Damnation Festival announce two special Katatonia sets

Because Damnation apparently doesn't have enough special sets and colossal full-album playthroughs on the bill for 2023 already, they've only gone and announced that Sweden's Katatonia will be performing two sets at the festival in November.

First, they'll be performing Dead End Kings in full as part of Friday's A Night Of Salvation, which also sees full-album sets from Leprous (Coal), Sigh (Scorn Defeat), Enslaved (Below The Lights), Akercocke (Choronzon), Bossk (Audio Noir), Viking Skull (Chapter One) and Deadguy (Fixation On A Coworker).

Then on Saturday, they'll play a greatest hits set of gloomy bangers not on the album.

"We are very pleased to announce our return to the UK's wonderful Damnation Festival," say the band of the news. "Ten years ago we played the Viva Emptiness album in full, and now it’s time for Dead End Kings, an album we were meant to commemorate in 2022 but got stopped by the good ol’ ’rona. This is your chance to celebrate it together with us!

"The night after, we will play another gig, which is us focusing on songs that are not on the Dead End Kings album… a representative treat of mope life classics. Do. Not. Miss."

Organiser Gavin McInally added: "It's quite the coup to not only have Katatonia return a decade after they last graced Damnation, but to once again celebrate a very, very special album with us.

"Those who were there in 2013 remember Viva Emptiness vividly and Dead End Kings will be no different this year.

"Being able to have the band back at Damnation the following day to showcase their extensive back catalogue in with an entirely different setlist, is the prefect combo.

"Dead End Kings, Coal, Below The Lights, Choronzon, Scorn Defeat, Audio Noir, Fixation On A Coworker, Chapter One… it's safe to say there will never be a repeat of this day of music, anywhere on the planet."

Indeed. And that's just the half of it. The rest of the bill for A Night Of Salvation features Heriot, Celestial Sanctuary, Inhuman Nature and The Sun's Journey Through The Night.

Saturday, meanwhile, includes headliners Electric Wizard, Amenra, Anaal Nathrakh, Khemmis, Undeath, Julie Christmas, Ohhms, Rotten Sound, Strigoi and Kurokuma among others, as well as second sets from Katatonia, Enslaved, Sigh and Deadguy.

Damnation takes place at Manchester BEC November 3 – 4.