KATAKLYSM: New Video Interview With JEAN-FRANCOIS DAGENAIS

Char Tupper of MetalTitans.com conducted an interview with guitarist Jean-Francois Dagenais of Canadian death metal lunatics KATAKLYSM on March 5, 2011 at Studio 7 in Seattle, Washington. You can now watch the chat below.

KATAKLYSM has begun the long process of putting together elements for its upcoming 20th-anniversary DVD. Titled "The Iron Will: 20 Years Determined", this documentary will begin with the band's inception in 1991 and tell the lasting story behind of one of the most important extreme musical exports in Canada's short 143-year history. Director and producer Tommy Jones (LAMB OF GOD, SOILWORK, DEATH ANGEL) will catch the band's heartbeat on the road and to put the memories together. The DVD will also include interviews with a wide range of characters, including the band's infamous first frontman Sylvain Houde, who sang on the first three KATAKLYSM albums: "The Mystical Gate Of Reincarnation" (1993),"Sorcery" (1996),and "Temple Of Knowledge" (1999).

A single and a video clip for the title track "The Iron Will" will be recorded this summer.

The massive content of the DVD will include KATAKLYSM's upcoming headlining show at Summer Breeze festival in Germany where the band will perform classics from all of its eleven releases.

Commented KATAKLYSM frontman Maurizio Iacono: "This is something that we are doing first for ourselves to look back at the long and hard road traveled and to be grateful that twenty years later this band is stronger than ever and still means something in the music world. It's an accomplishment to exist this long and this DVD is dedicated to our fans who solely kept us alive in this destructive and turbulent scene.

"I decided to scrap my book idea (it was taking way too long and time is of the essence) and instead tell our story on 'The Iron Will' in detail to get things off my chest once and for all.

"We've been the underdogs for so long and looking back, this is a good a place to be."

The North American leg of KATAKLYSM's "Spread the Venom 2010 - 2011 World Tour" will include support from groove-laden death shredders ALL SHALL PERISH, technical/progressive death masters DECREPIT BIRTH, Sumerian Records' touring juggernaut CONDUCTING FROM THE GRAVE, and Relapse Records' modern death metal merchants ABYSMAL DAWN. This will be just a part of a massive worldwide tour that will be the band's last before a much-needed break from extensive performance schedule.

KATAKLYSM's latest album, "Heaven's Venom", sold around 2,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 8 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

KATAKLYSM's previous CD, "Prevail", opened with 2,250 units back in June 2008.

"Heaven's Venom" was produced by Jean-Francois Dagenais and was mixed by Tue Madsen (THE HAUNTED, MNEMIC, DARK TRANQUILLITY).