Praying Mantis' 'Katharsis' - Album Review

Whilst I was quite rude about the Italian record label Frontiers Records in my recent review of Giant's Shifting Time (which can be read here) there are some bands, particularly older bands, that really benefit from the label's existence. Once such band is Praying Mantis, a five-piece melodic hard rock act that originally rose to prominence during the NWOBHM movement of the early 1980s. Praying Mantis' genesis actually pre-dates the NWOBHM era significantly, with early incarnations of the band appearing as far back as 1973, but it was 1980 when the band truly established themselves - with the release of their self-titled single and the appearance of Captured City on the legendary NWOBHM compilation album Metal for Muthas. Their debut album, Time Tells No Lies, followed a year later - but it failed to make significant waves. Time Tells No Lies has since been regarded as a classic of the era, but at the time it did not make the expected impact. A year later the band were no more, and little was heard from them until a reunion in 1990. Despite the quality of Time Tells No Lies' material, its more overtly melodic sound was at odds with the rest of the NWOBHM movement. Praying Mantis have never been a metal band in the truest sense, either, with their focus on twin-lead guitar lines, keyboards, and huge vocal harmonies having more in common with melodic hard rock and AOR than metal. The band were always popular in Japan, however, and when they reunited in 1990 they essentially focused on the Japanese market. Between 1991 and 2003 the band released six albums, which were largely only available outside of Japan as an import. Praying Mantis knew which side their bread was buttered, but eventually folded again in 2003 following the release of 2003's The Journey Goes On. Five years later the band were back together again though, with yet another new line-up (brothers guitarist Tino and bassist Chris Troy are the band's only constant members), and this is where Frontiers really stepped in. Both The Journey Goes On and 2000's Nowhere to Hide had seen limited a European release through Frontiers, but 2009's Sanctuary was the first Praying Mantis album since their debut to be properly marketed outside of Japan. It was a critical success, and laid the groundwork for what the band would do over the next decade. More line-up changes followed, but the band has largely been stable since 2013 - when frontman John Cuijpers and drummer Hans in 't Zandt joined forces with the Troy brothers and guitarist Andy Burgess (who has been in situ since the 2009 reunion). The band's current line-up is now the longest-running to date, and last month they released their third studio album Katharsis. Katharsis follows 2015's Legacy (which I reviewed here) and 2018's Gravity (which I also reviewed here). Legacy is probably my favourite Praying Mantis album, with Gravity being a bit of a step down in my opinion. As much as I have been enjoying Katharsis over the past few weeks, for me it is another step down. There is plenty to enjoy here, and the Praying Mantis sound is intact, but for me the hooks and melodies are not as strong this time.

The album opens with its lead single Cry for the Nations. It is not a cover of the Michael Schenker Group classic, but a melodic track that is very much in the Praying Mantis mould. It opens with a rolling piano melody, which is soon picked up by the duelling guitars of Tino and Burgess - following a dramatic drum build up from Zandt. Those who have enjoyed anything that Praying Mantis have done in recent years will instantly be drawn to the track, as it is a real melodic feast. It is one of my favourite tracks here too, as it showcases the band at their best. Cuijpers is easily the best singer that the band have ever had on a permanent basis, and his dramatic performance brings the relatively low key verses to life. The piano from the intro dominates the verses musically, although the drums and Chris' bass keep the pace moving nicely. The choruses see the power ramp up somewhat, with some trademark vocal harmonies and a plethora of guitar leads adding depth. Whilst the song does not contain a guitar solo, both Tino and Burgess are busy throughout. There are lots of melodic moments during the song, and the main guitar hook is one of the album's catchiest moments. It allows the album to start with a bang, and it a song that is sure to go down well live. Closer to Heaven also opens with a piano melody, but it is shorter-lived this time - as the song soon explodes into a hooky, mid-paced AOR anthem. It is based around a muscular guitar pattern and a staccato rhythm, but the song is bulked out throughout by some 1980s-esque synths and plenty of big vocal harmonies. Cuijpers might be the band's best singer to date, but the band as a whole have always excelled at harmonies. There are plenty throughout the album, but the chorus here is one of the best examples of the band's ability in this regard. They help Cuijpers' melodies to really shine, and the added pomp from the synth stabs ensure that the chorus is a winner. A melodic guitar solo takes the song to the next level, too, and the track is another overall album highlight for me. Sadly, the quality takes quite a dip following this excellent opening one-two punch. Ain't No Rock 'n' Roll in Heaven is a short, throwaway piece written by one of the band's former singers Tommy Jackson - and its boogie, 1970s-esque hard rock vibe really clashes with the band's general melodic sheen. The song has a much more organic sound than usual, with organ sounds and bluesy guitar riffs - which makes it stick out like a sore thumb in the band's canon. There are moments of familiarity, and Cuijpers delivers the vocal with real conviction, but for me the song is too leaden for a band like Praying Mantis - whose whole sound is based on soaring hooks and a smooth overall sheen. Non Omnis Moriar, which translates from Latin as 'not all of me will die', gets the album back on track. It is not as hooky as the opening two cuts, but sound-wise it sounds like Praying Mantis - albeit a bit grander. Zandt's drumming is somewhat heavier than usual too, with some driving double bass drum patterns during the verses, but there is still room for a few trademark guitar harmonies - with the one that follows the chorus in particular standing out. For me, however, the song's chorus does not quite hit the spot. It feels a little sluggish given the grandness of the piece, but the guitar work throughout it is strong and the song as a whole is still enjoyable.

Long Time Coming is more of an upbeat piece. Jackson also wrote it, but this time in collaboration with Tino. The is something of the brashness of Ain't No Rock 'n' Roll in Heaven to be heard throughout Long Time Coming, but overall the song fits the Praying Mantis mould. The main guitar riff has something of an AC/DC feel to it, which does make it stand out somewhat, but there is a lushness throughout thanks to subtle layer of keyboards - and there are times when the big riffing drops out to be replaced by melodic guitar arpeggios instead. The song is a bit of a mix of sounds as a result, but there is enough of the classic Praying Mantis sound to make it sound at home on the album. The chorus is pretty hooky too, and it makes great use of AOR-esque harmony vocals - even if the guitar tone throughout is dirtier than usual. Sacrifice returns fully to the classic Praying Mantis sound, and is something of an epic ballad that features some excellent vocals from Cuijpers and some great piano playing. Most of the keyboards throughout the album are played by the band, although Jean-Pierre Kerkhofs is also credited. The piano and keyboard work throughout Sacrifice is great, though, regardless of who is responsible for it; and it forms a lush backing for Cuijpers' voice. It also allows the guitars to generally take a slightly more melodic route than 'just' laying down a riff. There are lots of little guitar licks throughout the piece; and given the song's ballad-esque nature it should not surprise anyone that an emotionally-charged guitar solo is included. Wheels in Motion stands out as it features Chris singing lead in place of Cuijpers. While he is a competent singer, and contributes excellent backing vocals, he is certainly no Cuijpers - so the song immediately suffers as a result. One of the reason why Time Tells No Lies may not have been successful is the lack of a great lead singer. Lead vocal duties were shared amongst the band, and there is a reason why live versions of the band's early songs are almost always superior to the originals. That being said, Wheels in Motion is a decent track - and there are plenty of Praying Mantisisms to be found throughout, including a well-phrased guitar solo. The vocals do knock it down a peg or two, however, and I would have preferred Cuijpers to sing it. Masquerade restores Cuijpers to his proper position, however, which is fitting as it is one of the two songs here that he co-wrote (the other being Closer to Heaven). The song goes for a similarly grand sound as Non Omnis Moriar, but surpasses the earlier track. It is a song that really benefits from Cuijpers' occasional vocal similarity to Ronnie James Dio, and there are certainly shades of Dio's work with Rainbow to be found here - especially the soaring chorus and some of the neo-classical guitar leads. The band have not gone for a Rainbow-esque sound, however, and the track still sounds very much like Praying Mantis. There is no Hammond organ, for example, but some of the guitar playing does come from the Ritchie Blackmore school - even if it is filtered through the band's usual approach to harmony-based leads.

Find Our Way Back Home is more light-hearted, with the drama of Masquerade swapped for a buzzing synth melody and some laid back grooves. Zandt's drumming throughout is very swing-focused, which really allows the song's carefree attitude to shine through. Despite this relatively simplicity, there is actually quite a lot going on musically. Some of Chris' bass playing is very busy, and there are moments that feature prominent acoustic guitars - which is something of a rarity for Praying Mantis. There is still enough of the band's core sound throughout, however, to ensure that the song feels at home on the album. Cuijpers' vocal melodies are very typical of the band's style, while the synth melody harks back to the band's 1980s roots. Don't Call Us Now opens with a metronomic drum beat and some harmony guitar melodies which are strangely low in the mix. It is a bit of an odd song overall, which has some parts that like and parts that I do not. I really like the song's verses. They are backed by an interesting guitar motif which is a little different from the norm - but still carries the verse in a very classic Praying Mantis-esque way. The choruses, however, feel weak to me. The melodies feel rote, and the boogie piano in the background feels a little strange. The chorus feels like it should be an epic one, but the melodies are quite flat in my opinion, which is a shame. I like the instrumental section, however, which features some great guitar soloing. There is also a synth-led section that precedes the soloing, which again is different from the norm but it still works well. It is a song that feels like it was made up of a few disparate ideas that were thrown together. Some bits work well, while other bits do not - like the strange southern rock-esque about face that happens at the end. The album comes to a close with The Devil Never Changes, a very classic-sounding Praying Mantis song that returns to the band's core sound following some deviation. The song is quite similar to Cry for the Nations, although not quite as heavy - but there are still plenty of strong melodies and guitar leads throughout. Cuijpers' vocal display is as strong as ever, and the chorus is memorable - with lots of wordless vocal hooks from the whole band. The song sounds massive as a result, and it has a rather lush feel thanks to the overall lack of thick riffing. Guitar leads tend to lead the way instead, which only helps to add to the overall melodic feel of the piece. These, when taken with the song's big chorus, ensure that the song is one of the album's most memorable cuts - and it ends the album on a soaring high. It also makes me realise that the best moments here are those when the band is just content to be themselves. Praying Mantis are at their best when they sound like Praying Mantis, but there are a few songs here that try new things and fall flat. I always like to see a band trying something new, but boogie rock and roll and even southern rock are not sounds that suit Praying Mantis. For me, Katharsis is a step down in quality from the previous two albums - but there is still plenty to like here. When the band play to their strengths the album soars, but a few strange decisions stop it from being a classic.

The album was released on 28th January 2022 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Cry for the Nations.