| CD REVIEW Catamenia |
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Band: Catamenia The Finnish formation Catamenia was formed in 1995, and after two demo tapes, the band signed to Massacre Records (1997). Initially it was a four-album deal, in 2002 it got renewed for three albums, and in 2007 a new contract got signed. It seems to be a life-long partnership, and it seems to work rather well. Throughout the years, the band did record in several well-known studios, such as Tico-Tico and Sunlight, and they did undergo lots of line-up changes too. Most important facts when it comes to these changes during the last years are the recruitment of Kari Vähäkuopus (guitars and clean vocals), who was a long-time friend of the band, as well as the producer for ChaosBorn (2003), Winternight Tragedies (2005), and Location: COLD (2006), and the departure of vocalist Olli Mustonen, due to vocal problems. Cavalcade is the band’s ninth studio album, recorded and mastered at the Mastervox Studio, and for the first time it is a conceptual album. The whole lasts for forty six minutes, and musically it goes on where VIII – The Time Unchained (2008; review posted on 23/11/2008) ended. That seems to be disappointing, because to me it was a less interesting record. The evolution this band underwent was a catchier one, and I didn’t like that process at all. At the other hand, it opened the doors to a bigger audience, so commercially seen it was a smart move. Anyway, I’m glad to experience a stronger recording in comparison to the former one. The core of Catamenia’s Metal still is the same as it has always been. Melody and aggression go hand in hand, both sound and musical approach are typically Finnish, and the song structures do have a blackened basic. Like VIII – The Time Unchained, Cavalcade does not include keyboards, and vocally there’s the interaction between clean vocals, as well as screams and grunts. The compositions are more ‘full’ and powerful than it was the case with the former full length, and a few heavier pieces are really above average. Listen for example to brain smasher A Callous Mind amongst others. Some tracks balance on an epic edge too (Reincarnation etc), and there is also an evident link with the Folk-alike scene. That’s why Catamenia did the European Heidenfest tour, for example, with bands as Primordial, Equilibrium, Finntroll, Eluveitie etc. I do still prefer the oldest albums, like debut Halls Of Frozen North (1998) or the second full length, Morning Crimson (1999) – these ones were heavier, darker, more blackened, that’s why I put it this way. Yet again, Cavalcade is stronger than the former album(s), and it certainly is highly recommended to everyone who likes the melodic yet metallic scene from Suomi, Finland. The ‘normal’ edition of the album ends with a Megadeth-cover, Angry Again (sorry, but even worse than the original), and the digi-pack version comes with a bonus-track, Farewell, a cover of Sentenced. Oh yes, the album also features guest vocals by Poisonblack / Sentenced-member Ville Laihiala (on opener Blood Trails). 72/100 Ivan Tibos. |