Ballady

This is my only experience with Kat, and I understand from the beautiful lady who gave this to me, as well as reading about their other material, that this does NOT represent the usual Kat sound! So please read the following with that in mind.

Not hard to guess what "Ballady" translates to in English, but this isn't really an album of ballads, but some odd meandering homage to ancient Judas Priest and Scorpions...without the catchy riffs or musical brilliance.

I listen to a lot of different kinds of music, and have not experienced anything exactly like the material on "Ballady", but I can compare it to some newly-formed classic rock bar band playing what they think is moody music, except half the band is playing a different song from the other half! I really can't describe how "off" this stuff is in many recurring instances; it really does sound as if there are 2 different songs being played at times. In terms of being very original, I guess that sets Kat apart from other metal bands. Just not in an appealing way.

The songs are for the most part cohesive, but many times a wildly divergent melody or under-melody clashes with the established melody or main riff, maybe an attempt at some sort of harmony? This is not only with the instruments, but with the vocals as well! Having listened to very many Polish bands who have Polish vocals, I have never before encountered such a mis-match of vocal phrasings and music...it is as if the vocalist is mumbling randomly in many cases, and then decides to begin singing, regardless of the direction the song is taking! This does not continue constantly, but does happen frequently enough to keep the listener baffled. For the curious, the vocals are very old-time heavy metal lower raspy type, ala Uli Jon Roth, Demon, or perhaps some of Uriah Heep's stuff. I get the idea that even if I DID understand all the lyrics, the vocals would still be awkward and a negative facet.

The music is very rarely what one would expect if this was intended as "ballads"...it is just very forgettable and poorly composed ancient heavy metal of a slower gloomy sort, meaning not-too-distorted (but loud) guitars, bass, and very simple drumming. What puzzles me is the noticeable lack of ANY memorable parts within the songs; OK, upon repeated listens, there are maybe 3 parts that stick in my mind, but nothing that makes me say "WOW, that's cool!" I just happen to remember them because they are mildly less forgettable than everything else. There is a bit of piano on here, too, for the record. Don't get the idea that this sounds like a bunch of hippies doing a deplorable jam-fest; rather it is a group of metal musicians seemingly trying to slap together what they felt to be entertaining pieces of music. I can't begin to fathom anyone composing this and feeling that it's great, let alone even acceptable! And the key words are "slap together", as most songs have this discontinuous directionless feeling of random ideas being slapped together and called a song. Add this directionless, random music with the unappealing, random vocals and you have the opposite of a winner!

From the reviews I've read about Kat's other stuff, I DO want to get one of their thrash albums...I simply wanted to warn everyone about "Ballady". I've listened to it over the years from numerous attitudes and reference points, but always it remains worthless. Other than the 37 points I gave it for my own sentimental value. The other 2 points are for simply being real music, or something other than rap!