Out of the Ashes marks the third full-length release by the Symphonic Gothic Metal act Katra. Of course, this is yet another female fronted act, but it does wind up having a good amount of things working in it's favor to make them stand out moreso in the crowd. The band's more symphonic approach has been matured over the years since their debut offering, which was met with mixed reviews. The band's more current sound offers a slightly unique take on the style, and the vocals to this release sound full and perfectly fit the music and atmospheres that the rich harmonies and atmospheres give off, almost as if they were to be performed by some fantasy-based Symphonic Power Metal outfit. With strong songs and an overall well developed sound, Out of the Ashes makes a mark in the female fronted Gothic world, but just how big an impression does it leave behind?
The first thing that stands out about this album, aside the more Hard Rock guitars that adorn the opening of "Delirium" which are exciting to hear, though a little inappropriate and give off the wrong sound for the atmosphere of this track, is the vocals. One thing that plagues many famel fronted bands in the Gothic Rock/Metal style is that the vocals don't match the music or atmosphere, coming off rather young against a heavy, more matured musical backdrop. Katra features vocals that sometimes can hit a higher note, but don't come off as if they are being done by a highschool teenage girl. Instead, the vocals here are beautiful in sync with the music and atmosphere of the album, which, in many cases, sound like the aforementioned fantastical atmosphere that a Symphonic Power Metal album would present. "One Wish Away" is the perfect example. This song features a slower pace with some heavier music that is given a classical approach thanks to the keyboards, all working together to give off a somewhat fantasy oriented atmosphere to the album with rich, matured vocals that are simply angelic and soothing.
There are plenty of great tracks on this release, such as the emotion provoking "Vendetta". This track stands out due to it's more Rock oriented verses meshed with haunting choruses that feature a strong vocal performance, as well as having some rather depressing lyrical content to anyone who may have had a fight with a significant other. While the lyrics may not really be about that, it's just that overall feeling you get from the song overall. Of course, outside the specific feling of an argument between lovers, this is the environment that much of the album gives off, perhaps best summed up as a scorned romance. Of course, there are otherapproaches to the lyrics, such as "Mirror", which appears to be a song about not having much self-esteem. Sadly, this is one of the fewer enjoyable tracks on the album. The slower paced music doesn't really have much going for it, and the vocals and keyboards seem to just push it along, and in the end pretty much just drag it along. This somewhat generic and unappealing track is a bit of a shock, especially after the ballad track "Envy", which is also a bit generic due to it's becoming a staple for female fronted Gothc acts, but it's still an enjoyable track that has more power to it then "Mirror" does. "Anthem" comes off as a great track in itself, but the bridge prior to the guitar solo makes things a little odd. While the band is known for expressing Egyptian-inspired lyrics, this album doesn't really fit that kind of atmosphere, so the Egyptian-based harmonized vocals that appear in the background just feel out of place.
Overall, Out of the Ashes has a few moments that aren't as strong as they should be, but is a solid album none the less. There's plenty of great songs on here that can be both powerful and moving, though some generic ideas and concepts are still lurking around in the music. The Symphonic element of the music really helps to add some much needed atmosphere to the release that many acts in this style lack greatly. With haunting songs that will stay with the listener for a good while, Out of the Ashes will quickly become a favorite for fans of the genre, as well as give many reasons to go back for repeat spins.
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