INTERVIEW: KATATONIA IN CONVERSATION WITH NIKLAS “NILLE” SANDIN
Interview by Cecilia Pattison-Levi
Swedish gothic heavy metal maestros Katatonia are bringing their Vibrant Darkness tour to Australia and New Zealand in October 2026. No Barriers caught up with super-relaxed bass player Niklas “Nille” Sandin about the brooding and atmospheric new album ‘Nightmares As Extensions Of The Waking State’, their new single ‘A World Without Heroes’ and the band’s new line up.
Forming over 30 years ago, Katatonia are one of Sweden’s biggest heavy metal exports. Throughout their career, Katatonia have dabbled with different sounds and genres, releasing a total of 13 studio albums, including their lastest ‘Nightmares As Extensions Of The Waking State’. The album introduces new guitarists, Nico Elgstrand and Sebastian Svalland, joining core members Jonas Renkse, Niklas Sandin, and Daniel Moilanen.
“The new album and recordings have brought Katatonia together in a new line up,” explained Nille. “The band is stronger, hungrier, and we are playing with energy and intensity. The thread through the album and the band is about facing changing circumstances in life. Our new guitarists have brought a new force to the band and audiences have been loving the new songs and the older ones we have played on tour”.
Katatonia’s new album ‘Nightmares As Extensions Of The Waking State’ is a brooding album of atmospheric and bleak soundscapes. Songs like ‘Efter Solen’, ‘Lilac’, ‘Thrice’ and Temporal’ are slow burning and intense. It’s an album that requires multiple listens to hear the sonic experimentation and imagery, and if you devote the time, you will be rewarded handsomely with songs that have a stark resonance and heavy instrumentation with foreboding.
“The album is about the loss of light,” stated Nille. “It has a bleak centre, and dark moods. Jonas Renkse is our main songwriter. He always has a blueprint in his mind about the songs. When we get into the studio, we add character and spice to the music. Usually, Jonas has it pretty well sorted”.
“We recorded the cover as well during the album time,” said Nille. “I am not sure why we chose that KISS song ‘A World Without Heroes’. I had never heard it before. But as a band, we wanted to cover a song that was not too obvious or familiar. Now I love the song and I love playing it live. It’s good to experiment with new sounds”.
The other song on the single is a haunting remix of Katatonia’s ‘Wind Of No Change’ and the inclusion of electronica and Karin Park really makes the song magic. It is such a special version as it opens up the lyricism.
Katatonia seamlessly bridge the realms of classic rock and modern melancholy. The band transcend genre, consolidating soundscapes that could be considered goth with heavy rock, shoegaze and progressive rock into bleak and melodic songs.
“The trick is to perform them live,” exclaimed Nille. “We have been touring Europe for 5 weeks now with our ‘Waking State of Europe’ tour with Evergrey and Klogr. We cannot wait to get home to Stockholm on 20 December. The tour has been fun, but Christmas is close and then it will be 2026”.
“We are very excited to be coming to Australia, and especially New Zealand, in 2026,” stated Nille. “We haven’t played in New Zealand since 2010. And Australia, it’s been a while. I like playing smaller venues and festivals because they have a different vibe. You can get close to the audience. At the big European festivals this year, everyone seemed so far away”.
Katatonia’s new music will be amazing to hear in intimate venues. It has the heavy guitar riffs and solos, the thumping basslines and a melancholy beauty with Jonas Renkse’s voice. One concert to book in early.
Katatonia’s Tour Dates for 2026 are:
Sunday, 4 October – Powerstation, Auckland, NZ
Wednesday, 7 October - Crowbar, Brisbane, QLD
Thursday, 8 October – The Gov, Adelaide, SA
Friday, 9 October – The Metro, Sydney, NSW
Saturday, 10 October – Northcote Theatre, Melbourne, VIC
Sunday, 11 October – Magnet House, Perth, WA
Tickets are on sale now through Metropolis Touring with a limited amount of VIP tickets available.
