Zitat:Review zum Album:
This album brought back moody thoughts. Hell no, "Hymns Of Dissension" is an excellent album and KATAGORY V is now placed among my favorite new-met acts the last years. It”™s just the feeling possessing my mind: what the hell is going wrong with Metal fans being skeptic towards (real) US Power/Prog Metal bands? Excellent musicians, great songwriting and - most of all - authentic ”™metal”™ songs do not seem charming enough anymore(?). Please, bring back the late 80s/early-to-mid 90s days!

KATAGORY V applies to the thinking Metal fan. Both ”™thinking”™ and ”™metal”™, I repeat. The instrumentation is near perfection; all players are demonic and the chemistry between guitar masters Curtis Morrell and Mark Hanson is the critical fact for KATAGORY V”™s vibe. My god, there”™s been a tremendous job done in guitars. Who can recall the wise ”™US Metal”™ creations of bands like HELSTAR (in "Nosferatu"), early FATES WARNING (the John Arch era), non-epic JAG PANZER or ARCANE (in their brilliant "Destination Unknown" sole full-length opus)? Both guitars are breathing fire, there”™s no limit in soloing & leads plus it”™s obvious the twin dynamite holds the flame of the Jabs/Schenker, Smith/Murray and Tipton/Downing authority in full respect.

"Hymns Of Dissension" is the fourth studio album by the band. Unfortunately, I have not yet had the chance to check out their previous efforts but - one way or another - the "HOD" tracklist bears the unique charisma of being both catchy and multipart, soaring and serene, methodical and untainted. Whoever”™s now passed his/her 30ies by now can surely recall how challenging this Heavy/Power/(pre)Prog/Technical Metal stuff in the USA was 15-20 years ago. Bands worked endlessly, successfully combined their incessant virtuosity with the Metal vehemence of them being fans and...take the LA Glam ”™poser”™ outburst plus the Bay Area Thrash typhoon...and then there were few. Just recall the reversal of e.g. QUEENSRYCHE or FATES WARNING during that era.

I like "Hymns Of Dissension" cause it proudly holds the torch of technical Power/Prog Metal the American way. I love Allers”™ vocals, in addition. He is melodic, high-pitched and epic at the same time. He surely knows how to impress the listener. All in all, KATAGORY V just won another Metal fan, even if Salt Lake City, Utah, USA knows them since 1999. (Quelle: www.metal-temple.com)