Swedish grandeurs of melancholic heaviness, Katatonia, return with Nightmares As Extensions Of The Waking State, set for release on 6 June via Napalm Records. Once again, the Stockholm-based unit masterfully navigates the tightrope act between nocturnal darkness and Scandinavian despair while subtly weaving a sense of hope into the listener's heart. Nightmares As Extensions Of The Waking State marks the next step in Katatonia's evolution, building upon the foundation of their previous album, Sky Void Of Stars (2023), and is also an introduction to its two new guitarists. Katatonia, in 2025, is vocalist and founding member Jonas Renkse, bassist Niklas Sandin, drummer Daniel Moilanen, and guitarists Nico Elgstrand and Sebastian Svalland.
With the album's lead single, "Lilac", revealed today, Katatonia offers a first glimpse of what fans can expect from the new record. The track showcases Jonas Renkse's unmistakable vocals, intertwining with hypnotic rhythms, heavy riffs, and progressive elements. Accompanied by an atmospheric official music video, "Lilac" speaks straight to the heart, proving Katatonia's matchless ability to draw listeners into a whirlwind of stirring emotions.
Jonas Renkse adds: "We are proud and excited to announce our new album, Nightmares As Extensions Of The Waking State, coming out via Napalm Records on 6 June. As always, these songs are the stories that thrive in the corner of the eye, obscured by the light but waiting to come alive in the dusk of our morbid existence. Please enjoy the first scent - 'Lilac'".
On Nightmares As Extensions Of The Waking State, crystal-clear production highlights the interplay between silence and intensity, while the contrast of heavy riffs, delicate guitar harmonies, ethereal synthesizers, and atmospheric nuances create captivating tension. Tracks like "Thrice" and "Warden" pulse with dynamic energy, a near-ceremonial piece, "Wind Of No Change" merges subtle electronic textures with Katatonia's enigmatic soundscapes, while "Temporal" balances fragility and strength - its intense verses culminating in a soaring, emotionally charged chorus. The breathtaking "Efter Solen" (Engl. After The Sun), featuring Swedish lyrics, evokes echoes of Jonas Eika's 2018 short story collection, with minimalistic yet striking instrumentation.
Even after more than 30 years, Katatonia continues to redefine the genre's emotional spectrum, effortlessly shifting between haunting vulnerability and commanding artistry. With sonic landscapes that evoke dystopia, inner demons, purity, and beauty alike, Nightmares As Extensions Of The Waking State is a testament to its enduring brilliance. The album was produced by Jonas Renkse, recorded by Lawrence Mackrory at NBS Audio and The City of Glass, mixed by Adam Noble, and mastered by Robin Schmidt at 24-96 Mastering.
Also, Katatonia will embark on an epic headline tour this fall across Europe and the UK with label mates and Gothenburg's top-notch metal export, Evergrey, and Klogr from Italy. Kicking off on 11 November in Tampere, Finland, the tour will cover 31 major cities in total and culminate in a grand finale in Stockholm, Sweden, on 20 December. Link
Katatonia - UK & EU Tour 2025:
w/ Evergrey & Klogr
11.11.25 FI - Tampere / Tavara-asema
12.11.25 FI - Helsinki / House of Culture
14.11.25 NO - Oslo / Rockefeller
15.11.25 SE - Gothenburg / Pustervik
16.11.25 DE - Hamburg / Gruenspan
18.11.25 PL - Warsaw / Progresja
19.11.25 DE - Berlin / Huxleys
20.11.25 DE - Leipzig / Täubchenthal
21.11.25 CZ - Prague / Palac Akropolis
22.11.25 AT - Vienna / Simm City
24.11.25 DE - Munich / Backstage Werk
25.11.25 DE - Stuttgart / LKA Longhorn
27.11.25 IT - Milan / Alcatraz
28.11.25 CH - Zurich / Komplex
29.11.25 FR - Lyon / La Rayonne
01.12.25 ES - Madrid / BUT
02.12.25 ES - Barcelona / Salamandra
03.12.25 FR - Toulouse / Le Metronum
05.12.25 UK - London / Electric Ballroom
06.12.25 UK - Glasgow / Garage
07.12.25 UK - Manchester / Academy 2
08.12.25 UK - Bristol / SWK
10.12.25 FR - Paris / Le Trabendo
11.12.25 LU - Luxembourg / Rockhal
12.12.25 DE - Frankfurt / Batschkapp
13.12.25 DE - Cologne / Live Music Hall
14.12.25 NL - Amsterdam / Melkweg Max
16.12.25 BE - Antwerp / Trix
18.12.25 DK - Copenhagen / Amager Bio
19.12.25 SE - Karlstad / Nöjesfabriken
20.12.25 SE - Stockholm / Fållan
Katatonia - Festivals 2025:
03.05.25 BE - Izegem / Headbangers Balls Fest
22.06.25 BE - Dessel / Graspop Metal Meeting
05.07.25 DE - Mühlheim / Castle Rock
06.07.25 TR - Istanbul / Headbanger's Weekend
26.07.25 PL - Ostrów Wielkopolski / Ostrów Rock Festival
30.07.25 RO - Braşov / Rockstadt Extreme Fest
01.08.25 DE - Wacken / Wacken Open Air
22.08.25 IT - Marina Di Altidona / Wondergate (Parco dei Due Ponti)
Italian doom metal ensemble Messa present a Cold Cave rework of "At Races", a track taken from their critically acclaimed full‑length The Spin, released last year through Metal Blade...
The Eternal have put out a captivating music video for their latest single, "Colours Fade", offering another compelling glimpse into their new opus, Obscured Horizons, earmarked for...
German gothic rock visionaries Merciful Nuns unveil their brand‑new video single “Vaeloria”, taken from the forthcoming album Nebulae, set for release on 12 November via Solar Lodge.
Dark metal ensemble Ater have offered "Sleep”, a haunting, heavy romantic ballad. The new video single moves beyond Ater's established realm of shadowy brutality, revealing a gentler...
"I don't tend to judge people, but I do judge them if they're too lazy to engage in independent thought or if they're simply careless and don't consider the consequences..." - Sven Friedrich
"It's not only about me; everybody deals with identity in a way because the world is asking so much of you all the time. You need to relate to..." - Raven van Dorst
"You can see it in social media, in the world, with the wars going on, and I think it's an appropriate title for an album." - Skinny Disco
"With Hypocrisy, I'm very "home", but with Pain, it's an adventure, just like going into the jungle only with a knife and no glass of water and trying to survive." - Peter Tägtgren
