Finishing up our “Alt-Metal May” theme on a decidedly heavier note, we’ll spotlight the Brazilian band that took the metal world by storm in the 90s: Sepultura. And although the band may not be the first that comes to mind when thinking of the alternative-metal genre (they were admittedly more thrash/death/groove at their core), they challenged traditional notions of what heavy metal could sound like with their distinctive percussive rhythm-heavy attack that often incorporated the tribal flavorings of their native Brazil. Indeed, while their early albums like 1989’s Beneath the Remains and 1991’s Arise established their reputation as a most excellent death/thrash band, it wasn’t until 1993’s Chaos A.D. that they came into their own.
By slowing down their attack and upping the guttural rage factor (which was fueled by the more topical subject matter), Sepultura created a new, more pulverizing groove-heavy sound that proved highly influential on the direction of heavy music to come in the decade. Check out the one-two punch of “Refuse/Resist” and “Territory” (two fitting tracks for a Manic Memorial Monday) performed live from Donington in 1994, and witness the raw power of the band in their prime:
