Sepultura

Every time Sepultura release a new disc, you just hope against hope it's going to blow everyone away. However, every time it ends up being admirable yet forgettable, loved by critics and diehards, with the average Joes shrugging their shoulders and immediately forgetting the confusing title, never mind the overblown concept or who even played on it. This insanely titled effort won't change all that, but it's a solid, strong album. New drummer Eloy Casagrande (who was born the same year Arise came out) shreds, giving the already energetic songs a kick. The tunes thrash, groove and rage, with that bit of extra percussive flair and snap the band are known for (if the opening of "The Vatican" doesn't sound familiar, you're not a Sep fan). The oddly unemotional, barked vocals of Derrick Green are still a bit hard to fully enjoy, and Sepultura only work in one expressive zone (rage), which gets exhausting. But, thanks to some ripping songs (the classic, mid-tempo Sep crunch of "Impending Doom," the percussive, Roots-ish groove of "The Bliss of Ignorants" and the sludgy atmospherics of "Grief"), and that great new force behind the kit, this is a solid, enjoyable release, one that lacks the memorable choruses and hooks of their classic material, replacing them with a slightly less oppressive feel (which tends to happen when Max Cavalera isn't singing). Sepultura albums are hard to love these days, but this is still a damn good release. Frustrating? That's how it goes.