MAX CAVALERA is open to reunion of SEPULTURA's classic lineup
13-06-2024
In a new interview with Sakis Fragos, publisher/chief editor of Rock Hard Greece, founding SEPULTURA guitarist/vocalist Max Cavalera was asked if he has been approached by the current lineup of the band to take part in what will eventually be SEPULTURA‘s final concert at the end of the group’s ongoing farewell tour. He responded: “I have not been approached. In fact, I think I saw one thing Andreas (Kisser, SEPULTURA guitarist), of course said in an interview, like, ‘Why are we gonna ask them (Max and former SEPULTURA drummer Igor Cavalera to take part)? They’re gonna spoil the party,’ which is very typical (laughs) of Andreas to say that.
“I don’t know. I think I’m gonna let things happen the way they’re gonna happen,” he continued. “I’m not gonna force anything, and if there comes a time where we feel that we should make a reunion — okay, fine, as long as we do it the right way. Just like with these re-recordings of early SEPULTURA albums that Igor and I are doing under the CAVALERA name. I think we made them the right way — honest, proper, from the heart.
“So right now I’m not thinking about that a reunion,” Max added. “I know they announced the end of the band. I don’t understand this idea. I don’t know if they were forced to do it, or if it’s a mutual decision of just stop playing ’cause you don’t wanna do it anymore. I don’t know. I myself cannot live without music. I need to play live. It’s like the air I breathe.
“I love what I’m doing right now with Igor, with CAVALERA, and we’re gonna continue,” he concluded.
SEPULTURA fell apart in 1996 with the exit of Max after the rest of the Brazilian four-piece split with the vocalist/guitarist’s wife Gloria as their manager. Max‘s brother, drummer Igor “Iggor” Cavalera stuck around with the group for another ten years before leaving SEPULTURA and re-teaming with Max in CAVALERA CONSPIRACY.
Max previously discussed the possibility of a classic SEPULTURA lineup reunion in a February 2023 interview with Thomas S. Orwat, Jr. of Rock Interview Series. He said: “I’m very, very busy right now with all the projects, ’cause I’ve got so many — SOULFLY being my main band, but also GO AHEAD AND DIE with my son Igor, and KILLER BE KILLED. And I’m already playing a lot of the old stuff with my brother; that, to me, right there, it fills the void anyway.
“So, yeah, I don’t think about that at all,” Max said in regard to a SEPULTURA reunion. “At this moment, I don’t need to do anything like that. I think at this moment I’m so busy with the stuff that I have in front of me, and the fans love all the stuff that I’ve been doing anyway. There’s no point, really. ‘Cause I haven’t even thought of that idea in a long time. But I think that my main thing right now is SOULFLY… And I love the fact that SOULFLY just keeps getting stronger and stronger with every record. And I look forward to the time to write the next one. It’ll be another challenge and another chance to make something good again.”
In the summer of 2022, Igor told the “Mike Nelson Show” about the possibility of him and Max returning to SEPULTURA: “I have to be honest with you, man. The reunion, in my opinion, it’s me and my brother — that’s the person that I wanna be united with. So, for me, if the other stuff, it doesn’t happen, I can’t really be too bummed about it. Of course, it would be amazing, but the real reunion for me is just me and my brother being together. That’s what makes me happy.”
Although SEPULTURA has maintained a diehard fanbase in all parts of the world throughout the band’s nearly four-decade history, Max-era albums “Roots” and “Chaos A.D.” were by far SEPULTURA‘s most commercially successful, having both been certified gold in the U.S. for sales in excess of five hundred thousand copies.
SOULFLY releases its last album ‘Totem’ in August 2022 on Nuclear Blast Records.
Max Cavalera comments on the album: “‘Totem’ is a celebration of the spiritual nature. It was a two-year journey writing with my son and SOULFLY drummer Zyon. This album is about all the joy, the fun and the anger in metal.”
“Totem” track listing:
01. Superstition
02. Scouring The Vile
03. Filth Upon Filth
04. Rot In Pain
05. The Damage Done
06. Totem
07. Ancestors
08. Ecstasy Of Gold
09. Soulfly XII
10. Spirit Animal
In August, SOULFLY parted ways with longtime guitarist Marc Rizzo due to personal differences. A permanent replacement guitarist has yet to be announced. FEAR FACTORY‘s Dino Cazares played guitar for SOULFLY on the summer 2021 U.S. tour and once again handled second-guitar duties on the band’s most recent run of shows.
‘Totem’ will be available in the following formats:
- CD Jewelcase
- Blue Cassette (Limited to 300)
- Long Box
- CD Jewelcase
- Sticker
- Pin
- Vinyl
- Black
- Gold
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