Kataklysm | Main

These Canadians started to rock in 1991 with the mission statement "[to] deliver the most punishing music ever created by combining melody and power into one devastating force." Whether they are the most punishing band ever could be debated for hours over multiple bottles of Jim Beam, but one thing is for sure: Kataklysm is an extremely high speed death metal band with an identifiable sound: a new style of metal dubbed ‘The Northern Hyperblast.' Throughout the years, Maurizio Iacono (vocals), Jean-Francois Dagenais (guitars), Stephane Barbe (bass), and Max Duhamel, now replaced by Martin Maurias (drums), have conquered stages worldwide. TV appearances and headlining tours pervaded the band's life forward and took them to more than 19 countries around the globe. The band has released seven albums in the last ten years, from their demo in 1991, to 2004's Serenity In Fire. In 1995, Kataklysm presented their very first full-length album, Sorcery, which stood tall with pure, fast and brutal metal. Temple Of Knowledge, the next release, topped Sorcery in terms of destructiveness and wrecking energy and proved to be a true archetype that bestowed the band with compliments from overjoyed critics. On the following albums, Victims Of This Fallen World and The Prophecy, Kataklysm started to experiment with new possibilities in sound and arrangements, leading reviews to name The Prophecy one of the most devastating releases in extreme music in years. Many wondered if the band could ever top this powerful release, and indeed they did. With Epic (The Poetry Of War), Canada's finest metal team created a classic, backed with a melodic edge and propelled by extreme roaring power. Shadows & Dust, released in 2002, continued Kataklysm's success with nine immense ass-kicking tracks. Canadian magazine BW&BK described it as "a pure holocaust of events as all the planets appear to have lined up for this scar on humanity" and voted it among the best 25 records of the year! Serenity In Fire, the seventh studio album by Kataklysm, brings ten absolutely striking songs filled with violence and enthralling hooks, highlighting new drummer Martin Maurais, who dominates his instrument, giving "speed" and "timing" a whole new meaning. If you listen carefully, Hypocrisy's Peter Tägtgren appears as an additional vocalist on "For All Our Sins," and, together with the visions of Maurizio Iacono, makes it an amazing crusher of a song. Make sure all breakable valuables are put away before you press play!