Band : Katra

Album Title : Beast Within

Label : Napalm Records – Hard Life Promotion

Distributor : Rough Trade

Release Date : 29/08/2008

Release : CD

After the great commercial success of Nightwish, every gothic metal formation in Finland will become the next Nightwish. Katra is also a band that will go out that direction and as result of that the band has a small chart success with the single “Grail Of Sahara” in their own country. The band even has gained some recognition after their passage in the qualifying round of the Eurovision Song Contest in Finland. Afterwards they signed a record deal with Napalm Records. The production of this first album is very good. Their songs contains influences of folk in the song “Promise My Everything” and the songs “Beast Within” and “Swear” are very After Forever-like. But also influences of Within Temptation and Epica are there in many songs. The band borrows it’s name from the female vocalist of the band Katra. She’s not that exceptional but for gothic fans this album will do very well. It’s brought with a very professional approach that will stand the test of time. But the lack of originality will definitely pay off later.

70/100

Guido Claes.