Catharsis is the ninth album by what heavy metal band?

Catharsis is the ninth studio album by the American heavy metal band Machine Head.

Released on January 26, 2018, Catharsis followed Bloodstone & Diamonds and was issued through Nuclear Blast. The album contains fifteen tracks in its standard release and runs for more than seventy-four minutes, making it one of the band’s most expansive studio records. Its sound draws on Machine Head’s heavy groove-metal foundation while also revisiting elements associated with the band’s nu-metal period.

The album was produced by Machine Head vocalist and guitarist Robb Flynn with Zack Ohren. It was the first Machine Head album since The More Things Change... to be credited as completely co-written by all of the band’s members. Songs such as “Volatile” and “Beyond the Pale” address political anger, social unrest, and personal disillusionment.

Catharsis is also notable for its place in the group’s lineup history. It was the final Machine Head studio album to feature drummer Dave McClain and guitarist Phil Demmel, both of whom left the band later in 2018. The title refers to emotional release, fitting the album’s confrontational themes and intense delivery.