October Tide - Grey Dawn - LP

THE 1999 RELEASE FROM OCTOBER TIDE, THE BAND OF KATATONIA’S JONAS RENKSE & FREDRIK NORRMAN.

Sweden’s October Tide was the project formed by Katatonia members Jonas Renkse & Fredrik Norrman in 1995, with much of the material being written during a period of inactivity for their main band. ‘Grey Dawn’ was October Tide’s second album, originally released in 1999 before an extended hiatus, with Fredrik eventually reanimating October Tide a decade later, where the band continued to go from strength to strength.

‘Grey Dawn’ is in a similar vein to earlier-period Katatonia with the melancholy atmosphere conjured from doom riffing layered with somber melodic guitar leads, & is often seen stylistically as a successor to the classic ‘Brave Murder Day’. As Katatonia started to progress further away from the more extreme side of metal to territories new, so October Tide continued these sorrowful slabs of metal & the album quickly became a cult doom classic & a much sought after release.

‘Grey Dawn’ was recorded at Studio Underground (Carnal Forge) in Sweden. The album recording line-up featured Jonas on guitars & drums. Fredrik performed guitars & bass & vocals were carried out by session member Mårten Hansen from the Gothenburg melodic death metal act, A Canorous Quintet.

For fans of early Katatonia & Paradise Lost, this long out-of-print CD edition of ‘Grey Dawn’ is presented at mid-price, with a booklet including full lyrics.