CD Review: Kataklysm

Kataklysm
Heaven's Venom
3.75/5

Listen To: Determined (Vows Of Vengeance)
Skip It: Nothing.

Kataklysm's eleventh studio release, Heaven's Venom, is a hard-hitting disc blasting through ten songs of equal parts black, death, and thrash which come to embody the band's self-attributed "Northern Hyperblast" sound.

A low crypt-keeper voice insists Go out and get what you're worth, but you've gotta be willing to take the hit before Kataklysm punches out album opener "A Soulless God.” More voice samples infused into other songs uphold the band's 1984 inspired picture of society, and twenty year singer Maurizio Iocano solidifies the message by tearing against the usual suspects of war, religion and oppressive government.

A riffmeister's dream, Heaven's Venom also cycles through technical guitar structures with non-stop velocity. "Faith Made Of Shrapnel" displays Jean-Francois Dagenais's ability to sweep through drawn out, drop-tuned monstrosity in tried and true death style.

"Hail The Renegade,” "As The Wall Collapses" and "Numb And Intoxicated" demonstrate Kataklysm's melodic side with classic metal chord structures and harmonizing. The odd squealing thrash solo helps bridge the array of varying techniques and ranks Dagenais in the area of metal guitar God.

Between crashing breakdowns and frantic blastbeats, Heaven's Venom sits high on the intensity level with Max Duhamel's relentless double bass backdrop. Steadfast followers of Kataklysm will adore this record, and the average seeker of classic death metal will not be disappointed.

Track Listing:

1. A Soulless God
2. Determined (Vows Of Vengeance)
3. Faith Made Of Shrapnel
4. Push The Venom
5. Hail The Renegade
6. As The Wall Collapses
7. Numb And Intoxicated
8. At The Edge Of The World
9. Suicide River
10. Blind Saviour

Published by Tangible Sounds Music Magazine