Barack out with more political metal

Max and Igor (now Iggor?) Cavalera are making music together for the first time since Sepultura's 1996 pinnacle Roots. Not coincidentally, that was also the last incredible album released by either party (check out Soulfly or Max-less Sepultura if you don't believe me). Still, it doesn't look like their new project, Cavalera Conspiracy, is going to make anyone forget the greatest South American band in metal history.


However, it gives us another good excuse to revisit one of the greatest political bands in history.



Sepultura started in the mid-'80s as a no-fi death metal act, but before long they freed themselves from conventionality with increasingly challenging music. The band incorporated tribal-sounding percussion, thrash metal riffing, call and response vocals and third world instruments into their sound, all of which (besides thrash riffs) were nearly unheard of in any previous form of metal. As they were pushing the sonic envelope, Sepultura also wrote increasingly political songs, and by 1989's Beneath the Remains they were as lyrically confrontational as Al Jourgensen or Dave Mustaine.

Sepultura's lyrics are not great. It's obvious that English is not the band's first language, and while their choruses are never too cringe-worthy to scream along too, they read sort of embarrassingly in the liner notes.

"Obscured by the sun
Apocalyptic clash
Cities fall in ruin
Why must we die?" --from 'Arise'

Bob Dylan, they ain't. But in context, it's as compelling as the best Public Enemy records.



Much credit is due to Max Cavalera, one of the most powerful barkers in metal history. As guttural as his singing is, his words are almost always audible, and his yell is more affecting than anyone this side of Kurt Cobain. When the producers of the movie The Scorpion King needed someone to voice the title character's earth-shaking, battle-scene war cries, they wisely enlisted Max Cavalera.



Even when not appearing in a high-budget, CGI-heavy Hollywood movie, Max Cavalera sounds like he's leading an army. Sepultura's music sounds like the work of thousands, especially on their must-own release Chaos A.D. Taking on everything from Biotech corporations invading Brazil to the military police behind the Carandiru Massacre, Sepultura brought South American crises into the international eye on top of some really awesome music. Staples like 'Territory' and 'Refuse/Resist' are good enough to incite riots.





But without lyrics, current events or even plugged-in instruments, Sepultura were still a great political metal band. I can't get enough of 'Kaiowas,' their tribute to a Brazilian Indigenous tribe that partook in mass suicides to avoid enslavement from the Brazilian government.



I have no idea what 'Ratamahatta' is about, but I'm posting the video anyway because it rules.



I'm glad that the Cavaleras are back together, but I'm hoping that they'll reunite with Paulo Jr. and Andreas Kisser and tour. If there's anyone who can make great art out of global turmoil, it's these guys.