Review Summary: Ratmatazz.
Threshold is a grindcore/hardcore album including but not limited to the shrieks of humans sounding like demon rats. The vocals are at the forefront of interest, driven from hardcore music styling. Cloud Rat remain furious with each passing song, and machine-like guitar and drum work keep their audience on a razor’s edge. It’s fun and repetitive, but not tedious to make it through the album. Instrumentally, the drummer steals the show with a rhythm that is unstoppable, but riffs are hyper-hectic as well. There’s exceptions to the norms in a few songs with riffs that strike a sludge/doom chord, but generally Cloud Rat’s pace leaves little time for tea breaks.
The aspect that withholds Threshold from excellence is songwriting. It’s difficult to pick out groovy, head banging moments amongst infinite drum lashes, and the crude barrage of noise from the electric guitar. Also, similar guitar and drum patterns are used on a constant basis - consistent indeed - but feeling somewhat copy-pasted. Somewhat I say, because the riffs are quite good, and quite heavy. There’s melodies present as well, but I wouldn’t worry about them, it’s all about those
rattastic vocals.
Threshold bangs hard but sacrifices much nuance in the process. The album feels a little too routine to provide a classy showcase. The drums feel slapped on like a peace of machinery very loosely attached to a Mad Max vehicle, and the riffs can be tuned out. It all comes down to the songwriting. Dynamics stay the same, and tracks build up to sections that don’t sound much different from a previous section. The harsh vocals are also a complete blur, and deciphering lyrics takes the same determination as a National Treasure character investigating ancient hieroglyphics. As far as bass guitar I couldn’t have less to say - it exists, I suppose.
Ultimately, this is a hard enough album that my misgivings are pushed fairly far aside. The spastic vocal work is quite an outing, as is the bonkers drumming. It’s a screwball album, but with decently on point riffing filling the need for consistency. Cloud Rat’s frenetic energy is bottled and shines enthusiastically from a rhythmically solid framework. It’s no groundbreaking album, but a great effort is clear and triumphantly displayed, and I was entertained well enough.
