SHINING (SWEDEN) COVER KATATONIA (ALSO SWEDEN)

How about instead of referring to the two Shinings as “Shining (Sweden)” and “Shining (Norway)” we start referring to them as Niklas Kvarforth’s Shining and Jørgen Munkeby’s Shining? Both men are outsize personalities that are inextricably linked to the bands they lead and are well-known to their fans, therefore making that association way easier to remember than the country in which they reside. OK? OK.

So, Niklas Kvarforth’s Shining — the dark, depressing death/black metal group, not the Blackjazz/saxophone one — are releasing a covers EP called Lots Of Girls Gonna Get Hurt on May 16th via Spinefarm Records. The most well-known song they’re covering is Katatonia’s “For My Demons,” the opening number from 1999’s Tonight’s Decision. I continue to be impressed by the dexterity and range of Kvarforth’s voice — it bowled me over on 2011’s stellar full-length VII: Född Förlorare enough for me to choose the album as my #14 favorite of the year, and it’s doing so again here. Spooky, haunting, and absolutely breathtaking for a cover done right. Listen:

-VN