Katatonia Announce ‘The Fall of Hearts’ Album + New Guitarist

Sweden's Katatonia have had to battle some lineup issues since they released their last studio effort, Dead End Kings, in 2012. With the roster now stabilized, the melancholic heavy rockers have announced their long-awaited new album, The Fall of Hearts. Out May 20 of this year on Peaceville, it will be the first to feature drummer Daniel Moilanen and the freshly instated Roger Öjersson on guitar.

"This album is probably everything we unknowingly ever dreamed of to release. It’s a bleak but adventurous journey through our elements, we haven't held back, we have pushed to get forward and backward in the spiraling night of our musical legacy," the band stated on their Facebook page. They went on to detail the record was self-produced by the sole remaining original members, Anders Nyström (guitar) and Jonas Renkse (vocals) and that Öjersson (who is also a member of Tiamat) "came in just in time to sprinkle some blistering solos on the album."

The artwork, seen above, is quite barren and indicative of the band's sound. The cover was created by artist Travis Smith, who has been working with the band since 1999's Tonight's Decision and has a lengthy history with other acts such as Amorphis, Overkill, Opeth and dozens more. Katatonia also uploaded a teaser video with a short sample of music, which can be viewed below.

Kataonia's longtime drummer Daniel Liljekvist left the band in 2014 after 15 years of service, stating, "I just cannot combine job, family and commit 100 percent to Katatonia. Times for musicians are rough and I've decided to concentrate on my family and get a normal job that gets the bills paid."

More details on The Fall of Hearts are expected to arrive shortly, according to the band.

Kataonia, The Fall of Hearts Teaser

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