| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [2] |
Viva Emptiness is the sixth full-length album by Katatonia, released in 2003 by Peaceville Records. On the album's tenth anniversary in 2013, it was re-released, featuring a new mix, mastering, and additional keyboard arrangements.
Musical style
Its main subjects are loneliness, social relations, crime, lying and depression. According to Allmusic, Viva Emptiness incorporates a mix of "dark gothic pop, crushing heavy rock, textured keyboards, lithe pop melodies, beautifully crafted songs with unique dynamics and sculpted sonic environments to surround them, and bleak, even morose subject matter."
Release
Viva Emptiness was released on April 29, 2003. The album was re-released in 2013. The re-release features new keyboard arrangements and was completely remixed and remastered by David Castillo, as the band wasn't satisfied with the overall sound and production of the original release. The track "Inside the City of Glass" features vocals and lyrics on this edition, compared to the instrumental version included in the original release. The song "Wait Outside" was also included as a bonus track, originally recorded during the album sessions, but was not released until 2005 on The Black Sessions.
Track listing
All lyrics are written by Jonas Renkse; all music is composed by Renkse and Anders Nyström, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Ghost of the Sun" | 4:07 |
| 2. | "Sleeper" | 4:08 |
| 3. | "Criminals" | 3:47 |
| 4. | "A Premonition" (F. Norrman, Nyström, Renkse) | 3:33 |
| 5. | "Will I Arrive" | 4:09 |
| 6. | "Burn the Remembrance" | 5:22 |
| 7. | "Wealth" | 4:22 |
| 8. | "One Year from Now" | 4:02 |
| 9. | "Walking by a Wire" | 3:32 |
| 10. | "Complicity" | 4:01 |
| 11. | "Evidence" | 4:36 |
| 12. | "Omerta" (Renkse) | 2:58 |
| 13. | "Inside the City of Glass" (instrumental) | 4:08 |
| Total length: | 52:45 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Ghost of the Sun" | 4:07 |
| 2. | "Sleeper" | 4:10 |
| 3. | "Criminals" | 3:50 |
| 4. | "A Premonition" | 3:34 |
| 5. | "Will I Arrive" | 4:07 |
| 6. | "Burn the Remembrance" | 5:25 |
| 7. | "Wealth" | 4:24 |
| 8. | "One Year from Now" | 4:04 |
| 9. | "Walking by a Wire" | 3:35 |
| 10. | "Complicity" | 4:05 |
| 11. | "Evidence" | 4:36 |
| 12. | "Omerta" | 3:00 |
| 13. | "Wait Outside" | 3:39 |
| 14. | "Inside the City of Glass" | 5:35 |
| Total length: | 58:11 | |
Personnel
- Band
- Jonas Renkse – vocals, guitar, programming
- Anders Nyström – guitar, keyboards, programming
- Fredrik Norrman – guitar
- Mattias Norrman – bass, slide guitar ("One Year from Now")
- Daniel Liljekvist – drums, percussion, backing vocals ("Ghost of the Sun")
- Production
- Travis Smith – art direction, design
- Dan Swanö – additional editing
- Jens Bogren – mixing
- Peter In De Betou – mastering
References
- ^ Begrand, Adrien. "The Best Metal Albums of 2006 - PopMatters". Popmatters.com. Retrieved 2012-02-19.
- ^ Jurek, Thom. Viva Emptiness at AllMusic