Cross the Line of Redemption

I knew we'd see a new Kataklysm album in 2010, (I mean, hell, they've been releasing albums in a two-year span since they got started, except for a couple here and there), and surprisingly it looks like they've changed their logo up a little bit. It looks more wicked than just thick, bold lettering in my opinion. It also appears that they've returned to the fallen angel/zombie mutant we saw on the Prevail album....

Alright, to the music. What Kataklysm has to offer for us are two new songs that give us a glimpse of what to look for in the upcoming album Heaven's Venom. Frankly, I'm not too impressed, but not disappointed either. The thing I've always loved about Kataklysm were the chord progressions they use and harmonies that we've seen all throughout In the Arms of Devastation and Prevail. Here again, we see these in "Cross the Line of Redemption" and "The Last Effort". A lot like the new Exodus songs, it seems like we're going to get a repeat of everything we've heard all through the past decade. The riffs aren't memorable, either, and so far nothing stands out. We'll just have to see what they hand over when Heaven's Venom drops.

The good thing about this single is that it signifies that they are staying true to their sound, and not selling out. These two songs capture both, the melodic side, and the heavy side of Kataklysm. It sounds like Heaven's Venom is going to sound a lot like Prevail in that way, ("The Last Effort" even pulls in some acoustic sections that add to the variety of playing).

Overall, I give this single a 71%, for Kataklysm staying true to their sound, and for showing that they will keep up the fucking metal, but for also not showing much evolution as a band. I found this for a few bucks at Best Buy, and if you are a fan of Kataklysm's past two albums I suggest you look into it.