Montréal based melodic death metallers KATAKLYSM have completed work on their latest effort, 'Meditations' - the soon to be released album which consists of 10 blistering tracks. Produced by the band's own guitarist J-F Dagenais and drummer Oli Beaudoin, the record was mixed by Jay Ruston (ANTHRAX, STONE SOUR a.o.). Mastering duties were handled by Paul Logus (PANTERA a.o.).
Today, the band are pleased to unveil the 'Meditations' cover artwork, which can be seen here. It was created by Ocvlta Designs by Surtsey, who also crafted the artwork for KATAKLYSM's previous record, 'Of Ghosts And Gods'.
Singer Maurizio Iacono commented, "This is a very personal album to me with old wounds being revisited – I felt a big urge to pour my soul into this release. The boys and I were isolated under the same roof during the writing process, just like we did in the early days...with no worries except having fun, being honest and delivering a serious album that represents us today but respects our past. Our new story is coming and we are eager to share it with you!"
'Meditations' - Track Listing:
01. Guillotine
02. Outsider
03. The Last Breath I'll Take Is Yours
04. Narcissist
05. Born To Kill And Destined To Die
06. In Limbic Resonance
07. And Then I Saw Blood
08. What Doesn't Break Doesn't Heal
09. Bend The Arc, Cut The Cord
10. Achilles Heel
'Meditations' marks the return to old work ethics. All four band members wrote and composed together under the same roof for the first time in over a decade and returned to the old days of songwriting efforts which saw the band's classics such as 'Shadows & Dust', 'Serenity In Fire' and 'In The Arms Of Devastation' come to life.
ONLINE
LINEUP
Maurizio Iacono (Vocals)
Jean-Francois Dagenais (Guitar)
Stephane Barbe (Bass)
Oli Beaudoin (Drums)
BIOGRAPHY
The Canadian Hyperblasters KATAKLYSM formed in 1991 and spread their first demo one year later Death Gate Cycle Of Reincarnation already obtained recognition worldwide and ultimately led to a record deal with Nuclear Blast, signed in 1993. Demo plus bonus track 'The Orb Of Uncreation' became KATAKLYSM's first official release in the form of the MCD The Mystical Gate Of Recreation, also in stores 1993.
The extreme high speed Death Metal with its very own character shown on The Mystical Gate Of Recreation laid the foundation stone of a new metal style: The Northern Hyperblast. Thereafter, KATAKLYSM presented their very first full length album Sorcery, a revelation concerning fast and brutal metal. The release of Temple Of Knowledge in 1996 topped Sorcery in terms of destructiveness and wrecking energy - a true archetype that bestowed the band great compliment, euphoric critics and several well-visited tours.
On the following albums Victims Of This Fallen World and The Prophecy KATAKLYSM started to experiment with new possibilities in sound and arrangements, leading the critics to name The Prophecy one of the most devastating releases in extreme music in years.
The big question afterwards: Would a further increase be possible? Yes, indeed! With Epic (The Poetry Of War), Canada's finest created a classic, backed with a melodic edge and propelled by extreme roaring power, making KATAKLYSM's star rising on and on. TV appearances and headliner tours pervaded the band's life forward and took them to more than 19 countries all around the world.
In 2002, the release of Shadows & Dust continued KATAKLYSM's success with nine immense ass-kicking tracks, including the extreme hymn 'Illuminati.' The Canadian magazine BW&BK described the album 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!
It wasn't surprising when KATAKLYSM hit several top lists with Serenity In Fire, and now with their latest release In The Arms of Devastation, KATAKLYSM's strongest evidence that the Death Metal freaks from Canada have found the receipt of success: Northern Hyperblast at terminal velocity!
DISCOGRAPHY
Sorcery - 1995
Temple of Knowledge (Kataklysm Part III) - 1996
Victims of This Fallen World - 1998
The Prophecy (Stigmata of the Immaculate) - 2000
Epic (The Poetry of War) - 2001
Shadows & Dust - 2002
Serenity in Fire - 2004
In the Arms of Devastation - 2006
Prevail - 2008
Heaven's Venom - 2010
Waiting for the End to Come - 2013
Of Ghosts and Gods - 2015
Meditations - 2018