Sepultura have taken more than fair share of knocks over the years. The fall-out from Max Cavalera’s acrimonious departure has relentlessly trailed the band with some fans unwilling to let it go even after all these years, and yet it is in adversity that the band have shone. Whilst ‘against’ saw the band reasserting their position, it was the immense artistic statement that was ‘nation’ that highlighted the creative strength that remained with the band and subsequent releases have seen the band exploring various elements of their sound without compromising their art or integrity. In the last two years, however, Sepultura have truly outdone themselves. Signed to Nuclear Blast, the band released two stunning albums in a row – the deeply personal ‘kairos’ and the stunning ‘the mediator between head and hands must be the heart’, both of which saw the band pushing themselves to deliver albums with power and meaning for their devoted following. The payoff was a stunning show in front of a veritable army of metal fans at Rock in Rio 2013, and, as this blu ray / DVD / CD set demonstrates, the band pulled out all the stops to deliver a show-stopping, hour long set that must surely stand as the pinnacle of Sepultura’s many achievements. In a near perfect display, the band, alongside French industrial outfit Tambours Du Bronx, deliver a heart-stopping show that highlights just how furiously inventive Sepultura remain, even some thirty years into their career. This is no tawdry greatest hits set, this is a genuinely innovative pairing of two complimentary artistic forces with a result that is nothing short of exhilarating.
With only four of the fourteen tracks dating back to the Max days, there’s a real sense that Sepultura are comfortable with the amazing catalogue of material that they’ve built up with Derek Green and from the crowd’s response to the brutal ‘spectrum’ (following a stunning rendition of ‘kaiowas’), it is clear that the audience agree. The percussive assault of Tambours du Bronx perfectly augments the material and the two bands deliver a ridiculously tight display of stunning musicianship, each feeding off the energy of the other in a brutally symbiotic display that is utterly thrilling. Indeed, it says much that the evergreen ‘refuse/resist’ almost pales in comparison to the numbers which bookend it (‘specturm’ and ‘sepulnation’) despite the band performing it with an intensity that would surely convince newcomers it was their latest single. What really comes across in the Blu Ray is how powerful a frontman Derek has now become. He towers over the concert, both literally and figuratively, his unholy roar and relentless energy a focal point for the massive crowd and his mastery of the material both old and new is complete. Unlike normal Sepultura gigs Derek neither plays guitar nor extra percussion here, focusing his considerable energy into giving the performance of a lifetime and it’s hard to believe anyone could watch this concert and not feel the energy, power and commitment Derek brings to the stage. Andreas, meanwhile, simply excels on the guitar, unleashing a wall of sound not to mention some truly blistering solos and it is clear that for him this monumental concert is an affirmation of the amazing material the band have crafted over the years.
Neither a novelty nor a vanity project, not only do Sepultura share the stage with Tambours du Bronx, but they also share the set list, playing four of their songs, including an immense ‘delirium’, which sepultura attack with wide-eyed glee. Also hugely enjoyable is ‘Fever’ but the real highlight is the insane ‘big hands’ which not only sees Tambours du Bronx going nuts, but which provides a perfect showcase for Andreas’ immense talent. Notably all of the Tambours Du Bronx songs fit perfectly into the well-constructed set and even ‘firestarter’, a cover I was not initially keen on, more than comes to life thanks to the massive layers of percussion delivered by the two bands and the addition of Tambour Du Bronx’s keyboardist. However, two songs encapsulate the show as a whole and those are the mighty ‘Sepulnation’, long the band’s anthem and one of my favourite Sepultura songs of all time and a monstrous ‘roots bloody roots’ which sees the entire audience going ape as the metallic roar rolls over them. It is these two songs that display the passion and commitment that has long been the band’s trademark and also the wonderful relationship they have maintained with their fans over the years. Watching the band and audience interact, you get a real feeling of the love and respect with which Sepultura are viewed in their native land and it is clear that the feeling is entirely mutual.
Filmed in pristine HD and with a powerful soundtrack available in LPCM stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 and an utterly devastating DTSHD 5.1 the blu ray is the version to go for, but whichever edition you choose, you will come to the same inescapable conclusion – Sepultura remain a potent and thrillingly creative force and this release only serves to underscore just how inventive and powerful these Brazillian warriors are in the live environment. ‘Metal veins’ is a crushing display of attitude and aggression and a near perfect testament to thirty years of Sepultura – don’t miss this amazing display.
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