Review PHANTOM CORPORATION / CATBREATH (Split) “Commando / Die By the Claw”

Two representatives of the German metal underground have joined forces to release a split album. The bands in question are Phantom Corporation and Catbreath.

Phantom Corporation opens the record. Although the band – featuring scene veterans from Dew-Scented, Weak Aside, and Eroded – has released only two full-length albums so far, the five-piece has already built a solid reputation. Formed in 2015, they made their debut with Fallout and have been delivering their distinctive blend of crust and death metal ever since.

Their contribution to the split is titled Commando and consists of five new tracks. It begins with “Cursed Land,” a one-minute acoustic intro. While the opening sounds calm, there’s already a sense of darkness building beneath the surface before it erupts with “When All Roads Lead to Hell.” The energetic combination of aggressive riffing and Lief Jensen’s crushing vocals forms the backbone of songs that push forward with relentless intensity.

Despite all the aggression, the band doesn’t ignore melody or groove. Those moments add variety and make the songs even more engaging. Phantom Corporation has created its own musical identity by combining D-beat crust and death metal, and Commando presents that sound with confidence. These tracks rank among the strongest material the band has released to date.

The second half of the album belongs to Catbreath, something the reversible cover artwork reflects perfectly. Hailing from Kiel, the band made a strong first impression with its debut album Slice ‘Em All. Musically, the quartet leans more toward thrash metal, and that’s exactly what they celebrate on their contribution to this split.

Titled Die by the Claw, their five-song set delivers thrash metal straight to the face. “Play Dead” gets things off to an energetic start and quickly makes it clear that Catbreath is anything but a group of purring kittens. The band attacks with plenty of bite, something that also shines through on “Inner Peace,” which incorporates noticeable hardcore influences.

Things continue with the pounding “Feline Fatality” before “Cross the Gate” grows from a calmer opening into another riff-driven powerhouse. The closing track, “Stand Up and Fight,” highlights some of the band’s musical influences. It’s a powerful and well-executed cover of the Exciter classic and provides a fitting finale for this split release.

Phantom Corporation and Catbreath once again demonstrate how vibrant the German metal underground continues to be. With Commando / Die by the Claw, both bands deliver an energetic and highly enjoyable release that invites repeated listens—even if your neck muscles might be feeling the effects afterward.