DEATH METAL MASTERPIECE

Kataklysm return to Pratteln in 2026 with their Freedom or Death tour! In tow, the Canadian-American melodic death metal giants bring their current studio album Goliath – a monumental work packed with rage, power and relentless energy. As special guests, Polish death metal pioneers Vader will tear the place apart with their trademark force.

With Goliath, Kataklysm delivered a death metal album for the history books in 2023. A milestone of modern extreme metal that combines brutal aggression with technical precision and emotional depth. Frontman Maurizio Iacono explains: “There’s a lot of anger on this record, but also a lot of darkness – it reflects the current state of our planet. Goliath is a modern David-versus-Goliath story: it’s about standing your ground, fighting back, even when it seems impossible.” Tracks like “Bringer of Vengeance”, “Die As A King” or “Dark Wings of Deception” show Kataklysm at the peak of their powers – uncompromising, intense and gripping.

Since their formation in 1991, Kataklysm have never stopped evolving their sound while staying true to their unmistakable identity. The kings of Northern Hyperblast have embraced one simple rule from day one: if you stand still, you fall behind. As a result, they continue to release top-tier extreme metal albums, remain one of the most powerful and popular live bands in the genre, and relentlessly unleash waves of crushing metal across the globe. Sounding this fresh after more than three decades is something only very few bands can pull off – Kataklysm are undoubtedly among them.

Vader:
Five years after the acclaimed studio album Solitude In Madness, Polish death metal legends Vader returned in May 2025 with three brand-new tracks. Produced by Scott Atkins at Grindstone Studio, the EP also marks the band’s first recording as a five-piece: guitarist Mauser has rejoined the band, joined by new drummer Michael alongside vocalist/guitarist Peter, bassist Hal and third guitarist Spider. Humanihility delivers merciless new tracks infused with thrash energy, combining old-school brutality with Vader’s trademark directness and neck-breaking speed. Each song was written by a different band member, giving every track its own distinct character. The EP serves as a crushing foretaste of the next full-length album, scheduled to be recorded towards the end of 2025. Formed in 1983, Vader are not only responsible for classics such as The Ultimate Incantation (1992), De Profundis (1995) or Litany (2000) and many other killer releases – they are also Europe’s longest-running extreme metal band.