LIVE REVIEW: Katatonia @ The Garage, Glasgow

A soggy winter night paints the scene perfectly for KATATONIA’s live show in Glasgow. It’s been just shy of three years since the Swedish progressive rock act last painted the city grey. Now, they’re back at The Garage but the room is noticeably less busy than when they last played the same venue.

For whatever reason, Glasgow seems to escape many progressive power metal bands’ touring schedule. So EVERGREY’s performance tonight is a rare one for fans of this subgenre (although they did do a headlining show here just last year). Formed in 1993, these Swedes quickly defined a truly unique sound. Their prog power eschewed the fantasy and upbeat vibes of their peers in favour of melancholic and introspective tones. However, for nearly the past two decades, they’ve fallen into a comfy rut, failing to develop their style and losing the ambition of their most popular albums, Recreation Day and In Search of Truth.

Last year, they released their 14th album, Theories of Emptiness, and tonight they bring it to their support slot. The five-piece kickstarts their show with The Silent Arc. New drummer Simen Sandnes immediately draws the room’s collective eye to himself with his highly animated standing-up-drumming that resembles more beast than man. The band’s sound is suitably voluminous; drums are noisy, the keyboards feel icy and the guitar leads carry a subtle, sinister intention. Frontman Tom Englund has a silky, mid-range and muscly voice that cannot be mistaken for anyone else.

Nothing from the setlist is older than 2014, so fans of their most popular releases are disappointed. Cold Dreams and Falling from the Sun bolster the new album, while King of Errors is the strongest output of the night. The audience is mostly static throughout the set and just proffers polite reactions at the end of each song. While EVERGREY’s stage presence is serviceable and there’s nothing terrible about it, the songs blending into one and the sense that you’re watching a band well past their prime mark the show as lacklustre. Closing with the new single OXYGEN! is a brave choice, but for whatever reason, the band avoids their best material and fails to captivate the crowd meaningfully.

Rating: 6/10

The key change in KATATONIA’s world since they last touched down in Glasgow is the departure of founding member and guitarist Anders Nyström. Interestingly, Nyström threw in the towel as the only original musician now, Jonas Renske, refused to weave the band’s old material into their live shows. Also, earlier this year, guitarist Roger Öjersson called it quits, so it’s been a bumpy 2025. Like EVERGREY, KATATONIA are frequently accused of failing to vary their sound and releasing stylistically similar albums over the course of around 15 years. New album, Nightmares as an Extension of the Waking State, is used by a large portion of the fanbase as evidence for this argument.

Opening with new song Thrice, the headliners soak the venue with lonely, high-pitched guitar leads, off-beat prog rhythms and Renske’s velvet-smooth croons. The drums sound more bombastic live, and the overall sound is excellent. Given the song’s quieter, lingering passages, it feels risky to start with it live. However, the song is stalked by the beloved classic Soil’s Song, which oddly receives zero ovation from the crowd when it starts. Being from 2006, this track displays KATATONIA‘s more atmospheric alternative rock leanings and less progressive rock observations. Its staccato chorus works live and provides ample opportunity for headbanging.

Nothing older than the highly praised The Great Cold Distance is visited tonight. Leaders and July from this album are clear highlights, as well as Lethan, Nephilim, Dead Letters and Old Hearts Fall. New songs, like Liquid Eye and In the Event Of, trace the typical KATATONIA formula of mid-paced guitars, cinematic, moody atmosphere and bombastic distorted riffs. The new guitarists, Nico Elgstrand and Sebastian Svalland, slot into the lineup seamlessly. Their stage presence is energetic and even playful with the other members. Backed by three projector screens showing animations inspired by the album art of each song, the performance feels slick and polished.

Despite this, the audience remains particularly subdued. Before the end, notable portions of attendees head for the exit altogether. An encore of the beloved Forsaker reanimates those who remain, but given the gaps in the spectators, it’s hard to feel that this is an outstanding KATATONIA concert.

Rating: 7/10

Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Glasgow from Duncan McCall here: 

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