Just when I thought Katatonia was leaning toward crowd pleasing, paint by numbers albums they release this enigmatic gem. The Fall of Hearts begins abruptly and in the brief moment of that false start they create an environment of music that sounds somehow alien. All the hallmark Katatonia trademarks are there, but this time they're arranged in a dizzying way, intoxicating and seductive. The entire album follows in the same way and due to the consistent caliber of songwriting, no one song stands out as a possible single. It's all just a lovely experience beginning to end. To say this is my favorite Katatonia album would be doing disservice to the emotional toll this band has taken on me over the years, but it's certainly one of their best. It's oddness reminds me of Still Life by Opeth. Still Life was unquestionably Opethian, but listen after listen it felt like it was composed in a slightly alternative universe. I experience the same feeling here and it's infinitely enjoyable.
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