Swedish architects of dark melody Katatonia will return to Australia and New Zealand in 2026, performing songs from their new album Nightmares as Extensions of the Waking State alongside key moments from their three decades of evolution. For fans of the band’s shifting blend of doom, goth, prog and atmospheric metal, the tour marks a rare chance to experience the group at one of their most forward-looking phases.
Formed in Stockholm in 1991 by Jonas Renkse and Anders Nyström, Katatonia have never stayed rooted in one form for long. What began as a death/doom project has grown into something more fluid — a catalogue where bleak melody and textured dynamics form the throughline. Reinvention has become their hallmark, and Nightmares as Extensions of the Waking State pushes that instinct further, with Renkse delivering some of his most personal work to date.
Onstage, the band pull from across their expansive history, from the weight of The Great Cold Distance to the atmospheric sweep of Dead End Kings. Their shows remain anchored by Renkse’s unmistakable vocal restraint and the band’s gift for balancing heaviness with introspection. Recent tours have seen them lean into harder-edged riffs without losing the melodic clarity that has defined their sound.
With a new record in hand and a renewed focus on the tension between mood and momentum, Katatonia’s 2026 performances in Australia and New Zealand promise an evening grounded in craft, contrast and the steady evolution of a band still challenging themselves more than 30 years on.
KATATONIA 2026 Australian and New Zealand Tour Dates:
Sunday 4th October AUCKLAND, Powerstation
Wednesday 7th October BRISBANE, Crowbar
Thursday 8th October ADELAIDE, The Gov
Friday 9th October SYDNEY, Metro Theatre
Saturday 10th October MELBOURNE, Northcote Theatre
Sunday 11th October PERTH, Magnet House
Tickets:
Presale: Wednesday November 19th at 11 am AEDT
General Public On Sale: Thursday November 20th 11 am AEDT
From: https://davidroywilliams.com/tours/katatonia2026/ or https://metropolistouring.com/katatonia-2026/
