Canada's KATAKLSYM is one of the more popular and well known Death Metal bands.  They are nothing if not consistent:  "Meditations," is their 13th studio album, having had their full length debut in 1995.  Their first two full lengths notwithstanding, the band has had the same basic sound for a long time.  It's heavy, but not brutal like other Death Metal bands, with a huge melodic twists.  Their overall song writing approach focuses more on riffs and mid tempo tracks rather than pummeling you like more traditional Death Metal bands.

While some Death Metal fans may seem them as more mainstream and not worth their time, I disagree for the most part.  Although I prefer the more underground stuff when it comes to DM, I have always found KATAKLYSM to be an extremely solid band. So does this album break any new ground or introduce any new elements to their sound?  No, not really. Does it go back to a truly brutal, chaotic sound from their "Sylvain Houde" days?  No. But it is their best album since 2004's "Serenity in Fire," and several of the tracks are among the best they have written. The guitar riffs are what makes this album so damn good.  Despite guitarist JF Dagenais playing for over 25 years, he still has managed to reach into his bag of riffs and pull out all the stops.  Some of the best guitar riffs he has played are presented on the album.  The opening track, "Guillotine," cuts as sharp as it the title would suggest.  At under three minutes in length, its a short but extremely satisfying track.  The riffs are sharp, punctuated daggers of destruction and, as always, catchy as hell and just make me want to slam my head down so far I my chin hits my chest.

"Outsider," opens with some groove that pummels alongside Maurizio Lacono's immediately recognizable vocals.  He doesn't so much as growls as he does scream and shout in a gruff, edgy voice that sounds more like he is speaking poetry than barking.  He has never been a very brutal vocalist but he definitely has his own style and he remains in top form. "Born To Kill and Destined to Die," is a mouthful but it contains a lot of great moments, especially the lead guitar parts. Stephane Barbe's bass, as always, is the perfect compliment to the guitar and really keeps the band grounded in their heavier side even when things get melodic. "In Limbic Resonance," is a highlight not only of the album but of the band's career.  The beginning is the band at some of their most ferocious playing but it also contains a truly mesmerizing melodic section that still holds roots in their Death Metal sound thanks in so small part of Barbe's bass and, of course, the drumming. Oli Beaudoin's drums are solid and more on point with purpose instead of just there to pummel with aimlessness abandon. His double bass is a constant flow of heavy streams of blasts the band stands upon.

The final track, "Achilles Hell," is one hell of a closer.  It's dark, epic, and combines their song writing skills into one powerful song that is a conscious stream of solid Melodic Death Metal. "Meditations," doesn't add anything new to their sound and if you weren't a fan of their sound before this probably won't change your mind. However, it takes what they already do so well and amplifies it tenfold.   The production is clear but perhaps a bit thin.  However, if you are a fan or a new comer who hasn't heard them, I would say this is the best place to start and a great intro to Death Metal.