Katatonia – “Sanctitude” [DVD/CD Review]

Katatonia, the Swedish masters of gloomy gothic metal, recently completed work on Sanctitude, a collection of seventeen unplugged and reworked tunes that include tracks from Dethroned & Uncrowned as well as old classics and fan favorites. The audio portion is good, but it is the Blu-ray/DVD performance where this package truly comes to life.

Filmed in 5.1 Surround Sound in a candlelit room at The Union Chapel in London, England, this disc is a feast for the senses in every sense of the word; it looks and sounds unbelievable! As a fan of Katatonia I totally enjoyed listening to these tunes, they seem to take on new life when stripped to their bare bones and redone, and I think the end result is a vibe that is even more haunting and melancholic than the originals.

The setting for this concert is also perfect; The Union Chapel is a fantastic-looking venue and, bathed in candlelight, it really comes to life, enhancing the performance and adding to the overall ambiance.

Lastly there is also included a Q&A documentary entitled “Beyond The Chapel” which features vocalist Jonas Renkse and guitarist Anders Nyström answering questions and chatting about the show, the band, and the songs. Sanctitude is packed to the gills with content and is a must-have or must-watch for all of Katatonia’s fans.

Track Listing:

01. In The White
02. Ambitions
03. Teargas
04. Gone
05. A Darkness Coming
06. One Year From Now
07. The Racing Heart
08. Tonight`s Music
09. Sleeper
10. Undo You
11. Lethean
12. Day
13. Idle Blood
14. Unfurl
15. Omerta
16. Evidence
17. The One You Are Looking For Is Not Here

Run Time: 79:58
Release Date: March 30, 2015

Check out the ‘Sanctitude’ concert film trailer.