TONIGHT'S DECISION

After making some seriously big changes on their previous album "Discouraged Ones" the band is back for album number four. Released in 1999 we get about 56 minutes of music. This one is my least favourite KATATONIA album along with the debut for very different reasons. "Tonight's Decision" is surprisingly polished and commercial sounding in my opinion. I never thought I'd say that after what they gave us on the three previous records although certainly "Discouraged Ones" put them in this direction. Jonas sounds like Robert from THE CURE at times here which isn't a bad thing. He's also off the drum kit here as Dan Swano has taken that role on as a guest here.

While this is my least favourite KATATONIA album I must say it's my favourite cover art. Travis Smith was brought in to do this and man he came up with a classic. Travis is my favourite cover artist by the way, I just love his style. My top three tracks are "For My Demons", "Right Into The Bliss" and "Black Session" with honourable mentions to "Strained" and "A Darkness Coming". Songs that really annoy me as being too commercial sounding are "I Am Nothing" and "In Death, A Song". They also cover Jeff Buckley's "Nightmares By The Sea". So 3 stars for this one as there's too much here that rubs me the wrong way despite the fact that there's some really excellent songs on here.