Album Reviews

Thy Catafalque “XII: A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek” Album Review by Jorge Pozo

Jorge Pozo

November 12, 2024

In the ever-evolving landscape of avant-garde metal, Thy Catafalque stands as a singular force of creative expression. With their twelfth album, “XII: A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek” (meaning “the beautiful dreams are yet to come”), mastermind Tamás Kátai has crafted another masterpiece that seamlessly blends extreme metal, folk music, electronic elements, and progressive rock. Coming just one year after the bleaker and heavier “Alföld,” this new offering showcases a brighter, more expansive sonic palette while maintaining the project’s signature dreamlike qualities.

For over two decades, Kátai has pushed the boundaries of what metal can be, and this latest effort continues that tradition with remarkable sophistication. Working for the first time with producer Gábor Vári, Thy Catafalque has achieved a pristine production that allows every musical element to shine. The album features an impressive roster of over 20 guest musicians, creating a rich tapestry of sounds that spans continents and genres.

The opening track, “Piros kocsi, fekete éj” (Red Carriage, Black Night), sets the tone with its mesmerizing blend of warm keyboards and reverb-drenched guitars. Attila Bakos‘s clean vocals soar with nostalgic energy, recalling the project’s earlier works while pointing toward new horizons. The song’s momentum carries perfectly into the crushing heaviness of “Mindenevö,” where doomy operatic vocals and mechanized blast beats demonstrate Kátai‘s mastery of extreme metal dynamics.

The album’s folk elements shine particularly bright on “Lydiához,” a loving interpretation of a 1980 Sebőensemble classic. The duet between Martina Veronika Horváth and Gábor Dudás exemplifies the album’s ability to honor Hungarian musical traditions while pushing forward into new territory. The integration of classical instruments, including contributions from renowned electric cellist Jo Quail, adds depth and sophistication to the arrangements.

“Vasgyár” stands as one of the album’s heaviest moments, its industrial-strength riffing and blackened intensity reflecting on Hungary’s industrial past. The track exemplifies Kátai‘s ability to weave historical and personal reflection into his compositional approach, creating music that’s both intellectually engaging and viscerally powerful.

The instrumental “Vakond” provides one of the album’s most surprising moments, combining whistling melodies reminiscent of Spaghetti Westerns with progressive rock elements and traditional folk instrumentation. This showcases Thy Catafalque‘s fearless approach to genre-blending and their ability to make seemingly disparate elements work together harmoniously.

“Ködkiraly” (King of Fog) demonstrates the project’s masterful control of dynamics, beginning with ethereal synthesizers and enchanting vocals before descending into crushing doom metal territory. The transition feels organic and earned, a hallmark of Kátai‘s sophisticated compositional style.

The penultimate track “Aláhullás” delivers a furious blast of old-school Thy Catafalque intensity before the album concludes with its title track, “A gyönyörü álmok ezután jönnek.” This finale serves as both a summation of the album’s themes and a hopeful look toward the future, featuring some of the most immediately accessible yet emotionally complex music in the band’s catalog.

Standout tracks include “Piros kocsi, fekete éj” for its perfect balance of nostalgia and innovation, “Lydiához” for its beautiful folk arrangements, and “Ködkiraly” for its masterful tension and release. The bonus track “Babylon,” a cover of an Omega song, provides a fitting epilogue to this remarkable journey.

“XII: A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek” stands as another remarkable achievement in Thy Catafalque‘s impressive discography. The album succeeds in balancing the project’s experimental nature with moments of surprising accessibility, never sacrificing artistic integrity for easy appeal. Tamás Kátai has once again proven himself as one of metal’s most visionary composers, crafting an album that rewards repeated listens with new details and emotional depths to uncover. While it may take several spins for newcomers to fully appreciate its complexities, those who give it the time it deserves will find themselves immersed in one of 2024’s most compelling and ambitious metal releases.

Final Rating: 9/10

THY CATAFALQUE XII A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek

Tracklist:
1. Piros Kocsi, Fekete Éj (4:12)
2. Mindenevö (6:35) [WATCH]
3. Vasgyár (6:18)
4. Világnak Világa (6:28)
5. Nyárfa, Nyírfa (2:53)
6. Lydiához (3:05)
7. Vakond (4:29)
8. Ködkiraly (7:58)
9. Aláhullás (3:48)
10. A Gyönyörü Álmok Ezután Jönnek (3:14) [WATCH]
11. Babylon (Bonus Track – Omega Cover) (3:42) [LISTEN]
Total runtime: 49:02

Recording Lineup
Tamás Kátai – guitar, bass, vocals, keyboards, programming

Guest musicians
Martina Veronika Horváth – vocals on Track 1, 6
Ivett Dudás – vocals on Track 8
Helga Kreiter – vocals on Track 4, 10
Gábor Dudás – vocals on Track 2, 5, 6, 10
Bálint Bokodi – vocals on Track 2, 4, 9
Gábor Veres – vocals on Track 3, 8
Attila Bakos – vocals on Track 1
Zoltán Kónya – vocals on Track 3
András Vörös – vocals on Track 4
Breno Machado – lead guitar on Track 2
Zoltán Vigh – lead guitar on Track 3
Krisztián Varga – lead guitar on Track 4
Daniele Belli – acoustic guitar on Track 2
Miguel Velasquez Matija – fretless bass on Track 2, 6
Edu Giró – oud, bouzouki, baglama on Track 2,7
Grigoris Mitropoulos – bouzouki, mpaglamas on Track 7
Sanja Smileska – violin on Track 3
Jo Quail – electric cello on Track 8
Issar Shulman – contrabass on Track 2
Cal Rustad – French horn on Track 2, 8
Manuel Domenech – cor anglais on Track 8
Khachatrian Lernik – clarinet on Track 2
Gergő Bille – flugelhorn, trumpet on Track 7
Joakim Toftgaard – trombone, trumpet on Track 7
Fabian Hernandez – saxophone on Track 5
Viktória Varga – narration on Track 3
Annamari Sánta – narration on Track 7, 8

Recording
Recorded in various countries: Hungary, United Kingdom, Romania, Ukraine, Italy, Spain, Greece, North Macedonia, Israel, U.S.A., Colombia, Brazil.