Kataklysm – Waiting for the End to Come (2013)

Canadian Extreme Death Metal masters return after three years with the devastating “Waiting for the End to Come”. Being one of the most representative Metal bands in Canada, Kataklysm returns in full force with one of their most brutal releases in over a decade. Filled with 45 minutes of neck-snapping music, this release will surely bring back memories of the band’s heavier and more extreme beginnings, but with their more modern and more polished elements from their latest releases.

The album starts on a high note with the pummeling “Fire”. In this song we get a melodic intro that slowly progresses into full-on destructive mode with incisive riffs and punishing drums courtesy of newcomer Olivier Beaudoin. The Kataklysm signature sound is intact with hyper-fast sections and the killer vocals of Maurizio Iacono. Blending proficient songwriting with technical abilities, the band cruises through intense tunes like “If I Was God – I’d Burn It All”, “Like Animals”, and the brilliant “Kill the Elite”.

Greatly improving over their previous release “Heaven's Venom”, the band is not afraid to experiment with Groove-like elements on tracks like “Under Lawless Skies”. The mixing duties on this album, handled by Zeuss, give the band’s music and extra level of clarity and it greatly enhances the sound of every individual instrument to produce a devastating overall sound. One of our favorite tracks is “Real Blood – Real Scars”, a track that nicely mixes melodic riffs with aggressive tempo changes.

As the album winds down with hymns of destruction like “The Promise” and “Empire of Dirt”, the best song of the album closes the release: “Elevate”. In this track we have an epic melodic vibe that is nicely infused into the bands crushing sound. Overall, “Waiting for the End to Come” is one of the best Kataklysm releases in years and you can feel it since the first track. While the band has evolved over the years, they have constantly refined their style and now they are at the top of their game. If you are looking for an extreme Metal release with some melodic undertones, look no further and get this album.

Label: Nuclear Blast Records

Release: October 29th, 2013

Genre: Extreme Death Metal

Country: Canada