After splitting in 2012, Australia’s The Butterfly Effect’s classic line-up are back with IV, their first album in 14 years. But does absence make the heart grow fonder? Prog catches up with guitarist Kurt Goedhart from the forward-thinking rockers to find out.

Words: Chris Cope

The Butterfly Effect, L-R: Clint Boge, Ben Hall, Glenn Esmond, Kurt Goedhart.

Images: Kane Hibberd

“The relationships got to a point where I think they were on the brink of decaying into something nasty,” The Butterfly Effect singer Clint Boge was quoted as saying back in 2012 after he left the group. “I thought I would pull the pin before it got to that point.”

Maybe it was a case of absence making the heart fonder, or just four guys growing up, but now the reunited Australian heavy prog group appear to be back on an even keel, and perhaps stronger than ever. Their comeback album, IV, released last autumn, marked a turnaround of fortunes for a band who had teetered on the brink and were scalded by toxicity.

It’s now been 15 years since their previous long-player, Final Conversation Of Kings. A heck of a lot has happened since then: Obama, Trump, #MeToo, Black Lives Matter, Brexit, King Charles III… But the time since their split has provided a cathartic breathing space to allow the quartet’s wounds to heal.