...it's a memorial hail to all the Asa Viking warriors which died by the hands of christians yet still with their refusal to believe in the white Christ. As we are messengers of the north, it's our duty to begin a huge revenge... Musically "Dance..." is a mixture of depressed and mournful moods the atmospheric way, the same goes for the lyrical side as well as productionwise featuring around 53 minutes of these songs" "Gateways of Bereavement", "In Silence Enshrined", "Elohim Meth", "Velvet Thorns of Drynwhyl", "Tomb of Insomnia", "Dancing December" and finally a re-recording of the song "Without God".
- Blackheim / Katatonia interview, Petrified #3, 1994
Recorded with Dan Swanö at Unisound Studios (formerly Gorysound) in early April, KATATONIA's debut album, Dance of December Souls, was released by No Fashion Records on this day in 1993.
We go for that unordinary atmospheric mood all the way. All the structures have something especially different within themselves. Of course everyone can't respect and admit it's that way. They rather would call our music wimpy or commercial just because they can't cope with the strong emotional melodies.
- Blackheim / Katatonia interview, Chamber of Sorrow #4, 1993
My influences have grown stronger within my personal quest for the mysticism of my inner thoughts. I don't need any certain influences from bands any longer, you could manage without it as long as you're musically minded. My sources of inspiration are mostly moods, thoughts and some (un)earthly elements such as forests, nightskies, fields and seas. I get very emotional through tragic and extremely sad happenings, which I try to express through the music is an adventarous structure. Of course we still listen to a lot of music and you do get influenced whether you like it or not, but in our case it's subconscious. I'm more into some deeper stuff nowadays, Fields of the Nephilim, Sisters of Mercy, Thule, The Mission, The Cure & Depeche Mode are all my faves.
- Blackheim / Katatonia interview, Mortician #4, 1993