By: Anders

Posted: Feb 27, 2006

To set all things straight from the beginning, the tracks I have heard with Sepultura dating later than 1996, can be counted on 2 hands, I never got through Max leaving the band, and I never accepted them getting a new singer. Though now their new album "Dante XXI" has ended on my desk, and I have to review it, so this was a good opportunity to catch up with the band, here 10 years after the last full album, I have heard and own with them, "Roots".

Some things has changed, not that I wasn't aware of that, I have read reviews and interviews with the band through the years. There are still traces of the old Sepultura, some of the guitars tones are pure thrashing madness, with a nice feel to them, there are a bit of tribal influences here and there, though not as much as I expected. Though this is an album based on Dante's Inferno, so I guess there isn't much room for tribal elements here. There are much hardcore in the game now, there are even tracks there are more or less pure hardcore, and they actually work great in this context and together with the rest of the music. The quiet and atmospheric elements, which brings some thoughtfulness into the harsh and direct world of metal, and brings the dark atmosphere to this album, works well. At times it seems a bit awkward though, but often it fits. The album is musically well-written, most of the material is both catchy and hard-hitting. The vocals are ear-piercing and work well, both together with the music and on the mind of the listener.

Though after having been listening to the album a good amount of times, I still have a hard time pairing it together with Dante’s Inferno, I haven’t had a chance to read the lyrics though, the story might be another if the lyrics accompany the listening, and bring some higher context and wholesome into the game. The only track I can place together with Inferno, is the last track 'Still Flame', which more or less is ambient, with some subtle riffing in the background, screams and whispers and some fierce vocals in the end, and the intros of course, which are scattered around the album, and works as small intermezzos. The first track 'Dark Wood Of Error' induces a good and dark and Dante-like atmosphere, until the real riffing and vocals attack in a hardcore-feast.

This is an interesting album and it grows with each listen. It is by no means classical Sepultura, but I guess they haven't delivered such the last 15 years, so that's no big surprise. The music is driving and hard-hitting, and the concept behind is interesting and captivating. And it is amazing how the album keeps on growing with each listen it gets, and I'm sure a whole new dimension of the album will reveal itself, when I sometime get around finding the lyrics and enjoy them together with the music.

Rating: 7½/10

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