Catbreath

Catbreath – Northern German Crossover Thrash with a Murderous Feline Mascot

What happens when four seasoned musicians from the northern German underground scene develop an acute surplus of musical urgency during the Corona-induced live lethargy? Enter Catbreath. Formed in 2021, this crossover thrash outfit hailing from northern Germany brings together members who previously left their mark with bands like Ash Return, Vladimir Harkonnen, Miozän, I Defy, and Bonehouse – a gathering of scene veterans who know exactly how to tear down genre boundaries with brute force and infectious playing joy.

The conceptual glue is Fat Freddy, the band's murderous mascot: a feline symbiosis of Mahatma Gandhi and a serial killer, from whose twisted perspective all lyrics are penned. Slayer-esque comic-book lyrics collide with crossover thrash in the tradition of Municipal Waste and S.O.D. – relentless slaughter with a diabolical grin. The live premiere took place in April 2023 at the MoshImMai festival in Kiel, and from that point on, things accelerated rapidly.

The debut album Slice 'Em All was hammered into existence during winter 2023/24 at Jörg Uken's Soundlodge Studio (known for God Dethroned, Temple of Dread), a facility renowned for its punchy, organic production in the extreme metal realm. The CD and digital version dropped on April 5, 2024 via Iron Shield Records, with the vinyl edition following in June 2024 on Cause of Deaf Records. The album delivers an uncompromising wrecking ball of speed/thrash riffs, hardcore groove, and punk attitude.

Since the release, the band has been relentlessly playing live and writing new material. A split release with Phantom Corporation is scheduled for August 7, 2026 via Supreme Chaos Records. Catbreath's contribution, titled Die By The Claw, comprises four original tracks plus an Exciter cover ("Stand Up And Fight"). Musically, the band breaks new ground: while "Cross The Gate" ventures into death metal territory, "Play Dead", "Feline Fatality", and "Inner Peace" bristle with crossover/thrash madness, merging speed/thrash metal with hardcore/punk in such vicious fashion that the entrails of Nazi rats go flying. The split will be available as a digipak CD and in strictly limited 12" vinyl variants. Fat Freddy's world domination is imminent – "If you can smell it, it's way too late!"

Discography

2024 – Slice 'Em All (Iron Shield Records / Cause of Deaf Records)

Split Releases
2026 – Die By The Claw / Commando (Split with Phantom Corporation, Supreme Chaos Records)

Tour dates

01.08.2026 DE Gerstungen, Burgbrand Festival
22.08.2026 DE Harz, O.W.O.C. One Wald, One Crew
05.09.2026 DE Düsseldorf, AK47
26.09.2026 DE Berlin, Thrash Talk Festival
27.11.2026 DE Lünen, Lükaz