Sepultura: Chaos A.D.

This is a retro review a classic from the early nineties when drop-d tuning began entering the metal arena and metal bands began deviating from the thrash tempo of the previous decade.

The album opens with a heart-beat and then the now infamous drumbeat followed by the guitar riff and an opening solo before hitting the chorus riff. Lyrics of this song and much of the album focus on oppressive powers or governments and the people that stand up against them. "Inner Fear your worst enemy: Refuse-Resist!!!"

Territory brings back found memories of watching head-bangers ball at 1am in high school. This also opens with a dominating drum beat before the guitars fully enter. One of the Sepultura's sonic signatures between this album and it predecessor,Roots, is the prevalence of a strong rhythmic drum-beat. The band focused a great deal of energy getting in touch with their tribal roots and that connect manifests itself through the drums. Territory is about fighting for your land, "War for Territory!" In many ways the ways Rage Against the Machines debut album is an American brother to this albums lyrical content.

Slave New World accelerates the tempo of the album showcasing some of the band's thrash roots but slows down mid-way to deliver more political and tragedy based lyrical content, before calling the oppressed to rise up "what of free tribes? Charge the bread lines, blood boils inside me, were not slaves were free!" Guitar Solo "Face the enemy, stare inside you, destroy, destroy them all!"

Amen takes the vocal sonic spectrum in a new direction by adding an echoing/chorus effect. The slower chugging pace of this song suits tempo changes that are accompanied by chanting vocals, before going into solos, and Max's distinct yell.

Kaiowas is a song that listeners of metal from today may take for granted but at the time Sepultua was kicking down the doors of what metal was supposed to sound like. In this acoustic track which is dominated by the drums Sepulatura is sonically connecting to their Brasilian tribal heritage. Band like System of Down are a natural extension of this approach to writing metal songs.

Proganda leads off with a high-pitched solo before cranking into a full throttle thrash assault. "Why don't you get a life and grow up!...Don't believe what you see! Don't believe what you read! Don't!" The sentiments of this track are quite obvious.

The next track is a favorite of anyone who rodr in my car after cross-country practices. A trash track with a goofy chant chorus "Biotech, Biotech, Biotech, is Godzilla!"

The opening guitar riff of Nomad sounds like an alarm howling. This song employs a sliding guitar riff between vocals early on that evokes a horror movie don't look behind that door feel. Later in the song the pitch of the slide decreases.

We Who Are Not As Others is an instrumental track with one repeated vocal line. A precursor to Roots which incorporates more tribal rhythms.

Manifest is a retelling of a violent moment in South American history, the murder of prison inmates, through thrash movements, followed by slower segments where the events are told via a megaphone. The tempo and sonic attitude of this track do an excellent job of conveying the violence and chaos that the inmates would have experienced. The most disturbing moment "Over 80% of the inmates weren't sentenced yet."

The Hunt was not written by the members of Sepultura but one would never be able to tell because the lyrical content is in line with the album's. In this case it tells of rebels hiding out and spreading their message while being pursued by the authorities.

The albums last track "Clenched Fist" features all of Sepultura sonic ranges but the violent high-pitch guitar tones and rhythm section stand out the most. Max finishes the album shouting "Soul-Mind-Fist" which totally encompasses the Sepultura mantra, follow your heart and fight for what you believe in.