It’s been a long and grueling writer’s strike, and at three months in there’s still no end in sight. It’s my second time slogging through one of these labor actions, and the biggest myth about being on strike is that you’ll have time to write the stuff you’re really passionate about in between all the picketing, shouting, and doom-scrolling the industry trades. The reality is, you spend a lot of time tired and sore with car horns ringing in your ears. Regrettably, I let that affect my output for AMG–so it’s good to be back writing for this community! I’m not sure if Kataklysm’s PR guy is in the Writer’s Guild, but he appears to be suffering from a similar strain of ennui. The stalwart outfit’s fifteenth full-length Goliath comes with no promo copy whatsoever. Ferox interpreted that as a statement of sorts: “This is a Kataklysm album. We’ve been making death metal since 1995. What more is left to be said?” That could be read as a flex, a nod to the Québecois outfit’s consistency, or it could be the hallmark of a band that needs an infusion of fresh ideas. Twenty-eight years in, does Kataklysm have anything left to say?
Goliath isn’t going to sneak up on anybody. Kataklysm’s formula, tweaked on 2020’s Unconquered to include a seven-string guitar, remains in place: burly but accessible melodies that often evoke Amon Amarth, lyrics that use cliched martial imagery to spur the listener toward a kind of tough-love self-improvement, and effective production from guitarist Jean-François Dagenais that splits the difference between “gnarly” and “sleek.” Diabolus In Muzaka held down the Kataklysm beat for ages, and had a soft spot for what many consider to be a meat-and-taters melodic death metal act. I’m more of a fly-by fan; I’ve appreciated much of Kataklysm’s catalog, but haven’t taken a deep dive with the outfit since 2015’s Of Ghosts and Gods. I see the outfit as a steady font of 3.0’s, and–SPOILER ALERT–Goliath fits squarely into that tradition. It’s a worthy addition to the Kataklysm canon that will please fans without winning back anyone who wandered away from the fold.
Being on strike means I’ve had more time to spend in the gym than I typically would1–which is a good thing for Goliath, because this album shines in the context of a workout. “Dark Wings of Deception” kicks things off with Kataklysm’s signature heavy chug before a descending riff draws you into an intense and effective opener. Singles “Die as a King” and “Bringer of Vengeance” are stacked back-to-back, and the thick, beefy production featured on both makes for a stinging one-two combo. There isn’t a lowlight to pick out here; each song works on its own, even if “The Redeemer” is the only track that tries to shake up the songwriting. The forty-one minutes of Goliath whisk by in less time than it takes to do one’s mandatory compound lifts; Kataklysm may not have reached the artistic heights that accompany risk, but they’ve never released their version of Cold Lake either.
Those lyrics tho. As a Certified Professional Wordsmith, I prefer my metal lyrics to be incomprehensible. When they aren’t, I run the risk of rejecting otherwise good material because of the clunky lines. AMG may be capable of dissociating himself from lines like “Pain is weakness leaving the body,” but Ferox has not yet achieved that level of Zen. Goliath is full of cheeseball moments like that one–the chorus of “Combustion” informs the listener that “everything you once believed in… is fucked. SO FUCKED!” These vague bromides about refusing to surrender play best when you’re in the middle of a set and don’t have time to properly recoil at their hamfisted nature. Fortunately, it’s not a fatal flaw. You can roll your eyes at many turns of phrase on Goliath, but before long you’ll be swept along by the momentum of the songwriting.
In the end, silence may have been the best option for Kataklysm’s copywriter. Goliath is essentially more of the same. How you feel about that depends on how you feel about Kataklysm’s variation on “the same.” I’m unlikely ever to cherish this album, but I will return to it as I march, work out, and then march again for who knows how long.2
Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 276 kb/s mp3
Label: Nuclear Blast Records
Website: facebook.com/kataklysm
Releases Worldwide: August 11, 2023
