Katakan – Heart Of Stone (2023)
Self-described as “a stoner rock quintet with a passion for riffs”, female-fronted foursome Katakan merge elements of rock and metal quickly finding a sound that is entirely Katakan. While the Covid-19 pandemic brought the music industry to a halt, some bands have risen from the ashes like a phoenix – Katakan is one of them. Despite their newbie status, Katakan is already turning heads. With their confident, fiery performances, the lads and lady are certainly causing a stir and garnering a loyal following. Yet, it is not only their enthusiastic shows that intoxicate people as they reach across the blogosphere on playlists (and more to come). Come with us as we delve into their debut single – it’s totally worth the dive!
Inspired by the likes of Doomriders, Mastodon and Baroness, you can imagine Katakan to be rather heavy. They do not disappoint. Recorded with Frank Rotthier at Antwerp’s Rockstar Recordings, ‘Heart Of Stone’ finds the line between vintage and contemporary hard rock. An interplay of Frederic and Jeroen’s guitars slides listeners into a harmonic battle of rock. About two minutes in, the guitars step aside to introduce Stijn’s bold bass with a pounding of Wouter’s drums layering ‘Heart Of Stone’ in a comfortable swirl of hard rock. Don’t get too comfortable though.
Inspired by the Witcher Universe, ‘Heart Of Stone’ takes a rollercoaster ride through this fantastical realm. Tumultuous at times, a shimmer of metal rides in the background with pounding drums; however, it quickly subsides as if a lick of danger leaving its taint on your soul. Interestingly, while the melody wraps about in an overwhelming darkness, Ellen’s rich vocals guide you on the journey extending a silvery hand in the gloom.
I’ll admit, when I hit the play button, I was unsure what to expect. I looked at it being seven minutes in length and prayed for something engrossing; I got that. From the opening chord to the closing guitar, an ebb and flow of moving hard rock sent me reeling in a mystical swoop of sound. Highly sophisticated with a languid sincerity hushed in the heavy tune, ‘Heart Of Stone’ is an earworm I can play over and over again. I cannot wait for more from the talented Katakan.
For more from Katakan, check out their official website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
Discover more hard-hitting hard rock tunes on The Other Side Review Hard Rock playlist:
