Catharsis cover

Catharsis

Released

Guitarist Yvette Young is something like a Steve Vai for a generation raised on Midwest emo and math rock. The third album by her band Covet is a feast of tuneful shred, distilled into high-gloss compositions that bridge the gap between the more anthemic realms of progressive metal and the sharply hewn pastoral prog of bands like toe. Young’s writing style is knotty and her playing style high-tech but she’s a melodist at heart, and whether on the power-ballad-like “merlin” or the pop-rock-ish “firebird,” stirring hooks keep these pieces feeling more like warmhearted songs without words than guitar-geek workouts.

Hank Shteamer

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