The loss of any family member is hard to comprehend unless it has happened to you, and Soulfly was a big part of Max's mourning process. Forced to choose between his wife and his brother, he chose his wife. OK, so Max was going through a very tough time in his life. He's only noticeable because he's a worse vocalist than Max. So there's Dino and Burton from Fear Factory on "Eye For An Eye" It's hard to tell. Song after dreadful dribbling song drones past, the only difference on each track being the guest musicians. How can the man responsible for such masterpieces as "Beneath The Remains" and "Point Blank" lose it so completely? The simplistic rhythms, the "tribal" percussion, the inane lyrics, the downtuned sludge, the tuneless rapping. That's how long this album plays for before descending into utter nu-metal cack.
Could it be possible the nu-metal abomination the former thrash superstars had become was not Max's fault? It seems so- for exactly 12 seconds. I haven’t been this excited about an album from Max since the debut Cavalera Conspiracy album, he and the band are truly back to form.
This is a superb album from Soulfly, and although I said it is their finest since ‘Primitive’, it may actually be superior to both that and the debut, quite a statement I know. Gentle, restrained, delicate yet passionate and emotional, this is not the style of music one would expect from someone who brought us ‘Chaos A.D.’. “Fluff” anyone? On never really knows what is going to happen, with traditional flute leading into “Blood On The Street” while closer “Soulfly XI” simply doesn’t sound as if it belongs on any album which involves a Cavalera. This is an album to get all sweaty and aggressive in the mosh pit, as the guitars crank it up, while percussion and drums combine to create something very special indeed.īut just when it is getting all too much for the head to take, and there is a need for some respite, we are treated to “Demonized” which starts life as an acoustic flamenco guitar track. It is aggressive, powerful, pummelling, with the underlying groove taking nothing away from the ferocity of the attack, yet there are also some native sounds at the beginning of the title track which makes one think of the mighty, incredible, “Roots, Bloody Roots”. The last Sepultura album was their best for years, and here we see the ex-leader of that band pulling together what is probably their finest release since 2000’s ‘Primitive’.
Max and the gang are back with their eleventh album, the third to feature his eldest son Zyon on drums (the line-up is completed by Marc Rizzo on lead guitar, flamenco guitar and bassist Mike Leon, plus loads of guests).