Go Ahead and Die - Unhealthy Mechanisms (Album Review)
Go Ahead and Die - Unhealthy Mechanisms
Released: October 20, 2023
Line Up
Max Cavalera | Vocals, Guitar
Igor Amadeus Cavalera | Vocals, Guitar, Bass
Johnny Valles | Drums
Online
It’s been just over two years since the father and son team of Max and Igor Amadeus Cavalera dropped their surprise debut self-titled album under the banner Go Ahead and Die. It’s a band name that stands for no bullshit - lyrically and musically this is hard music for a hard and uncompromising world. It didn’t set the world alight, in part because they never toured it, but was a great outlet for the younger Cavalera’s talents and well-suited to the pandemic world we live in. The second album feels like the right kind of record for 2023 - post peak pandemic the focus is on declining mental and social health. Unhealthy Mechanism is a commentary on the current state of the world from Igor Amadeus’ perspective and he’s not happy with what he sees. They’re joined this time by Johnny Valles (Igor’s band mate in Healing Magic) and he’s up for the challenge of keeping time behind the Cavalera riff onslaught.
It’s a hellacious riff barrage too. From the opening pummelling of ‘Desert Carnage’, the Cavalera duo are lean and mean with death metal riffs that are light on technical wizardry but heavy on aggression. That’s not to say Igor Amadeus can’t pull off a mean solo, it’s just that it’s going to be a few seconds of high pitched squeals before the rhythm kicks in again, rather than an endless melodic parade. They throw everything out there on the opening tune, from blast beats to a slower doom metal section and back to black metal. None of it is subtle. The tempo increases with blast beats again on ‘Split Scalp’ but there’s also a pretty nasty groove and D-beat. It’s a complete frenzy with the duelling vocals adding to the disorientation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ4ggUb_96w
It’s not all wild and untamed though. ‘Tumors’ is remarkably focused on a death metal groove, with some cool bass happening alongside the riff. It definitely sounds like the kind of thing Max could write in his sleep, but his son’s bass work pushes it outside the Chaos AD or Soulfly zone just a little bit. I can’t complain though because it’s pretty vicious. Likewise the hardcore infused ‘Drug O-Cop’ is a blast with a more deliberate pace for the Cavalera’s to denounce police corruption. It’s Igor Amadeus’ best lead work too, really using different effects to up the ante before the bridge. ‘No Easy Way Out’ is another punk rager, though Valles does his best to keep the double kick going and he does get a little percussive solo for himself.
The band’s calling card is this kind of versatility, one foot in punk and the other in death metal. In terms of scene it leaves them in an odd spot, but it's less confusing than it sounds since Go Ahead and Die push everything they do to the extreme. There’s no doubt ‘M.D.A. (Most Dangerous Animal)’ is a foot in the death metal camp, it’s a violent banger that may trigger feelings of circle pits and walls of death. ‘Chasm’ is positively apocalyptic, with elements of blackened thrash. It’s the longest song on the album and kind of lost me past the four minute mark. ‘Cyber Slavery’ drew me right back in by putting the pedal down on punk anarchy. Igor sounds right at home, and it's great to hear Max working against a simpler musical backdrop, it really suits him (see also: Sepultura covers of ‘Orgasmatron’ and ‘Drug Me’). Valles nails the drum led intro to ‘Blast Zone’, giving it grind metal vibes. The closing tune, ‘Unhealthy Mechanisms’, is a flat out rampage of guitar and drums with Igor Amadeus getting a crafty on his leads with feedback and some killer headbanging riffage.
[wpadcenter_ad id=170783 align='center']
I can’t say I am disappointed by Go Ahead and Die’s second album, even if the score is lower than the debut. I knew what I was getting this time and the Cavaleras have delivered. They have refined some (but not much) of the reckless abandon that gave their first album its charm but have also doubled down on just taking it to the extreme. Both Max and Igor Amadeus have other projects where they push boundaries or celebrate their legacy (since Igor Amadeus has joined his dad and uncle in Cavalera Conspiracy). Go Ahead and Die is where they empty their frustration, hatred and anger so they don’t go out and commit violence. Pretty much like all good metal - it’s an outlet for these dark feelings and a chance to celebrate with a like minded audience.
Go Ahead And Die - Unhealthy Mechanisms Tracklisting:
- Desert Carnage
- Split Scalp
- Tumors
- Drug-O-Cop
- No Easy Way Out
- M.D.A. (Most Dangerous Animal)
- Chasm
- Cyber Slavery
- Blast Zone
- Unhealthy Mechanisms
Rating: 7.7 / 10
Unhealthy Mechanisms is out October 20 via Nuclear Blast Records. Pre-Order here.
Review by KJ Draven (Twitter X and Instagram).
