The leader of the tribe has returned! The almighty Soulfy are back with their new album “Chama” which might be their most primal to date.
Soulfly’s legacy is mammoth scale. Now, with their 13th album, the legend that is Max Cavalera, along with his son Zyon Cavalera, has gathered the very best musicians to record another superb Soulfly album —the first since 2022’s “Totem”.
Featuring live guitarist Mike DeLeon & Igor Amadeus Cavalera handling bass duties, with some excellent guest appearances this might be the heaviest & most brutal Soulfly album in some time.
“Indigenous Inquisition”, the album’s opening track, encapsulates Soulfly perfectly. This primal tribal track is furious & heavy, but mixed with elements of industrial, it feels like the most stripped-back sounds of the earth fighting against machines. It’s just over 2 minutes long, but it gives you a sneak peek at the album’s overall tone. Max’s direction on this album is PISSED, some of the most catchy yet punishing riffs he’s written to date. This album is like a bulldozer & doesn’t care if you are in its pathway.
The track perfectly blends straight into the follow track “Storm the Gates” where the juice meat is. This hypnotic riff gets the blood pumping quickly. With the perfect Cavalera palm mutes, the rhythm of the track grabs you right away. It’s like a sharp, short stab. The tribal feel is woven into the track’s groove & when the end comes, the breakdown is like a machine gun to the chest. This track is pure energy & it’s great to hear.
As a tribute to the Swedish death metal god that is L.G. Petrov (Entombed) “Nihilist” is a guttural sucker punch. Its pissed off style riffs is a great steady paced driving force but when the chorus kicks in it’s just like getting a sledgehammer to the back of the head. Featuring backing vocals from Todd Jones (Nails) & a soaring lead by guitarist Mike DeLeon this song is pure rage captured. There’s a great little bass break in the track too that changes things up & gives the track some colour. Oh and stick around till its closing moments, a sludgy doom Soulfly song? You beat your arse it’s good.
Dino Cazares of FEAR FACTORY lends his machine like a right hand to “No Pain = No Power”. This track has a classic early Soulfly feel, “Primitive” & “3” era of the band. With its huge bouncy riffs & melodic chorus which is sung beautifully but two special guests, Ben Cook
from NO WARNING and Gabe Franco of UNTO OTHER.
Max’s vocal delivery on this track too is a real highlight. With gang vocal-like sections in the verses, touches of classic laughs sprinkled through. This track has a nice 90s feel to it. The caveman feels like but has all these other elements that gives it a great thickness & feel to the track. The closing bridge section for instance the band stripped everything down like the band do in a live setting in one of their tribal jams & let Franco’s haunting vocal echo into the distance. It’s simple but amazing song writing like this that makes Soulfly such a strong band.
“Black Hole Scum” is a dark & dirty track. Blending that industrial feel with heavy machines like palm muting, hard hitting drums & an all out raging vocal from Max. Taking a leaf out of the “Enslaved” era of the band this track has that grim feel, like the band woke up that day & chose violence ha. The breakdown on the bridge also is crazy! Feeling some feral screams that are agonizing & not only breaking it down once, the band goes for a second time that is even more heavy, it’s more like beating you so hard you crack the earth’s crust kind heavy.
The album’s title track & closer “Chama” might be the best track on the album. Its hard but primitive opening riffs are gigantic. Moments of that classic Soulfly sound are within this track. It is a great hybrid that Max & co have demonstrated over the years but here it feels its most refined & purest form. With a big bouncing groove throughout the track with different chugging sections & those fast thrashy parts this track has Soulflys DNA throughout & is a perfect closer to leave the listener on a high & cements that Soulfly will always be, the leaders of the tribe!
It might be the bands 13th album “Chama” feels fresh & exciting. Its always fun to see what direction the band are taking the album’s sound & this album is a great mix of the bands history with elements of new & exciting elements the band hasn’t used before. With a legacy this long & large it seems like Soulfly aren’t slowing down & are giving the new breed of bands a run for their money. You better watch out!
Review: Joseph Mitchell
Chama is out via Nuclear Blast on 24th October 2025
Pre-order/pre-save HERE.
|
|
|
|
|
|
