In August 1985 Sepultura went into the studio to record tracks that would appear on a split EP with Overdose. At the time the band were just a trio, featuring Max Cavalera (vocals, rhythm guitar), Jairo Guedz (lead guitar, bass), and Igor Cavalera (drums, percussion). Now, nearly 40 years on, Max and Igor went back into the studio alongside Daniel Gonzalez (lead guitar) and Igor Amadeus Cavalera (bass) to re-record the tracks. The release from Nuclear Blast is by Cavalera, but the digital is by Cavalera Conspiracy (and shows as such on that cover), so am not sure quite what is going on there. Comparing the new cover and the old is fun as the demon has been somewhat beefed up, as has the church he is attacking, and in many ways, this is also a good way of thinking about the music contained inside.
There are many reasons why a band want to re-record old material, either to gain control (think Taylor Swift), or to correct a wrong in terms either of performance or production. Given that Max and Igor have gained considerable experience in the extreme metal field since they first entered the studio I am guessing it is more of the latter, but it also does shine a light on the foundations of Sepultura and the people originally behind it. They have also added a new song, “Sexta Feira 13”, which apparently is based on riffs they were playing back in the day and they felt it was fitting to include that here. Like many people who came across Sepultura in the early Nineties I went back to find this release when it came out, but the recording and production certainly left something to be desired and to hear these songs being given a brand new life is superb as it clearly demonstrates how right from the beginning here was a band with promise. Fans of the originals need not be concerned that anything terrible has happened to the songs, but rather they have been taken to the next level and it is like hearing them for the first time all over again.
Rating: 8/10
Links:
https://www.cavaleraconspiracy.net/
https://www.nuclearblast.com/
