KATAKLYSM Pulls Out Of BEHEMOTH Tour To 'Recharge Batteries'

Canadian death metallers KATAKLYSM have cancelled their previously announced tour of the UK and Iberia with Poland's BEHEMOTH (scheduled for February 2008).

Commented KATAKLYSM singer Maurizio Iacono: "First, I'd like to say how crazy of a ride it's been since the release of 'In the Arms of Devastation'. We've done over 200 shows in less then two years — nine tours across the world — and meeting all our fans was the highlight; they made our last album the biggest and strongest album to date.

"It's been great, but the machine needs time off. There's nothing more we like then to stay on the road non-stop but we have to come to reality here and see that we need to take a breather, recharge our batteries and come back stronger then ever with a brand new album, because we will have to redo all this all over again in no time.

"We didn't want to cancel the tour with BEHEMOTH, but after much thought, it was the right decision. J-F [KATAKLYSM guitarist/producer Jean-François Dagenais] has to keep working through January on the new album so he gets absolutely no break time, which isn't fair. Then we have to mix it and it's in February and we need to be here to supervise this new masterpiece we created for you guys.

"'Prevail' is the priority for next year and it needs our full attention, but don't worry — we have A LOT of plans ahead of us, and we will be back in no time at all. Also this doesn't affect the New Zealand and Australian dates in late March — those go ahead as planned.

"Other than that, the band is doing great, Steph [bassist Stéphane Barbe] will be rejoining us [after taking time out to be there for the birth of his baby] for the last four shows of this tour with CHIMAIRA, which has been great. We've got a couple more dates left.

"Come check us out — these will be the last dates 'till the next record comes out."

In other news, KATAKLYSM has inked a new management deal with Dortmund, Germany's Direct Management, which has worked with such artists as DIMMU BORGIR, ICED EARTH, IN FLAMES and CHIMAIRA.

KATAKLYSM recently decided to "immortalize" the character that was featured on the cover of their most recent album, "In the Arms of Devastation", and have him re-appear as the main character — dubbed "The Heartbeast" — on their next offering, "Prevail".

Commented Iacono: "We had so [much] killer feedback on the artwork but especially on the character that we decided to keep him as the band's fifth band member... kinda like IRON MAIDEN did with 'Eddie.' We have the perfect concept for the next album art... it will be bad-ass!"

Watch fan-filmed video footage of KATAKLYSM performing at Ninkasi Kao in Lyon, France on October 14, 2007;