Kataklysm - Shadows & Dust
Nuclear Blast, 2002
By Perkele
When it comes to death metal, we usually think of the (old-school) European or American style. But what about the other countries? For example, we shouldn't forget about Canada, a country that has produced some great underground death metal bands really worth mentioning. Right now I'm going to talk about KATAKLYSM, one of the better-known bands from the Canadian scene, but still very under-rated.
Shadows & Dust is their 6th release, and more than 10 years have passed since they started their musical carreer they still play very intensive music. What's more, they have their unique style. Fast, intensive thrash-based death metal with some fresh hardcore aggression, and in some parts the shrieking voice of the guitars makes me feel the black metal influence in it. Power and melody has been combined and the result is the crushing heaviness of their music. Their brutal, but still catchy, riffs and their 'northern hyperblast' aggressions blows you away. The music is built around the drums, which are amazing. Just listen the super fast beats in 'Illuminati', the tight rythms in 'Chronicles of the Damned', or the blasting parts in 'Beyond Salvation' and in 'Where The Enemy Sleeps' and you will wonder how many drum kits might have been crushed while they recorded the album. Sometimes it gives the feeling of a machine-gun that has been set to infinity. Their vocalist does a great job too, growls or screams or combines the two in the way only he can do.
The songs are so well-written, you can't find a boring piece on the album. The forty minutes just flits away and only your tremling ear-drums remind you of listening some really heavy music. Already the first song makes you to start headbanging and this feeling won't leave till the last moments of the album. It was the best choice to put 'In Shadows & Dust' as an opening track. It's fast, brutal, aggressive. Hearing the intensive drum beatings and the heavy riffings make you wreck your own neck (I even started to headbang in front of my pc). It's a killer masterpiece of their 'northern hyperblast'. You can't just pass by their speed but catchy riffs as they mixed the really fast, brutal parts with mid tempos and melodies ('Centuries' and 'Face the Face of War'). And dont forget to listen carefully to the 'weird' sounding guitar solo at the end of the 'Years of Enlightment / Decades In Darkness'.
Dark, sinister lyrics make their musical world more heavy and gives some dark strength to our souls: "Reflections of Yourself, Illusions made by your mind, Realise we are nothing ... but shadows & dust" ... "Beneath All Innocence, My mind is covered in blood, I feel like I'm born again, Withouth the heart I once felt"
Favourite tracks of mine: Shadows & Dust, Illuminati, Where The Enemy Sleeps, Centuries.
Fans who were disappointed by their previous album Epic (though that was also a strong and good record) are gonna like Shadows & Dust, for sure. And sad to say, KATAKLYSM are one of the most under-rated band I've ever known.
Tracklist:
1. In Shadows & Dust
2. Beyond Salvation
3. Illuminati
4. Chronicles Of The Damned
5. Bound In Chains
6. Where The Enemy Sleeps
7. Centuries
8. Face The Face Of War
9. Years Of Enlightment / Decades In Darkness
Total playing time: 40:17
Kataklysm Official Homepage
Nuclear Blast Official Homepage
Buy Kataklysm - Shadows & Dust from Amazon.com
Nuclear Blast, 2002
By Perkele
When it comes to death metal, we usually think of the (old-school) European or American style. But what about the other countries? For example, we shouldn't forget about Canada, a country that has produced some great underground death metal bands really worth mentioning. Right now I'm going to talk about KATAKLYSM, one of the better-known bands from the Canadian scene, but still very under-rated.
Shadows & Dust is their 6th release, and more than 10 years have passed since they started their musical carreer they still play very intensive music. What's more, they have their unique style. Fast, intensive thrash-based death metal with some fresh hardcore aggression, and in some parts the shrieking voice of the guitars makes me feel the black metal influence in it. Power and melody has been combined and the result is the crushing heaviness of their music. Their brutal, but still catchy, riffs and their 'northern hyperblast' aggressions blows you away. The music is built around the drums, which are amazing. Just listen the super fast beats in 'Illuminati', the tight rythms in 'Chronicles of the Damned', or the blasting parts in 'Beyond Salvation' and in 'Where The Enemy Sleeps' and you will wonder how many drum kits might have been crushed while they recorded the album. Sometimes it gives the feeling of a machine-gun that has been set to infinity. Their vocalist does a great job too, growls or screams or combines the two in the way only he can do.
The songs are so well-written, you can't find a boring piece on the album. The forty minutes just flits away and only your tremling ear-drums remind you of listening some really heavy music. Already the first song makes you to start headbanging and this feeling won't leave till the last moments of the album. It was the best choice to put 'In Shadows & Dust' as an opening track. It's fast, brutal, aggressive. Hearing the intensive drum beatings and the heavy riffings make you wreck your own neck (I even started to headbang in front of my pc). It's a killer masterpiece of their 'northern hyperblast'. You can't just pass by their speed but catchy riffs as they mixed the really fast, brutal parts with mid tempos and melodies ('Centuries' and 'Face the Face of War'). And dont forget to listen carefully to the 'weird' sounding guitar solo at the end of the 'Years of Enlightment / Decades In Darkness'.
Dark, sinister lyrics make their musical world more heavy and gives some dark strength to our souls: "Reflections of Yourself, Illusions made by your mind, Realise we are nothing ... but shadows & dust" ... "Beneath All Innocence, My mind is covered in blood, I feel like I'm born again, Withouth the heart I once felt"
Favourite tracks of mine: Shadows & Dust, Illuminati, Where The Enemy Sleeps, Centuries.
Fans who were disappointed by their previous album Epic (though that was also a strong and good record) are gonna like Shadows & Dust, for sure. And sad to say, KATAKLYSM are one of the most under-rated band I've ever known.
Tracklist:
1. In Shadows & Dust
2. Beyond Salvation
3. Illuminati
4. Chronicles Of The Damned
5. Bound In Chains
6. Where The Enemy Sleeps
7. Centuries
8. Face The Face Of War
9. Years Of Enlightment / Decades In Darkness
Total playing time: 40:17
Kataklysm Official Homepage
Nuclear Blast Official Homepage
Buy Kataklysm - Shadows & Dust from Amazon.com
