There's an old saying that 'one can't teach new tricks to an old monkey', and the idea is that old people is unable to learn new things. In Metal, it can mean that older musicians can't do something than the usual according to their age. One example: if a musician did something related to Death Metal in the 90's, this person can't do something unexpected anymore. But thanks that things aren't in this way, because one couldn't have a material as shown by the French band CATACOMB, as shown on "When the Stars are Right". Maybe the name isn't strange for older fans, because the band (founded at 1990) released cult-followed Demo Tapes as "Morbid Attraction" (1991), "The Lurker at the Threshold" (1992), and "In the Maze of Kadath" (1993). For reasons unknown, they entered two hiatuses, but are back since 2018, unleashing a violent and brutal form of classic Death Metal, but in a way that refuses to be old fashioned.

Explaining: the guys learned a lot and created a form of Death Metal that's brutal, aggressive and full of impact, but refreshing and not 'moldy', with some Blackened Death Metal traces being presented. It's really great to hear such form of music done in this way! The sonority of "When the Stars are Right" is the responsible for the album being so good. Explaining: as they work in a way that refreshes classic Death Metal, it was built something extreme and nasty, but defined in a way that everything can be understood, even some keyboards parts (as on "Ruler of the World"). Of course some points could be better (as the choice for the guitar tunes), but the final result is very good.

What can be heard on "When the Stars are Right" is irreprehensible, as a maelstrom of Lovecraftian chaos being unleashed. To have an idea of what they are able to do, pay attention on "The Kings of Edom" (the horror-like impact of its guitars is something astonishing, for the riffs are catchy and extreme on the rhythmic contrasts presented), "Ruler of this World" (another excellent set of rhythmic shifts can be heard, with bass guitar and drums working in a great shape in the middle of the Blackened Death Metal ambiences), "Servants of the Old Ones" (this chaotic song is filled with excellent and personal grunts in a way that's different of the usual), "Black Goat" (another set of unusual arrangements can be heard, and this song is filled with many extreme hooks), "In Your Blasphemous Name" (a grandiose Death Metal song, with subjective eerie melodies created by keyboards parts for the guitars to shred ears), and "Crawling Chaos". But pay attention to the band's version for MORBID ANGEL's "Chapel of Ghouls".

Listen to "When the Stars are Right", and feel like going to R'lyeh and blowing Cthulhu's ears out with the band's music! CATACOMB's work can do it easily!