Brazilian metal legends Sepultura recently announced their 40th year of existence would be celebrated with an 18 months tour that would be both celebration and swan song. After 15 albums that have seen the band evolve from young blackened thrash heads through to groove and nu-metal and onto experienced purveyors of symphonic and progressive elements, the band have earned the right to go out on their terms.
So let’s celebrate. Led by long-serving members Andreas Kisser and Paolo Junior, it’s no mean feat they will clock up four decades. For some, founder Max Cavalera leaving in 1997 was the band’s death knell, while others jumped off when his brother Igor said he was out in 2006. Those people have missed out, since replacement frontman Derrick Green has been on vocals for 25 years while current drummer Eloy Casagrande is an unmistakable powerhouse.
They just toured here with Good Things Fest, and we caught one of their headliners (review here), but hopefully their final run includes one more trip down under.
So here it is – The 40 Best Sepultura Songs with one proviso – every album needed at least one tune.
1 – ‘Troops of Doom’
A regular set list inclusion since year one. It’s an apocalyptic thrasher that showcases Morbid Visions’ incredibly low-fi sound. Was later re-recorded as a bonus track for second album Schizophrenia under the watchful eye of Scott Burns, the man crucial to the emergence of the Florida Death Metal scene.
2 – ‘Escape to the Void’
There’s several Schizophrenia songs that would’ve been classic if the recording was better quality. ‘Escape to the Void’ gets the nod from me over ‘Inquisition Symphony’ (infamously covered by Apocalyptica) and the re-recorded version of ‘Troops of Doom’.
3 – ‘Beneath the Remains’
The move to a bigger label paid off with third album Beneath the Remains sounding crisp with more variation in the song writing. It still thrashes damn hard. The upgrade in the recording standards of their new label allowed for them to better portray their signature Sepultura sound.
4 – ‘Inner Self’
While much of Max’s early lyrics were dictionary translations of Portuguese phrases that conveyed his thoughts on war and injustice, ‘Inner Self’ speaks of confronting the world on his own terms. It marks a new form of empowerment that the band would embrace down the road.
5 – ‘Mass Hypnosis’
Included because it goes hard and should get a run before they call it a day. More likely to turn up at a Cavalera show than a Sepultura gig at this stage though (in fact we were there when they played it on their last run here). A real pit churner.
6 – ‘Arise’
In 1991, Sepultura emerged with Arise and took the title of the world’s best thrash band. It’s a tour de force that saw the band catapult up festival bills. Came out mere months before Metallica’s world beating Black Album, when metal was supposedly dead and grunge was all the rage. This along with Pantera’s Vulgar Display of Power would carry the flag for metal though grunge’s most potent rule.
7 – ‘Dead Embryonic Cells’
With tempo changes and a set of gnarly riffs, Sepultura showcased a commitment to blasting everyone else off stage with tunes like this. Thematically it differed to most of the heavy metal landscape, singing about real world horrors. Intro bore a hint of industrial noise, a style that was very quickly becoming popular in heavy music with the likes of Ministry and Fear Factory using it in a fuller fashion.
8 – ‘Desperate Cry’
‘Desperate Cry’ kicks off with a slower intro that stands out among their first four albums. What follows is a pummelling of epic production dominated by Igor Cavalera’s relentless attack and groove. Strangely pops up (with ‘Inner Self’) in the Will Farrell movie Talladega Nights.
9 – ‘Orgasmatron’
A cover so good there’s Motörhead fans who prefer it over the original. Was included on their 1992 EP, Third World Posse, released exclusively in Australia (pictured below). The release was sandwiched between albums Arise (1991) and Chaos A.D (1993)
10 – ‘Refuse/Resist’
Whilst thrashers will point to Arise, Chaos A.D. is probably their best and most complete album. Rather than doing a black album, the band realise they write their own rules, such as kicking off the album with Max’s unborn son’s head beat. What follows is a mosh pit ready call to resistance that’s slower than fans were used to but unleashes anarchy all the same.
11 – ‘Territory’
One of metal’s most instantly recognisable drum intros, with another hook for the ages. Thrash and groove metal collide. They toured Australia again for Chaos AD and laid waste to Fremantle’s Passenger Terminal (recap here).
12 – ‘Slave New World’
Chaos AD is just bangers, with Biohazard’s Evan Seinfeld helping Max convey his thoughts on censorship. A very hot topic at the time, considering Tipper Gore’s war on fun, the introduction of Parental Advisory stickers on records and bands like Cannibal Corpse having their albums being taken off shelves because of outlawed artwork while facing bans in Germany and Australia. This song is beautifully brutal.
13 – ‘Kaiowas’
Their first foray into “WTF?” territory as the band drops electric guitars for acoustic and jam over some inspired persuasive choices. Live it was next level with all band members taking to the drums, and at times other touring bands as well. It’s not quite Led Zeppelin but would set the stage for further experimentation (and set Max down other world music rabbit holes in Soulfly).
14 – ‘Propaganda’
Familiar themes for Sepultura but now in a harder shell, with a killer hook. Protest songs are a signature model for most of Max Cavalera’s music, as witnessed recently on his collaboration with his son Igor, the band Go Ahead and Die.
15 – ‘Biotech is Godzilla’
Dead Kennedy’s legend Jello Biafra was a fan and gave these lyrics to Max, inspiring their most hardcore moment ever.
16 – ‘Symptom of the Universe’
Earlier in their career it would’ve been unthinkable they could pull this off but with Igor’s tribal instincts suiting the song, and Andreas handling the lead, the band introduced Black Sabbath to a whole new generation as Ozzfest took off.
17 – ‘Roots Bloody Roots’
Max really liked Korn. The downtuned guitars, the more personal lyrics, all of it. So the band hired Ross Robinson who helped them strip back their complicated riffing for Nu metal bounce. Sometimes derided by purists I’ll just say this – if there’s better Nu metal than this it is a very short list. Perennial show closer since 1996. Even closed the Roadrunner United show in 2005 that saw a huge roster of RR’s then finest artists combine to perform the best of the label’s 25 year history.
18 – ‘Attitude’
Roots’ second track separated them from Korn almost immediately. Why? A traditional stringed instrument called a berimbau is used by Max on the intro before the heavy drop tuned groove kicks in.
19 – ‘Ratamahatta’
Roots is ultimately about the band embracing their Brazilian heritage, so they collaborated with singer Carlinhos Brown for this Latin percussion master class. It’s bonkers with Portuguese lyrics that have been sung back to the band worldwide. It’s songs like this that paved the way for native and traditional elements in metal, with bands like The Hu, Alien Weaponry and Melechesh coming later.
20 – ‘Ambush’
Embracing their heritage meant telling stories about Brazil, like ‘Ambush’ which is a tribute to murdered rainforest activist Chico Mendes. There’s also hardcore blast ‘Dictatorshit’ about the 1964 coup and the Amazon’s destruction on ‘Endangered Species’.
21 – ‘Straighthate’ (Live)
Industrial groove meets tribal percussion as Max stares down his haters. Recorded live in London at Max’s final gig with Sepultura.
22 – ‘Against’
Following Max’s well publicised exit, the trio regrouped with Derrick Green and unleashed their Roots follow up Against. While Max continued the nu metal / world music exploration with Soulfly, Sepultura got into Japanese percussion but kept things simple on opening track ‘Against’. Welcome to the world stage Mr Green.
23 – ‘Choke’
A powerful showcase as the debut single with their new singer. Green’s throaty delivery is distinct as Igor and Andreas keep the groove going with a melodic tribal middle section.
24 – ‘Hatred Aside’
Jason Newstead’s love of Sepultura was no secret, and the band knew it. Hell they asked him to join when Max left. He wasn’t ready to give up Metallica but they collaborated on this sick track that saw him duel with Green.
25 – ‘Sepulnation’
Nation was ambitious but it would be their last album for longtime label Roadrunner Records. The production never feels quite right despite some good songs but the overall grandness of the whole enterprise misses. ‘Sepulnation’ remains an anthem with a positive message that works better at a faster tempo in the live set.
26 – ‘Come Back Alive’
Roorback was aptly named as the band unleashed the furious anti war anthem ‘Come Back Alive’.
27 – ‘Apes of God’
Their audience had shrunk a little but they opened the tour shows with this groove monster. A great deep cut they should bring back for the final tour.
28 – ‘MindWar’ (Live)
Recorded for the live album Live in São Paulo, this hometown crowd is red hot and Roorback single ‘Mindwar’ is a fierce addition to the set.
29 – ‘Bullet the Blue Sky’
The Green era has been characterised by unusual cover choices from Bauhaus to Massive Attack, Public Enemy to Soft Cell. This U2 cover was a single and is one of the better metal versions of a rock song you’ll ever hear.
30 – ‘Convicted in Life’
They had another crack at a concept record on Dante XXI and it went much better. Exploring Dante’s epic poem The Divine Comedy gave them fresh lyrical themes, backed by an increasingly progressive approach to thrash, as this lead single shows. Igor was out after this.
31 – ‘Moloko Mesto’
After Dante XXI was well received, though with sluggish sales, they took on Anthony Burgess’ novel A Clockwork Orange for their next literary soundtrack. Despite the lyrical themes it doesn’t entirely gel and at 18 tracks feels a little too long. They could still smash out hardcore infused tunes though.
32 – ‘Kairos’
Kairos winds back the concept to time being an overarching theme while knocking it out of the park with this lead track and some killer tunes combining thrash, death metal and a cover of Ministry’ classic ‘Just One Fix’.
33 – ‘The Vatican’
Based on the 1927 film Metropolis, they went back to the conceptual well for the ridiculously titled The Mediator Between the Head and Hands Must be the Heart. There’s some cool tunes like ‘The Vatican’ (with its cinematic intro) but Ross Robinson isn’t able to drag another Roots out of them.
34 – ‘Structure Violence’ (Live)
Sepultura were no strangers to sharing the stage with others, touring with French outfit Les Tambours du Bronx in 2011 and 2013. They released their combined Rock in Rio 2013 performance which included this incredible take on Kairos’ ‘Structured Violence (Azzes)’.
35 – ‘Sepultura Under My Skin’
A tribute to fans for their 30th anniversary, it kicks off with the live chant of the band’s name. It’s a great hook with a groove straight out of Chaos AD.
36 – ‘Phantom Self’
By Machine Messiah, the band had grown comfortable with combining their thrash with symphonic accompaniment. It results in a fuller sound with songs like ‘Phantom Self’ filling your headphones.
37 – ‘Isolation’
In what might prove to be their final album, Quadra is a hell of high to go out on. It’s split into four distinct sections that each explore different musical territory. Opener ‘Isolation’ sets a blistering tone. We got excited when it first dropped back in 2019 (review here).
38 – ‘Means to an End’
Even on their fifteenth album there’s no letting up. Sepultura knows quality thrash.
39 – ‘Guardians of the Earth’
A song that feels like a culmination of their legacy. It’s got a distinctly epic prog feel with Andreas’ acoustic intro, Eloy adding layers of percussion and a thundering vocal from Green, highlighting the role indigenous people have played in preserving the Amazon. There’s strings and riffs and a choir. The best song from the last quarter of their career.
40 – ‘Mask’ (featuring Devin Townsend)
After Quanda dropped, the world shut down due to the pandemic. Sepultura grabbed some friends and recorded a heap of tunes to entertain fans each week. The resulting album Sepulquanda documents some of these recordings with members and guests recording live from home (review here). Prog chameleon Devin Townsend adds his own rasp and tone to ‘Mask (from Kairos)’. As a swan song it’s a great reminder how far their influence has spread.
We know what you’re thinking – where is song x? (OK it’s here)
Written by Duane James @duanejames666 and KJ Draven (Twitter and Instagram)
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