It’s hard to imagine a band that has struggled more against its own legacy than Sepultura. Despite the fact that the split with Max occurred some twenty-four years ago, the shock of the rupture seems to have permanently tainted the band in the minds of some and so, with every release, comes a new slew of questions about whether a reformation is possible without any thought as to whether such a reunion would, in fact, be desirable. Let’s be clear, it is no sleight upon Max to argue that Sepultura’s journey over the years has been a profoundly satisfying one. From the dark conceptual works of Dante XXI and A-Lex, through the blistering standalone assaults of Nation and Roorback, Sepultura have resolutely carved out a place for themselves, reaching an artistic peak with the stunning Machine Messiah, a record of such multi-hued brilliance that only the most savagely determined critic could find fault. Now, back with Quadra, Sepultura show once again that they are unafraid to push their horizons ever wider, building upon the epic foundations of Machine Messiah, whilst casting a knowing glance across their shoulder to their earliest days as purveyors of brutal, death-metal-infused thrash.
Opening with Isolation, an epic scene-setter that draws upon the string-infused beauty of Ostia before a primal Kisser riff sends everything spinning off on a thrash axis, Sepultura set out their stall, the gleaming production of Jens Borgan imbuing everything with remarkable clarity and allowing the ever-increasing ambition of the band to shine through. As with Machine Messiah, there’s a freshness to Quadra which belies the band’s age. Where a number of bands fall into the trap of slavishly attempting to live up to their own fading legacy, Sepultura continue to display a sense of wonder at the process of writing and recording music, with the result that each new album stretches the band’s musical ability to the limit. Just check out the string-laden mid-section of Isolation, where Andreas blasts out his most visibly progressive guitar work to date, and you’ll see that Sepultura are unafraid to explore beyond the perceived boundaries of their nominal genre. The band up the ante with the utterly ferocious Means To An End, a stabbing, visceral thrash beast that makes good use of Derrick’s inimitable vocals. Possessed of the rare ability to convey melody even when delivering a primal roar, Derrick once again shines as he guides the band through a series of laser-precise rhythmic shifts, the track giving the listener the overwhelming impression of being buried under an avalanche. Similarly, the rambunctious Last Time explores the devastated wastelands of Dante’s Inferno as choirs emerge to sweeten the ravages of Kisser’s forceful riffs, and edgy solos fire across the surface of Eloy Casagrande’s increasingly inventive percussion.
Changing tack, the intro of Capital Enslavement harks back to standout Machine Messiah track Phantom Self with its ethnic percussion and slithery strings. There’s a real darkness here, as befitting the title, and the chugging riff of the verse gives way to a runaway chorus that would, under usual circumstances, pretty much seal the fate of the song. Sepultra are not about to make things quite so easy, however, and the song goes through a number of contortions, without once sacrificing flow, before it reaches its conclusion. Few other bands could fling together so many disparate elements and make it work, but Sepultura have considerable experience of such sonic digressions, and their approach here is nothing short of a masterclass in dynamics. In contrast, the scything intro to Ali, all palm-muted riffing and studio-enhanced percussive blasts promises (and delivers) a monumental groove that sees Paulo Jr and Eloy delight in crafting a foundation-threatening rumble, before industrial elements are added to the mix to further emphasise the surgical precision of the performance. The first half of the record concludes with the awkward Raging Void, an oddly-timed beast with a cinematic feel that is only accentuated by the clean vocals the band deploy over the chorus.
Opening up the second half, Guardians Of Earth is a perfect example of the sort of fluid, imaginative music that peppered Machine Messiah. Genuinely progressive in the way that it sees the band flexing their musical muscles, it opens with a stunning piece of classical guitar work from Andreas, before expanding to take in some suitably monumental riffing and a bravura performance from Derrick. The skittering introduction to instrumental offering The Pentagram only serves to give greater weight to the riff that follows, the band sounding as vital as when they first formed, tearing into the music with a gleeful abandon that should come as no surprise to all who have caught the band on stage in recent years. A rampaging, metallic beast, the lack of vocals is more than compensated by the twists and turns the piece takes on its way to its conclusion and the five-and-a-half-minute runtime flies by. Casting a nod in the direction of the much-underrated Nation with its punky riff and claustrophobic production, Autem is a moody track that explodes into blazing life thanks to Jens’ deft production. A short, beautifully-played instrumental, Quadra introduces an album-concluding trilogy that continues with the slow-building Agony Of Defeat. A mesmerising piece, thanks to Derrick’s clean vocals and well-executed strings, those fearing that this means that the Seps have, somehow, gone soft, should keep their faith, for Agony Of Defeat remains a powerful piece of music, for all that it sees the band experimenting with form. In turn, it gives way to the remarkable closer, Fear;Pain;Chaos;Suffering, a brutal duet between Derrick and Emmily Barreto (Far From Alaska), whose clean tones are set against Derrick’s sanguine roar. A deeply satisfying conclusion to the album, it shows that Seputura have lost none of their edge when it comes to delivering bold, emotional climaxes to their work.
Over the years, Sepultura have more than kept the faith with those who have kept faith with them. Remarkably, the band have only sought to diversify their sound over the years, and Quadra serves to further expand the sonic palette that Sepultura unveiled on the exquisite Machine Messiah. And now for the words that I really did not imagine myself writing – Quadra is even better than Machine Messiah. Heavier, and yet more diverse, it refines the sound of its predecessor and sees the band (and Andreas in particular), delivering one of their most impressive performances to date. And yet, for all the technicality on display, it is the very human heart of the album that will keep people returning time and again. Memorable, focused and (at times) even beautiful, Quadra epitomises everything that is great about Sepultura and once again demonstrates the innovation that has long been their calling card. Blisteringly heavy, beautifully produced and performed, Quadra is not just a career best for Sepultura, it is a masterpiece that deserves a home in any self-respecting metal fan’s collection. 10/10
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