Sepultura
Against

THE REVIEW

From the Stars to the Stalls? Not really, but it came very close.

In the mid-nineties, with classic metal presumed dead and buried, all hard rock hits the accelerator on experiments and mixtures of all kinds. Sepultura, fresh off the success of Arise and Chaos A.D., are among the giants of the decade, having paved a third-worldist path to the genre, capable of shifting interest from the usual Britain-United States-Germany triangle all the way down to Brazil, just a few years out of a military dictatorship. The partnership with Ross Robinson, the godfather of much of the American nu metal scene, is a lucky one, and Roots propels them to unimaginable levels just a short time before. Some will accuse them of jumping on the bandwagon that's currently pulling the most, but the truth is that the Brazilians had changed skins multiple times since their beginnings, and in the end, critics and sales would prove them right. Of course, at the peak, the toy breaks. Max Cavalera leaves, slamming the door, but the other three aren't having it and want to keep the band alive.

The blow is not insignificant because good old Massimiliano was essentially the driving force of the band, as well as the media face, with more than a fan seeing Sepultura as a mere extension of his personality. So, what to do? Discarding the idea of pressing on with the lineup that had exceptionally played at the Donington '96 festival, essentially a trio with Andreas on vocals, they set out to find a new singer. How? Send out an instrumental demo of a new track, the one that would become Choke, to be sent back with vocals and lyrics. Chuck Billy also tries, at a time when the future of Testament is in doubt, but nothing comes of it. In the end, the unknown Derrick Green will prevail, a six-foot-three hulk made of muscles and dreads from Ohio who, with his hardcore-crossover legacy, will steer Igor Cavalera and the rest towards entirely new shores. Roadrunner, which in the meantime has also signed the new Soulfly band of the runaway Max, obviously pushes the "derby" effect, with fans already divided into factions that hate each other as if we were in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines in 1945. Against delivers, with a nice mix of groove and hardcore, but the reception is lukewarm. How it will end is already known: for a long time, Kisser and friends will suffer from the comparison with the ex-Dear Leader, only to come back into vogue in the last ten years with a series of successful albums.

But how was Against in the end? Actually better than it's often remembered. It picks up where Roots left off, but maximizes the hardcore influences, the natural territory of the newcomer. Green arrives with much of the album already written; at times, a certain disorientation is evident, but several tracks hit the mark. The opening track is a blow, short and incisive, so much so that it will almost become a staple in their set lists. Derrick is not Cavalera and doesn't want to be; he was chosen precisely for this, with his corrosive growl that has little to do with the group's thrash-death past. Choke is a rhythmic triumph and shows how Sepultura was different from any other band of the time, with tribal atmospheres that go hand in hand with nu metal guitars. Rumors is another track worth noting: Paulo Jr.'s bass weaves muddy patterns, while Andreas Kisser delights with his schizophrenic solos, all combined with disorienting passages. Old Earth was brought back during the 2018 tour, marking the twenty years of the current course, and listening to it, you understand why: great rhythmic engine combined with desperate vocals that evoke apocalyptic visions, all enriched by unprecedented melodic openings, which over time will become the trademark of this version of the band. Floaters in Mud moves on the same coordinates without adding much, but has the merit of an unexpected ending. Boycott is certainly more complete: third-worldist lyrics, Green and Kisser sharing the mic, and a well-calibrated sound assault that knows how to unite melody and 'core outbursts. There's also time for the instrumental digressions of Tribus, before returning to the aggression of Common Bonds and Reza, perhaps the best moment of the entire album, a heavy block filled with anti-religious lyrics in Portuguese, with the mic for the occasion in the hands of guest Joao Gordo of Ratos De Porao. Paradoxically, it’s a track that the authors themselves seem to have forgotten. It goes on like this, between potential classics and tracks that add little, despite some interesting passages. Guest appearances continue: on Kamaitachi the Japanese percussionists Kodo join, once again highlighting how Sepultura has always tried to blend multiple influences. Against, it must be said, seems to suffer from the same "syndrome" as the previous Roots, that is, being too long-winded, and with a few tracks less it would certainly have been more convincing. Still, Drowned Out, a one-and-a-half-minute insane splinter, and Hatred Aside, with Jason Newsted seemingly having much more fun here than with various Load and Reload, work well. T3rcermillennium and its acoustic guitars close an album characterized by a sonic assault, even if well thought-out.

In retrospect, Against perfectly reflects the period of uncertainty in which it was composed, amid a desire for revenge, out-of-focus moments, and experimentation in the most diverse directions, resulting in a much more interesting album than it is usually remembered for, with at least half of the tracks fully living up to the name printed on the cover. Needless to say, all the media attention at the time was captured by Soulfly, authors of a much-acclaimed album at the time but which, listened to today, has aged poorly. Kisser and company, however, will not be defeated, continuing to flirt with hardcore and melody for two more albums, Nation and Roorback, before returning to a more thrash sound, but always characterized by contamination. An album to rediscover.

Sepultura:

• Derrick Green, vocals
• Andreas Kisser, guitar and vocals
• Paulo Jr., bass
• Igor Cavalera, drums and percussion

1. Against
2. Choke
3. Rumors
4. Old Earth
5. Floaters in Mud
6. Boycott
7. Tribus
8. Common Bonds
9. F.O.E.
10. Reza
11. Unconscious
12. Kamaitachi
13. Drowned Out
14. Hatred Aside
15. T3rcermillennium