| Catastrophe Ballet | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Christian Death |
| Cover: | Christian_Death_-_Catastrophe_Ballet.jpg |
| Released: | 1984 |
| Recorded: | 1983–1984 |
| Genre: | Gothic rock[1] |
| Label: | Contempo |
| Prev Title: | Only Theatre of Pain |
| Prev Year: | 1982 |
| Next Title: | Ashes |
| Next Year: | 1985 |
Catastrophe Ballet is the second studio album by American rock band Christian Death. It was released in 1984, through record label Contempo.
Besides founder Rozz Williams, the lineup on the album is completely different from the band's debut, Only Theatre of Pain, and is the first record to feature future band leader Valor Kand. This and the follow-up record Ashes would be the final releases to feature Williams before his departure in mid 1985.
Catastrophe Ballet, featured a change in Williams' vocal delivery. While Only Theatre of Pain and the Deathwish EP had Williams presenting a rhythmic spoken word style with an almost androgynous pitch to his voice, Catastrophe Ballet showed a richer, less harsh side to his vocal stylings, with more influence from David Bowie and Lou Reed. Rather than the occult-oriented lyrics from the first album, the singer showed a new-found interest in Surrealism and the Dada movement. Kand, Demone and Glass shared these interests, and the synergy between them helped cultivate the musical change from the old band's murky, dark punk to a more elegant, romantic strain of guitar-driven rock, though a tribalistic drumming was also added into the mix.
The popular front cover art of this album was by Serge Burner of the Invitation Au Suicide label staff.