Kataklysm

Biography

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Kataklysm (1991-present): a Death Metal band from Montréal, Quebec, Canada.

mong the oldest and most recognizable names in the Canadian death metal scene, Kataklysm has been around since 1991 and over the course of their career, they have released a number of successful albums. Their early work showed them at their most hyperactive, giving rise to the self-coined term "Northern Hyperblast". With the exception of Victims of this Fallen World (a more Hardcore vocal styling and a general musical shift in direction) they have received praise for their high quality albums.

Starting in 1991 with Sylvaine Houde (vocals), Maurizio Iacono (bass), Jean-François Dagenais (guitar), Stéphane Côté (guitars), and Ariel Saied (drums) they would release The Mystical Gate of Reincarnation (1993). Max Duhamel then took over from Saied for the follow-up of Vision the Chaos EP (1994) and Sorcery (1995) but that same year saw another release in the form of Temple of Knowledge and Nick Miller assuming Duhamel's role.

Victims of this Fallen World followed in 1998 with the live album Northern Hyperblast Live (1991; live; featuring Miller and Houde as it was recorded before their departure). Iacono by this time had assumed the vocals roll as well as his bass duties and debuted his talent on the Victims of this Fallen World album, an album that failed to impress the critics - the only album of theirs to do so.

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Stéphane Barbe took over the bass duties full time on The Prophecy (Stigmata of the Immaculate) (2000) so Iacono could concentrate souly on vocals.

After Epic the Poetry of War (2001), Their return to acclaim would be Shadows and Dust (2002). Martin Maurais would assume drums for Serenity in Fire (2004) while Duhamel recovered from injuries. Max Duhamel would return to drums for In the Arms of Devastation (2006), Prevail (2008) and Heaven's Venom (2010).

The band was reduced to a three-piece featuring Maurizio Iacono (vocals), Jean-François Dagenais (guitars) and Stéphane Barbe (bass) for Waiting for the End to Come (2013). Oli Beaudoin assumed drums for Of Ghosts and Gods (2015). A set of compilations followed before the release of Meditations (2018) and Unconquered (2020). James Payne would take over from Olivier Beaudoin for the release of Goliath (2023).