‘…rather than making their sound palatable to the mainstream, they have opted to get darker, weirder, and heavier…’
After representing their nation on the European stage last May, Lithuania’s Katarsis have found themselves quite the cult following. Originally the solo project of vocalist Lukas Radzevičius, Katarsis emerged in 2019, and became a fully-fledged four-piece as Radzevičius sought to bring the project to live stages. Following on from a steady flow of singles throughout 2022 and 2023, the band released their debut EP, ‘Dausos’, in 2024.
Things truly took off in 2025, however, with the band entering a certain major European song contest with their single, ‘Tavo akys’. Instantly gaining a following for their unusual, bleak, and atmospheric sound, the band would go on to play to sold out audiences across Europe, including three nights in both London and Berlin. That momentum has continued into 2026, with the band not only taking off across Europe for another headline tour, but the release of their hotly anticipated debut album, ‘Žiedlapis tau’ (‘Petals for you’).
The record commences with a title track that seeks to set the tone perfectly. It’s an ethereal, introductory number, with a heavy focus on a dark yet glistening instrumental; Radzevičius’ vocals are haunting and abstract, woven into the mix like another instrumental layer. The energy shifts up a notch with ‘Likę tik randai’ (‘Only scars remain’); a shimmering, gothic number that plays with post-punk ideas. Hypnotic guitars and pounding drums transforms into a lo-fi dance beat that pulls you in and sweeps you away, before coalescing the two ideas into an electrifying and entrancing soundscape.
‘Kada’ (‘When’) serves as a fuzzy alternative rock cut that layers beautiful vocal harmonies over thick, distorted guitar melodies. The drums sound immense in their scale, thumping with a monstrous and unapologetic grit. ‘Laikei tu mane’ (‘You held me’) is dramatic and driving, buoyed by a percussive backbone that strikes at your very core. The band’s capacity to mix gloom with groove is at full display here, with sweeping yet claustrophobic soundscapes delivered with an undeniable intensity.
On ‘Neleisk man’ (‘Don’t let me’) Radzevičius’ vocals are bolder than ever before, with a pleading edge to his sorrowful bellows. It’s a blindingly bright bolt of light in the midst of the record’s dusky soundscapes. ‘Malda’ (‘A prayer’) sees the band’s sound evolve into something little industrial in nature; stomping rhythms are conjured up from metallic percussion and thick, smoky bass lines, whilst vague melodies haunt the upper territories of the track.
The real highlights of the record, however, are undoubtedly the project’s two lead singles. ‘Tavo akys’ (‘Your eyes’), even over a year from its release, remains a phenomenal listen, building from menacing percussive work and bleak vocal murmurs, to a cataclysmic climax with a genuinely soul-stirring performance from Radzevičius. ‘Kas man be jūros’ (‘Who am I without the sea’) commences with loosely jangling guitars, almost as if being stirred by a breeze, before snaking through gloomy yet enchanting passages that are illuminated by understated hooks. The surging, hypnotic beats in the back half of the track are transcendental to behold.
The biggest flaw of the record is the greatest flaw that a record can have: you want even more than what has been presented. Katarsis are experts at sculpting monolithic soundscapes that pull you into wholly different worlds, but too many of the tracks here end too quickly for that effect to take place. What is here is fantastic, but the record does not even reach the thirty minute mark, and many of the tracks only just creep over the two minute threshold. It is an album that is begging for a five-minute shoegaze behemoth as a centre piece.
Regardless, it is impressive that Katarsis have stayed true to their identity with ‘Žiedlapis tau’; rather than making their sound palatable to the mainstream, they have opted to get darker, weirder, and heavier, and the result is a fantastic debut record that puts Lithuania’s alternative rock scene firmly on the map. If you happen to have a snow packed forest glistening under a full moon nearby, play this loud and pretend to bleed out.
RATING: 76/100
For Fans Of: Bleached Cross, Joy Division, Ditz, TNL VZN, October Drift
Physical copies of the record are available to purchase here.
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