- Country: Canada
- Style: Melodic death metal
- Label: Nuclear Blast
- Release date: 1 June 2018
Kataklysm have been around long enough to know exactly where their strengths lie, and Meditations plays to all of them: fast, punchy songs, melodic leads, and big groove breakdowns that are clearly written with a moshpit in mind. Produced by guitarist Jean-François Dagenais with drummer Oli Beaudoin and mixed by Jay Ruston, it’s the cleanest and most powerful the Montreal band have sounded in years. Opener “Guillotine” is a brutal statement of intent, and “Narcissist” is a short, sharp blast that does exactly what it needs to.
The problem is that, after a strong start, the songs start to blend into each other. “Outsider” and “The Last Breath I’ll Take Is Yours” are solid, Maurizio Iacono roars as fiercely as ever, and “In Limbic Resonance” stretches out with a bit more atmosphere, but by the back half the riffs and the half-time grooves start to feel predictable. Fans will be happy, and a few songs will slot easily into the live set. It just isn’t one that will make many new converts.
Best tracks:
Guillotine
Outsider
Narcissist
In Limbic Resonance
Author’s rating: 7.2/10
Gave it 5 stars
No member has given this album 5 stars yet. Join WeMetalheads and rate it.
