Rock Classics #40 meets Metal

almost 4 years ago

My Rock Classics series on the other chain was stopped with edition 39

Or so - on Hive I am now starting all over again it seems - so the Rock Classics edition number 40 is a Metal one showing you the likes of a band from Brazil.

If you are interested in the previous Rock Classics posts just search for the tag #rockclassics - you should see some of mine then

Sepultura

A band that is playing on the Metal scene since nearly 40 years. -founded back in 1984 in Belo Horizonte. The band name was inspired by the even older Motörhead when the Brazilian boys listend to the Motörhead song "Dancing on Your Grave".

The band is a live bomb as you can see here palying at the famous Donnington festival and in Barcelona. The singer has for sure an interesting voice - reminds me a bit to Slayer - old traditional Death Metal.

Historic details

According to their name they play starting 1984 Death Metal. Appropriately the gentlemen give themselves suitable pseudonyms: Max is called Possessed, Jairo Tormentor, Igor takes the name Skull Crusher and Paulo calls himself Destructor.

Their first record sees the light of day in 1985, a split LP with the Brazilian band Overdose. Sepultura record and produce their four songs in two days. That's how it sounds: simply not mature enough, just like their 1986 debut album "Morbid Visions" (which after all took a week to develop).

Sepultura seem to recognize this and send their guitarist Jairo T. into the desert. Instead, Andreas Kisser joins the band, which should turn out to be a big win. Their second album "Shizophrenia" clearly shows the increase.

In the USA as well as in Europe the sales figures are developing extremely well. Deservedly so, because this album shows Sepultura's great potential for the first time. This is not least due to the change of guitarist. However, nobody has any idea that the band will develop into one of the biggest thrash hopes within a very short time.

The follow-up album "Beneath The Remains" already hints at this. Blame for this: the pithy production of Scott Burns, who quickly rises to one of the Death/Thrash Metal producers.

In 1990 Sepultura moved from Brazil to Phoenix in Arizona and produced their album "Arise" in 1991. On it some of their greatest hits can be found, for example the title track. This song achieves the impossible: It lands in the charts of some countries, MTV plays the video. Especially in Spain it can be heard constantly on the radio.

Those who know the song know what is memorable about it: Even those who didn't want to take the band seriously before must now admit that they are sawing violently at the thrash throne of Slayer.

"Chaos A.D." from 1993 means for Sepultura the signpost to another direction. It remains Death/Thrash-Metal. But while before the bass is still in the background, it comes out clearly on this album. Therefore they reduce the fast drums to normal speed.

In their lyrics Sepultura now denounce the grievances in Brazil and are very political. Even Jello Biafra (ex-Dead Kennedys) doesn't miss the opportunity to contribute lyrics to the album. Finally Sepultura come on an extensive tour in Europe and show Paradise Lost every night what a rake is.

Sepultura continue the chosen path even more consistently on their 1996 album "Roots". They let the music of the Xavante, the indigenous people of Brazil, flow into their work. This is probably the first mixture of world music and heavy metal. For this they spend a whole time in the woods and live with the Indians.

It works. Quality and commercial success all over the world - especially in Europe - prove it. Especially Max is very enthusiastic about the musical development and wants to continue in this direction. But the rest of the band is not so enthusiastic about it.

At the end of 1996 the music world is shaken badly: Sepultura separate from their singer Max Cavalera in an ugly way. Max's partner, Gloria, has been managing the band for several years. But the other three want to get rid of her and confront Max with their thoughts about a change of manager. Max reacts negatively to the demands.

Thereupon the remaining band members announce at a press conference that Max is no longer part of Sepultura. Max, who shortly after founded the tribal thrashers Soulfly, announces in interviews that he thinks the other members are just envious. Anything but a friendly breakup...

Everybody thought that the departure of Max Cavalera, the charismatic frontman of the band, would seal the end of Selputura. Instead, after a long search, the remaining members formed a new "Sepulnation" with former doorman Derrick Green and in 1998 they relatively hastily released the album "Against" on which, among others, Metallica's Jason Newsted grabs the bass strings.

Sepultura don't really deviate from the tribal stuff, they let some Japanese Kodo drummers beat up their leather skins. Afterwards they go on tour with Slayer in the USA, but already there they have to realize that they have probably passed their commercial zenith.

After taking part in the "Tattoo The Earth" festival tour 2000, they record the rude hardcore influenced successor in Rio de Janeiro. For the first time since 1989, they go back to Brazil and perform at the Rock in Rio-Festival in front of 150.000 people. "Nation", produced by Steve Evetts and mixed by Steve Thompson (hed P.E.), will be released in March 2001 and this time they will also be joined by celebrities, once again Jello Biafra, the cellists of Apocalyptica and Hatebreed-fronter Jamey Jasta.

Since the $$$$ is not really rolling anymore, the label reverts to the last live recordings with Max Cavalera and releases them in 2002 under the title "Under A Pale Grey Sky". In Brazil the band is still hip and fills whole arenas. Outside the country, unfortunately, things look different. Also in Germany you have to be satisfied with smaller clubs. Furthermore, more and more guest contributions and side projects are coming to the fore, which is why the band is not really taking off. Sepultura lose their deal with Roadrunner Records, but they find a place with SPV quite fast.

There "Roorback" is released at the end of May 2004, but even the new album does not convince Sepultura fans very much. But the U2 cover version included on it is quite successful. Together with Voivod they will go on US tour, but they lost the title of the best Brazilian Thrash combo a long time ago.