Sepultura

Dante XXI

Sepulturas first release ”Bestial Devastation” a split album shared with Overdose, which was released back in ’85, was in many ways a milestone in the trash metal music. Not only was Sepultura one of the very first metal bands in Brazil, it was also the first album with the Cavalera brothers Igor and Max, who later were responsible for some of the most remarkable metal albums in the 90’ties. In spite of Sepultura being founded over 20 years ago, the band is still going strong and from what I’ve heard from their new release they still have a lot to offer.

The album “Dante XXI” is a concept album with inspiration from the book by Italian philosopher/writer Dante Alighieri.

The diversity of moods lives up to Sepultura’s literary blueprint. In his book, Dante Alighieri describes a journey through the three kingdoms of the dead, meeting many renowned personalities of his times (he lived from 1265 to 1321) while visiting hell, purgatory and paradise. These very different environments are reflected by the albums lyrics, some of which are connected by a total of 4 intros and closely linked to topical events and politically explosive questions. There can be no doubt that “Dante XXI” is the most diverse and musically mature album of Sepultura’s career to date. Over the years Metal Coven has been listening to a lot of Sepulturas music, and we have always found, that Sepultura was a band with many qualities. Their sound has changed a lot over the years. The band has been going through a lot of changes, but there’s still this thing about the band – a thing that we can not define. But it makes us want to come back for more.  Just as Sepultura has been true to real metal, their fans have been true to Sepultura. 

 Since we received the album some time ago, we have been listening to it a lot. The first impression was that the atmosphere is catchy as hell, in spite of the Dante-concept which has influenced the album a lot. One of the songs – “Still Flame” which rounds up the album, has a very special avant-garde atmosphere over it. No vocals, just cello and some other stuff that you get to like more and more as you listen to it. “Still Flame” is the least approachable tune on the album, but it will grab you as time goes by.  The album contains of 11 songs with great diversity in atmosphere and expression. And as you play the album again from time to time, you’re bound to pick up new elements that you have not been aware of before.

Sepultura will tour in support of the album with In Flames from mid-March to the end of April. The tour will contain approx. 34 concerts but regretfully none of them will be in Denmark. So unless you feel like travelling to Gothenburg, Oslo, Hamburg or Stockholm there’s no chance of seeing the band live this spring. If you log in to http://sepultura.uol.com.br/v6/en/ you can be updated on upcoming tours and other relevant things regarding the band.

©Metal Coven, www.metal-coven.dk , 1999-2006