Review-I think Soulfly was born out of the experimentation that Max Cavalera was wanting to do with Sepultura. If you listen to “ Roots” by Sepultura and then play the first two Soulfly albums, it feels like an extension of what he was wanting to achieve. I am a big fan of Deftones, Will Haven and even Limp Bizkit but who really gained anything from their involvement on the first two records? In a way I think it hurt Soulfly as people saw it as some nu metal “ Roots” like Sepultura vibe. I feel though, that is where the story started. Each CD after the first two ditched the nu metal vibe and with Mark Rizzo ( 2004) on-board they started in a heavier direction. I have to say albums like “ Conquer” and “ Dark Ages” are just monsters. “ Enslaved” is another great album. This was a band that was hungry and furious. Max’s other side projects got that fury as well. Max was fired up and he was wanting people to see that he did not forget his beginnings and he was still that thrash spirit. Now, we are at 2022 and Mark Rizzo is gone. If you were a fan of the “ Ritual” cd, you are going to be a fan of this cd as well. “ Totem” is stripped down to the bones and it does not waste any time in setting the mood. This is a cd that lives and dies on the riffs. Cavalera has employed Arthur Rizk on lead guitars and he has really taken this cd as his own. This cd hits the gas in the first three songs. “ Superstition” is going to be a crowd pleasing live song. “ Scouring the Vile” throws away the rap metal past and shows people that they have an addictive sound that is just intensified by guitar leads. “ Filth Upon Filth” sounds like it came from the “ Chaos AD” sessions. The thing about these three songs, they do not grow on you immediately, they work their way into your soul and do not let it go.
This is where I am unsure. I feel after the onslaught of the first three songs, that this cd gets lost very fast. “The Damage Done” is not a bad song. It has a great chorus and some decent work on guitar, but the problem is that it sounds like everything else from Soulfly. By the end, I was asking myself what songs do the riffs sound like. “ Ancestors” showcases Max’s son Zyon on drums more than anything else. I think he has some great drum work on this track, but the song itself is forgettable till the closing minute, that is when this song came to life. I hate to dwell on the fact that this band had such an odd past to be where they are now. I feel that this band is more of a Max solo project more than a band effort. This cd is where Max was at in 2021. I am not sure what I was expecting from this cd, but I liked most of it. The first three songs alone are worth the price of the ride. I know I will listen to it again and like it more the next time as my expectations will change. I am a fan of Soulfly, I just want this band to feel more like a band with an identity that feels coherent. This cd is a fair release. I mean in a packed market right now, you have so many metal cds coming out. I feel every band and singer has to step up. This CD tries very hard and at times it works. I still think this band needs to be more of a group effort.
7 out of 10
