The Catalyst reviewed in Skyscraper

The Catalyst got a nice review of their "Marianas Trench+9" CD in the newest issue of Skyscraper, issue # 30:

The first song on the Marianas Trench EP, initially released back in 2007, is entitled “This Bike is a Gravity Bong,” a phrase which some readers may recognize from the Richmond, Virginia, band’s red-and-black stickers that have been plastered on so many amps and bikes around the country. A few weeks ago when I slept on their couch, I noticed that the gravity bong in their living room, which is utilized at any hour of the day by various members of the household, has that same sticker on it only it says “This Gravity Bong Is a Gravity Bong.” And in a way, that sums up The Catalyst’s sound. Although much heavier at times than a lot of what people think of as stoner rock, they still follow in the footsteps of pothead rockers such as Pantera and the Melvins. In addition, two of the songs seem to take cue from Fugazi, with Joe Lally-style bass lines and spazzy guitars which then turn into heavy riffs of power cords. Live, the band sports two drummers and a powerfully loud wall of sound. I would definitely recommend The Catalyst to anyone into the heavier, grungier, stonier side of music. For this remastered CD edition, songs from a pair of out-of-print splits have been compiled with the originally four-song Marianas Trench 12-inch EP, making this disc a pretty succinct introduction to this hard rockin’ punk band. (John Vogel)