anyone into this band? heard a few of their songs figure there alright. wonder if there new album is worth picking up.

Kataklysm are alright, but they're nothing special. Their new one is better than the previous album.

I haven't heard early Kataklysm, which is something I should look into.

Kataklysm is okay if you like generic death metal. Their new album isn't anything particularly special. I haven't heard anything with their previous singer although I have seen a few people around here praise that era of their career.

EDIT: MikeyC and I apparently wrote virtually the same thing at the same time. Huh.

Sorcery and Temple of Knowledge are probably my two favourite DM albums. I don't like their new stuff though, doesn't really appeal to me.

the stuff with Mauri' as the vocalist is synthetic, overproduced, soulless, heartless, intelligence insulting, lowest common denominator, modern style-over-substance crap.

"but tell us how you REALLY feel"

after Temple of Knowledge i recommend avoiding everything they've done. its all the same crap and it gets old FAST.

even the Sylvain era was only "ok" in my opinion (best stuff being The Mystical Gate of Reincarnation)

Early Kataklysm is something you should not pass on, seriously. It's fucking insane and awesome death metal. Newer stuff like In The Arms of Devastation is really hit or miss, a couple decent songs, but compared to the rest of the stuff around... it's not worthy. Their newest, Prevail, is a bit better than the previous one, but still not as good as their earlier stuff.

hm..their older stuff seems a bit to messy for my taste, which is weird(always prefered melo death anyway). i think ill pick up prevail on my next visit to bestbuy or whatever.

All I've heard from them is In the Arms of Devastation, their only album I have, as well as three older songs on a live Nuclear Blast split. Two of the songs are rather generic but The Awakener is a really good song.

As for the album, In the Arms of Devastation, I think it's pretty good, especially To Reign again and the two last songs.

Their first mcd is the best work they've ever done in my mind. "Sorcery" was ok, "Temple of Knowledge" was little bit "dry" to me. The rest are worthless filler.

I actually like pretty much everything they've released

I enjoy most of Kataklysm's works. Although I do wish the vocalist would mix it up ounce in awhile, And I did enjoy Prevail.

I guess Im the only one who likes their newer stuff. I think the vocals on the early matieral are shitty. I like Kataklysm's brand of death metal. Some say its a more main stream sound. I kind of like to think of them as a more modern Bolt Thrower. They were one of the first death metal bands I got into as my music taste buds grew heavier. I would recomend them.

I don't hate their newer stuff, but there is better out there, in my opinion.

I have "Victims of This Fallen World" and nowadays I find it neither great nor terrible. It's kind of generic stuff, but there's a certain atmosphere that I find that album inspires in me. I don't know how but it just does.

There are certainly considerably worse bands out there.

I actually consider Kataklysm what I would call a "catchy" death metal band, I wouldn't listen to them when I was wanting some serious stuff, but they are fun. Though, their older stuff isn't as catchy, more straight up.

The Sylvain era of Kataklysm is superior, in my opinion, but I like them more chaotic than the stagnant mass they've become.

Their new material really sucks and the latest video I saw on on demand was very gay.

Sorcery is by far my favourite album by them. I also saw them live and they were tons of fun, even though they only played a couple songs I new.

I've heard a few of their newer songs and all I can is they sound very average. I may check out a little further back though.

The thing I like about Kataklysm is that they are just generic death to the extreme, so much so, that they are just uber consistent death metal fun (if that makes any sense). Their albums aren't by any means the best within their genre, but they're definitely not the worst, and they never will be. I pretty much know, when I listen to a Kataklysm album, what I am going to hear. Some might see that as a bad thing, and I can understand that point of view. For me though, it's pretty sweet....

In particular I'd check out "Shadows and Dust" or "Serenity in Fire"....

I thought they were catchy too.
Enjoyed PREVAIL immensely though!
Definitely one of my best 2008 albums!

I saw them in December and Iacono said he will make a new band in 2009, something about the Roman Empire.

Kataklysm was the first "real" death metal band I got into (when I was more of a In Flames-guy) and I like pretty much everything they've done. Prevail was good, although a bit too similar to Arms Of Devastation. They're great live as well.

This could be my answer, except I prefer the "Mystical Gate of Reincarnation" stuff to "Temple of Knowledge". They had a pretty morbid and twisted atmosphere back then, and it wasn't all because of the vocals. However, they lost all that pretty quickly.. Sometimes I think this band is just awful, and incredibly lazy in just about everything they do.

Now that Cryptopsy makes pop music, Kataklysm are the best Canadian death metal band. Both old and new are great in my opinion.

I wouldn't go that far .. but then, I can't think of many good Canadian death metal bands playing today.

Exactly. Kataklysm aren't my favourite death metal band, but as far as death metal in my homeland goes...

Well there's still Martyr, Quo Vadis, and Gorguts, and I'd probably take all three over Kataklysm any day...

Well, Gorguts is long defunct, and I'm not that into the other two bands, although Quo Vadis were pretty enjoyable live.

Don't forget Neuraxis.

I listened to their album Shadows & Dust, i found it pretty boring and generic, can't really comment on their old stuff as i never really checked out

ive only heard the awakener from temple of knowldge, its a pretty catch song, would you reccomend the album?

I wouldn't say permanently! A lot of old bands are making a comeback, so a Gorguts reunion is not improbable.

Kataklysm...just deserve their name.

I kinda get bored with them when I listen to a cd of theirs, but they're a great band to see live.

They aren't even catchy, what the hell? The drums are boring, riffs generic, and the vocalist .. well.. isn't that bad actually. There are a few fun parts, but the overload of mediocrity doesn't justify listening to a whole album of this stuff.

Those who gravityblast with a trigger should die. Fuck it sounds bad.

At least they can still write coherent, heavy and sometimes catchy riffs, unlike all the teethless spazzy technical shit that Canada has also been producing.

To the OP: I recommand you check out the earlier material first, before you consider Prevail.

Funny enough, I'm pretty much the opposite as everyother poster here. I haven't really heard any of their old stuff However, their Iacona era (nowadays) music is my favourite out of any band, so I'm pretty much saying they're my favourite band (even though I haven't heard their old stuff). Their album Shadows & Dust is incredible! Every song is fantastic, except one which I'll mention later. Vocals are sick, riffs are punishing and the drumming is extremely fast. Serenity in Fire is great as well but has a bit too much filler. Arms of Devestation is better than Serenity in Fire but not as good as Shadows & Dust. Their most recent album is dope, also. If you are new to them I'd personally recommend all the aformentioned releases and their only live album Live In Deutschland - The Devastation Begins, it really introduced me to them and has all the greatest songs from all of the albums I've mentioned, but Prevail. They are performed extremely well, except a voice-crack when talking to the crowd during Where the Enemy Sleeps Back to the drumming, it is extremely fast, technical and catchy, but the double kick is quite clicky and shit which happens to be the only negative aspect of the drumming. The guitar tone used is very crushing, which works really well with the music. Also, some of their songs are a bit generic, Shadows And Dust (the song) which happens to be the only bad song on Shadows & Dust. I'm not the best at describing albums, so it my have seemed like I wasn't to enthusiastic on the above albums, but they are all extremely good! So, I'd recommend them to pretty much everyone. I should probably get on to hearing their old material though.

Their early fast stuff is too wild. I stopped paying attention to them after that. But last year I started listening to them again and was surprised. I'd say they are above average. Their catchy songs are just outstanding. They're also terrific to see live. The have the best and heaviest live sound of any band I've listened to so far- just awesome.

I pretty much agree with latinfiestacarnage.