With the release of their latest opus, Nightmares As Extensions Of The Waking State, Swedish dark metal icons Katatonia have once again crafted a sonic labyrinth for their listeners. In a recent discussion with “Flying The Metal Flag,” vocalist Jonas Renkse offered a glimpse into the creation of the record (out now via Napalm Records), revealing that the album’s depth is designed to unfold over multiple listens.
Speaking on how the project came to fruition, Renkse explained that the writing process was a seamless transition from the road to the studio, bridging the cycle from their previous effort, Sky Void Of Stars.
“Well, I think it came together in parts pretty much, because we did a fair share of touring for the previous album, [2023’s] Sky Void Of Stars, but I already had some music written even before that,” Renkse stated (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). “So, when we got home from the touring cycle, I just started working immediately on the new album. And usually I just keep working until I have what I feel is a number of good songs, and I send the demos out to the other guys and they come with their input. And then that’s how we usually do. So it’s done a little bit in parts, writing-wise, and then we just sort of agreed to a recording date and we started recording the album October last year. So, it was a very smooth process.”
When the interviewer praised the album as a journey, Renkse agreed, noting that the band intentionally builds density into their tracks to ensure longevity.
“Yeah. And that’s what we like to do always. I mean, there’s a lot of layers, there’s a lot of stuff happening that you might not hear the first couple of times you listen to it. And I love that… When I listen to albums myself, I really like sort of finding new stuff every time you listen to the album. So, I think we achieved that in this record too. And I’m really happy with it.”
This philosophy of detail-oriented songwriting echoes comments Renkse made earlier this year to New Noise Magazine, where he described his search for the “glean” that makes a song pop—whether it’s a specific hook or a keyboard texture that elevates the track beyond the ordinary.
Nightmares As Extensions Of The Waking State marks a pivotal moment for the group, serving as the first studio release following the departure of founding guitarist Anders Nyström in March 2025. The current lineup features Renkse, bassist Niklas Sandin, drummer Daniel Moilanen, and guitarists Nico Elgstrand and Sebastian Svalland. Produced by Renkse, the album was recorded by Lawrence Mackrory and mixed by Adam Noble.
To support the release, Katatonia has confirmed a headlining North American run for early 2026. This trek follows their support dates with Opeth and will see the band hitting major cities across the US and Canada.
Nightmares As Extensions Of The Waking State tracklist:
- “Thrice“
- “The Liquid Eye“
- “Wind of no Change“
- “Lilac“
- “Temporal“
- “Departure Trails“
- “Warden“
- “The Light Which I Bleed“
- “Efter Solen“
- “In the Event of“
“Waking State Of North America 2026” Tour Dates:
- Feb. 09 – Pittsburgh, PA – Thunderbird Café & Music Hall
- Feb. 27 – San Francisco, CA – August Hall
- Feb. 28 – Los Angeles, CA – Regent Theater
- Mar. 01 – Mesa, AZ – Nile Theater
- Mar. 03 – Austin, TX – Come and Take It Live
- Mar. 05 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade (Hell)
- Mar. 06 – Orlando, FL – The Beacham
- Mar. 07 – Charlotte, NC – The Underground
- Mar. 08 – Towson, MD – The Recher
- Mar. 10 – Toronto, ON – Mod Club
- Mar. 11 – Montreal, QC – Le Studio TD
- Mar. 12 – Brooklyn, NY – Elsewhere (The Hall)
