While similar in style, The Fall of Hearts is a clear step forward for Swedish depressive rock band Katatonia after the dull Dead End Kings. Even though this record oozes with somber atmosphere, the different tracks show enough creativity, diversity and emotions to entertain from start to finish. The sum is greater than its parts as the musicians' skills complement one another and make for a balanced, fluid and organic record.

The soothing vocals don't only sound dreamy and melacholic but also fresh and hopeful at times.

The guitar work has become more adventurous with progressive rock solos, classic heavy metal riffs and calm ambient tones. 

The rhythm section is overall smooth but never boring because it comes around with careful details and variations. 

The keyboards are better integrated than on the predecessor as they complement vocals and guitars atmospherically to give the record a slight cinematic and conceptual touch.

Among numerous highlights, one has to cite ambitious opener ''Takeover'' that skips any unnecessary introductions and plunges the listener headfirst into a marvelous world of melancholy. The emotional side of the track is complemented by a fluidly progressive song structure and at times heavy guitar play.

''Last Song Before the Fade'' is a gothic metal track with an intriguing story and strong lyrics that evoke an apocalyptic atmosphere that could easily be used for a film or video game adaptation of a dystopian story. The haunting sound of sirens, the desperate vocals and the reduced instrumental approach make for this album's most profound track.

''Passer'' ends the album with a bang as it is clearly the heaviest song on the record. It sounds dynamic, focused and intense right from the start and never lets go despite creative songwriting with many interesting ideas. If the band were able to write an entire record with such intensity, they might create a genuine gothic metal milestone.

Katatonia's The Fall of Hearts will appeal to fans of profound gothic rock and metal music. It sounds balanced, diverisfied and fresh and opens and closes on particularly strong notes. The mellower tracks in the middle section ooze with atmosphere but need some time to unfold. With even more concise songwriting, the Swedish veterans could take the next step and compete with younger gothic doom metal bands like Daylight Dies, Swallow the Sun and The Foreshadowing for the genre throne.

Final rating: 80%

Caspar Noé's latest movie Climax is an experimental combination of a musical, drama and horror film.

Climax is a musical because it revolves around a group of young French dancers who get prepared for their new show over the course of three days in an abandoned school building. The movie starts with interview sections as the different dancers talk about their motivations to join the group. The second scene shows the elaborate dance choreography. The third scene is the party after the last practice when you can see the characters dance to electronic music. The entire first quarter of the film focuses on dance moves and electronic music to portray how the characters express themselves artistically.

The movie slowly shifts towards a drama. Someone has poisoned the sangria with LSD and the dancers start acting erratically, emotionally and aggressively. We observe a brother who overprotects his younger sister who is longing for more independence. We get to know that one of the female dancers is pregnant and she doesn't know who the father of her child could be. We come across a nervous mother who is desperately trying to protect her son from the dancers.

The film ends as a horror movie as the situation escalates. Prejudice, rape and murder occur as the drugs bring out the worst in each and every single character. The film's second half and especially its final third are certainly hard to digest. This movie should only be watched by adults with an open mind and a strong stomach.

The cinematography of the film needs to be pointed out. There are almost no cuts as the camera randomly follows characters throughout the fateful night which gives the movie a quite fluid vibe. The fact that the movie values music and movements over an actual plot or even dialogues is also particularly outstanding. The film starts with the credits, introduces chapters like silent movies used to do and the camera sometimes turns around to portray a world that has been shaken upside down.

As nightmarish as the film might seem, Climax is actually based upon true events. Without pointing fingers, the movie certainly includes a lot of social criticism. It shows how partners, friends and even family members turn against each other once a drug has eliminated their self-control. The film also uses a lot of stereotypes that may be shocking at first contact but that turn out being more realistic that one might be willing to admit. It leads the viewers to question their societies and their values.

In the end, Climax is a mindblowing experience unlike any other film. It's not easy to digest because of its explicit violence, thin plot and absence of dialogues but the aesthetic aspect, vibrant atmosphere and underlying messages pardon for its minor flaws. If you are an adult, have an open mind and strong stomach and like experimental cinema, this might become one of your very favourite movies.

Bleeding Steel is a fast-paced science-fiction movie with solid acting performances, stunning visual effects and exotic locations in Australia and China. The highlights are the scenes inside and outside the Sydney Opera towards the climax and the scenes in the laboratory plane during the falling action. The movie has a concise length that never overstays its welcome. This highly entertaining movie with a big budget and a balanced mixture of rookie and star actors is much better than its critical reception because it manages to keep its audience on the edge of their seats throughout the film.

The story revolves around a young woman of Chinese origin living in Australia who has a mechanical heart and biogenetic blood substitutes unbeknownst to her that once saved her life when she was a very young child. She is tracked down by relentless criminals that have been looking for the scientific iventions in her body for decades. She is secretely protected by her father, a former police officer who works as a cook at his daughter's university. She is also mysteriously approached by a youngster who seems to have a romantic interest in her. The three parties involved will change the young woman's life.

The weakest element of the film is its story. Even if one considers this movie to be closer to fiction than to science, it still features poorly developed side stories, minor plot holes and highly exaggerated scenes that put the film closer to a juvenile fantasy flick than anything else. The dialogues are sometimes also of poor quality. The movie might therefore appeal to younger audiences but occasionally frustrate more experienced cinephiles. The scriptwriting of such a big production would have requested more care and details.

In the end, Bleeding Steel is an entertaining, lush and even spectacular science-fiction movie with numerous action scenes and atmospheric cyberpunk elements. Its only but major flaw is the subpar screenwriting with cringeworthy dialogues, several minor plot holes and poorly developed side stories. This entertaining blockbuster is good for what it is but far from leaving a lasting impression.