We all like a good tragedy and Finnish band Cataleptic are basing their one here on the battlefield with the themes of war, betrayal and revenge being the central conceit. It’s quite a herculean effort too with 6 chapters taking in the fields of the fallen in quite an epic musical scope over a 45-minute playing time. The group’s music is described as death doom or melodic death but when you consider that in the ranks, we have members of Gorephilia, Solothus, Corpsessed and Lie In Ruins you will quickly realise that there is nothing frilly-shirted about the way they tackle things and this resides in the heavier domain of their chosen spectrum.
The clamour of battle is strong in the air as our troops gather and deliver their “Alpha Strike’ over thick chugging riffs and hoary, gruff vocals. You can bang your head to the rigorous motion and the melody is cloying along with the bravado of the charge. The doom suddenly comes in the form of a down passage of mournful near Gothic guitars and sombre atmosphere, the two styles having perfectly entwined around each other. Bass makes a strong twanging statement on ‘Disarmed, Disowned, Betrayed’ the motion is brooding, storm clouds gather then comes the explosion. From doom to death in a massive salvo of blast-beats, I guess those on the field of war have guessed they are mere cannon-fodder, the responding melee, quite furious as swords are turned on their oppressors. Thick backing shouts and Bathory like clean croons (from the Cataleptic Hooligan Choir) cite some sort of victory but ‘Whipped To Drudgery’ with its lofty stomping along with the lyrics suggest it is not long before servitude at the hands of the slave-master sees fate once again against them. This follows into ‘Lost’ although musically some post-metal guitar work comes as a bit of a surprise adding some neatly played melodic sensibilities.
The last couple of numbers are real epic’s lasting 10 plus-minutes each. It’s more than helpful having lyrics to read along with this as ‘Recompense In Death’ sees the table being turned, guards drugged into a stupor by wine and having their throats slit over a heavy canvas of doom. They are free now “slavemaster beneath my heel you are done,” but one has to wonder at what price comes victory? ‘To Burn This World (Omega Campaign)’ sees the answer perhaps, with the words “I seek no keys to power, only death” A horse whinnies and thunder rumbles as the weeping guitar work ebbs in and sprawls luxuriantly. With a rousing gathering of force and a final assault the battle is done and it has been a formidable one. Not such a cataleptic tragedy at all, vae victis, and to the victors go their spoils.
(8/10 Pete Woods)
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