SEPULTURA — Kairos (review)

Album · 2011 · Groove Metal

3.5/5 · 2011-06-26
Coffin Joe

Sepultura's new album has hit the streets, and after the mediocre A-Lex, they have a lot riding on this!

Before reviewing the album itself, I'm going to touch the subject of Sepultura post-Cavelera brothers. First Max left the band and created his nu-jungle-metal band Soulfly, which had some interesting ideas at first, but quickly started to tread waters. Max was a giant driving force in Sepultura, and he helped outline their unique sound. But in my opinion, he wasn't a very good songwriter (lyric-wise), one can only listen to lines like "fuck shit up" so many time, before it gets embarrassing. Die-hard Sepul fans is probably gonna crucify me, but Derrick Green is a better and more diverse vocalist than Max ever was. I think the conceptual Nation & Dante XXI was good records, that helped them come out of the tribal-metal past. It was a greater loss, when Igor left the band. I have always been a great admirer of his drumming, Igors Brazilian percussive-inspired drumming brought something new and fresh to the music. He left a giant empty space, and Jean Dolabella wasn't able to fill the void on A-Lex.

Most of the tracks on Kairos is written by Andreas Kisser, and it features some solid material. Sepultura flew legendary producer Roy Z to Brazil to capture the band in a mostly live setting. For most people, this is not the Sepultura which they fell in love with, but the band proves they are still in the game, and will be kicking ass and talking names along the way! The first two tracks Spectrum & Kairos kicks the album of with some really intense riffing and drumming. Yes, it's no Igor behind the kit, but Dolabella does a much better job than on A-Lex. Derrick Green brings his A-game, and delivers his best vocals since Nation. Third track relentless is a nod to old school trash metal, something that is always welcome in my world. The albums first miss is the Ministry cover "Just one fix". What is up with industrial metal?! First we have Morbid Angel digging their own grave, and now Sepultura also feels the urge to put some industrial inspired metal on the album. Although Sepultura succes better than Morbid Angel, it is one of the weaker tracks on the album. Born Strong, Embrace the Storm & No One Will Stand brings the old in-your-face agressiveness, that helped make Sepultura a household name. Musically there's a lot of references to the old sepultura sound, and it's hard not to nod in appreciation.

When Structure of violence started, I was getting the bad industrial metal vibe again, and a nerve in my eyebrow started pinching. It's the second miss on the album, fully loaded with keyboards, sound cut ups and tribal parts. ...waves fist in the air......damn you! Industrial Metal!! You made Morbid Angel insane and you have tainted an otherwise good album! Argh!!!!!! ....More fist waving...!!

All in all Kairos is a solid album. It looks back at the legacy that Sepultura has, but still manages to define a new sound for a new era. There's a special edition out which features a cover of Prodigy's Firestarter, well..uhm...as much as I enjoy the kick-ass attitude of the original Firestarter song, I simply just don't get it. It made me smile, but overall it doesn't work, and I frankly I find their choice of cover songs a bit odd.

Die-hard Max fanboys is probably going to scold me over this review & will hate every second of Kairos - so be it! Sepultura have never been about compromise, and the band have always been brave enough to go into uncharted territory, and is never afraid to bring something new onto the table.

more than 2 years ago
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Coffin Joe wrote:

more than 2 years ago

It proves, you can't pull out a Sepultura record and expect it to be a 80's trash-fest allover again. For that, you need a Delorean, flux-condensator and a crazy friend named Doc.

Diogenes wrote:

more than 2 years ago

I don't think Derrick being a better vocalist than Max is that crazy of an opinion. Have you heard Max's live performances these days?

Coffin Joe wrote:

more than 2 years ago

The real sepultura line-up controversy, lies in them sticking with the name. It's like two completely different bands - maybe even three, If you take the stylistic change that came with Chaos AD and Roots into account. I truly believe, the departure of Max helped the band stay alive. If you look at the soulfly project, there probably isn't many of the original Sepultura fans that would call themselves Soulfly fans.

adg211288 wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Thrash era Sepultura is some of the few thrash albums I actually like, but I've always enjoyed the style on the Green era albums overall, maybe because my introduction was actually Dante XXI, which was a blind purchase of mine since it was only £3 in a local record store's sale. Not a major fan either way to be honest, although I'll likely give most of the albums I have a spin if this one revitalises my interest in them. I listened to a few tracks online earlier and it sounds pretty solid so far.

The Angry Scotsman wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Oh wow I didn't even know they were making a new one, (blushes)
Well, I really liked Dante XXI, and A-Lex wasn't too great but intriguing...so I know the band can make good stuff post Max (and now Igor).
Also, I have no opposition to industrial (long as its good) and they sound limited...
Well, this review gives me enough confidence to try it.

Time Signature wrote:

more than 2 years ago

I like the prospect of a more thrashy sound.

Coffin Joe wrote:

more than 2 years ago

I wouldn't go as far as saying they're going industrial. But there's industrial elements in two of the tracks which is also the weakest links in the album. I'm not a big industrial fan, obviously, so they didn't come out succesful in my ears.

Time Signature wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Sepultura going industrial? That sounds interesting.

UMUR wrote:

more than 2 years ago

I´m just kiddin´ but I´ll have to admit that I haven´t enjoyed anything Sepultura made after "Arise". At least not in the way I enjoyed "Beneath the Remains" and "Arise". And Soulfly ( no comment!!!)

adg211288 wrote:

more than 2 years ago

I've heard worse than Against. It's called Roots.

Coffin Joe wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Yeah, probably going to get a lot hate - but hey, that's my opinion about the band. But how many of the old Sepul-fans really truly appreciate the Soulfly project? But perhaps I failed to mention, how great a disappointment Against was. When it came out, I thought both Max & Sepultura had committed musical suicide - luckily I was proven wrong

UMUR wrote:

more than 2 years ago

I guess you won´t bring the nails then Adam :-)

adg211288 wrote:

more than 2 years ago

This is the first time I have seen someone praise Derrick more than Max. I thought I was the only one. Haven't heard this album yet,and I thought A-Lex was actually very good, so I'm looking forward to hearing this one!

UMUR wrote:

more than 2 years ago

I´ll bring the cross, anyone has nails? :-) LOL