Sepultura
Nation

THE REVIEW

Two years have passed since the release of the dull "Against," the debut of vocalist Derrick Green as a replacement for Max Cavalera, and the enormous flood of criticism that befell the band. One might think that it couldn't get any worse, and yet, after the release of the new "Nation" in 2001, even Roadrunner Records (a launching pad in times gone by) snubs Sepultura, despite the contract that bound them stating the release of two more albums, and this alone should make us reflect on the abyss into which the Brazilian combo has sunk.
Upon release, critics seemed to give positive judgments to the full-length, talking about a good sound and a reborn group back on the right track; judgments that, after listening, are swept away by a wave of sadness, lack of expression, and nostalgia for the past: this is all that "Nation" made me feel.

A useless and unoriginal album, which was announced as the metal work of the year only because of the name the band carries on its shoulders: all smoke and no fire. Sepultura really sound bad: Paulo Jr. on bass doesn't get a single thing right, axe-man Kisser doesn't create anything noteworthy, and those small flashes of light from Igor Cavalera, trying to pierce the total darkness, are annihilated by the sometimes weak, sometimes nauseating growl of an incapable vocalist. In some tracks like "Revolt," they seem like they want to shake the world, pretend to be angry, rebellious enemies of the system: it's all a colossal sham, like the cover that says nothing, except their political thought. Other songs to steer clear of are "Who Must Die" and "Politricks," songs that give a déjà vu feeling...A truly soulless performance, perhaps the worst from the group, which doesn't even reach a similar level of decline in the subsequent "Roorback."

If I have to say what I think, a nice reunion of the original line-up wouldn't be bad, otherwise the only alternative is disbandment, because I don't believe that a world-famous band like Sepultura should continue to ruin an excellent and hard-earned reputation with ten years of great music more than it already has.
I'm giving one star to this horror only because of the strong bond I have with this band.