Every once in a while, a Swiss band comes along ready to innovate and dominate their genre — think Celtic Frost, Coroner, Samael, Eluveitie. This time, the disruptors are hailing from Geneva, with destructive riffs, steamrolling grooves, and sweeping melodies, paired with a female screaming voice that can compete with any growler out there. Just like the aforementioned legends came to dominate their respective genres, ranging from prog thrash to folk metal (or indeed metal itself), Kassogtha are ready to take over modern melodic death metal.
Stephany — the unique voice of Kassogtha — founded her first band early in her life, at the tender age of 15. Settling for nothing less than perfection, the steamrolling line-up of today came together in 2017, after several personnel changes, to record their debut album ‘A New World To Come’ under the band’s former name Deus Ex Machina. On this first record, the band’s creative force is completed by Mortimer Baud, whose riffs join Stephany’s voice and lyrics to make their way straight under the listener’s skin, and bassist Joseph Jaccaz, whom you may well find front and centre at the band’s devastating live shows, shredding away and putting many a lead guitar player to shame.
After having self-released their first record and playing shows across Europe in 2017, the band have tasted blood and started 2018 ready for more. In quick succession, ‘A New World To Come’ was nominated for “Best Rock Demo” at Zurich’s m4music festival, first proper tours took the band through Switzerland, Italy, Belgium and France, and the summer was crowned by making it as a finalist through the W.O.A. Metal Battle Switzerland.
With the departure of drummer Samuel second guitar player François, the remaining members are connected first and foremost by what they all instantly name as the main driver and passion behind their music: authentic and real connection — both with their fans and with each other. A band spirit, so to speak, that becomes apparent immediately to any listener and that is only strengthened with the addition of one of Switzerland’s most dedicated young drummers, Dylan Watson, and 19-year old guitar wunderkind Martin Burger.
Together, they have found their shared identity in a new name. Meet Kassogtha: Leaner and meaner, ready to take their sound to the next level, and gearing up to take Melodic Death Metal into the future.
