Screaming Grindcore
Although grindcore trio Catheter formed way back in 1997, "Dimension 303" is only their second full-length album in a career distinguished by numerous split 7-inchers with the likes of Unholy Grave and Birdflesh. Catheter are not as extreme as their association with these bands (and their own press release) would suggest; this is not 18 tracks and 35 and a half minutes of hyper blastbeat insanity. Catheter are not adverse to taking their collective foot off the pedal and chugging along crustily at more moderate tempos. Indeed, 'Miserable Existence' even goes so far as to shamelessly pilfer the main riff from Black Sabbath's eponymous sludgefest, a trick they repeat during the album's 'Outro'. As the title of track 15 ('Long Live The Circle Pit') suggests, there's also a fair old dollop of hardcore in Catheter's sound and as such they're not afraid of the odd breakdown. But this is not to say that "Dimension 303" is a blast free zone: - far from it in fact, and when the band do employ the blast they do it with verve and authority.
No lyric sheet was included with my promo copy of this CD, but the song titles suggest that they deal with familiar hardcore and grindcore themes. Each of the three band members contributes vocals and this creates an environment in which harsh, often shrill screams rub shoulders with hardcore-styled shouts and less frequent guttural grunts. Catheter are accomplished musicians (as you might expect from a group which has been plying its trade for so many years) and they acquit themselves well on this release. The drums are powerful and the guitars are fat, although the bass guitar is disappointingly low in the mix. Guitar solos are rare, but surprisingly effective and tuneful when they do appear. The production is quite dry (and, as already mentioned, too light on the bass) but is clear enough to convey the songs well.
Unfortunately, Catheter fall down a little when it comes to their songwriting. The riffs and arrangements display a tendency towards the generic too often for comfort, and little of the material on offer here is particularly memorable. But it'll get your head banging in all the right places, and you'd have to be a picky bastard indeed to argue with that. In summary, this is a solid album which should appeal to genre fans, but it's clear that Catheter don't quite have what it takes to propel them into the grindcore big leagues (such as they are).