It’s Time Once Again

To the rest of the world, Brazil conjures images of sandy beaches, Carnivale, and that big statue of Jesus. To heavy metal fans, there is only one thought: Sepultura. Even after 27 years, 12 albums, and a few staff changes, the boys from Brazil still know how to rock, and they don’t mind showing it on their latest, Kairos.

Opener “Spectrum” is a heavy slice of Sepultura’s groove metal, anchored by vocalist Derrick Green’s dark, raspy delivery, while “Relentless” is a return to form for the band, their classic blend of Latin rhythms and thrash superbly executed here. Following a crushing cover of Ministry’s “Just One Fix,” the band launches into the supremely dark “Dialog,” with Green’s deep-voiced musings playing off Andreas Kisser’s gloomy guitar work perfectly. “Embrace The Storm” is a pummeling waltz driven by drummer Jean Dolabella, before the metallic and industrial strains of “Structure Violence (Azzes)” brings everything to a close.

Kairos is recorded and produced by Roy Z (Halford, Yngwie Malmsteen, Bruce Dickinson), and his classic metal influence is clearly present. The guitars are polished and up front, the drums are tight and focused, and the vocals are clear, but not overpowering. It’s not nearly as raw as some of their other records, but it’s appropriate for the direction their music is taking.

As part of the collective works of Sepultura, Kairos is a fine entry, and should be on the shelf of any long-time fan. Newcomers may want to start with an earlier record, but this isn’t a bad place to get into the band, either. Stick with Sepultura: the boys from Brazil are showing no signs of slowing down.