Chaos A.D. (CD - 1993)

Recorded at Rockfield Studios and Cheepstow Castle, South Wales.

Chaos A.D. was the record where everything came together for Sepultura, when they graduated from being an excellent, if derivative, band into one of metal's most unique voices. Their strident political dissidence is more focused than ever, referring explicitly to injustices in their native Brazil. The band's thick, chunky guitars, busy percussion, and hoarsely shouted vocals may be rooted in death metal, but it was often hard to call Sepultura a true death metal band, even if they flirted heavily with the style by way of Slayer; Chaos A.D. is rooted just as much in hardcore punk in its lean, stripped-down assault, featuring a cover of New Model Army's "The Hunt" and a collaboration with Jello Biafra on "Biotech Is Godzilla." At a time when '80s thrash giants like Metallica and Megadeth were streamlining their music for greater accessibility, Sepultura's aggression actually increased along with their tightened focus, borrowing from hardcore arguably more effectively than any other true metal band. Additionally, Sepultura began to draw upon the influences of their native Brazil, audible in the acoustic instrumental "Kaiowas" and in the way the band's complex rhythms move and breathe, to offer a much wider range than any of their contemporaries seemed willing to pursue. The band's songwriting became almost airtight, giving up the breakneck speed and long progressive passages borrowed from mid-'80s Metallica, and concentrating instead on creating texture and dissonance. But really, it's the unbelievably powerful rhythmic base provided by Igor Cavalera that gives Chaos A.D. its knockout punch. Endlessly playable (there isn't a wasted or unnecessary note on the album), passionately performed, and a sign that a new metal underground was finally bearing artistic fruit, Chaos A.D. ranks as one of the greatest heavy metal albums of all time. It's a remarkable achievement not only in its concentrated power and originality, but also in the degree to which Sepultura eclipsed their idols in offering a vision of heavy metal's future -- a vision that would only grow more compelling with their next release. ~ Steve Huey

Sepultura truly claimed its place on the heavy-metal world stage with 1993's CHAOS A.D., a focused, dose-of-thunder release that crystallized the Brazilian outfit's aesthetic. Propulsive rhythms, gravel-voice shouting, and epic guitar riffs drenched in nerve-fraying distortion come together in a perfect marriage here. But while Sepultura's music was originally inspired by the likes of Metallica and Slayer, CHAOS A.D. feels considerably more stripped-down than the music of these mentors--progressive changes and long, showy solos are few and far between.

Instead, Sepultura emphasizes fierce, straightforward structures that have more in common with hardcore's no-nonsense approach than metal's glamorous flash. The band's lyrics take a distinctly political turn on CHAOS A.D., addressing issues such as state-generated war ("Refuse/Resist") and biotechnology ("Biotech Is Godzilla"--with lyrics written by Jello Biafra). The weightiness of the themes is well suited to the crushing, apocalyptic sound of the quartet (Igor Cavalera's drumming alone could bulldoze a medium-sized city), and the intensity of the performances throughout should appeal to fans of both traditional and hardcore metal. This is an essential album from one of the most important aggressive rock bands of the 1990s. minimize