PRAYING MANTIS – Katharsis (2022)
British legends PRAYING MANTIS will release their 12th studio album “Katharsis” on Frontiers Music, which sees the long-running act steadily progressing from the sonic signatures of their last album. “Katharsis” features the same line-up that has been featured on the previous two recordings, with vocalist Jaycee Cuijpers and drummer Hans in’t Zandt cementing themselves as part of the band’s ongoing legacy. The two have truly provided a new dimension to the writing process and musical performances delivered by the band.
Together with founding members Tino and Chris Troy and guitarist Andy Burgess, who has been with the band since 2008, they have been crucial not only in the writing of the new songs, but in providing a new vision in terms of sound engineering and production.
To hear the band now, fans will experience both the spirit and energy of the early ’80s together with a technical style that brings the band into the modern era.
Rainer Kalwitz, one of the most well know album cover artists in rock ‘n roll, was commissioned to do the artwork for the album in the same style and stunning quality that so many fans loved on the original Mantis albums like “Time Tells No Lies,” “Predator In Disguise,” and “Legacy.”
The Mantis have created here a timeless, classic hard rock / melodic sound and songs with self-evident crowd-pleasing potential. Both “Cry For The Nations” and “Closer To Heaven” have that classy UFO-like toughness going on, “Sacrifice” is a likeable, cheerfully 80s inspired ballad; while “Wheels In Motion” will sound glorious coming out of a car radio at sundown.
“Ain’t No Rock ‘N’ Roll In Heaven” and “Long Time Coming” are straightforward melodic hard rockers, “Masquerade” is all MAGNUM pomp and lovelorn resignation; “Don’t Call Us Now” is an infectious pop-rock shuffle, with the album’s strongest chorus.
All of the above confirm that PRAYING MANTIS excel crafting melodic hard rock tunes with an eye in the past, and the other into a present, vibrant updated production.
HIGHLY Recommended
01 – Cry for the Nations
02 – Closer to Heaven
03 – Ain’t No Rock ‘n’ Roll in Heaven
04 – Non Omnis Moriar
05 – Long Time Coming
06 – Sacrifice
07 – Wheels in Motion
08 – Masquerade
09 – Find Our Way Back Home
10 – Don’t Call Us Now
11 – The Devil Never Changes
Jaycee Cuijpers – Lead Vocals
Tino Troy – Guitars & Vocals
Chris Troy – Bass & Vocals
Andy Burgess – Guitars, Vocals
Hans in ‘t Zandt – Drums
Pre order:
www.amazon.co.uk/Katharsis-Praying-Mantis/dp/B09JJ5LXWR
