Cavalera - Bestial Devastation Review

Cavalera Bestial Devastation A few weeks ago Metal music world was surprised by the news that Max and Iggor Cavalera – read here – would re-record their early Sepultura’s 1985’s “Bestial Devastation” and 1986’s “Morbid Visions” material under the name Cavalera. The news fell like the sonic bomb the albums were back then. It got clear that when the Cavalera brothers ended the bad blood between them and reached an agreement about working together again something new would come. What nobody suspected, and it was a total surprise, was the fact they would decide to re-record their early material. As a reminder, re-recording early material is an estrategy artists do when they have issues about all the kinds of rights. And Sepultura have all the kinds. There is still a lot of bad blood between the brothers and the rest of members of the band. I guess that Max’s departure from the band is something that won’t be ever totally explained. From where I’m standing, it is no coincidence that the two albums are from the original line-up. This means the ones without guitarist Andreas Kisser, the leader of the band now.

“Bestial Devastation” was originally independently recorded in 1985 as a split album with Overdose’s “Século XX,” this one in Portuguese with an epic Heavy Metal grip. There are lots of stories about the recording of the album and its instant success. It is true that all the instruments used in the recording sessions were borrowed from friends. Not to mention that all of the members barely knew how to play them. I remember to have read a review that said that Iggor’s drumming was nervous. Maybe it was a kind way of saying that the drumming was not good. The album sold around 8,000 copies after a few months and instantly became a cult.

Now my story with the band and “Bestial Devastation.” Well, in fact it is kind of short because back then I didn’t like their music. Not Sepultura in particular, but all early Extreme Metal bands. That time Metallica, Exciter, Motörhead, and Grave Digger were the fastest and heaviest bands I allowed myself to listen. So, naturally when I got the album from a friend I totally ignored them and only recorded Overdose’s “Século XX.” The first Sepultura album I recorded, and listened, was their masterpiece 1991’s “Arise,” an album with a total dissimilar approach. I willingly ignored “Bestial Devastation” for a long time. It was a few years ago that I allowed myself to listen to it, but I didn’t change my mind mostly because of the poor quality of the recording. This new recording made things right.

Ok, now about the album. It is great to listen to the songs now with the new technology that enhanced so much their quality. Now I understand why the album turned into a cult album. Most of the features the band used in the album are still present now in many bands. That’s called influence and relevance. It’s great to listen to a clear and clean – matter of speaking – “Bestial Devastation” and be possible to understand the guitar riffs. The same goes to “Antichrist,” the instant classic of the album. “Necromancer” got the production it deserved to sound even heavier. A real blast in all senses. Now it’s possible to notice where Death Metal bands drank abundantly to create its riffings and blast beats. This re-recording adds up “Sexta-feira 13” a bonus song in Portuguese.

“Bestial Devastation” isn’t an album only for the nostalgic. It’s an album for all metalheads from this sad and lonely and pathetic little planet.

P.S.: Only a reminder, Max was 16 years old and Iggor was 14 when they originally recorded the album.

Cavalera “Bestial Devastation” will be released on July 14th via Nuclear Blast Records.

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