Author: Primož Novak
Artist: Kataklysm
Label: Nuclear Blast
Release: 2013
Runtime: 45:04
Rating: 3.5/5
Canada’s »hyperblasters« Kataklysm are back with a new record after three years, which is a year longer than usual, and that could be seen as a good sign: it raised hopes that the band took more time over this album and thought it all through, since their last few records weren’t exactly standouts and could be called generic despite a few bright moments.
Right away you can guess that Kataklysm won’t be diving into the brutal underground extremes like they did on Sorcery and Temple of Knowledge. With the album Prophecy (2000) Kataklysm brought in melody and groove, and that’s how they won over bigger crowds. They’re still brutal, but on the flip side they’re full of clichés, which you can hear in the standout choruses with their simple lyrics.
Kataklysm are also one of those bands that claim with every album that the new one is the best of their career. And this time was no different: »Yeah, we know we say this every time, but this time it really is our best album!« So, expectations were high, but a longtime fan of the band will take a statement like that with a grain of salt.
The album opens with Fire, whose intro sounds black metal, but then the track explodes into a death metal onslaught, where Maurizio Iacono’s trademark vocals and the fast drumming obviously stand out. The very first track confirms that Kataklysm remain a well-produced band, which the band’s guitarist took care of, while Zeuss handled the powerful sound, and you know what to expect from him if you follow, say, Hatebreed or Shadows Fall. Waiting For The End To Come delivers everything you’d expect from Kataklysm: brutality, melody, groove, some melancholy too, and a standout rhythm section. It was said the album would also be more technical than their earlier records, but there’s nothing all that remarkable to be heard here.
One of the album’s strong points is the drumming of Olivier Beaudoin, who previously proved himself in the technical death metal outfit Neuraxis. Thanks to Olivier, who replaced the rather unoriginal Max Duhamel in the studio and on stage, Kataklysm sound more dynamic and in some instances even more technical. Sadly, there are a few flaws too. Some tracks are stretched out, like Kill the Elite. The picture becomes clear with Dead & Buried, which, by repeating one catchy melody, makes it obvious the band is aiming at the big crowds, a lot like the Amon Amarth syndrome. The commercial angle is confirmed for good by the closing track Elevate, which boasts a standout melancholic melody. You can feel the band is aiming at bigger halls, really at festival stages.
The Canadian quartet has delivered an album that proves the band sticks to a certain level of quality, but it’s nothing groundbreaking. Kataklysm have stuck to their set boundaries for over a decade, which puts experimentation on the back burner, but the album will undoubtedly satisfy the fans.
Lineup
Maurizio Iacono – vocals
Jean-François Dagenais – guitar
Stephane Barbe – bass
Oli Beaudoin – drums
Production
Jean-François Dagenais, Zeuss
Tracklist
01. Fire
02. If I Was God – I’d Burn It All
03. Like Animals
04. Kill The Elite
05. Under Lawless Skies
06. Dead & Buried
07. The Darkest Days of Slumber
08. Real Blood – Real Scars
09. The Promise
10. Empire Of Dirt
11. Elevate
