Originally written for Valkyrian Music.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced us to a new reality regarding live music, with online streaming of concerts and such. Still I’m having trouble considering “SepulQuarta” a live album, whether its tracks have been part of podcasts or not – if the songs were recorded at each musician’s home, that’s about twenty studios… I consider this a compilation album, the treat being the guests instead of that one new exclusive track which will make the fans buy a best-of even if they already have the whole discography. And that’s the kind of thing that totally rocks my boat.
It’s not like Scott Ian made any significant tweaks in “Cut Throat” or David Ellefson added some extra bass line to “Territory”, for instance, but you must admit that just knowing they’re there, knowing you’re listening to “SEPULTURA feat. ANTHRAX” and “SEPULTURA feat. MEGADETH (or former MEGASETH…)” it’s something else.
Personally, I’m not a big fan of Danko Jones, but I understand why they wanted him for a “clean version” of “Sepulnation”: his voice makes a perfect combination with Derrick’s and the song gets a whole new life.
The doom-ish “Fear, Pain, Chaos, Suffering”, which already featured Emmily Barreto on its original version, gets a second round here, but honestly, it sounds pretty much like in “Quadra”. A little rawer, maybe, but really just a little. In my opinion, in terms of female guests, it’s the screaming – and chanting towards the end – of Fernanda Lira, Angélica Burns and Mayara Puertas in “Hatred Aside” that’s pure gold.
Despite what I’ve said before about Ellefson and Scott Ian – which applies to others like TESTAMENT–Alex Skolnick or DEATH ANGEL–Rob Cavestany – there are a few instrument players who make a difference, not jut the singers. João Barone and Charles Gavin add an extraordinary tribal drum solo to “Ratamahatta”, while Rafael Bittencourt replaces the drums in “Kaiowas” with his classic guitar, making a beautiful version of the instrumental track (am I allowed to say “beautiful” and “SEPULTURA” in the same sentence?).
“Mask” was the first promotional video for this album because, well, Devin Townsend is Devin Townsend. But don’t you think it’s more epic to have the original guitarist of a song you’ve covered 30 years ago playing it with you? I believe that’s why “Orgasmatron feat. Phil Campbell” is the last song on the record – to give it that “grand finale” touch.
Label; Nuclear Blast Records
Producer: Conrado Ruther
Track list:
- Territory (feat. David Ellefson)
- Cut Throat (feat. Scott Ian)
- Sepulnation (feat. Danko Jones)
- Inner Self (feat. Phil Rind)
- Hatred Aside (feat. F. Lira, A. Burns & M. Puertas)
- Mask (feat. Devin Townsend)
- Fear, Pain, Chaos, Suffering (feat. Emmily Barreto)
- Vandals Nest (feat. Alex Skolnick)
- Slave New World (feat. Matthew K. Heafy)
- Ratamahatta (feat. João Barone & Charles Gavin)
- Apes of God (feat. Rob Cavestany)
- Phantom Self (feat. Mark Holcomb)
- Slaves of Pain (feat. Fred Leclercq & Marcello Pompeu)
- Kaiowas (feat. Rafael Bittencourt)
- Orgasmatron (feat. Phil Campbell)
Front Row Forever 