Alcatraz Line up: 2016, 2019

The name Cavalera will always be synonymous with Sepultura. So much so, in fact that jaws drop when a press release in late 1996 announces that Max Cavalera and Sepultura have decided to part ways. As the immensely popular band from Belo Horizonte continues without the older Cavalera brother, Max himself abandons his brainchild to form a new band. Thanks to Max’s skill and his standing in the metal community, the thrash/groove metal band Soulfly quickly becomes a force to be reckoned with. Their self-titled debut drops in 1998 and eleven studio albums later, the energetic frontman has moulded Soulfly into a relentless machine driven by talented musicians. Max’s Brazilian roots are always evident, both in a musical and lyrical sense. Taking into account the output of Cavalera Conspiracy, the side project that reunites Max with his younger brother and drummer Igor in 2006, it’s safe to say Max is one of the more prolific writers on the metal scene. The charismatic pater familias likes to take his relatives on tour and backstage the vibrant Cavalera clan are popular guests. It’s all about the passion for music, family and the joy of playing, even more so since Max’s son Zyon joined the line-up in 2012 as Soulfly’s new battering ram. While ‘Ritual’ (2018) is initially announced by Max as a tribal thrash album, this aspect gradually fades into the background as the album progresses. What replaces it is top-tier thrash/groove heaviness with a sprinkling of vintage Max Cavalera seeping through here and there. The Soulfly machine is primed and ready!