SEPULTURA „“A-lex””

Music: Groove/Hardcore/Half-Thrash
Country: Brazil
Web site: www.sepultura.uol.com.br
Cool Songs: Moloko Mesto, What I Do, Sadistic Values, Forceful Behavior

Brazil’s metal monolith, SEPULTURA returns with their latest studio offering “A-lex.” The said album marks a significant point in the band’s career. It is the first album to feature a non-Cavalera lineup. Lead vocalist/rhythm guitarist Max Cavalera left the group over thirteen years ago. Long-standing drummer, Igor Cavalera—Max’s brother—left the group a couple years back. The two reunited in the form of CAVALERA CONSPIRACY. UDORA drummer, Jean Dollabella has assumed the void left by Igor.

Even though SEPULTURA created “A-lex” without another core member, this is still a true representation of SEPULTURA, at least by recent standards. Original members Andreas Kisser (guitar) and Paulo Jr. (bass) continue to build upon the varied sound first touched upon on the “Roots” album. This sound includes churning, low-tuned guitar grooves, Kisser’s odd guitar solos, tribal-fused passages, straightforward thrashing and Derrick Green’s bruising vocal style.

Tracks such as “Moloko Mesto” and “Forceful Behavior” show the group returning to a death metal stance similar to the “Arise” and “Beneath the Remains” albums. The hardcore punk style of “Enough Said” would fit well on a NAILBOMB record. Of course, no SEPULTURA album is complete without the occasional tribal passage. Although “A-lex” does not contain a theme compatible with tribal music, “Filthy Rot” contains tribe-like chanting and primal percussion near the end of the track. Although SEPULTURA takes a balanced musical stance, large grooves still rule the day.

Like the preceding album “Dante XXI,” the group also includes a number of instrumentals, often of an experimental vibe. Four numbered instrumentals bearing the album’s title tag emit creepy, soundtrack- quality keyboard sounds. These instrumentals work like a novel, breaking up the album into chapters. The book Kisser and clan are referring to is “A Clockwork Orange.” Each track touches on a particular idea found in the story, detailing the book’s violent demeanor, as well as the Science Fiction concepts. In a strange classical music versus metal instrumental, SEPULTURA even honors Alex’s—the anti-hero of the book, favorite musician—Ludwig Van Beethoven.

One could derive a certain amount of sadness due to SEPULTURA creating an album without a Cavalera, but in many ways, “A-lex” represents continuity. Not only has SEPULTURA made two consecutive concept albums, the band continues to experiment with their style, all the while keeping their groove metal base. The group found a worthy replacement for Igor in Dollabella. Although not an emulation of Igor in any manner, he does manage to create a few memorable drumbeats throughout the album. “A-lex” does not stand up to Max-era SEPULTURA, the group may never pen such classic songs again, but it does show continuity and the group’s ability to expand the definition of SEPULTURA.

note: 7.5/10

Tracklist

1. A-Lex I
2. Moloko Mesto
3. Filthy Rot
4. We've Lost You
5. What I do!
6. A-Lex II
7. The Treatment
8. Metamorphosis
9. Sadistic Values
10. Forceful Behavior
11. Conform
12. A-Lex III
13. The Experiment
14. Strike
15. Enough Said
16. Ludwig Van
17. A-Lex IV
18. Paradox
Total playing time 54:23

Line-up

Derrick Leon Green – Vocals, Guitar
Andreas Rudolf Kisser – Guitar
Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr. – Bass
Jean Turrer Dolabella – Drums