Some bands just take consistency to the next level. That is definitely the case with death metal stalwarts KATAKLYSM. Originally formed in Quebec, they have put out one album every two years since their debut, 1995’s “Sorcery”. The band went through some lineup changes, the most notable of which was the departure of founding member and lead vocalist Sylvain Houde in 1998. As a result of that, their bass player, Maurizio Iacono, took on vocal duties, and they brought in Stephane Barbe to take care of the four strings. The core of the band is completed by guitarist Jean-François Dagenais. The hot seat in the band is the drum stool, and currently, the skin-beating duties are being handled by James Payne, who joined in 2020.
Lineup changes, COVID, touring challenges, changes in the music landscape…nothing seems to stop KATAKLYSM, and their fan base has increased with every new release. August 11th brings yet another offering from the band, the highly anticipated “Goliath”. Released under the Nuclear Blast Label, it utilizes metaphors of war, mythological creatures, and revenge to discuss current affairs and personal issues such as censorship, government control, summoning your powers in the face of adversity, and many other subjects. The mixing is perfectly done, and the listener can appropriately enjoy every little detail and every instrument, which is heard loud and clear. A rare feat for a death metal band, and even more so when you realize you can properly hear all the lyrics.m.
KATAKLYSM’s front-man Maurizio Iacono is a busy man. In addition to being one of the creative forces of the band, he also puts out albums under two other monikers – Ex Deo and Invictus. He is also the owner of the record label Distortion Music Group and of the booking agency Continental Touring. With so many things going on in parallel, it’s impressive that he still finds time to do interviews…but he did spend some time with our collaborator Rodrigo Altaf. They discussed the approach on the new album, the touring plans, the inspiration to write lyrics, and much more. Listen or watch their chat below, and remember that for more interviews and other daily content, Sonic Perspectives is on Facebook, Flipboard, Twitter and YouTube, where you can be notified about new content we publish on a daily basis.
Pre-order/pre-save “Goliath”
“Goliath” was recorded at JFD Studios in Dallas, Texas and Studio City, California as well as The Cabin in Orlando, Florida by Jean-François Dagenais, who also produced and engineered the album. For the mixing and mastering, the band returned to Chris Clancy with assistance from Colin Richardson. The cover artwork required an image that captured the iconic battle of David versus Goliath theme that is echoed throughout the album while matching the power of the music. The band enlisted renown Berlin metal illustrator Eliran Kantor (TESTAMENT, FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE) to create the artwork which who took the KATAKLYSM look and gave it a macabre filter that compliments the brooding sense of uneasiness that was felt during the writing and recording of the album.
