Last month, Michael Mullenix with Music Fiends caught up with JF Dagenais, guitarist, founding member, and longtime producer of the legendary death metal band Kataklysm, just before their show at Come and Take It Live in Austin, Texas. The two dove into the band’s origins, their evolution through the decades, and what’s next on the horizon…including news fans have been dying to hear: a new Kataklysm album is coming!
For anyone new to the band, Kataklysm’s story is the kind of saga that shaped modern extreme metal. Formed in Montreal in 1991, they burst onto the scene with a chaotic, hyper-blast sound that pushed death metal into more intense, uncompromising territory. Known early on for their “Northern Hyperblast” style, Kataklysm carved out their own identity with relentless speed, brutally heavy riffs, and raw, emotional songwriting.
Over the years, the band evolved from their early chaos-driven assault into a more refined, groove-heavy brand of melodic death metal, without ever losing the ferocity fans expect. Albums like Serenity in Fire, In the Arms of Devastation, Prevail, and Of Ghosts and Gods cemented them as one of the most consistent and respected forces in the genre. Through lineup changes, world tours, and sonic evolution, JF has remained one of the creative anchors behind the band’s sound both on stage and behind the mixing board.
In this exclusive conversation, JF opens up about the band’s journey, their longevity, the creative fire that still drives them over three decades in, and what fans can expect from their next album… a project already building serious anticipation in the metal world.
Check out the full interview above and get ready for a deep dive into the past, present, and future of Kataklysm!
