29/8/05

SOULFLY / DARK AGES

I have a lot of time and admiration for Max Cavalera; he has been responsible for some of the best Metal over the last decade and a half, so when a new Soulfly album comes out, I take notice.

I can’t say I’ve liked everything he’s done with Soulfly but I do have a lot of respect for the band and this, 5^th CD is more focused and more directional than the last two. They do lapse into Reggae on one occasion during "Staystrong" and "Innerspirit" slips into a cool Latin groove towards the end but it’s the angst ridden, tribal tinged Metal thunder that you want to hear about and there are plenty of tracks to keep you happy, "Babylon", Carved Inside", "Fuel The Hate" and "Rise Again" to name but four and yes Max does let rip with some furious lead breaks along the way. They even experiment with an Industrial flavoured track called "Riotstarter" that sounds very much like Ministry in their heyday. The CD finishes off with the now customary instrumental, now up to "Soulfly V" that allows Max to indulge in his Latin Jazz, 10 minutes long and flawless.

If the last Soulfly album was a bit too diverse for you this one will restore your love of the band for sure.

TOTAL PLAYING TIME = 66 mins + 15 TRACKS