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Cataract > With Triumph Comes Loss > Reviews
Cataract - With Triumph Comes Loss

You won't develope a Cataract from listening - 80%

CallerOfTheCthulhu, February 24th, 2005

The rumor spreading like wildfire about this act is that they are Metal Blade's new "The Crown" act, and that their new album, With Triumph Comes Loss is a perfect example. If you even have to consider listening to both bands back to back to figure out a response to this rumor, a simple "What the hell?!" will suffice.


While the band does in fact blend both death with thrash metal elements like many other bands of this certain style, that is no reason to compare them to any of their other band mates, whether still active or not. The band has been around for years, primarily on Life Force Records, and this, their third official studio release, has got to be their best so far.


If you love being able to put in a CD and become enveloped in pounding melodic metal with sheer insanity and intensity burning at every second, then this is definately something for you. Right from the get go, the music will grab you by the balls and demand your attention with the track 'Killing Tool'. The death influence is pretty hard to find, but it's there.


As you continue through the album, you will definately take notice of the tracks 'Vanished In The Dark' and 'As We Speak', throwing non-stop insane riffs at you, one after another. But the pace will tone down a bit by the time you hit 'Godevil'. The lyrical content of war and war-related themes doesn't change much though as the vocalist continues to scream out "New world order!" throughout the song.


But don't get too strung out. It only remains this way until 'Reborn From Fire', when "Cataract" starts belting out the blast beats and fast as hell guitar riffs with nightmarishly angry vocals to match. It stays this way until the last song, 'With Triumph Comes Loss'. This one clocks in around several minutes, and is the slowest track compared to the rest...and unfortunately possibly the worst. While it's pounding like mad, the song is rather strung along and repetative about two minutes in.


While the band doesn't bring much in originality to the fray, they do bring insanity. Not quite like every other album of it's style, the band knows exactly what they are doing, and have put together a flawless album, even though it clocks in just shy of forty minutes. So, if you are looking for something killer to put into that CD player of yours, consider the latest by "Cataract". So, when you hear this album, whether you think they are a replacement band or not, you must ask yourself... "Do you really care if they are?" And you will answer with a resounding "Hell no!"

From Lifeforce to Metal Blade..Cataract still rule - 85%

krozza, October 6th, 2004

If you think Germany was the European hot bed for high quality Metalcore, you’d probably be right. However just over the border in the landlocked country of Switzerland, there are some serious contenders. Nostromo and Knut notwithstanding, the mighty quintet known as Cataract is just about the pick of the crop. In 2003, Cataract hit like a ton of bricks with the ‘Great Days of Vengeance’ album. Smartly written music, energetic and tightly constructed around some thick, cutting guitar riffs, it displayed all the necessary strong points that a good Metalcore album needs. I had great confidence that ‘With Triumph..’ would carry on in similar fashion.

Cataract is another of the current main players in the Metalcore scene that has been snapped up by semi-major metal labels. They are also one of three former Lifeforce label acts to do so (Caliban are now with Roadrunner and the awesome Heaven Shall Burn are at Century Media). Sitting comfortably along side label mates Unearth and Beyond the Embrace, Cataract should be able to forge a whole new following for themselves.

Right from the get go, the opening thrash-core belter in ‘Killing Tool’ proves that ‘With Triumph..’ won’t disappoint. Over the next 39 minutes or so, Cataract refuse to let up – the intensity meter hits red and stays there; the sole aim being to pummel the listener into submission with an unrelenting barrage of riffs and breakdowns. There is no mercy. The influences are there for all to witness – the hybrid Hatebreed core sound meets Slayer thrash-isms are as powerful as it’s ever been. I’d even suggest that Cataract have opted for a decidedly more ‘Metal’ sound throughout, particularly with the majority of their tracks maintaining a fast paced tempo. However, Cataract have been careful not to remove the dark, mid-tempo, almost plodding groove (kind of like Bolt Thrower) aspect of their song writing that had such a dramatic effect on the sound of ‘Great Days…’

Without question, ‘With Triumph..’ wouldn’t have been half the album it is without the simply brilliant Tue Madsen production (Denmark’s Antfarm studio). The guitar mix achieved here is incredibly thick and biting in the low end, giving the whole disc a massively heavy impact. The drums are superbly recorded and with Fedi’s harsh vocal tones given prominent place in the mix, this disc heaves with tremendous weight. Prospective Metalcore wannabe’s take note: On the back of this disc, Tue is going to be in high demand for his services.

Once again, Cataract has been able to keep their music interesting, and devoid of the ‘paint-by-numbers’ Metalcore characteristics that works to a detriment in many other acts. Along with ‘Nostromo’, they represent an ultra strong Swiss presence in the scene. If I haven’t said it before, this style of music is being swamped by a countless number of new bands looking to grab their slice of the market – this statement is nothing new to the switched on metal fan – it pays to be aware and seek out the better acts – No problems here punters; any fan of the metalcore sound will find plenty of longevity in ‘With Triumph..’