Review Summary: Album number 8 from Cavalera and co...
Um, dois, tre^is, quatro...
Prolific (an artist, author, or composer) Producing many works.
Soulfly- Enslaved.
Max Cavalera. This name is synonymous to me with the word prolific. Since the incarnation of Soulfly in 1997 and the subsequent release of ‘Soulfly’ in 1998 the frequency of full length releases has been nothing but...prolific, averaging a release every two years.
Fifteen years has passed since ‘Soulfly’ and I am here to review the 2012 release of album number eight, ‘Enslaved’.
‘Enslaved’ features two tweaks to the lineup. Tony Campos of ‘Static X ‘fame is now covering bass duties and David Kinkade previously of ‘Borknager’ is featured behind the drum kit. These are line up changes that have no real effect on Soulfly’s musical direction but do add a degree of intensity and energy that has been missing on previous releases. Being a band that boasts eight previous members, fans of the band are use to an ever changing line up.
Line up changes aside ‘Enslaved’ stands as a respectable addition to the catalogue. Any long standing fan of the band would of by now become accustomed to their tried and tested sound of intensity and heaviness, and they will be pleased to hear those familiar elements still very present.
It’s a solid follow up to ‘Omen’ but a slight step down from the levels reached on such albums as ‘Dark Ages’ and ‘Conquer', both albums in which Soulfly seemed to have formed a solid game plan, delivering more technically impressive elements from start to finish. This being said ‘Enslaved’ delivers its fair share of standout moments. Tracks ‘treachery’ and ‘Chains’ are fine examples of Soulfly continuing to slightly evolve their sound. The use of samples adds depth to the stories they are relaying to the listener. Mix this with the usual aggression and pace you come to expect from Soulfly and you get more rounded rewarding tracks.
You can always rely on Soulfly to produce a thrashed out, fast paced aggressive album time after time and Enslaved achieves this. The thunderous rhythm section of Tony Campos and David Kinkade amplifies the Soulfly sound on ‘Enslaved’. They team up well to produce a punishing sound not often explored on previous releases. Some may even compare it to the likes of earlier Sepultura releases such as 'Arise' and 'beneath The Remains'. The pace can reach those levels on occasion.
Marc Rizzo is as reliable as ever, contributing his fair amount of fast paced riffs and creative solo sections, Max himself is still finding the ability to relay sharp strong lyrics at a rate of knots. Max may not be the most diverse songwriter in the world but he has the ability to work his way inside your head and have you almost in a zombie like fashion follow his every word.
As long as Soulfly continue to maintain this musicmanship moving forward there will always be a place for Soulfly in my music collection.
There really is no slowing Max Cavalera down at the age of 41, as I write this, album number nine is already well underway and roumours of a third Cavalera Conspiracy album are beginning to surface.
The metal world needs veterans to keep making and producing music. Max Cavalera may at times be prety one dimensional but he remains loyal to an industry that is developing less and less respectable icons.
