Praying Mantis: Katharsis

A key part of the emergence of the NWOBHM movement in the early eighties, Praying Mantis have evolved over the years into more of a melodic hard rock band, and this new (12th) effort very much continues in the style forged over their last few releases. Brothers Chris and Tino Troy (Bassist and Guitarist respectively) remain from the early days, whilst vocalist Jaycee Cuijpers is on his third album with the band and his clear and strident voice definitely fits the current style.

The album kicks off strongly with the anthemic “Cry For The Nations�, with an epic feel helped by symphonic flourishes, soaring guitar work and a strong chorus. Elsewhere, highlights include the mid-tempo rocker “Long Time Coming�, with its Thin Lizzy-ish lead guitar lines and strong chorus; “Sacrifice�, a moody piano-led ballad; the darker “Masquerade�, with some crunching riffs and a bit more oomph, whilst the closing epic “The Devil Never Changes� ends the album in a suitably bombastic way. Other tracks do step a bit too close to cliché (“Closer To Heaven� is cookie-cutter AOR, whilst “Ain’t No Rock’n’Roll In Heaven� is a fairly dumb piece of 80’s-style commercial hard rock) but even these, along with a couple of fillers, are at least enjoyable enough and don’t interrupt the album’s flow. Overall Katharsis ranks as another solid entry in this veteran band’s discography.

Tracklist:
1.Cry For The Nations
2.Closer To Heaven
3.Ain’t No Rock ‘N’ Roll In Heaven
4.Non Omnis Moriar
5.Long Time Coming
6.Sacrifice
7.Wheels In Motion
8.Masquerade
9.Find Our Way Back Home
10.Don’t Call Us Now
11.The Devil Never Changes

Added: April 8th 2022
Reviewer: Tom De Val
Score:
Related Link: Band Website
Hits: 561
Language: english

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