Having already stirred up fair amount of fuss with their Metal Blade debut in 2004, the ironically titled _With Triumph Comes Loss_, their latest opus sees the Swiss quintet ramp up their efforts exponentially, as though realising that this could very easily be the album that finally garners them so justly deserved recognition from outside their cult following. The results are as consistently pleasing as they are punishing. With another reliably solid production job courtesy of Tue Madsen, "Kingdom's Rise" signals the attack with about as much subtlety as a mild earthquake. "Denial of Life" adds just the subtle hint of a melody to its bruising mid-section and raises the atmosphere to _Seasons in the Abyss_-like levels, while "Unforgotten" -- perhaps the album's most anthemic track -- recalls a Sepultura of days gone by.

Of course seeing these comparisons may tempt the more cynical to write the band off as just another makeshift modern metal act, but the truth is _Kingdom_ -- while perhaps not up everyone's alley -- is distinctly executed and sincere enough to elevate Cataract to more than just underground hopefuls sooner rather than later.