That’s how it was with KATATONIA

Munich, Backstage, November 24, 2025

The weather was perfect for the desolate mood that Katatonia sing about in their songs. The fog hung low over the city all day before turning into cold rain in the late afternoon. But that didn’t matter to the crowds who had flocked to the backstage in Munich – dressed in gloomy clothes. After all, there’s nothing better than screaming against the Monday blues with like-minded people! And after the two support acts, Klogr from Italy and Swedish prog metal veterans Evergrey, had finished warming up the audience, the temperature in the small hall was already summery anyway.

The Swedes opened the show with “Thrice” from the album released in June with the uplifting title: “Nightmares As Extensions of the Waking State”. A total of four songs from the new album made it into the setlist, which was peppered with the best of the past decades as well as new material. The small but impressively designed stage was adorned with three video screens, the largest of which was mounted at the front of the platform where drummer Daniel Moilanen was standing with his equipment. Impressive videos and image effects flickered across the screens throughout the performance, coordinated with the songs, creating another impressive and beautiful layer.

But even the most beautiful videos would be ineffective without the brilliantly played music of the doom metallers. Hammering riffs that sounded like rolling thunder were unleashed on the audience and heavy, melancholic melodies sent those present into ecstasy. The band’s mesmerizing playing caused the fans to merge into one large headbanging mass, which must have seemed like an evenly surging ocean from the stage. Add to this the versatile and emotionally charged vocals of frontman Jonas Renkse, who sang with all his heart against despair. Between the individual songs, he always found space for a few encouraging words and funny anecdotes. After the band took a short break after “In the Event of”, they returned for “Forsaker” before finally sending their audience off into the night.

Text: Michael Schille
Photos (from Stuttgart): Dietmar Grabs

Setlist:
“Thrice” – “Soil’s Song” – “The Liquid Eye” – “Austerity” – “Rein” – “Leaders” – “Dead Letters” – “Nephilim” – “Wind of No Change” – “The Longest Year” – “Old Heart Falls” – “July” – “Lethean” – “No Beacon to Illuminate Our Fall” – “In the Event of” — “Forsaker”