CATALYSIS were formed in 2016 in Dundee, Scotland. They have their roots in Thrash Metal, with elements of Grove Metal, Metalcore, and Death Metal. "Connection Lost" is their debut full-length album, prior to that they released 2 EPs. There are a few guest appearances on their album with Phil Demmel (ex-MACHINE HEAD, VIO-LENCE) and Joey Radziwill (SACRED REICH). "Connection Lost" is an independent release and has a total length of almost 48 minutes.

Most songs on "Connection Lost" are kept mid-tempo with stomping rhythms, heavy guitar riffs, powerful bass lines as well as melodic guitar solos. Colin MacGregor provides a mix of growls and clean vocals with occasional screams and his anger fits perfectly into that heavy and aggressive sound. CATALYSIS understand to mix this sound with different other elements. For example, "Devils In The Panic Room" includes a variety of Death Metal elements, most notably the drums with hammering blast beats throughout. The song has a few sequences that is head banging stuff at its best. In "Drowning In My Head", VIO-LENCE axeman Phil Demmel contributes with an excellent guitar solo showing that he still is one of the big guns in metal.

The title song "Connection Lost" keeps the same rhythm as the other songs, but with more Thrash Metal elements and riffing typical for old school thrash songs. The song was released as video, check out the Youtube link below. Another head bangers are "Brother" and "City Of The Dead" with heavy rhythms, crashing bass, and melodic guitar sequences. "Brother" includes epical choruses that you can hear often in songs of European Metalcore bands.

"Connection Lost" has another song with featuring a legend: Joey Radziwill of SACRED REICH plays the guitar solo on "A Bridge Too Far" and does not stand behind Phil Demmel at all. The song sounds slightly different compared to the rest: a slow start using an acoustic guitar transitioning into that typical CATALYSIS sound with the returning acoustic part late on followed by the guitar solo of Joey Radziwill. "Tomb Of The Torn" is the fastest and the most Thrash Metal song on "Connection Lost" despite the fact that the song breaks into the mid-tempo sequences a few times. CATALYSIS finish the album off with the inevitably, never-ending slow song with acoustic guitars at the beginning and melodic guitar solos in the middle. The beginning reminds me rather on LINKIN PARK with the typical hip hop vocals that we all know. I am not sure why such songs are on so many metal albums over all the years.

"Connection Lost" is an excellent metal album. It is a mix of different styles, predominantly Death Metal, but also with Thrash Metal parts and Groove Metal elements. CATALYSIS play metal that is based on hammering rhythms, powerful guitar riffs, melodic guitar solos, crashing bass lines, and aggressive vocals. They are capable of varying their sound which makes the album very interesting to listen to. I clearly enjoyed the 42 minutes head banging exercise (minus the last track). The guest appearance of two metal legends is the icing on the cake. "Connection Lost" is very well produced and the sound is perfectly balanced. It would be great to see CATALYSIS live to play their new material. Fans who like that mix of Death/Thrash/Groove Metal, "Connection Lost" is highly to recommend.