Catalyst- Unsigned band from Tampas, Florida

Catalyst

Angela Macari O’Looney

This Experimental/ Progressive metal band are from Tampas, Florida. Members are Atkins- GT (radio TX), Keene GT(radio RX), McSherry-(mod), Coggin(Broadcast) Nolan(Tower Const).

A Ghost unknown

An acoustic guitar plays morbid chord combinations, while a deep, dark vocal features. Some wonderful plucked notation on the guitar is quite impressive and lots of interesting sound effects are heard throughout the piece.

Restart

Distortion-laden guitars blast out the intro to this cryptic number. Then a thumping drumbeat falls in. You hear some radio interference and a code being called out. The intro is the best bit in my opinion.

53 B

A Vocal that sounds like someone experiencing an exorcism is the main feature in this track. Dramatic sounding blasts of guitar and ear splitting drums are also involved.

Initialize: TQ 9

A lot of crazy sound sampling takes you into this number. It’s yet another seriously heavy grunge piece. Guitars belt out a tattoo, along with the powerful drums. Devil possessed vocals perform the verse and if you like a lot of rage induced type metal, it’s entertaining. I’m not sure it’s exactly what I’d put on my mp3 player to help me relax however!


Foundation

This begins with a philosophic observation about the individual against the collective. Throughout this number guitars play poignant notation and a heavy chorus is blasted out with guitars like revving engines as they perform rhythmic, distortion packed riffs.
Once again raging vocals roar out the lyrics and give you the heebee jeebees.

Field Study 1

I hear a piano in this number. This is a welcome change from the coarse, distortion packed guitar stuff. More sound samples pour out along with the lovely piano and throbbing drums and clashing cymbals affect a sense of drama.

Above the Flood Part 1

Powerful guitars and piano feature yet again here. Drums are very effective and a whistling sound that I find quite irritating filters through also. I’d really enjoy this ten times more without the sampling.

Field Study 2

I prefer Field Study 1. At least you hear some sweet piano in it. There’s lots of complex sampling and mixing featuring here if you like that kind of thing. But it’s just way over my head.

Fallen Trinity

I absolutely adore the piano in this number. Take away the narrative and it is a wonderful piece of music!

The remainder of this band’s material involves pretty much the same combination of complex bits and sampling yet again; grunge instrumentals that are quite tricky and rage induced vocals that are associated with grunge metal.

It’s well put together and seriously good in its own way, but dark and extreme. They have something to say and their way of catching your attention works.

I’d like to hear Catalyst without the sound effects. But then again I guess it might take away from the originality of their style. This stuff is an acquired taste for sure.