2006-09-16
Sepultura went with a very unique path this time; the band's 10
th album seems them doing a concept piece based upon poet Dante's works. It may provide for an interesting piece of imagery for the booklet, but most of the problems haunting the band since Max Cavalera's leaving still plague this album.
The band's withdrawal into their hardcore and punk roots has been evident for the last few years, so the first 4 songs are no surprise, hook-free simplistic pieces that bear none of the brilliant riffing of classic Sepultura albums. The band does shine with the fifth track – False, a mid-paced thrash piece that features some very interesting classic instruments and strong riffs, if only the entire album was like this.
Fighting On continues with another strong track, good riffs, mid-paced rhythm with the usual amazing drum work by Igor Cavalera, another recent ex-member of the band. Vocalist Green shines here with a much more varied performance than he usually does. I didn't care much for such orchestral intro bits such as Limbo, but the unique sounding Ostia which follows sounds interesting enough, the problem us, this isn't Sepultura, and it's even more experimental than what the band did in the past.
Next track is what I like to hear, Buried Words is classic Sepultura with throbbing double bass drums, great riffs and aggression, it would've sat in well in Arise, and that's what I like to hear from the band. Things go downhill again in the a-typical Nuclear Seven, too melodic, too progressive, it doesn't work, almost saved by a great lead break by Kisser, but that's about it. Eunoe is another violin oriented intro followed by the simplistic and fast Crown And Miter, which again infuses classical instruments that fail to save a song hindered by a lack of good riffs.
Like Metallica, Sepultura keep on soul searching for a new self, they manage to find it here in several places, but the overall feeling is that the band is looking in the wrong direction. They made classic albums once, why not explore their old ways again? I believe that future answers lie in the past, and that's where the band should look.
Alon Miasnikov
