Label: Iron Shield Records
Date: April 5th, 2024
I never liked domestic cats, least of all the cat’s breath. Until I discovered German metallers, Catbreath. I cannot remember when I was laughing that much reading the lyrics and having so much fun listening to the music (in a positive way).
But, let me start with the album cover. Absolutely amazing. Thrash metal cat in a dark alley slicing rats depicts to the album title “Slice ‘Em All”. If you don’t think about Metallica now, you are not a metal fan at all. Leave this page! Brilliant cover art is signed by Timon Kokott, maybe the most recognizable by his work for Darkness or Horn.
Everything about this band and their album associates me to something, cartoons mostly. Listening to their songs I can easily make my own Itchy & Scratchy cartoon. And really, if I think seriously, I can draw the parallel between Itchy & Scratchy and Catbreath. Itchy & Scratchy are violent. Catbreath creates violent music. Because thrash metal must be violent. Ok, maybe the word is too strong, but you know what I mean. Next, the Itchy & Scratchy show is the show within a show. Cathbreath are the band that makes their own show within the thrash metal genre. Itchy & Scratchy is a parody on traditional cartoons. Cathbreath is a parody on traditional thrash metal (maybe). Itchy & Scratchy has specific humour as well as Catbreath. Both, Itchy & Scratchy and Catbreath are not for everyone.
What is under the surface? What does Freddy hide?
Yes, the guys are full of humour but at the same time they serve a portion of sharp anti-fascist lyrical themes. They have a very strong and formed attitude. Band’s alter ego, Freddie, the fat city cat, deals with the rats (fascists). “All Paws Are Equal” defends the attitude that all people should have equal rights no matter the colour of the skin, sex or race. United against inhumanity, those thrash cats from Kiel don’t like lies or plastic smiles, people brainwashed by TV programs who believe in conspiracy theories. They can’t stand the twisted truth. But there is a solution for the “problems” they have. Fat Freddy’s already settled the fate, if his breath won’t kill you his claws will do for sure.
If I must exclude one song, that would be “Black Revenger”. Listening to this song, lyrics and music made a perfect animated movie in my head. I got a clear idea of what Freddy looks like, how he lives and is departed from what Kokott offered us as an artistic solution.
Strong attitude and clear messages are imbued with a dose of specific humour:
“Better clean my box again and accept reality
Nothing strange the way things are
Just keep bowin‘ down and kiss the fuckin claw….”
“Ups, the brand new carpet
Sorry for puking again
Darling would you mind to clean the mess again?”
Album is overall very energetic, there are no breaks, songs are replacing each other in a blink of an eye.
This is pure thrash metal sliced with old school hard core. You might recognize Body Count, Biohazard, Sick Of It All or Agnostic Front influences, but Catbreath serve it fresh.
It has been such a long time since I have had so much fun listening to an album. But it makes me wonder how long this cat story could be sustainable. The future will show.
And the final message from Freddy:
“If you don’t like the album – talk to the paw. If you like it – paws up!”
