Take a small journey with me, friends. A journey much like the one I recently took back to my hometown for a day. It didn’t take long to get there, I had a good time, some things surprisingly changed, but for the most part, it was exactly what I expected. I’ll definitely visit again soon. Oh, and I got to see my parents. Igor Cavalera gets to see his dad, too (not Max’s brother).

See the connection? Nailed it. This is the new Cavalera project involving Max, his son Igor, and Zach Coleman of the excellent Khemmis and Black Curse (best cavernous death metal album I have heard, if you’re into that). If you’re thinking of Sepultura, Soulfly, and Cavalera Conspiracy, you should be.

The first track, “Truckload Full of Bodies,” has already been released, so anyone interested has probably heard it. It doesn’t take long to get going. Igor’s vocals sound like a raspier version of his father. At first, it might be difficult to distinguish them because they do sound close. Igor is clearly a chip off the old block. This track has a, not surprisingly, old school death thrash feel, and takes your ass to groove town a little over two minutes in. There are a couple tempo changes with instantly repeatable, recognizable riffs, including the beat down at the end. This song will get you hyped.

The next on my list to mention is track 3, “I.C.E. Cage.” I’m sure the subject matter is clear. A song of this subject matter deserves an absolute beatdown, which is exactly what you get. Igor’s vocals here are feral, vicious, and… other synonyms. It’s over too fast, though.

On the next track, “Isolated Desolated,” while the vocals are vicious, and the riffs carry it, what stands out to me is Zach Coleman’s performance. It’s smooth, almost effortless sounding. He keeps time well and has an almost tribal sounding influence in parts. His drum roll about a minute and a half in is startling in that it almost seems out of place, but ultimately just adds a little bit of diversity to another beatdown.

The title track, which is #8, actually named G.A.A.D,” is a little longer than most of the songs up to this point. At first, its focus is on the groove, not the brutality. There’s some black metal picking going on alongside the death thrash, but for the most part, the last couple of minutes are as fast as you’d expect, with a mosh worthy riff thrown in at the end. This track’s name makes sense as it perfectly encapsulates the album.

The last track, “Roadkill,” is the center piece here. It’s also the longest one. If you’ve seen the lyric video, you understand the message here. That message reminds me a bit of another Cavalera project, Nailbomb. The song itself is a thrashy riff fest complete with tribal rhythms akin to latter Cavalera era (nice rhyme) Sepultura, and socially conscious lyrics. It’s easily the best track on the album, and the best way to end it.

So, like my hometown, this is enjoyable, but I don’t want to go back to it time and time again. Sure, some things are different from what I remember, but it’s still pretty much the same. It’s good, it’s riffy (we’re talking about Go Ahead and Die now), and it’s a solid fast-paced workout album. Will it be on my year end list? Well, no, but it may for others. If you’re a fan of Max’s projects, particularly Cavalera Conspiracy, you’ll dig this, too.

[Visit the band's website]

---

Comments