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Katatonia Interview with Jonas Renkse
Only weeks away, Australia will once again experience Katatonia live on their upcoming Australian tour.
Headbangers Australia had the chance to chat with frontman Jonas Renkse about the band’s return to Australia, bringing their latest material to the stage, Katatonia’s evolution over more than three decades, his approach to lyrics and the legacy the band continues to build.
Interview by Dan Catania
Edited by Alexandra Desailly
HA: Nightmares as Extensions of the Waking State has now been out for over a year, how has the momentum been for the band since the album was released especially heading into this latest leg of the tour?
Jonas Renkse: I remember the first time we went, we didn't know what to expect at all, and we were pleasantly surprised by the hospitality and the welcoming from the crowds and everything, and it's all only been getting better with every visit that we do. So we have really high hopes now, and we just hope that people will keep coming out to the shows. Whenever people ask me, I say Australia is one of my favorite places to go, not just because of the gigs, but also the whole vibe. The country is so friendly and nice; the weather is great compared to where I am, you know. So it's a fantastic experience. One of our newer guitar players, Sebastian, has never been to Australia, so it's gonna be really nice to show him what we've been talking about so much. Everybody's looking forward to it, a lot.
HA: When the band started, it was originally as a studio-based project and it evolved into what we know as Katatonia today. Over the years, you moved through death, doom, darker atmospheric music and progressive elements while continuing to develop your own sound. Looking back through the band's history, when do you believe the real turning point happened that started shaping Katatonia into what it is today?
Jonas Renkse: I would say it's when we started doing the clean vocals instead of the death metal vocals, which was on our third album, Discouraged Ones. That was a turning point, which sort of laid out a foundation that we're still building from today. What we did then and what we do now sounds pretty different if you compare it side to side, but it's definitely that shift that made us want to explore music in a different way because I think, as a death metal guy in the early 90s, you're pretty narrow-minded, in a good way, I would say. But then once you start seeing what you can do with music, what kind of atmospheres you can create, it opens up a universe of sound and emotion. So I think, for us, it was a great thing to do, to actually dare to do something different, and I can only say that I'm happy that we did it. We are where we are right now because of that, and it's been a good thing to dare to do something different.
HA: How do you approach your vocals and your philosophy as a lyric writer to create that connection, whilst still allowing listeners to find their own meaning in the music?
Jonas Renkse: I mean, I always want people to interpret the lyrics the way that they want because that's what I do when I listen to my favorite music. But obviously, when I write music I want the lyrics to feel connected to the music and it's sometimes hard to find the right vibe instantly. So, what I do if I write a song, or a part of a song, is I try to just sing whatever comes to my mind, because usually there will be a word or two that sort of subconsciously sets the tone for what the lyric's gonna be about. So, I just try to just hum along, see what words come up and then I try to figure out what the lyrics are gonna be about, based on a couple of words, couple of notes even, in the melodies that I find so it's a vague process, but it's super rewarding once everything is connected. It's different from time to time as well. Sometimes I have a word already that I want to use, and I try to find the right part for it, and so it's a delicate process, I think, because I take lyrics very seriously and I really want people to connect to them, and (I want) myself to connect to them as well, because I'm gonna sing them, hopefully not just one time in the studio, but also, you know, live as well, and you have to find the right vibe, definitely.
HA: Katatonia has spent more than three decades pushing boundaries and continuing to evolve musically. When you reflect on everything the band has achieved do you feel Katatonia has created a legacy or is there still more that drives you emotionally and creativity?
Jonas Renkse: I mean, I think we have a legacy but I still also feel that I wanna make more music, I wanna push the boundaries for what we are doing. I definitely feel there's more music to come that's gonna be very Katatonia in heart and soul. But obviously, I mean, we have done this for such a long time we have created some sort of legacy. If the band was to stop today, I would be completely happy with everything that we have achieved. I would be very content with all the travel that we've done, all the places that we got to see around the world, all the people that we've met. Fortunately, for me, I think the journey's not over yet.
KATATONIA 2026 Australian and New Zealand Tour Dates:
Sunday 4th October AUCKLAND, Powerstation
Wednesday 7th October BRISBANE, Crowbar
Thursday 8th October ADELAIDE, The Gov
Friday 9th October SYDNEY, Metro Theatre
Saturday 10th October MELBOURNE, Northcote Theatre
Sunday 11th October PERTH, Magnet House
Tickets:
From: https://davidroywilliams.com/tours/katatonia2026/ or https://metropolistouring.com/katatonia-2026/
