Artist: Cata9tales
Album: Hello Maybe Everything
Genre: Alternative Hip-Hop

Despite going by a moniker that I would have given second (or third) thoughts to, an act’s name should never define who they are, but sometimes it can hint at what they’re all about. In the case of Cata9tales, that notion could lead to different interpretations and I wish I could say that it’s metaphorical in the sense that their music is a tool created and utilized by the duo to dominate and exert control over peers and competition, but I don’t think these East Coast hip-hoppers are quite on that level just yet. The album isn’t quite torturous by any means but I’d be lying if I said that there weren’t times throughout Hello Maybe Everything that I wished I was given a “safe word.”

I can admit that there were times in my early to mid teen years that I listened to (and even enjoyed) acts like Rehab and Crazy Town, and with that sentiment, any remaining fans of said outfits could very well find Cata9tales to be enjoyable. They seem to have that kind of angsty rock-roots feel that has spilled over or tranformed into their hip-hop creations which, apart from the aforementioned suspected influences, also seemingly pulls in inspirations ranging from Bone Thugs to Eminem. Even as he’s a ways off from being the next Twista, Busta, Tecca Nina, or even Mac Lethal for that matter, flamboyant emcee Berkley Priest raps impressively fast throughout their new album which is easily one of the best parts about it. The way he flies through carefully chosen inflections makes for one helluva flow.

The lyrics, however, have their ups and downs on HME, ranging from rather mawkish, to relatable, to hype-worthy, but the most enjoyable thing upon listening has to be the easily appreciable slew of pop culture mentions. Taking the time to pick the references out of the quick flow like a bear snatching salmon from a stream, you can manage to find endless name drops of renowned artists, beloved films, and nostalgic reminiscences; Jurassic Park, Star Wars, Sublime, Inception, Tracy Chapman, Thundercats, Jason Bourne, etc.

In terms of sound, Kreator’s beats/production is very decent and works greatly on nearly every track save for a couple questionable calls (primarily “Bestella”). My favorite song when it comes to all things vox-free may be one of the simplest, but the title track and album closer has a beautiful, ambient layout that could easily lull you to sleep as an instrumental. Even though driven by a generic and simple melody, “When Doves Lie” is also great, but sounds suspiciously identical to the soothing “So High” from Ghost Loft. Intentional or not I’ve always been a fan of that song so it works for me, and kicking off with a line borrowed from the late Biggie Smalls can’t hurt, right?

Further influences could easily be suspected to have been sparked by the likes of Psychopathic Records acts such as ICP and Twiztid although I’d rather not believe that’s the case, but due to darker elements in the sound displayed prominently on tracks like “Robin Hood Rich,” “Children of the Cloud,” and “Stereoblivion” it’d be easy to make these assumptions. Then again, I did mention Tech N9ne previously…

One of the main afflictions plaguing Hello Maybe Everything is the fact that outside of maybe a track or two, vocally there is next to no variation on the album apart from samples and guest spots on choruses. This can become tiring rather quickly and even despite the changes the production goes through throughout the album, Berkley’s vocals still manage to stay relatively the same and begin to meld together from track to track which ultimately distracts from the music for the most part, making each of those songs sound far too similar.

Hello Maybe Everything has some impressive aspects going for it; Kreator’s chops on the boards, Berkley’s spittability (I think I made that up), and some unique songwriting elements such as gothic/industrial-like choruses. With some more variation and fresh ideas, these aspects could make for a great record, but for what it is as it currently stands, regardless of the meager shining moments and fun lyrical Easter eggs, HME can feel like a bit of a chore to work through. But, as the duo (whom you’d never suspect to be a rap act by looking at them) have already gained quite a following, I think as they further develop that push and gain some proper attention and technical support that they could very well have an excellent album in them in due time.

SCORE: 6.5/10

Review written by: Brian Lion – Follow him on Twitter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5D6hYPzZA0Y&sns=fb

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Brian Leak

Editor-In-Chief. King of forgetting drinks in the freezer. Pop culture pack rat. X-Phile. LOST apologist.

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