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BACK
 KATAKLYSM
- Epic Exploration
By Alex Ristic
The nation of Canada arose from meager beginnings thousands of years
ago. Evidence of native Canadians found in the Guelph, Ontario region
dates back to around 1,000 B.C. Canada is a nation based upon exploration
of new frontiers, mapped out by brave men and women.
Why is this important to heavy metal? Because it is eerily and ironically
similar to the history, evolution, and eventual acknowledgment of
Canadian heavy metal, particularly the overflowing and talented
death metal scene in Quebec, which is obviously tied to the band
featured here -- Kataklysm.
Now, shall we return? We’ll make this history lesson brief,
as there’s only so much space for a story of this size. The
first documented explorers to visit Canada were Leif Ericsson and
L’Anse aux Meadows, who discovered Labrador and Newfoundland
respectively, followed by Samuel de Champlain, who founded Québec
in 1608.
Here’s where things get interesting. Wars would follow between
the natives and newcomers, and then there were those pesky English,
who also wanted rights to Canada. Eventually, this would lead to
Canada splitting into the French-dominant Lower Canada, and the
English-dominated Upper Canada (now Ontario). Subsequent wars would
help to define Canada as a nation, but after the conflicts were
resolved they paved the way for the English to co-exist with the
French -- Canada is now officially a bilingual nation.
The War of 1812 between the United States of America and Canada
was also a turning point in the development of the nation. After
a hard-fought battle in which both sides claimed victory, Canada
and the U.S. now share the longest undefended border in the world.
These historical developments have led to Canada evolving into one
of the world’s most respected nations, with a reputation for
peacekeeping and one of the highest standards of living in the world.
Fast forward to 2001, and Quebec death metal outfit Kataklysm has
also followed a path of evolution, with its history dotted by explorers
mapping out new frontiers in heavy metal, but fighting every inch
of the way to get there, with the band’s history also dotted
by course-altering skirmishes. Their experiences would also help
define them as one of Canada’s most extreme exports in underground
music, as evidenced by their latest offering, Epic (The Poetry of
War).
Known as a brutal band that brought the world the "Northern
Hyperblast," Kataklysm started out as a terrifying death metal
band playing vicious, violent music. Yet, not wanting to be confined
by non-delineated boundaries, the band has purposely sought out
conflict in a sense by redefining everything about themselves in
their 10-year career. It is Maurizio Iacono, singer and former bass
player, who relates the beginnings of the epic tale of this crushing
act.
"Quebec, I think from day one, has always had a big scene,
with bands always coming out of here, and it’s always been
flourishing with good talent, of not [just] one style of music,"
relates Iacono. "Kataklysm came onto the scene, and we were
always seen as the black sheep in Quebec. People didn’t dig
our music, but we were too extreme for our time, and I think we
were ahead of our time with the Mystical Gate… stuff. At that
time Obituary was [the big] thing, [with] a lot of thrash bands,
and we just came in and people were like ‘What the fuck?’
We just had a vision that was ahead of our time. I have to say that
I think we’ve influenced a lot of bands; I think Cryptopsy
was a band we influenced a lot. And everybody else in the scene
started getting into us because we were going somewhere, and I think
the Quebec [scene] looked at us, which is why a lot of bands started
developing and going somewhere. I think we were a mark for that."
Over the years the band has charted much territory. In true adventurous
fashion, the band constantly kept things to the extreme, but has
had the wherewithal to explore new possibilities to expand their
creative borders, much like Champlain nearly 400 years previously.
Take Victims of This Fallen World, for example, a hyper record that
saw the band explore more groove and hardcore intonations, but stayed
Kataklysm. Yet the effect showed that the band could expand their
repertoire without having to change their identity.
Then there’s their latest offering, Epic... Many of you will
not have heard it yet, so an explanation should follow. Epic…
adheres to all things traditionally Kataklysm, yet finds growth
in a more melodic bent, adding some thrashier elements and even
a touch of black metal. It could truly be their defining album,
as it incorporates all things "extreme," but shows even
more avenues that the band has travelled down. Iacono explains the
growth the band has gone through.
"The thing with this record is we wanted to explore more melodic
stuff, and I think by doing more melodic harmonies it automatically
gets into a little bit more of that thrash feel, because you have
to have that kind of deep feel to it. We just started doing it,
and it came together that way. We just wanted to make all the melodic
harmonies with the most extreme music to man’s ears; we just
wanted to put it together and make it happen, because a lot of bands
are not able to do that. Most of the extreme bands and death metal
bands are all technical and stay technical, and as soon as they
throw a little bit of melody into it, ‘Ah, it sounds a bit
too nice,’ so they get back into the old stuff. But I think
you can make melodies sound brutal, and you can make melodies sound
evil too, and I think we really worked on that with this album.
We wanted both worlds to join, and I think Dissection is the only
band that was doing it that way, which we’ve been compared
to with this record. JF (Jean-François Dagenais, guitars)
is one of those guys who always has ideas when it comes to music,
and we’ve told him ‘Relax, just put a little bit here
and there,’ so we could put out a record to please everybody.
But this time it was like, ‘You know what? Just fucking do
what you want,’ and I think when I do that with the guys, and
everybody in the band does what they want, I think that’s when
we’re at our best."
Evolution can’t always be explained, though. It’s very
noticeable on Epic… that Iacono has also explored his vocal
range, and many of the lyrics on the album appear to be sung in
a style reminiscent of black metal. But the singer says he’s
not entirely sure as to why he took that tack.
"I’ve always had the high-pitched vocals; from the Mystical
Gates… days I used to use them. I think over time they’ve
evolved a little bit, and I don’t know why. I think what makes
them really black metallish is that I’m using a lot of throat
on them, and I don’t know why it’s happening like that.
Any other way that I try to do them they don’t sound as good
as they used to. When I scream really high, high-pitched, they’re
getting higher, and grouchy. It’s something that we can’t
really understand why it’s going on. I think with time your
voice changes, and now it’s getting to a point where I feel
more comfortable singing that way. We’re not into a lot of
black metal, really. I’ll tell you a black metal band that
I do like, and it’s just because I think they’re going
more toward death metal, is Dimmu Borgir. That last record…
Marduk is a good band, and so is Immortal, but I’m not into
the really black-metallish type of feel."
But the singer also admits that Kataklysm, while always treading
new ground, is also firmly connected to its roots.
"With Kataklysm it’s something that we have to keep going
with, and it’s something that we were known for with Sylvain
(Houde, former lead vocalist) -- the double vocal attack. I just
think I pushed the limits on this record. I really went out and
did it as fucked up as it could ever be, but at the same time kept
it tight and into the music, and let the music breathe, which is
something that’s important to me. I just try to do a lot of
different ranges and work very hard."
While not on the same scale as discovering and exploring a nation,
Kataklysm has done its part to further the wide reaches of the underground.
One important note is that the band is celebrating its 10th year
of existence, and to accomplish so much in such a relatively short
time is a true sign of their ability to foresee future paths to
conquer. Will Epic… stand up to the reputation the band has
made for itself and be a brighter beacon to all those who follow
the path of the founders of Hyperblast?
"I think if we would have made this album 10 years ago things
wouldn’t be the same today, in the sense that we would have
been too ahead of our time. At the same time, maybe if you would
have put out this record 10 years ago it could have been the thing
that launched us. At the same time I think Kataklysm is a band that
took a bit of time to get where we are today, and it’s just
one of those things where we needed time; there’s nothing we
could do about it. I think we already jumped a step when we started;
we put a demo out and a year later we were on a big label, and it
was something that was too fast for us to adapt to. I think the
expectations of the people were too high for Kataklysm to meet at
that point. We were 18, 19 years old, and we didn’t even know
our instruments that well yet," he laughs. "So I think
it was a problem for us getting together instruction and stuff,
and I think we needed everything to happen to Kataklysm to put this
[new CD] out here. I guess 10 years later, it took us that time,
but I think we’re getting the most interesting stuff out of
Kataklysm at this point. I think now is where Kataklysm is starting
to make some important noise again. It’s really weird after
10 years that when everybody thought the band would be over that
all of a sudden we’re getting back on top, and I’m really
happy about that; showing that where there’s a will there’s
a way."
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