from overhauled artwork overseen personally by the wonderful Travis Smith, and the whole thing is packaged in a beautiful digi-book that perfectly shows off the updated design. The only thing missing from so comprehensive a package is liner notes from the band themselves, but that slight omission aside, this is the perfect package and it certainly warrants repurchasing even if you, like me, are a fan who has already purchased the record in the various formats that have appeared since its release. Bolder, brighter and now of a similar sonic quality to recent releases, this re-release is more than worth a purchase, even if you think you know every element this album has to offer. ‘Viva emptiness MMXIII’ is an unqualified success.
