SEPULTURA ON THE UP WITH 'MACHINE MESSIAH'
Sepultura: 'Machine Messiah'
Released: Friday 13th January 2017 (Nuclear Blast)


johnny main
Words: Johnny Main


sepultura

Brazilian Thrash Metallers Sepultura return to the fray with their fourteenth full length album and their first studio release for some time. The bands career seems to be back on the up again, following the success of their previous release, 2011s 'The Mediator Between Head And Hands Must Be The Heart' album, and 'Machine Messiah' carries on where that one left off.

Ten tracks are featured here with a running time of around forty-five minutes but unlike some of their previous releases this isn't a concept driven album but returns to the format of just being a collection of songs – and pretty good ones too, all told.

Title track 'Machine Messiah' kicks things off with a slow, moody start and features the vocals of frontman Derrick Green building throughout the initial sections to the point that the guitar eventually takes over just as Green reaches the heights with his voice. Written about machines ruling humans it's an interesting song that makes an enjoyable number overall, but not the high octane start to the album that you might be expecting.

'I Am The Enemy' follows and it's text book Sepultura with its fast paced guitar riff and unforgiving drums courtesy of Eloy Casagrande whilst Green is in a top notch form from beginning to end. In fact, the same can also be said for 'lceberg Dances' and 'Vandals Nest' later on, and all three of these songs prove that there's still a lot of life in Sepultura and those who think it died with the exit of Max Cavalera some eighteen years ago, really need to listen to this album and the bands previous effort.

Talking of Casagrande, who joined the current line up back in 2011, he certainly stamps his authority on 'Alethea' with its complex drum pattern whilst the guitar, at times, gives a different feel to the song as it fluctuates before settling down but ultimately the song never really manages to attain a great rhythm but instead sort of muddles along in what seems may be a rare misstep for the band.

'Resistant Parasites' has things back on track with its slower pace but it also has an infectious chorus and a somewhat understated guitar solo from Kisser. It might be me, but I'm also sure that they've even managed to subtly place a sitar in the back of the mix, before Kisser really lets loose with a show stopping solo.

Sepultura continue a career that's spanned well over thirty years and, as I said earlier, the band seem to have found a second wind in the last few years, especially since Casagrande joined, so let's hope the resurgence of this great group continues.

beer beer beerbeerbeerbeer beer beerbeerbeer

You can see Sepultura live here:
Wednesday 1st February: La Bam, Metz*
Thursday 2nd February: O13, Tilburg*
Friday 3rd February: Tonhalle, Munchen*
Saturday 4th February: Mehr! Theater, Hamburg*
Monday 6th February: Amager Bio, Copenhagen*
Tuesday 7th February: Rockefeller, Oslo*
Wednesday 8th February: Fryshuset Arenan, Stockholm*
Friday 10th February: The Circus, Helsinki
Saturday 11th February: Pakkahuone, Tampere
Sunday 12th February: Club Rock Café, Tallinn*
Monday 13th February: Siemens Arena, Vilnius*
Wednesday 15th February: Progresja, Warsaw*
Thursday 16th February: Gasometer, Vienna+
Friday 17th February: Schalchthof, Wiesbaden*
Saturday 18th February: Columbia-Halle, Berlin
Sunday 19th February: Z7, Pratteln*
Tuesday 21st February: Live Club, Trezzo Sull'adda*
Wednesday 22nd February: Summum, Grenoble*
Thursday 23rd February: Razzmatazz, Barcelona*
Friday 24th February: Riviera, Madrid*
Saturday 25th February: Bikini, Toulouse*
Sunday 26th February: Bataclan, Paris*
Tuesday 28th February: Academy, Manchester*
Wednesday 1st March: Vicar St., Dublin*
Thursday 2nd March: O2 Forum, London*
Friday 3rd March: Torhout, Balen*
Saturday 4th March: Grugahalle, Essen*
Monday 6th March: Club Zal, Saint Petersburg
Tuesday 7th March: Bud Arena, Moscow+

UK tickets available right here.

* with Kreator
+ with Soilwork


'Machine Messiah' Tracklisting:
Machine Messiah
I Am The Enemy
Phantom Self
Alethea
Iceberg Dances
Sworn Oath
Resistant Parasites
Silent Violence
Vandals Nest
Cyber God


Sepultura are:
Derrick Green – Lead Vocals
Andreas Kisser – Guitars
Paulo Jr. – Bass Guitar
Eloy Casagrande – Drums








 
metal talk