Kataplexia
MORGUE´S REALITY

January 2004
Released: 2003, Severe Music
Rating: 2.5/5
Reviewer: Luxi Lahtinen

“Brutality knows no fucking boundaries...” could be a somewhat perfect quote for Kataplexia, a solo project of Rodrigo “Fatality” that assumable is more known for his spot as an infamous growler of the Finnish grindy deathsters Deep Red. Actually I was kinda surprised to find out that Rodrigo does all the instruments from drums to guitars to growls in Kataplexia. One-man Death Metal solo project ain´t one of those most ´usual´ things in the Death Metal scene nowadays; it certainly isn´t any trend thing (yet), so Rodrigo is pretty much conquering the throne for one-man´s Death Metal bands by himself all alone. If there are some other one-man Death Metal projects around in the extreme metal bands, too the lemme know, will ya?



Kataplexia, however, isn´t that different musically at all compared to Rodrigo´s main band, Deep Red. Maybe just a bit slower and having a bit heavier approach than Deep Red, but not that drastically different really, tho. The band (or more accurately Rodrigo!) terrorizes your organs of hearing by a graveyard-size of chunky and heavy Death Metal riffs, a kiloton of blast beat attacks, some incredibly low and deep guttural growls from Rodrigo´s definitely fucked-up throat that are from ´not-this-world´ and basically everything that you kind of automatically throws you into the most extreme pit of today´s Death Metal realm. The most extreme of the extremeticus, sort of...



I´m, however, a bit unfortunate to say that I´m not that huge fan of this extreme stuff at all. I can even openly admit that I´m a ´wimp´ and ´poser´ when Metal music reaches this type of level of extremity, savagery and brutality. From time to time I especially felt like Rodrigo´s vocals were too much for me to handle for me. I can handle little doses of ´vomiting guts and blood´ at a time, but not like a little less a half hour in a row.



On the other hand, I also like to raise a toast of a well-gained victory to Rodrigo for being that devoted and dedicated to his ´side project (!)´. It surely demands lots of courage and motivation from anyone to sit down and start figuring out how to get all the instruments played properly for one album. That thing surely isn´t for everybody...



Nevertheless, for the Death Metal noise hunters of Pyrexia, Visceral Bleeding, Suffocation, Internal Bleeding and bands alike, Kataplexia´s debut will surely offer a good run for their money.