KATAKLYSM — The Death Gate Cycle of Reincarnation (review)

KATAKLYSM — The Death Gate Cycle of Reincarnation album cover Demo · 1992 · Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
UMUR
"The Death Gate Cycle of Reincarnation" is the first demo recording by Canadian, Quebec based death metal act Kataklysm. The demo was independently released in February 1992. The original demo was released on cassette tape and featured the same three tracks on both sides of the tape. Kataklysm formed in 1991 and released this demo and the 1993 "The Vortex of Resurrection" demo before being signed for the release of their first label release the 1993 "The Mystical Gate of Reincarnation" EP.

With the opening track "Frozen in Time (Chapter I -Will of Suicide-)", Kataklysm waste no time with explanations but attack the listener with about 1 minute of intense blasting and brutal growling vocals. The track soon becomes a lot more varied though and upon conclusion it´s an almost progressive structured track (or maybe random or unconventionally structured is a more fitting description), featuring many different sections, stylistic elements, and vocal styles (both aggressive growling, deeper brutal growling, and snarling high pitched screaming vocals). "Frozen in Time (Chapter I -Will of Suicide-)" also features great rhythmic variation, and it´s hard not to be impressed by the high quality of the track considering that it´s the opening track of the band´s first demo. "Mystical Plane of Evil (Chapter II -Enigma of the Unknown-)" and "Shrine of Life (Chapter III -Reborn Through Death-)", which are the other two tracks on the three track demo, are also brutal and technically well played death metal compositions featuring some very expressive and varied growling vocals (and in the case of the former something as unconventional as a bass solo).

"The Death Gate Cycle of Reincarnation" feautures a well sounding production job, and it´s audible that the material was recorded at a professional recording studio and not on a 4/8 track recorder in a rehearsal room, like many other death metal demos from that time. I´ve listened to quite a few death metal demos and even studio albums from that time, which didn´t feature a sound production of this quality and upon conclusion "The Death Gate Cycle of Reincarnation" is more than just a promising demo release from Kataklysm. It´s a well rehearsed, well performed (those drums...damn), and well written release packed in a professional sounding production (for that time) and a 3.5 star (70%) rating is fully deserved.
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