Sometimes I hear bands and I try to guess where they are from as I listen to them. Are they American? Can I hear a European influence? As I listen to CATARACT, I am surprised to find out that they are from Zurich, Switzerland. I didn’t know the Swiss could be sound so much like an American Metalcore band as of today. This is not saying much. I am trying to be fair, but when a generic sounding metal band falls into my lap it is quite hard to put into words. I didn’t even know Europe had Metalcore bands.

CATARACT has been together since 1998, and apparently they have gone threw some line up changes since then. Being picked up by Metal Blade records in 2004, this is their fifth release. As much as this band wants to be thrash metal, and I hear the potential in their drummer Patrick Durst, they fall more into metal core scene. With the signature metal core yell vocals done up by Federico Carminitana. The guitars are heavy metal core style though solos are few and far between. Each song contains the tell tale simultaneous guitar and drum beat, you know the one, that comes with a silence in between. As I burn threw the songs, Snake Skin is actually one of the only good songs on this album, because it possesses a cool melodic riff in the middle. As I listen more it seems the songs on this album seem to gel together and seem to become redundant. Though song seven Tonight We Dine In Hell is a welcome instrumental. We are then thrust back into the mercy of the band. I am sure metal core fans will like this album; CATARACT does seem to have a certain power that the American Metalcore bands don’t possess.