Since 1998, Max Cavalera has led his troops of doom in Soulfly, inciting audiences the world over to fuck shit up with a manic glee that has frequently proved irresistible. Fans argue over the back catalogue, hotly debating which albums are the best (although, for my money, the absolutely astonishing conquer takes that prize), and there’s no question that Max’s output, certainly since 2005’s Dark Ages, has been remarkably consistent in terms of quality. It has been three years since 2015’s well-received archangel (although, in the interim, Max got together with his brother, Igor, for the insane psychosis), and a line up shift has seen Mike Leon replace Tony Campos on bass. Otherwise, it’s business as usual with Zyon Cavalera back behind the kit and the high-kicking loon, Marc Rizzo, delivering his signature licks on guitar.
Featuring just ten tracks (no bonus cuts or expanded editions this time out), the album opens with the Roots-referencing Ritual, a day-glo assault of tribal rhythms, raging guitar and vocal elements that evoke the memory Ratamahatta. It’s a blistering start and there’s a vitality to the performance that suggests that Max and Igor’s recent trek touring roots in its entirety was about far more than simply looking back. Next up, Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe pops up to lend a hand on dead behind the eyes, the third single released from the album. With his neck veins popping, Randy does what he does best, obliterating the mic as Max and co. lay waste to the studio behind him. Deathly, groovy and pure mosh-pit fodder, dead behind the eyes is pretty much exactly what you might expect from a collaboration, only for it to be upstaged by the relentless hellfire of the summoning. A thrash monster in the vein of Chaos AD (a name much thrown around in the press materials for this album), it has an old school feel to it, Max obviously enjoying himself immensely as he tears into his guitar. The mid-tempo evil empowered has a rather more death metal feel to it, Max delivering a particularly brutal vocal over chugging guitars and throbbing bass. The first half comes to an end as Ross Dolan appears to lend a hand (with vocals, but, sadly, not bass) on under rapture. Another mid-tempo track that sits comfortably between thrash and death metal, Ross’ unhinged vocals are instantly recognisable and Max provides him with a suitably apocalyptic soundtrack, the whole band digging deep to unleash a ferocious groove in the song’s latter stages.
Kicking off the second half of the album, the acoustic introduction to demonized is beautifully played before Max emerges in full rage, smashing the mood to pieces in a hail storm of feedback and palm-muted chords. Roaming across a brutal wasteland of post-industrial menace and hardcore-infused thrash, demonized will leave you breathless. Keeping things fluid and dynamic, the intro to blood on the street features flute and a tribal firestorm from Zyon, whose skills behind the kit are becoming increasingly spectacular. A crushing testament to Max’s ability to craft songs that are both brutal and yet strangely catchy, blood on the street is an album highlight. A rather more straight forward track with a classic soulfly vibe, bite the bullet is, nonetheless, raised by Zyon’s blistering performance, not to mention a nice bass run from Mike Leon, who stamps his authority on a track that would otherwise run the risk of being soulfly-by-numbers. It gives way to the superior feedback! A brutal, punk-infused track that takes Max’s long-held motorhead influence and runs with it. It sees the album reach a peak of brutality that will set the moshpit heaving, particularly as Max unleahses his battle cry of “no regrets!” Of course, it wouldn’t be a Soulfly album without an eponymous track (Soulfly XI) and this one sees the album out on a calm reflective note with no bonus tracks or shenanigans to spoil the mood it induces. As we have come to expect from these tracks, Soulfly XI is an instrumental showcase (complete with saxophone) that sees the credits roll in peace.
Produced by Josh Wilbur (Lamb of God, Megadeth, Korn), Ritual sees Soulfly continue to devastate the opposition with an unfailing aim. By keeping the album short and sharp, Max maintains the quality across the board and if, as on bite the bullet, things do start to become a little familiar, the fine musicianship of the band does much to counter it. Drawing upon numerous influences including Sepultura’s break-through albums, Motorhead and Soulfly’s own illustrious back catalogue, Ritual, at times, feels like a condensed best of Max Cavalera, with memorable riffs, savage vocals and deftly interwoven ethnic elements all making an appearance. Whilst, for me at least, it may not top the mighty conquer, there’s no question that Max has, once again, come up with the goods. 8
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