Review: Sepultura

Sepultura
“Under a Pale Grey Sky”
(Roadrunner Records)

A fantastic 2-CD set, capturing the very last live performance of the original lineup of Sepultura before lead singer Max Cavalera left the group and went on to form Soulfly.  Recorded in London in 1996, this disk is a monument to one of thrash metal’s most defining voices.  The Brazilian born group overcame the unlikely climate of their birth and language barriers (the group known to occasionally sing in their native Portuguese) to become one of the dominating forces in late 80’s thrash.  They released numerous albums incorporating their own cultures sounds and ethics into a metal shell making them unique among their peers.  The disk opens with some tribal influenced music before cranking into one of the bands most recognizable ragers, ‘Roots Bloody Roots’.  Most every track a fan would look for is here.  ‘Territory’, ‘Beneath the Remains/Mass Hypnosis’, ‘Dead Embryonic Cells’ all come through like a punch to the face.  ‘Necromancer’ is included (the first song the group ever recorded) as well as ‘Biotech is Godzilla’ featuring lyrics by Dead Kennedy’s Jello Biafra.  Almost 2 hours of music makes this live disk a score and a half for the Sepultura fan.  Witness the final attack in original form.  Very metal.