Exclusive Interview: Catalyst talk “Catalyst II” and new drummer!

Some might call it a stop gap record but in “Catalyst II” Belgian Progressive Melodic Death Metallers Catalyst have compiled all of their six previously released singles into one gift that keeps giving while wrapping up an era of the band and giving us physical release to celebrate. We had the pleasure of a conversation with vocalist Jeroen Van Ranst and guitarist Philip Pedraza about what has been happening in their World as the band continue to operate around the mantra “Inspired by the many political, economical and ecological fears and failures of today’s society. Come and be part of a new movement that seeks to inspire towards action and change!

How have you found the reaction to your latest single “Rights Of Passage“, the first with new drummer Sam Bogaert (ex-Dead end Path, ex-Oceans Burning) ? “The recordings actually date from before Sam joined our ranks. So in fact the single was ready for a while as we definitely wanted to wait for the right moment for it to be released. Rights of Passage is the culmination of a musically creative period and also had to highlight the physical release of our EP. This only makes sense if you know you’ll soon be able to take it to the stage. Fortunately, the reactions are unanimously positive, both to the single and to the EP as a whole, and the requests for shows are coming in steadily. We are really glad it turned out that way”

How did you handle the departure of original drummer Jannes Lemaitre? Are there unfinished works that will be re-recorded or scrapped in his absence? How has the dynamic within the group changed as a result of having someone new on board? “Jannes announced his imminent departure not long before the virus broke out. We certainly parted as friends and for the next shows he would fulfill his obligations to the band. For the period after that we could rely on Ben Van Peteghem as live drummer. But we absolutely wanted to recruit a new permanent band member. Fortunately, the search went quite smoothly. Sam is an incredibly versatile drummer and a perfect addition to the band. Also on a personal level we get along very well, which is still the most important thing when you are shacked up together in a sweaty rehearsal room every week”

The release of the EP “Catalyst II” combining the first EP with the subsequently released material for a physical edition has the feeling of giving you a fresh start with something big on the horizon. So can you give us a clue as to what that might be? “Actually, for us this represents both a start and a conclusion. The EP as a physical release at the same time serves as a run-up to what will become a larger project towards the end of 2022. We can’t say much about it yet, but we are currently working hard in and around the studio. The past two years have been relatively quiet, as for many bands. But it gave us the opportunity to get to know each other even better. Those who saw our quarantine jam at the beginning of the pandemic know that no virus could stop us from having a blast(beat) together. Now, however, it’s time to go back to work. At the moment we are still 90% a DIY band. So we only owe it to ourselves”

While your previous material isn’t concept work, it follows a narrative lyrically around the many political, economical and ecological fears and failures of today’s society. How important is that narrative to the bands future? We don’t expect you to bring songs about Girls or Dragons to Progressive Melodic Death Metal… “That’s true, although our lyrics are not simply narrating the issues you raised. What inspires us most is how the individual finds her place in these modern societal issues and tries to find meaning in it. The search and the struggle that comes along with it gives the songs more layered depth and at the same time makes it possible to write from different perspectives. To add to this, some of the lyrics are written by Julie Ivens, Philip’s wife, which broadens the creative input”

As musicians you’ve been part of many bands including Titan, Patroness, Sadistic Embrace, Gitaron, Zonder Zorgen, Kidney Punch, Dead end Path, Oceans Burning and Monomad to name but a few. Do you see yourselves ever covering or playing live a song from one of those bands or is it all about the Catalyst material from here on out? “Influences are certainly there. Depending on who initiates a new part or a complete song, this may be the case to a lesser or greater extent. For example, fans of Monomad might hear a reference to the band in the vocal lines. But we are not really consciously aware of this while creating music with Catalyst. Moreover, our backgrounds are so diverse that it is more the sum of the various individuals that determine Catalyst”

As a band, what would mean more to you at this point, 20 shows across Europe opening for Amorphis or the opportunity to play a major European Festival like Bloodstock (United Kingdom), Wacken (Germany) or Hellfest (France)? “At the moment we try to set our own agenda as much as possible. The feeling of writing our own story is worth more to us than playing a single show at a big festival. So this is our official answer to that question, being still a relatively small band hahaha. For the next time being, a support deal can certainly be one of the options. In Belgium, we have a very lively festival scene in which we are well represented. In the meantime, we’ve also been peeking across the border, but we’re still looking forward to more concrete proposals”

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