The First Album I Bought Was…
Kiss - Killers [Phonogram, 1982]
“I think it might have been Kiss, the Killers compilation, at a second-hand record store in Stockholm. I was into Iron Maiden and wanted their Killers album but I couldn’t find it. I was intrigued by Kiss and since their album had the same title it didn’t really matter, ha ha!”
The Album To Break The Speed Limit To Is…
Morbid Angel - Altars Of Madness [Earache, 1989]
“I can’t drive but if I could, I’d be speeding to this. It has everything a death metal album should have. It’s wicked, morbid and insane. Morbid Angel set a new standard for how fast you could play in metal. I remember hearing Slayer and thinking, ‘You can’t get faster than that!’ A few years later, Altars Of Madness blew me away. To this day, it’s an amazing record.”
The Best Album Artwork Is…
Slint - Slint EP [Touch And Go, 1994]
“The cover really strikes me. It’s very dark and frightening, with this dead man in the snow and this kid that you suspect has done this terrible thing. The other person seems frightened, too. There are a lot of layers and meanings in there.”
The Album I Wish I’d Made Is…
David Sylvian - Secrets Of The Beehive [Virgin, 1987]
“It’s a masterpiece. If I could do something remotely similar, I’d die happy. It’s not a metal album, but it has most of the stuff that I love about music. It’s dark, sometimes depressing, but it’s also uplifting. The musicianship is perfect and it’s timeless. It’s from ’87 but you wouldn’t know that. It’s a beautiful record.”
The Album That Should Not Be Is…
Celtic Frost - Cold Lake [Noise, 1988]
“I remember when I picked it up, I was so disappointed with it. I was looking forward to the next Celtic Frost record, but Cold Lake wasn’t the one I wanted. But it has a certain charm. Thirty years later, I don’t hate it, because it has something. There’s safety in that music and the way it’s performed. You can still hear that it’s Celtic Frost and that’s soothing in a way.”
No One Would Believe I Own A Copy Of…
Adolphson-Falk - Med Rymden I Blodet [Air, 1982]
“They were a Swedish synth-pop duo in the early 80s – pioneers within that music style. People laughed when they sang about technology when computers were first emerging, but it felt like a new world to me.”
The Album That Reminds Me Of School Is…
Iron Maiden - Piece Of Mind [EMI, 1983]
“As a kid, I knew about Led Zeppelin and stuff, but I saw all the older kids at school wearing Iron Maiden shirts and I was intrigued by Eddie and so on. I got this album and listened to it every day. It’s still a fucking great album.”
The Album That Broke My Heart Is…
Stina Nordenstam - And She Closed Her Eyes [Eastwest, 1994]
“I listened to this a lot at a point in my life when I really needed it. It broke my heart because the music really spoke to me. Not everyone likes Stina’s unique style of singing, but I love it.”
A Kid Asks Me What Metal Is, I Hand Them A Copy Of…
Judas Priest - Defenders Of The Faith [Columbia, 1984]
“The perfect choice. I was introduced to heavy metal by Iron Maiden, but Defenders Of The Faith is the epitome of metal. In the 80s Priest pushed the limits. They were fast and the way they looked just screamed metal! I still love it.”
The Album I’d Want Played At My Funeral Is…
Autopsy - Mental Funeral [Peaceville, 1991]
“It’s a pretty obvious choice! Being a death metal fan, this album is one of the most important records, just like Altars Of Madness. It’s on a different side of the death metal spectrum but it holds the same kind of magic. There’s a song on there called Dead and the lyrics are perfect for a funeral!”
Katatonia’s new album, The Fall Of Hearts, is out now via Peaceville. They play a special 25th anniversary show at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire on October 21
