Customer Reviews

In the Arms of Devastation

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

While other Death Metal bands have stuck to formulaic gore lyrics and the same technical guitar sounds and growling, Kataklysm has managed to escape the cliche while continuing to produce heavy Death Metal that will satisfy any fan of the genre. Anyone who is a fan of At The Gates, Vader, or Morbid Angel will love this band. It will also appeal to fans of the heavier type of Melodic Death Metal (a.k.a. Dark Tranquillity, Nightrage, or Callenish Circle), as there are more melodic parts to this CD. Bottom line, this is band you must check out if you like any of these bands, and is worth a listen if you like any extreme heavy metal. These Canadians never seem to put out dissapointing releases, check out "Shadows and Dust" by them as well.

First song I heard from this album was "Like Angels Weeping," on TV.. I immediately pursued the whole album, and was astonished.
Great riffs and vocals are downright amazing.

Excellent Album, I need to check out some more of this band. :)

While this album did not have the earth shattering effect as Serenity in Fire did on me - Kataklysm continues to deliver a heaping host of pure hatred in this realease.

A long time listener of most death metal genre - many bands have become a tired regurgitation of each predicessor. Not these guys - while some of the earlier realeases were a dissapointment Devestation pleased the ear of many a critical commrades - including many a folk down at Mosh Pit records - a local host to the non-divine sounds. The album is composed quite well without a single track that I skip. I make sure to drive by Focus on the Family whenever I can with the windows down and the volume blaring!

I've been a fan of death metal since Death - 'Scream Bloody Gore' came out in the 80's...I've seen all sorts of variations on the death metal sound. And I love what Kataklysm has done with it. They have perfected a pummeling and brutal combination of melody, memorable songwriting, and thick riffs. They have slowed down a little on this release over past releases, but no big deal..if you're in the mood for the faster stuff, put 'Epic..' or 'Shadows and Dust' (my favorite by them) in your cd player.

What do you get when you mix old-school thrash with European death metal? If you guessed "an album that every metalhead has heard a hundred times before," then you were correct. Kataklysm's eleventh record, "In the Arms of Devastation," is in the running for the most boring album of 2006. It begins on a strong note: "Like Angels Weeping (The Dark)" is powered by a fast guitar lead, jackhammer drums, and monstrous vocals. Unfortunately, after that, the music's novelty wears off rather quickly, and the album goes downhill. It doesn't take the listener long to realize that everything about this disc (from the title to the blast beats to the screamed vocals) is generic. Granted, "ItAoD" sounds quite awesome when it's fast, but when Kataklysm start slowing things down and recycling the riffs (as in "Crippled & Broken," "It Turns To Rust," "In Words Of Desperation," and "The Road To Desperation"), the songs become downright tedious. To make matters worse, some of the songs (see "Let Them Burn") just don't go anywhere. "In the Arms of Devastation" may be super heavy, but it's also as predictable as Trapt's new single. If you're new to this genre, you might find some enjoyment here; but if you want a metal album that's the slightest bit interesting, look elsewhere.

Kataklysm is another band that is not recognized enough. What can I say, killer double bass, low-deep growling vocals, guitar riffs that will rip you in half. Need I say more? Check it out.

Kataklysm has yet to embaress us with a release and make note, they still haven't with this release. The album cover is also something to see

Kataklysm was a band I really hadn't payed much attention to until recently. All I knew was that they played a combination between At The Gates style melodic death metal, and any given contemporary "brutal" death metal band; and that they are one of those bands who pretty much released songs that all sound like they belong on one album ever couple years. Their vocalist has some pretty damn powerful growls, and isn't afraid to start shrieking his head off either. Kataklysm seems to have a thing for inhuman drummers, because... Just listen to the skin-pounding. I don't know why they don't play more solos, though, because they are perfectly capable of doing so.

Kataklysm's "brutality" is often exaggerated by fans. Most (read: all) of the songs revolve around big, catchy choruses. Standouts? "Crippled and Broken" is churning and infectious. "To Reign Again" stands out with a cool acoustic intro, accentuating the grinding verses that slingshot into a dramatic and memorable chorus. "Open Scars'" chord progression could almost be described as "bouncy." The chorus (again) is rather catchy with some fine screaming, but what's really on display is the majestic lead work at the 1:45 mark. "Temptation's Nest" ascends with searing lead work, to dramaticize a piledriving climax. Finally, "Road to Devastation" is probably my second favorite Kataklysm track. The melodic riffing has an almost progressive air about it, and the track has a scorching solo near the end. The inhaled death vocals are certainly interesting, as well.

The production here is fine, the Gothenburg-ish tremolo melodies are derivative but celebratory of the genre, and the drums sound like machine gun fire-- A little innovation goes a long way, but these French-Canadian thrashers are obviously happy with their niche. Predictable, but I like it.
- Thus says the Pellington

"Shadows and Dust" got me into this band, and that, in my opinion, is their best release and one of the best metal albums out there. I was really disappointed by "Serenity in Fire." It was mostly filler and just plain boring. However, Kataklysm has found their sound again and have put out this killer album. It's not as good as "Shadows and Dust," but is pretty close. If were disappointed their previous album, get this and you'll see Kataklysm can still produce some amazing material.

Sometimes the riffs Kataklsm comes up with really make me headbang and think they are an awesome band. Other times, their music somehow seems boring...perhaps because the speed is just repeating itself.

Then they get creative and moshy...this band is tops, and elite. All and all...I think this CD is worth buying. Not as good or aggressive as FaceDown's new one, but not something to be ignored either.