"City Burials" is this Swedish Prog bands 11th studio album, among numerous live albums and EP s.  It is also their first album in four years, one of which was a hiatus. In these uncertain times, it is always important to have music to carry us. KATATONIA once again pull on the emotional heart strings with stirring atmosphere, depth filled lyrics, and impeccable musicianship. As an adult rapidly approach middle age, albums like this speak to me on levels that are hard to put into words. I love my life but I cannot deny it is very stressful and sometimes the bad days do seem to outnumber the good ones. On top of all that, I have spent years fighting anxiety and my own inner demons. In essence, bands like KATATONIA and their music have kept me sane. Vocalist Rensek wrote much of the album and, of course, he needs to be given highest praise for pulling off such a daring album that is both familiar and yet different. However, his vocals are what drives this beast of an album. Renske has only improved his craft over the years—I've never heard him as good as he is throughout the albums 11 track, 50-minute runtime.

Every KATATONIA album sounds different and "City Burials" continues the trend. However, if you like their more modern period (for sake of clarity I will that to be their previous four albums) then this one will be right up your alley. Most of the songs give us what we all have come to love about the band: melodic yet emotionally heavy prog intertwined with a more metal sound. The opening track, "Heart Set To Divide," is one of the band's best songs. It sets the stage and mood immediately but it flows out smoothly. The stanzas are are backed by clean electric guitar and ambient keys with the barest of drums making their presence known. Around the 1:42 mark, the song explodes outward with heavy and slightly dissonant riffing. As the song goes back to clean guitar, the bass and drums pick up the slack to keep the foundation solid and dark, with the song goes heavy again for the catchy chorus. Niklas and Daniel are a formidable duo and without their talent this album would sound vastly different.

The next two tracks, "Behind The Blood" and "Lacquer" were perfect choices for the singles because they represent the varied sound displayed among the tracks. The latter is 80s Metal styled song plastered with the melodic melancholy that is KATATONIA. Renske performance is stellar, letting his voice soar over the riffs."Lacquer," is the exact opposite type of style—the song is nothing but keyssynth and vocals, which the performance is truly haunting; when he sings "my voice traveling soaring bird above your head the house we lived in" I get chills every time.  It is so strange that a piece with such a simple structure can be so large and effective—this is a song that few bands could pull off.

Fans need not to worry—the next two tracks send the band back to their heavy prog-metal. "Rein" is maybe my favorite on the album and one of their heaviest songs in years. "The Winter of Our Passing" is a short but melodic metal rocker. The atmosphere is as cold as the title would suggest and the keys lay a simple but sinister dimension to the guitar's distortion.Much like "Lacquer", "Vanishers" is a stripped down song, as close to a ballad as a band like KATATONIA can do. The vocals are gentle but with a quiet force behind behind it. Guitars are present and help pain the picture, as do the drums which are surprisingly energetic for this style song. I wasn't wowed by the guest singer's voice (Anni Bernhard) but she works well enough in the songs confines.

"City Glaciers," has a bouncy groove melded into the song's downtrodden skeleton. This song strikes an astonishing balance between heavy and light elements—this one, along with the aforementioned Rein, are to me classic KATATONIA. "Flicker" is another high point...I loved the light keys and heavy bass dancing around each other in the beginning.  The chorus is perhaps the best of the album as well. The heavy guitar/riffs really lend the song a certain sort restrained fury "Lachesis," is about a minute and a half long interlude of just Renske and the keyboards. It isn't bad and flows along well with the album's pace but there isn't much to say about it.

"Neon Epitaph" opens strong with hits from the drums and bass but the focus is mostly on the riffs, which are the best on the album.  Fans wanting some more heavy style stuff from the band will find little to complain here, unless they are expecting death metal.  But there are ways to be heavy without being extreme.  The dense, doom style riffing is backed up by the powerful drums while the vocals glide above it all. The closing track, "Untrodden," is a slower paced tune with some more strong riffs but they blanket the atmosphere in a more sweltering way rather than going balls out as in the previous track.  The solo is full of every emotion you can think of and will fill whatever room you're in when it plays. "Untrodden," ends the album perfectly, like the fading of a voice as it echoes away.

Other reviews have stated this is their best album in 20 years. They are certainly entitled to their opinion and there is no doubt this album, and the band itself, deserves such praise. However, for me personally, is there much of a point in ranking such a long running bands catalog? I can tell you my personal favorite from KATATONIA is "Night is the New Day" but is it their best? Is "City Burials?" or any one of their other albums?  I'd say it doesn't matter. What matters is that KATATONIA have once again pulled off another masterful representation of our hopes, fears, dreams, and just all the shit that comes with life. This is the album the world needs right now.