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2009 sees the first Sepultura album sans anyone bearing the Cavalera surname. So let it be written, so let it be done. And so be it. Fine. Great, actually. And much better than that so-called "conspiracy" featuring two Cavaleras in it. Seriously. That was nothing more than a sibling reunion, cash-in, novelty record. How quickly after that came out did Max put out another Soulfly album? Exactly. Even he couldn't conspire that much. [For the record, a little more than 4 months passed between the release of Cavalera Conspiracy and Conquer.] But back to the root of all this evil, Sepultura are here after almost 3 years with a great record in A-Lex ("without law" for those keeping score at home).
And so while Dante XXI was a really good record - easily Sepultura's best in a decade or more - A-Lex is that much better. There seems to be a sense of urgency in the new record that could very well be attributed to the departure of the other Cavalera, perhaps leaving the rest of the Sepultribe feeling that they again have something to prove. Well, Andreas Kisser and co. have proven they are indeed up to the task, plain and simple. Newcomer Jean Dolabella (drums) plays with abandon, going through more styles than Marc Rizzo (Soulfly) on guitar. Check out "Sadistic Values" for a great illustration of his talent and skill. His presence and youth have provided a palpable spark because Kisser hasn't sounded this good in a long time.
Like the 2006 release, this album is also inspired by literature: A Clockwork Orange this time around, whereas previously it was Dante's The Divine Comedy - the Inferno portion in particular. What does this mean? Not much if you don't care about inspiration or lyrics. Musically this album is killer. When was the last time anyone thought that about Sepultura? 1996, that's when. As for the vocals, Derrick Green is still here - easily/still the band's weakest link - and while hoarse as ever, he's less one-dimensional in 2009, actually providing his strongest effort while in the band, even sounding vicious. "Filthy Rot" invokes previous Sepultura sounds with the tribal gang vocal bit, but the drum-guitar interplay rules.
This is the album that should make Sepultura viable again if Dante XXI didn't already do that for you. One might suppose all those rumors (and the trend of recent years) about a "classic lineup" reunion are indeed unfounded. A-Lex is a statement of intent and the Sepultribe are down for anything. The band indeed has become bigger than the individual identities contained within it. Good for them and good for the listening populace. Support the band and pick up this killer record. Highlights are everywhere, but tracks 7-11 are some sort of sonic heaven, particularly "The Treatment" with its invocation of that classic Sep-axe sound. The inclusion of Beethoven on some latter tracks ("Ludwig Von" -- duh!) work well, too. Watch out, year end lists....
| Tracklist |
| 1. A-Lex I |
| 2. Moloko Mesto |
| 3. Filthy Rot |
| 4. We've Lost You! |
| 5. What I do! |
| 6. A-Lex II |
| 7. The Treatment |
| 8. Metamorphosis |
| 9. Sadistic Values |
| 10. Forceful Behavior |
| 11. Conform |
| 12. A-Lex III |
| 13. The Experiment |
| 14. Strike |
| 15. Enough Said |
| 16. Ludwig Van |
| 17. A-Lex IV |
| 18. Paradox |
: 54:23
| Buy other Sepultura albums |
