Sweden's KATATONIA released "Dead End Kings" last year but in 2013 they return with a re-worked and remixed album entitled "Dethroned And Uncrowned", where they strip everything down and take out the drums leaving just Jonas Renkse' vocals, acoustic guitar and piano / keys. Honestly, I didn't like "Dead End Kings" all that much because of the way it was mixed and how it sounded, but in truth I took this new album like a duck to water. It's strange how I do and don't like albums because of something small.

You might expect for some fans to be slightly worried if "Dethroned And Uncrowned" might be a pointer for future albums to come, but really I think this is a band who is revelling in their success of an album that has done extremely well throughout the world. Take out the drums and you are left with the acoustic guitar that provides the main backbone for each song as Renkse plays the beat you might've heard in "Dead End Kings" that is how "The Parting" opens up this album brilliantly.

There's not a lot for me to explain if you've already heard "Dead End Kings", and for a fan of KATATONIA like myself who is now maybe eating my invisible hat, I want to honestly say that this one of the most beautiful and rewarding albums of 2013 hands down. Each song has its own character within it. I will probably go back and try to understand "Dead End Kings" from listening to this album at least three times over, maybe more.

It's one of those albums which take a hold of you, almost unknowingly, and wants you to listen to it over and over again – a truly wonderful album.