Non credo di poter fare una recensione al di sopra delle parti o totalmente imparziale. Io amo i Katatonia sin dai loro primi vagiti, dal loro demo Jhva Elohim Meth. Ma nessuno, come loro, ha avuto la capacità di sterzare verso sonorità accessibili, ma non easy-listening o commerciali, assolutamente (anche se imposte –per ammissione di Renkse- dalle sue corde vocali, ma hanno generato ottimi frutti!) senza cadere nell’involuzione come è accaduto –purtroppo- per gli Amorphis.

Questo capitolo chiude la trilogia decisamente dark originata dallo spiazzante e tristissimo Discouraged ones e proseguita con il soffice Tonight’s decision. Dei tre, sicuramente è il più vario e maturo, un vero capolavoro. Forse non l’ho introdotto con “lo squillo”, ma il CD parla da sé e non ha bisogno di parole. Sono le parole delle canzoni più che sufficienti a penetrare; piuttosto, va ascoltato e riascoltato finché non se ne carpiscono tutti gli angoli, ad ogni ascolto da’ sempre nuove, diverse e sublimi sensazioni. È questo lo scopo di un bell’album. Quante volte si assiste a gruppi preparati tecnicamente, pressoché perfetti, con un budget infinito che consente di spendere moltissimo su immagine e produzione (Stratovarius, per esempio) ma che mancano di “anima”?

Lasciatevi accompagnare nella solitudine e dall’angustia di LFDGD, entrate nel mondo cantato e sofferto da Jonas Renkse (una delle più straordinarie voci del metal, credo, insieme al singer degli Opeth). A parte la prima traccia (non brutta, ma meno coinvolgente) il disco è un susseguirsi di emozioni, un crescendo di pensieri e di riflessioni.

Lasciatevi prendere da Tonight’s music (sicuramente il pezzo più orecchiabile del CD), fatevi trasportare dalla brezza oscura di Clean today, I transpire, Sweet nurse, Don’t tell a soul, Chrome, Teargas. Bellissimo. Una pugnalata al fegato non è mai stata così dolce…

Un plauso oltre ai musicisti va al solito Travis Smith che ha curato l'artwork. Quella in mio possesso è la versione in digipak con l'apertura a croce. Tutte le immagini, sfumate, evocano le stesse sensazioni del CD. Grazie Smith, grazie Katatonia. Ancora. Forse, non smetterò mai...

Elenco tracce testi e video

01   Dispossession (05:36)

It is to see a traitor go free
It is to feel a filter in me
It is to leave the lights that I saw
It is to ask: is it easy to go

In this dead hour
Here with you
Seconds are worthless
In this dead hour
When all is blank
Minutes are worthless

How long will it take until
There will be room enough for hope
It is so sad to see
Dispossession
It has become my obsession

It is to have a knife in my back
It is to say my soul got a crack

In this dead hour
Here with you
Seconds are worthless
In this dead hour
When all is blank
Minutes are worthless

How long will it take until
There will be room enough for hope
It is so sad to see
Dispossession
It has become my obsession

In this dead hour
Here with you
Seconds are worthless
In this dead hour
When all is blank
Minutes are worthless

02   Chrome (05:14)

The walls are painted
Different every second
My eyes are of chrome
It is television

Can't let go of my leg
It's itching so and bleeding
Layer by layer
I'm peeling away

Burn down my house
And make something happen
Stab me in the heart
And make something stop
'Cause I am so distracted
I am slightly shocked
By how things can keep going
Like a dead man's clock

A mirror is hanging
Kinda loose on my wall
I'm passing it sideways
I'm saying hello

My brother is halfways
Through a book I've left him
Called me today
To see what I'd say

Burn down my house
And make something happen
Stab me in the heart
And make something stop
'Cause I am so distracted
I am slightly shocked
By how things can keep going
Like a dead man's clock

03   We Must Bury You (02:50)

We had you down on your knees
We were kicking you in the head
We tried to hang you from the trees
We didn't stop until you were dead

We must bury you
We must bury you
We must bury you so deep
That no one should find you

Forgive me for covering my eyes
Forgive me for not saving you
Forgive me for being so unwise
Forgive me for letting this be true

We must bury you
We must bury you
We must bury you so deep
That no one should find you

04   Teargas (03:23)

Why have you put so many things into my eyes
That I can't see clear
Who's paid you for telling me what I'm worth
And run in fear
It has been for me a strain to see already
What have you done
The rising noise
The sharpened smells
The deadened sight

What is it in my eyes
A piece of broken glass
Is this the time I should be on my knees for you
Is this your way of telling
Another has been found
Now I know,
It's teargas in my eyes

What is it in my eyes
A piece of broken glass
Is this the time I should be on my knees for you
Is this your way of telling
Another has been found
Now I know,
It's teargas in my eyes

05   I Transpire (05:56)

I can't say that I am free
As long as they return
If I had a way out of here
Would I then return?
They seldom will speak, no
They only breathe, slow

Do they know that I'm afraid, so afraid
They depend on my worries, so I know
I'm awake, I'm right in the circle now
I am with them

There is no way I am going to be free
Because their hearts, they are similar to mine
There is no way they are going to release me
From this chain of rows unto our own hearts

I can't say that I regret my promises
I can't say that I regret behaving like enemies
I seldom will speak, no
I only breathe, ghost

Do they know that I'm afraid, so afraid
They depend on my worries, so I know
I'm awake, I'm right in the circle now
I am with them

There is no way I am going to be free
Because their hearts, they are similar to mine
There is no way they are going to release me
From this chain of rows unto our own hearts

06   Tonight's Music (04:20)

who could call my name without regretting
who could see beyond this my darkness
and for once save their own prayers
who could mirror down just a little
of their sun

how could this go so very wrong
that I must depend on darkness
would anyone follow me further down
how could this go so very far
that I need someone to say
what is wrong
not with the world but me

who could call my name without regretting
who could promise to never destroy me
tonight my head is full of wishes
and everything I drink is full of her

how could this go so very wrong
that I must depend on darkness
would anyone follow me further down
how could this go so very far
that I need someone to say
what is wrong
not with the world but me

what is wrong
not with the world but me
what is wrong
not with the world but me

07   Clean Today (04:23)

all the white lights falling
the blue lights are falling
night is warm
came down with a promise
I have my best shirt on
I lower myself now
it is a way to forgot
of last year's failure

will the streetlight reflect me well enough
am I transparent when I am clean
will the darkness around me be so strong
that there is no way be seen

boys will we become
heroes of this night
or am I just happy
whenever not sober
I cleaned myself well
clean today

and when I pause for a breath
I see millions like me

08   The Future of Speech (05:40)

My prospects have become less promising
I find it hard to believe in anything
Seems I lost my world and so I lost my faith
And I can't go back to where I've been

Brand new day
Can't get worse

I have no lies or truth in what I say
(There) is no meaning
The words are numb but I'm so afraid
(There) Is no meaning


This is another chance or so I'm told
By these who can push themselves at any cost
They bless me with their fingers crossed
My youth is stolen, transformed and sold

Myself say
Can't get worse

I have no lies or truth in what I say
(There) is no meaning
The words are numb but I am so afraid
(There) is no meaning

I have no lies or truth in what I say
(There) is no meaning
The words are numb but I am so afraid
(There) is no meaning

A brand new day
It can't get worse
Hear myself say
It can't get worse

A brand new day
It can't get worse
Hear myself say
It can't get worse

I have no lies or truth in what I say
(There) is no meaning
The words are numb but I am so afraid
(There) is no meaning

I have no lies or truth in what I say
(There) is no meaning
The words are numb but I am so afraid
(There) is no meaning

09   Passing Bird (03:38)

She's got black hair
And she has got a black dress
She's pretending
That her life is a mess

But I cannot rest
With so many worries
I can't lie down
And say I am done

I live because I need more light
I hope I can change today
She would never think of changing
Too much fucking emo, its false (I know)

She's got black hair
And she has got a black dress
She's pretending
That her life is a mess

She stops me in the street
And asks me to follow
I would if I could
If I wouldn't mind breaking her

And I cannot rest
With so many worries
I can't lie down
And say I am done

I live because I need more light
I hope I can change today
She would never think of changing
Too much fucking emo, its false (I know)

10   Sweet Nurse (03:57)

Oh my sweet nurse
Pull the curtain aside for a while
So that I can for once have
The sun in my eye
You smile and say
It's a fine day

Oh my sweet nurse
Pull the curtain aside for a while

Then like a ghost at night
You come around all dressed in white
Talking to me
And so I have to drink
The water with your poison spilled
For no more will

Oh my sweet nurse
Seems you have so little time
That you rather put
Me to sleep than sit by my side

Then like a ghost at night
You come around all dressed in white
Talking to me
And so I have to drink
The water with your poison spilled
For no more will

11   Don't Tell a Soul (05:42)

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Altre recensioni

Di  StefanoHab

 Con 'Last Fair Deal Gone Down' si arriva alla pura miseria rassegnata, alla totale disillusione.

 Un gruppo che continua a stupire come ha sempre fatto, con ritornelli che si scolpiscono nel cuore e non escono più.


Di  velvetunderground

 Quest'album ha tutte le carte in regola per diventare un futuro capolavoro.

 Vi lascerà una strana sensazione, che non vorreste abbandonare più.