The idea of KATATONIA was born back in late 1987, by the 13-year-old BLACKHEIM (guitar) and LORD SETH (drums and vocals) with the intention of playing extreme music influenced by early BATHORY and CELTIC FROST. The band started to rehearse a little in 1988 and composed some very primitive and amateurish songs in a pure black metal vein. After this, they felt they needed to complete the line-up, but after several failures with mainly new members the band split up and went silent. Around 1991 the original two men line-up started to work things out by their own again and composed a few songs based on the orginal concept of all times. In summer 1992 the duo entered the famous studio GORYSOUND to finally record something professional and official. The result was the three track demo "JHVA ELOHIM METH" which has been excellently reviewed all over the world. The demo gone sold-out in the likes of 400 copies all in all. This successfull demo has been then repressed by the dutch label VIC RECORDS as MINI CD, and confirming the previous incredible response of the tape version, 1000 copies of the MCD gone sold-out in four weeks. Another edition of 1000 copies was when released in addition to fill the incredible request. In late 1992 they also added a third member called ISRAPHEL (bass guitar), which provided them to rehearse proberly and play gigs. At the same time they also signed their first deal with the swedish label NO FASHION for one album. In early April 1993 they entered GORYSOUND studio again (at the time changing name into actual UNISOUND STUDIO) for a second time to record record their debut album "DANCE OF DECEMBER SOULS" which was released more than half a year later, in december 1993. The more recent story of the band brings to a new deal, firstly for one MINICD, with the italian label AVANTGARDE MUSIC. The recording, titled "FOR FUNERALS TO COME" has been taken once again into UNISOUND STUDIO with production caring by Dan Swanö, in fall-summer 1994.
This single, though released in pretty much uncommercial formats (slim case cd-single & picture 12") sold a lot of copies and restablished Katatonia into crowd´s favours. The deal has been then renewed for another full length album, recorded during summer 1996 again at Unisound Studio; album title is "BRAVE MURDER DAY" and shiws once again an enormous step forward into an even more original sound.
KATATONIA
