Katatonia announced the departure of guitarist and founder Anders Nyström after more than three decades of collaboration. The band had already been performing shows without the guitarist, including their last visit to Brazil in November 2024.
The vocalist and founder, Jonas Renkse , announced the news on the band's social media on Monday afternoon, the 17th. Check out the statement:
“Anders Nyström and I are going our separate ways. This decision was not taken lightly, but rather, in order for everyone to thrive and move forward with their own creative preferences and personal agendas, this became the realistic option. Anders and I started the band in 1991, and his impact on the band's characteristic sound is undeniable. As grim as this may seem, and is, it is further evidence that life is disrupting our preferred plans. I wish Anders all the best for the future.”.
Anders Nyström: "Katatonia should have been put to rest"
Later, guitarist Nyström released his statement on the band's social media : “Sad but true. The time has come to confirm that the paths Jonase and I chose for the band and for ourselves have become too distant and, as a result, our long-term collaboration has come to an end. As he and I are the duo who founded Katatonia almost 35 years ago, and due to the fact that we have managed to carry our mission this far, it is inevitable that the legacy of our band will continue to play an important role for both of us and will always live on, albeit in a different light, captured by our past, future or the many chapters in between.”
“I confess that, with one of us gone, Katatonia could and should have been mutually laid to rest while exploring the freedom to continue in whatever direction we desired under a new name. But with Jonas now regrouping with new members and sailing more in his own direction, I no longer need to wait and see which way the wind is blowing to step into that void and seize what has been abandoned. After all, Katatonia's legacy is resting at both ends of the timeline.”.
The last collaboration between founding members Jonas Renkse and Anders Nyström was the album Sky Void Of Stars , released in January 2023 by Napalm Records.
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