Few names are as well regarded among extreme metal fans as Max and Igor Cavalera, and for damn good reason! The brothers have released dozens of records throughout their now 40-year long career; defining and redefining death metal, thrash metal and groove metal with Sepultura in the 80s and 90s before furthering the reach of their impact into nu-metal and industrial metal with Soulfly and Nailbomb from the mid-90s through the early 2000s. Cavalera Conspiracy (formed in 2007) then marked a return to the brothers roots (no….not THAT Roots), celebrating the raw sound of the punitive blackened thrash releases of their flagship band; eventually culminating in their 2023 re- release of Sepultura’s Bestial Devastation (1985) and Morbid Visons (1986), which the band (now performing under the moniker Cavalera) treated Dublin’s Academy to, in full, on Thursday 13th June. Needless to say, the sold-out show won’t soon be forgotten!
The venue opened its doors to hundreds of eagerly awaiting fans who had travelled the length and breadth of the country; most of whom were armed with nothing more than band t-shirts and battle jackets with which to brave the days persistent rainstorms. The anticipation was palpable as the mass instantly flooded the stage in preparation for the onslaught. Dublin’s very own Unmaker served as an adequate appetizer for some, though for many, the wait for Cavalera had already been too long. As a fan of Sepultura for over 20 years, I had seen the band perform a number of times before; but not like this not with this material and not with Max and Igor! Most in attendance had heard the current lineup of Sepultura perform tracks off Arise, Chaos A.D. and Roots (THAT Roots); though many of the tracks played on this tour hadn’t been performed live since Max’s departure from the band in 1996.
Unmaker photos:
The supports short but sweet set drew to a close within 30 minutes and the main event was in sight! A nervous energy filled the venue as more and more fans pushed up through the crowds in an attempt to get as close to the stage as possible. The room got loud, anxious. Beers were spilled as bustling fans bumped into one another and impatiently hastened their friends from the bar for a last- minute cigarette. Then the lights dimmed. The chatter faded. The familiar bell chimes of The Curse echoed through the venue signalling the start of the show, accompanied shortly thereafter by a roar of feedback as Max, Igor and co. took to the stage and tore into the title track of Bestial Devastation. In the words of Max himself, “This is the real fucking Sepultura!”. The perfect set followed, a 60-minute long love letter to the band’s early steps into first wave black metal; albums that have since become every bit as significant iinfluencing others as Venom and Celtic Frost had been in influencing them.
Each song was played with absolute precision, a somehow polished yet visceral live performance~through which their passion was heard in every note. The riffs roared with a depth of sound that the original records simply couldn’t capture, Max’s vocals were stronger, sharper and more aggressive than I had ever seen previously and as always, Igor “Skullcrusher” blew fans away with a powerful performance of machine-gun like double kicks, blasts and his signature samba inspired tribal-like fills. Blood, sweat and tears were shed in every square inch of the massive circle pit that enveloped much of the Academy throughout fan favourite tracks Necromancer and Crucifixion, while Morbid Visions and Troops of Doom entranced a mass of headbangers into a state of hypnosis.
It was killer! A definite contender for gig of the year that has finally scratched the itch that no Sepultura performance has been able to reach throughout my tenure as a fan. If you’re a fan of Sepultura, Cavalera are the band to see!
Cavalera photos & set-list:
Set-list:
The Curse (Taped Intro)
Bestial Devastation
Antichrist
Necromancer
Warriors of Death
Sexta Feira 13
O Fortuna (Carl Orff song played by tape)
Morbid Visions
Mayhem
Crucifixion
Funeral Rites
Empire of the Damned
Inquisition Symphony / Escape to the Void
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Refuse/Resist / Territory (Followed by a reprise of Morbid Visions & the Intro of From The Past Comes The Storm)
Troops of Doom
Photos Carl Foran – @carlforanphotography
Words by Joe Moran – @iosaf_o_explosiff