This review is going to be about the new album “Meditations” from US Melodic Death Metal heavyweights KATAKLYSM.
01. Guillotine was released back at the end of March and is a song full of attack, speed and vitriolic instrumentals. This song does not mess around with introducing the album slowly, but more sucker-punches the listener straight into the release.
02. Outsider has assaults of heavy riffs, a lovely old school Kataklysm feel and aggression to spare. A nice touch of melody without taking away from the raw punch of it. It’s catchy yet dark, really great track.
03. The Last Breath I’ll Take Is Yours has a more modern metal touch to it, it’s heavy as hell and a unique track from the band, straying away from their usual melodeath formula.
04. Narcissist was released at the start of May and features an ambient (I believe throat sung) opening with crashing cymbals and guitar chords. The tribal drumbeat kicks in and the tension of the short track grows. Tight production, attacking drums, punchy riffs and fast vocal hooks keep this song sounding like a killer aggressive blow to the face.
05. Born To Kill And Destined To Die is fast, very fast and really brutal. The riffs and vocals work together with the drum barrages perfectly and the production is tight.
06. In Limbic Resonance ups the picking even faster going for more Black Metal tremolo picking and atmospherics, it works very nicely to complement the gorgeous songwriting and heaviness of the previous tracks.
07. And Then I Saw Blood slows things down into more old school territory again, with really nice riffs and narrative growls. This album so far has been back-to-back headbanging masterpieces.
08. What Doesn’t Break Doesn’t Heal has a feeling of tracks like “As I Slither” with pummelling yet melodic Death Metal brutality and slamming rhythms.
09. Bend The Arc, Cut The Cord has a slightly more metal core riff structure which isn’t too unknown in melodeath and can indeed work well like in this very track.
10. Achilles Heel is the closing track and does its job of closing the album sludgy death metal grooves and blast beats to spare.
A killer new release from the band and a worthwhile listen for any fans of melodic, aggressive and brutal Metal! -8/10
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