Swedish grandeurs of melancholic heaviness KATATONIA will release a new album, “Nightmares As Extensions Of The Waking State”, on June 6, 2025 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 also is an introduction to their two new guitarists. KATATONIA in 2025 is composed of 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 offer a first glimpse of what fans can expect from the new record. The track showcases 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.
Renkse states: “We are proud and excited to announce our new album, ‘Nightmares As Extensions Of The Waking State’, coming out via Napalm Records on June 6. 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” (English-language translation: “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 emotional spectrum of their genre, 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” stands as a testament to their enduring brilliance.
The album was produced by 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.
“Nightmares As Extensions Of The Waking State” track listing:
01. Thrice
02. The Liquid Eye
03. Wind Of No Change
04. Lilac
05. Temporal
06. Departure Trails
07. Warden
08. The Light Which I Bleed
09. Efter Solen
10. In The Event Of
As soon as summer has shattered, KATATONIA will embark on an epic headline tour this fall across Europe together with labelmates and Gothenburg’s top-notch metal export EVERGREY and KLOGR from Italy. Kicking off on November 11 in Tampere, Finland, the tour will cover 31 major cities in total and culminate in a grand finale in Stockholm, Sweden on December 20.
KATATONIA 2025 is:
Jonas Renkse – Vocals
Niklas Sandin – Bass
Daniel Moilanen – Drums
Nico Elgstrand – Guitar
Sebastian Svalland – Guitar
Last month, founding KATATONIA guitarist Anders Nyström confirmed his departure from the band.
On March 18, Nyström released the following statement through KATATONIA‘s social media channels: “Sad but true.
“The time has come for me to confirm that the roads ahead Jonas [Renkse, KATATONIA vocalist] and I have chosen for both KATATONIA and ourselves have grown too wide and far apart, and as a result, our long-term collaboration has drawn to a close.
“With him and I being the duo that founded KATATONIA almost 35 years ago, and owing to the fact that we managed to take our mission this far, it’s inevitable that our band’s legacy will continue to play a huge role for both of us and always live on, albeit in a different light either captured by our past, future or the many chapters in between.
“To each our own, we may all have our own preferences and different levels of appreciation for either the early, mid or later KATATONIA eras, but it seems like any willingness to embrace them all, in order to honor our history through live activities, has unfortunately failed to sustain. Needless to say, I still love ALL our albums, but with the early stuff being neglected for so many years, a feeling of having ‘unfinished business’ with a style that goes far back to our roots has just grown stronger and stronger. I can’t help feeling adamant that songs from our early-mid discography deserve to be equally acknowledged and likewise targeted for our live show repertoire, the essential medium where the past should always be alive! Unfortunately, that door has been kept shut and left everything we did pre-millennium in a void.
“Avowed, with one of us gone, KATATONIA could and should have been mutually laid to rest while exploiting the freedom to continue in any desirable direction under a new name. But with Jonas now regrouping with new members and navigating further in his own direction, I no longer need to wait and see which way the wind is blowing to enter that void and grab hold of what’s been abandoned. After all, KATATONIA‘s legacy is resting on both ends of the timeline.
“Come what may, I’d like to thank Jonas and the rest of my ex-colleagues for the incredible ride we shared through four compelling decades.
“Blessed be!”
Renkse announced Nyström‘s exit from KATATONIA in a statement on March 17. He wrote: “Anders Nyström and I are going our separate ways. A decision not taken lightly, but for everyone to thrive and move forward with their own creative preferences as well as personal schedules this has become the realistic option.
“Anders and I started the band in 1991 and his impact on the band’s trademark sound is undeniable.
“As bleak as this sounds, and is, it’s further evidence of life getting in the way of our preferred plans. I wish Anders all the best for the future.”
Photo credit: Terhi Ylimäinen
Content shared from blabbermouth.net.