Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 13/01/2017
Label: Nuclear Blast
Will this convert early-Sepultura-only fans?
Unlikely. Will it convert Cavalera only Sepultura fans? I doubt it, as those
people have made their decision and won't entertain that a Sepultura can exist
without the Cavalera brothers. However, this is yet another high quality entry
into the Sepultura discography and is one of the best records the band has
made.
“Machine Messiah” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1.
Machine Messiah 5:54
2.
I Am The Enemy 2:27
3.
Phantom Self 5:30
4.
Alethea 4:31
5.
Iceberg Dances 4:41
6.
Sworn Oath 6:09
7.
Resistant Parasites 4:58
8.
Silent Violence 3:46
9.
Vandals Nest 2:47
10.
Cyber God 5:22
The Review:
Sepultura, it can accurately be
said, were once one of the most important bands in metal from 1989 to 1996. In
the early 90's they were THE gateway band into extreme metal. People loved them
and they were seen as somehow more cool and edgy than bands like Pantera,
more modern than Slayer and were perfectly positioned to rule the metal
roost in an era when Metallica and Megadeth had gone a little too
far from the original blueprint. As we all know, Max Cavalera quit and the rest
is a much more low key history than what might/might not have been.
As
noted back in 2013 when I reviewed the superb ...Mediator... album, it is such a shame that the latter day work
of the band has been dismissed by many. Sure, it may not be the classic
line-up(s) that produced the early records but there is a great deal of superb
metal to explore nonetheless. Sepultura have become a quirky
no-one-album-alike band who have followed their own muse to produce some truly
original metal over the course of the last 20 years. Yes, it is now almost that
long(!).
With
“Machine Messiah”, we find Eloy
Casagrande still behind the kit (a monster, one of the best in metal/any
genre), along with Andreas, Paulo and Derrick. We also find ten tracks of white
hot intensity wrapped up in an excellent production of power and clarity
unthinkable thirty years ago at the start of the band's career. The first three
tracks take in a downbeat and sombre title track, the flat out thrash assault
of “I
am The Enemy” and even a mix of instrumentation and fantastic groove in
“Phantom
Self”, which also possesses a strong hook.
Those
former fans wanting a return to the blackened death thrash of the band's
earliest work will have to dig out those (recently purchased) cassettes and
records again. This is yet another varied and magnificent work of originality.
If anything, it perhaps veers a little closer to “Chaos AD” than previous Green-era records. The songs are mostly
quite direct and there are no small amount of hooks across the record. There is
even an instrumental in the shape of “Iceberg Dances”, which is a
beguiling aural assault, packed with great riffs, an acoustic guitar section
and very inventive drum work- a mid album highlight and just a superb piece of
music.
“Sworn Oath” finds the band in
groovily bullish mood, Green providing an excellent vocal performance to
accompany the surprisingly dynamic track. “Resistant Parasites” and “Silent
Violence” are arguably more “typical” latter day Seps fare; heavy, murky grooves
and dark themes, while “Vandals Nest” a rip-roarer with a
superb intro and a feel more akin to “Arise”
or even “Beneath The Remains”.
The
album thus concludes with “Cyber God”, which is a dirge type
track full of angular riffs and tom work; a satisfying and dark end to an album
that could be described in exactly those terms. The exploration of technologies
influence/control over mankind is continued on from the ...Mediator opus and the themes are very prescient.
Will
this convert early-Sepultura-only fans? Unlikely. Will it convert
Cavalera only Sepultura
fans? I doubt it, as those people have made their decision and won't entertain
that a Sepultura
can exist without the Cavalera brothers (Sepultura still boasts one original member-
there are bands out there that don't, but I appreciate the arguments people
will counter that with). However, this is yet another high quality entry into
the Sepultura
discography and is one of the best records the band has made. The days of “Beneath The Remains” are never coming
back, but, frankly, why would you want them to? There are lots of thrash bands
doing that, but there is only one metal band doing this. Original and
uncategorisable, long live Sepultura.
“Machine Messiah” is available now
