After celebrating the 30th anniversary, legendary Brazilian act Sepultura returns with the 14th studio album entitled “Machine Messiah” where the band simply chooses to carry on an extraordinary artistic journey and create music with sincere passion and no compromises.
The title track opens with decadent graceful guitar melodies and Derrick Green delivers spellbinding emotionally charged vocals. In the midst of a darkened and tragic, almost doomish, atmosphere Andreas Kisser’s charismatic guitar solos will become unforgettable.
“I Am The Enemy” is certainly filled with classic thrash fury featuring a super tight combo of crunchy guitar riffs and blasting drums but it also delivers fast blistering guitar leads embellished with melodic accents.
“Phantom Self” has a solid enjoyable thrash groove with a rather catchy chorus but it will immediately stand out for its mystical/esoteric atmospheres effortlessly embodied by flamboyant classical orchestrations that delightfully surround Kisser’s prog influenced brilliant solos.
“Iceberg Dances” is an exciting instrumental that gives you a chance to truly appreciate Sepultura’s mature and talented musicianship. A fast gritty guitar driven rhythm with tribal drumming accents keeps a healthy groove while Kisser’s dynamic guitar work confidently channels an exquisite variety of music styles such as prog and flamenco.
“Sworn Oath” features a compelling dramatic atmosphere sophisticatedly enhanced by highly inspired melodic guitar work and gloomy symphonic arrangements in theatrical fashion while Green’s strong ominous growls emphasize the heavy rhythmic facet of the song.
“Resistant Parasites” channels an easily recognizable old school Sepultura style with vibrant ravenous guitar riffs and a fascinating tribal rhythm. An irresistible fast groove acquires a mesmerizing melodic depth with Kisser’s elegant solos and darkened symphonic orchestrations.
As Sepultura’s music style continues to evolve, “Machine Messiah” still holds dear some elements of the band’s signature thrash essence but it also showcases an eclectic sonic variety that can be fully appreciated even if you are not a devoted fan.