Catalytic - The Voice of Reason Catalytic is a metalcore band playing out of Indianapolis, Indiana. Drawing influence from such bands as In Flames and Killswitch Engage, Catalytic blends bone crushing riffs and blazing solos with dual guitar harmonies and melodic choruses. Catalytic has just released their debut album "The Voice of Reason" and with this album, Catalytic shows they are one of the premier acts in Indiana's underground metal movement. The album opens with the track "Saving This Day". With a muffled intro with some slight skipping in the music like it was being played off a record player. The piano intro trails into the chorus riff. The music then clears up and the band really starts to throw down. Vocalist, Dustin Strole lets out a monstrous scream but seems to have a bit of trouble maintaining. Even though it seems he loses a bit of gusto in the middle of his scream, he finishes strong and the track takes off. This track was a great starting point for the album. It shows the versatility of this band, both displaying how aggressive they can be, along with beautiful guitar rhythms and clean vocal chorus. Vocalist, Dustin Strole, does a magnificent job on this release. His clean vocals are amazing and his aggressive screams are down right nasty. When I first heard his vocal styling, my immediate thought was "Wow, this guy sounds a lot like Howard Jones." Strole's vocals have definitely been influenced by Howard Jones' theatrical style of singing but Strole's screams and fierce growls are heavier. The first 30 seconds in his opening verse of "Believe", he does get a bit carried away with his theatrics but as soon as he gets into the chorus, his vocals level back out. Strole's performance on "Blind Desire" really showcases how vast his vocal range is. Not only can he be precise and clear but when he is singing the chorus, he takes his voice up to another octave, flawlessly. Amazing work. Drummer, Jason Dinwiddie, had a stellar performance on this release. Crashing symbols, thunderous double bass work and a tornado of different drum patterns. Dinwiddie keeps the tempo pushing while bassist, Jesse Curtis lays down some deep bass lines. Curtis' bass playing is incredible and really gels together the whole Catalytic sound, complementing both the guitars and drums with his technique. His bass playing at times does get a bit overshadowed by the guitars and drums but that's not uncommon in metal music today. Guitarists Dustin Chavez and James Donner do an amazing job and compliment each other's guitar playing very well. They keep their picking hands very busy with tight, fast rhythms and their dual guitar harmonies at certain points in their songs are breath taking and leave you craving more. Their riffs are easily catchy and will be stuck in your head almost instantly. I was impressed with their solos. They're not overly complex. Instead, they fit beautifully into the music. The way these two trade off while soloing is fantastic. On the track "Red Stained Plains", the solo work is top notch. The dual guitar harmony in the solo all while effortlessly trading off, shows how talented these two really are. Overall, "The Voice of Reason" is a great album. A must own for any metalcore fan. Catalytic performs at a high level and they have a great mixture of heavy and melodic songs. I look forward to hearing more music from this band. If you so happen to see their name on a show bill, I highly recommend you check this band out. Buy a CD and get a T-shirt. You won't regret it. Tip of the hat, Catalytic. Job well done. SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL MUSIC. The Voice Of Reason Catalytic Release Date: 14 June 2014 https://www.facebook.com/CatalyticMusic Review by Rob Salem One of the perks of working in radio is getting advance copies of upcoming releases. I was recently privileged to get a copy of Catalytic’s soon-to-be-released debut album, The Voice Of Reason, and I’ll be honest—I’m glad I did. I’ve not made any secret out of the fact that despite having not seen Catalytic live(yet—I intend to remedy this ASAP) I’m a fan. This comes in part from the fact that I've been playing a couple of their demo tracks on The Forge for a while now, but also from the fact that these guys are active in the Indianapolis metal scene, and big advocates of not only themselves, but of other great bands in the scene. With that said, I took the time to listen to The Voice Of Reason a few times through, and to make sure that I was listening not as a fan, but as a critic. Here are my thoughts: The Voice Of Reason is a solid album from start to finish. The production quality is great, making it easy to listen to, but also to hear everything that’s going on. These guys aren't super-technical, and they’re not necessarily doing anything innovative with their sound, but that’s okay; they know their music, they know their sound, and they know what they’re good at. One of the things that they demonstrate is diversity in their sound while maintaining consistency. The songs range from thrashing shredders to down-tempo ballad-feeling tunes that succeed at evoking the introspective ear (‘Believe’). Dustin Strole gives his vocals a workout as he moves back and forth from melodic cleans to gut-wrenching roars, but he does it well; he obviously knows his range and sensibly works within it, while never sacrificing any of his power. The guitar work of James Donner and Dustin Chavez is tight, but I think only hints at what these guys are really capable of. Tracks like ‘Red Stained Plains’ evoke the riffing of Amon Amarth at times, while other tracks definitely pull from the New England metalcore sound; these guys obviously have talent, and I’d like to see them stretch their wings a little more by writing some riffs that push the boundaries of their comfort zones and really challenge themselves and each other. Jesse Curtis on bass and Jason Dinwiddie on drums lay down thunder as a tight-as-hell rhythm section that drives the rest of the band while maintaining an unshakable foundation that gives the guitars and vocals the elevation they need to soar. All in all, The Voice Of Reason is an impressive first offering. The original demos that Catalytic released in 2013 were good in and of themselves, but hearing those tracks get that studio polish and go through some of the evolution that is expected of produced studio work demonstrates that these guys take their craft seriously and are always looking to improve upon and perfect things that are already considered good. The Voice Of Reason is going to stay in my personal rotation for a while to come, and I can guarantee you’ll be hearing it regularly on The Forge; I only hope that there’s a label somewhere smart enough to pick it up for distribution. Catalytic is poised to help put the Indianapolis metal scene back on the map, and I’m proud to say that you heard it heard it first on The Forge.