Sepultura is the biggest heavy metal band in Brazil. They were the first Brazilian metal band to conquer the World. They have certainly deserved it.

I think the first album I’ve listened by them was Schizophrenia, and was blown away; at the time, I couldn’t think a Brazilian band could make that type of music so well. I only got to listen to their EP, Bestial Devastation, and first album, Morbid Visions, at a later point. I did get to Beneath the Remains soon, though, and that album certainly cemented the band’s position in my favorite bands list. As far as Thrash Metal goes, they were up there along side the Big 4 for me (Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax).

The band was then booked to play the second ever Rock in Rio, in 1991. That was huge for a Brazilian metal band, and I was very proud of them. That year, the band put out Arise, another great album (Arise and Beneath the Remains are still my top 2 albums by them). It was the year also when they played a free gig, at an open space, for 40,000 people. I was there. That was iconic: Praça Charles Miller

I also got to see them playing live at Hollywood Rock 94 and at Olympia, both in Sao Paulo, when they were touring in support of Chaos A.D. By that time, they were already huge.

Me at Hollywood Rock 94 (Morumbi Stadium)

Still in 94 the band spent a couple of hours at the Woodstock Rock Store in Sao Paulo for some autographs. There was a LOT of people there! Me included. Managed to get the autographs of the classic lineup on two posters, which I still have very well kept with some of my other collectibles.


You’ll notice that my list doesn’t include any song from the album Roots (their best commercial effort). The reason for that is simply because I do not like the direction they’ve taken in that album. Too much tribal stuff. I liked the way they sound between Schizophrenia and Arise, which some people may argue they just sounded too much like Slayer and the like, but for me they had their own sound. Chaos A.D. was still good, but there was already quite a bit of Brazilian influences there. With Roots, things just went downhill for me.

I’m not too much of a fan of the albums that came out after Max left. I think it got better with Kairos, where they removed a lot of the tribal stuff, and I like many things on The Mediator Between Head and Hands Must Be the Heart. However, I just don’t like Derek Green’s voice. I have to say I really liked the drumming on that last album: Eloy Casagrande is an awesome drummer!

So here is the list...

#10: Manipulation of Tragedy
I think the band’s current drummer, Eloy Casagrande, is a monster. He’s one of those guys who can play any style of music, but when he plays metal he plays it really heavy; no regards to his drumheads! I also like the fact that he writes interesting beats in which music can be written on top of. This song, Manipulation of Tragedy, is a good example of that. He wrote the main beats and then the band wrote the other pieces based on it. Very cool, I think.

#9: Propaganda
High energy, good lyrics, good drumming...

#8: Territory
One of the coolest drum intros played written by Iggor. War for Territory!!!

#7: Slaves of Pain
This entire album is great. Slaves of Pain is one of my favorite songs on it. Just raw Thrash Metal, the way old Sepultura used to make.

#6: Refuse/Resist
Great track. Something very cool about this one: it starts off with Max's first son's heartbeat. Nowadays, his son plays drums with him in Soulfly. As both a musician and a father myself, I think this is way cool!

#5: Beneath the Remains
THIS is what Sepultura was all about for me. Thrash Metal at it’s best!
Uhoh, This content has sprouted legs and trotted off.

#4: Desperate Cry
As far as I'm concerned, this is the band at its prime. Yes, they've achieved commercial success after this tour, but as far as the music and the energy go, this is how the band really became one of my favorites.

#3: Dead Embryonic Cells
Again, the band at its best (for me, that is)!

#2: Arise
This stuff for me just never gets old! I remember when this album came out, and I just couldn't get enough of it.

#1 Inner Self
This is probably the song by Sepultura I've listened to the most in my life. As Max sings "walking these dirty streets..." talking about Sao Paulo, I saw myself back then doing the same thing, blurting out these lyrics at the top of my lungs, burning off some energy. Good times. :)

For your convenience, I’ve created a "Top 10 Sepultura" Play List on YouTube. :)