On the Guest List with Kataklysm!

Album art courtesy of Nuclear Blast.

After reading the numerous quotes provided by press releases and reviews describing Canadian death metal band Kataklysm and their latest studio release Prevail, I was convinced that this was the most evil metal album ever. Something about the combination of chains, skeletons, and evil creatures in the artwork was unsettling in the best way, while track titles like "As Death Lingers" and "The Vultures Are Watching" only perpetuated my darkest expectations. I can't say I was too surprised when I first listened to the album, which is set for release in the US on May 27, but I've got to hand it to these guys-- Prevail is melodic and technical enough to please the casual fan, but also technical and heavy enough to satisfy every metalhead's primitive need for something fast and, well... "death metal" to the core.

I had a chance to speak with Maurizio Iacono, the lead vocalist of Kataklysm, about the new album, touring, and life. Our phone interview is split up into 15 short clips.