Every fortnight, we check in with all things heavy on RTRFM’s Critical Mass show.
I remember in 1996 seeing videos on MTV and Rage of Sepultura out in the jungles of Brazil playing metal with painted faces, raw attitude and emotion. These guys were everywhere back in the day. Roots was the album that seemed to create a lot of interest in them from mainstream media, they sounded and looked rejuvenated. Recording the album with the Xavante tribe in the Mato Grosso rainforests of Brazil, it features guest musicians such as Carlinho Brown, Jonathan Davis of Korn and Mike Patton on the track “Lookaway”, so the haters were tarring it as a failed attempt to bring nu metal to thrash. Sepultura were experimenting with more a groove metal sound on Chaos A.D. prior to Roots anyway, so they already set that precedent.
Gloria Cavalera managed a pool hall, and started putting on bands playing with makeshift stages built around pool tables. Poison and Sacred Reich started off there, and later when the place got shut down, Gloria was approached by Sacred Reich to manage them. She toured with them around Europe and there was a lot of talk (mainly from Monte Connor of Roadrunner) for her to manage Sepultura and keep the family strong and together instead of being seperated by world tours. It all went horribly wrong on the Monsters of Rock tour in 1996, when Gloria’s son Dana Wells died in a car crash while Sepultura were away on tour. Drama ensued, the whole thing blew up and Gloria quit the band along with with Max Cavalera.
Max was no longer comfortable in the band he created. Max claims Andreas Kisser was taking over, or taking the band hostage in its dealings with Gloria. Andreas Kisser claims Gloria was fired from the band and Max left with her, so it’s he said, he said, she said, enough said.
Roots ended up being the final release with its more well-known and loved lineup. Sepultura have gone on with Derrick Green and put out more and more albums, while Max has moved on with Soulfly, Cavalera Conspiracy etc, none reaching the heights Sepultura did back in the day.
Critical Mass airs every Wednesday from 9PM (GMT+8) on RTR FM 92.1 in Perth, Australia.
