Being one of Swedens leading Metal bands, Katatonia started out as a Black Metal band with Anders "Blakkheim" Nyström (guitar) and Jonas "Lord Seth" Renkse (drums, vocals). They quickly recorded their first demo, "Jhva Elohim Meth", which was later released as an MCD. Shortly after the second demo, "Beyond The Stand Sky", was released and Guillaume "Israphel" Le Huche (bass) also joined the band. "Dance of December Souls", their first full-length album, was then released through No Fashion Records in 1993. The following year they recorded the EP "For Funerals to Come" which marked the beginning of their Doom Metal era. Shortly before the band disbanded Fred Norrman (guitar) joined the band.

The EP was then released through Avantgarde Music in 1995 and in 1996 the band reformed with members Anders Nyström, Jonas Renkse and Fred Norrman and "Brave Murder Day" was then released same year and featured Opeth's Mikael Åkerfeldt as vocalist. The following year Mikael Oretoft (bass) joined the band and the EP "Sounds of Decay" was released and in 1998 the final Avantgarde Music release, the EP "Saw You Drown", was released along with "Discouraged Ones" through Century Media Records. Shortly after Mikael Oretoft left the band. With this release the band moved into a more commercial direction.

"Tonight's Decision" was then recorded in 1999 and released in 2000. Daniel Liljekvist (drums) and Mattias Norrman (bass) then joined the band and . The EP "Teargas" was then released in 2001 along with the fifth album "Last Fair Deal Gone Down". "Viva Emptiness" followed in 2003 and the band then toured through Europe. The compilation album, "Brave Yester Years", was released in 2004.