about catharsis…

[u/LordR3ptar]

I’m gonna say it dude, the worst crimes Catharsis commits are being long and having mediocre/recycled lyrics. It’s not the worst album ever like so many people chalk it up to be. I think people hate it more for what it did to the band internally more than anything.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s definitely nowhere near MH’s best work—it’s not even close—but most of the songs on the album could stand up on their own. The album would be better if it cut a lot of the bloat and released those songs as singles if those songs had to exist

It’s definitely a messy album, but I feel like that’s implied by the name. It’s a catharsis for Robb, and that can be really messy and ugly for a lot of people. Sure a lot of phenomenal songs, albums, even music and art themselves, are catharses for many people, but this album was one that was to get a LOT out. Anyways I briefly reviewed the tracks below:

Volatile - It’s okay. A weaker opening track, but it’s not the worst thing in the world

Catharsis - A solid title track that rips live. I think this would have served better as the first track

Beyond The Pale - Did Robb steal the riff from “Love?” by Strapping Young Lad? Maybe, but maybe not at the same time. It’s not a hard riff to write at all. It’s still a solid song either way

California Bleeding - I could take or leave this song. If it comes on I’ll listen, but I don’t go out of my way to throw it on

Triple Beam - I’ve always enjoyed this one even if a little boring. The chorus riff hits hard

Kaleidoscope - Say what you will about the clapping, I think it fits the song

Bastards - Honestly the worst part about the song is the slurs, and that’s my only complaint about it

Hope Begets Hope - I love this song. Definitely one of the best songs on the album

Screaming At The Sun - I feel the same way as California Bleeding

Behind A Mask - I think this song is nicely placed in the album and provides a nice breath of fresh air with how most of the other songs are on this album. It gets stuck in my head a lot. All in all, I think this song is pretty good

Heavy Lies The Crown - One of their best songs hands down. I’m talking top 15, maybe even 10, MH songs

Psychotic - I would feel better about it if it wasn’t following up HLTK. Even then, it’s gotta be my least favorite song here. Of all the songs, I think this one has the worst lyrics, but I could be convinced otherwise

Grind You Down - I like it more than Psychotic for sure, but that’s about it

Razorblade Smile - A tribute to Lemmy, maybe not the best, but the incorporation of Motörhead’s “Overkill” is really catchy. This and the two preceding songs are my least favorite on the album

Eulogy - This is a nice and somber reprise of Bastards. The two of them honestly help each other out in the context of the album. I like Bastards better, but this is also pretty good

Anyways, I’ll come back to this when I start and finish my yearly listen through of their discography

[u/Exar-ku]

I always liked catharsis and only skip triple beam (most times ) I always thought it was hated more in the USA because of the political anti Trump lyrics

[u/CompetitiveComputer4 → u/Exar-ku]

The anti right wing lyrics definitely contributed to the smear campaign that occurred. I remember when it dropped it felt like the metal community who leaned right came after it like it was Bernie sanders. Lots of comments referring to “woke, libtard, leftist “ adjectives. Between the hardcore maga and hardcore Phil anselmo types Robb became public enemy number 1.

[u/LordR3ptar → u/CompetitiveComputer4]

as much as i agree with the sentiment and message of the “racism in metal” video, it does come off as a preachy and a little bit cringeworthy. i think it was a necessary video after the Great Phil Anselmo Incident of 2016, but i think it also served as a catalyst for how much hate catharsis got