Description
“””This is their fifth album and it is said to be Peaceville’s best ever release. Apart from their already established sound the band adds for the first time notes of confidence and warmth, mixing rays of light with the existing pattern of dark atmospheres that they were known to produce. The 11 tracks contained herein are the most mature and accessible songs that the band has ever delivered. Jonas is finally coming into his own with his vocal delivery and the same can be said for the guitar work of Anders, who seems to have moved to a more contemporary and modern approach, away from the Paradise Lost sound. Factory sealed.
Track Listings
1. Dispossession
2. Chrome
3. We Must Bury You
4. Teargas
5. I Transpire
6. Tonight’s Music
7. Clean Today
8. The Future Of Speech
9. Passing Bird
10. Sweet Nurse
11. Don’t Tell A Soul
12. Sulfur
13. March 4
14. Help Me Disappear
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5.0 out of 5 stars Catchy, yet highly emotive – fantastic album!,
I bought this album just recently and have already become totally addicted to it. The last week I have found myself listening to ‘Last Fair Deal Gone Down’ every day. When I find albums that are this catchy it usually means I will soon get tired of them, but I can’t see that happening here. The melodies are to this listener very immediate, but at the same time a bit unorthodox. And the dark (but far from depressive) atmosphere lies thick around all of these eleven songs. You won’t hear any of them played on the radio, although I think they should be. While not a small band, Katatonia deserve a bigger audience I think.
While this is clearly a metal album, there is something about the sound here that is very rock’ish. Katatonia really created something of their own here. The fantastic melodies draw you in, and the simple but chunky guitar work is highly effective. The often laid back vocals adds finesse to their sound and fits perfectly to Katatonia’s music. And so does their lyrics. Normally I don’t care about lyrics, but these are really worth reading. Katatonia probably has some of the best lyrics in the metal world.
Normally I prefer more intricate metal than this, but there’s just something about ‘Last Fair Deal Gone Down’ that clicks. You won’t find one weak song among the eleven gems here (even the three bonus tracks on the remaster are very good), but personal favourites include the mighty ‘Chrome’, the fantastically dark ‘Passing Bird’ and the highly melodic ‘Sweet Nurse’. What an album this is! Highly recommended.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful dark metal?
I was introduced to Katatonia with THE GREAT COLD DISTANCE (2006) back when it was released, an album which made a good first impression and has further grown on me over time. Unfortunately for my ears, it wasn’t until this past year that I decided to dig this far back into their catalog. That’s partially because I was not that impressed with VIVA EMPTINESS (2003), and assumed its droning, one-dimensional quality probably represented their early sound in general. Boy, was I wrong.
To cut to the chase, I firmly believe LAST FAIR DEAL lies at the peak of Katatonia’s post-2000 career (I’m not familiar with anything before that). It fuses perfectly the melody and accessibility of GREAT COLD DISTANCE with the extraordinarily dark and surreal atmosphere of VIVA EMPTINESS. To top it off, the slightly rawer production here actually works to the band’s advantage. I don’t think I’ve heard many rock albums with better-sounding drum recordings, and I’ve heard a lot.
Highlights: “”Dispossession,”” “”Teargas,”” “”Clean Today,”” and my personal favorite, “”The Future of Speech.””
If the band were any less mature in their abilities or ideas in 2001 than at present, you wouldn’t know it from this record; they haven’t made a better one since. This is the sludgy heaviness of Opeth or Tool, melodic sensibilities of early Smashing Pumpkins, and goth-tinged lyrics and atmospherics of The Cure all wrapped into one wonderfully-depressing package. If you enjoy any of those bands, you’d be well-advised to grab this now!
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5.0 out of 5 stars very good – katatonia have a new metal sound for your collections,
Katatonia have a new metal sound (2004)/ last fair deal gone down is my FIRST favorite katatonias album.
this is an excellent album , heavy and melancholy with great melodies AND amotion/
in my opinion their best album/ This album is realy good in almost every aspect, Jonas’ vocals and this band are giving us really rare atmosphere that giving this excellent album the 5 stars
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5.0 out of 5 stars On of the best albums,
I’m not much of a reviewer so i’ll keep it simple. This is by far one of my favorite albums. It has just the right mix of musical elements. It’s not has heavy as later efforts however the song writing on this album is by far the best. Highlights for me on the album are “”We Must Bury You”” which feels a little out of place on this album and “”Sweet Nurse””. Buy It.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Metal With A Groove,
I first heard of this band on a compilation CD included with BW&BK magazine. The track entitled “”Chrome”” is a melodic and groove laden tune that has vocals that give you a Pink Floyd-like surealism. The track “”We Must Bury You”” evokes a vocal like sound that is highly reminiscent of the Foo Fighters. “”Clean Today”” puts me in the mind of a Nirvana meets Collective Soul. The band’s musicality is amazing as they can go from raunchy hard core riffs to mellow string bending. The guitar work is not exceptional but it is tasteful and fitting to every song. Clearly the musicians do not try to outplay one another but rather are happy as a cohesive unit. This is a great album to start with this band if you’re new to Katatonia.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing album,
Katatonia’s Last Fair Deal Gone Down is like every other Katatonia album pure genius. You can tell they are passionate about the music from their playing style. I just hope it’s soon that this is world renown because they deserve the appreciation.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Katatonia continue to evolve and release their most mature album to date.,
Over the years, this Swedish band has simply refused to rest on their laurels. Sure, there are certain ingredients that have remained built into their output since day one, with the desolate sadness and despair mixed with exquisite melodies prevailing throughout their existence. Yet they continue to evolve with every release and “”Last Fair Deal Gone Down”” is no exception. Just as “”Discouraged Ones”” witnessed Katatonia shedding their skin and branching out from the wondrously hypnotic doom /death of “”Brave Murder Day”” into a more dreary suicidal rock outfit, “”Last Fair Deal Gone Down”” evolves further still with a level of professionalism and maturity not prevalent on prior albums.
Almost every aspect of the band improved for this recording and I consider it to be one of their very best albums. It may not be immediately obvious what the differences are that I speak of, but it comes down to the basics. The percussion for starters is far more varied and interesting than ever before, which transforms the somewhat repetitive nature of the more hypnotic sections into a totally different beast. Jonas’ vocals are without doubt far superior to prior releases, leaving the awkward uncertainness behind for a much more confident and convincing performance and without losing the vulnerabilities that define his style. The guitars are heavier, have a much better sound and contain some truly breathtaking melodies (“”I Transpire”” for example). There is much more variation in this new Katatonia, no longer relying on similar moods for each of their tracks. The assumingly tongue in cheek “”We Will Bury You”” and “”Sweet Nurse”” for example break up the more typically Katatonia “”The Future of Speech”” and the magnificent “”Tonight’s Music””.
As you can probably tell by now, I love “”Last Fair Deal Gone Down”” and while I will always miss their old “”Brave Murder Day”” sound, I simply cannot complain when every album they record is so consistently good. They continue to evolve while staying true to what made them so unique and emotionally affecting in the first place. Which is certainly a lot more than can be said about so many other bands that either remain stagnant or isolate their fan-base entirely over the years.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Katatonia continue to evolve and release their most mature album to date.,
Over the years, this Swedish band has simply refused to rest on their laurels. Sure, there are certain ingredients that have remained built into their output since day one, with the desolate sadness and despair mixed with exquisite melodies prevailing throughout their existence. Yet they continue to evolve with every release and “”Last Fair Deal Gone Down”” is no exception. Just as “”Discouraged Ones”” witnessed Katatonia shedding their skin and branching out from the wondrously hypnotic doom /death of “”Brave Murder Day”” into a more dreary suicidal rock outfit, “”Last Fair Deal Gone Down”” evolves further still with a level of professionalism and maturity not prevalent on prior albums.
Almost every aspect of the band improved for this recording and I consider it to be one of their very best albums. It may not be immediately obvious what the differences are that I speak of, but it comes down to the basics. The percussion for starters is far more varied and interesting than ever before, which transforms the somewhat repetitive nature of the more hypnotic sections into a totally different beast. Jonas’ vocals are without doubt far superior to prior releases, leaving the awkward uncertainness behind for a much more confident and convincing performance and without losing the vulnerabilities that define his style. The guitars are heavier, have a much better sound and contain some truly breathtaking melodies (“”I Transpire”” for example). There is much more variation in this new Katatonia, no longer relying on similar moods for each of their tracks. The assumingly tongue in cheek “”We Will Bury You”” and “”Sweet Nurse”” for example break up the more typically Katatonia “”The Future of Speech”” and the magnificent “”Tonight’s Music””.
As you can probably tell by now, I love “”Last Fair Deal Gone Down”” and while I will always miss their old “”Brave Murder Day”” sound, I simply cannot complain when every album they record is so consistently good. They continue to evolve while staying true to what made them so unique and emotionally affecting in the first place. Which is certainly a lot more than can be said about so many other bands that either remain stagnant or isolate their fan-base entirely over the years.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Thick with atmosphere and melancholy
It is highly likely that the title for this album may have been inspired by a song of blues god Robert Johnson who provided endless inspiration to early rock icons, including Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Jimmy Page, and Eric Clapton. Though musically Last Fair Deal Gone Down bears little to no resemblance to Johnson, the Katatonia guys have always been interested in blues, particularly during their stoner rock period. A prime example of the genre, Last Fair Deal Gone Down not only marks the breakthrough of Katatonia, but it is also arguably their most important release post-Brave Murder Day. Blending the band’s melancholic roots with their new-found interest in modern darkness, the album is also the first disc the band produced by themselves.
Upon its release, Last Fair Deal Gone Down was Katatonia’s thickest and most layered work to date. It would be safe to say this is the album where Katatonia found their true self. Vocalist Jonas Renkse provides his finest vocal performance, delivering the depressing lyrics convincingly and making the listener believe. Guitarist Nystrom opts for a wider scope of songwriting, unafraid to delve into all kinds of genres, from rock to pop to progressive. Gone are the band’s earlier doom metal leanings; this disc sees the band turning their face to other inspirations, including the Cure, Tool, and even Porcupine Tree. The album was originally intended for a Steven Wilson signature production; however, Renkse and Nystrom later decided to handle the work on their own with stunning results. That said, there are still some subtle Porcupine Tree-like moments on the album, such as “”Chrome”” and the epic “”The Future of Speech””, both featuring processed vocals alternating between Renkse’s more direct and clean delivery. The songs are filled with airy Mellotron sounds floating above the central instruments, most of which are a combination of delicate acoustic guitars, prominent bass, and contrasts between slow and heavy choruses.
From a melody point of view, again Last Fair Deal Gone Down boasts excellent harmonies, both produced through Nystrom and Norrman’s guitar work and Renkse’s awe-inspiring harmonies. This is always carefully supplemented by a rhythm-conscious drum and bass hybrid. Never before was the bass employed as such a main instrument in Katatonia songs; “”We Must Bury You”” and “”Clean Today”” are defined by such bass and drum contribution that help thicken the moody soundscape. The vocals on “”Clean Today”” are particularly striking, brimming with confidence, whilst the echoic dual guitar harmonies constantly push the piece in unexpected directions.
The diverse nature of the album is most effective during the minor hit “”Teargas””, a perfect representative of the new Katatonia sound, complete with varied vocal styles (again some Porcupine Tree vibe here), a cool acoustic build-up, terrific drum fills, excellent harmonies, and engaging waves of guitar sounds. It seems like a dangerous experiment, but Katatonia makes it work. On the more straightforward yet catchier front, “”I Transpire”” is basically Katatonia-style pop music, accentuated by quiet verse and really heavy chorus contrasts, with the vocals being amazing once again. On the effect-laden “”Sweet Nurse””, however, distinctive traces of the Cure can be heard with a memorable, easy-to-follow melodic pattern.
The first song “”Dispossession”” is actually the embodiment of all things Katatonia, blending their acoustics with ever-present drum beats, shimmering Mellotron effects, and a heavy guitar runout. The last track, on the other hand, “”Don’t Tell a Soul””, not only closes the album on a depressing note, but it also signals similarities to Katatonia’s earlier, bleak material, highlighting Renkse’s lyrical standouts: (“”When you have no one, no one can hurt you””). Renkse sounds a lot like Opeth’s Mikael Akerfeldt here, which should be no surprise considering Akerfeldt produced his vocals on the previous two albums. It’s a grey song with Nystrom’s melodies peeking through foggy guitar themes.
The reissue version of the album contains three bonus tracks, two of which were released as a single before the full album came out. Of these two, “”Sulfur”” ranks among the most powerful statements Katatonia have made, with mournful vocals, doubled acoustic guitars, and a slightly Scandinavian folk feel that would normally be attributed to bands like Opeth and Ulver. “”March 4″”, the other track on the single, isn’t quite in the same league, but would have made a better cut on the initial pressing than the somewhat mediocre “”Passing Bird”” whose lyrics fall rather short given Renkse’s talents.
This is a digipack release with cardboard sleeve with fantastic artwork. As a matter of fact, Travis Smith, who is among the most popular cover artists in metal, has said more than once that this is his favourite work (along with Terria). Essential to all fans who are curious about the current Katatonia sound.
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5.0 out of 5 stars For those depressed,
This is one of those albums that has always been at the top of my list since it came out two or three years ago. Katatonia appeals to fans of Opeth, though I find them totally different. They’re both really good in the melody department, but Katatonia is quite a bit simpler, and doesn’t lean toward extreme metal like Opeth does.
Katatonia’s album previous to this, Tonight’s Decision (another great one), was more stripped down. It’s sound was heavy, and you can tell they were using simple power chords for the most part. Here, though, the sound is big and airy. If you didn’t know they were a metal band, you might not pick up that it’s a metal album. Don’t get me wrong, it is still doomy and heavy, but again, in a kind of weird, airy way.
The heaviness is most evident in the lyrics and the overall mood of the album. Goes well with Amorphis, Anathema, Tool, and Opeth’s Damnation album. If this “”heavy in mood”” music appeals to you, I recommend you check out Dead Can Dance’s “”Spleen and Ideal”” and “”Within the Realm of a Dying Sun,”” along with the first couple Cocteau Twins albums.
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