Dante XXI

True classics in the history of rock and metal music not only distinguish themselves in terms of great songs and awesome productions but also in terms unusual thematic concepts. Sepultura once travelled to the Xavante Indians on the border between Brazil and Bolivia to find inspiration for their masterpiece, Roots. Now, more or less one decade later, the band have drawn their creative ideas from the content of a book that their vocalist Derrick Green read, or should we say devoured, a good fifteen years ago during his university days: ‘Divina Comedia’ (in English: The Divine Comedy) by the Italian poet and philosopher, Dante Alighieri. Of which explains the album title, Dante XXI, as well as the fact that the recording is an exceptional offering, featuring songs that catapult the classic Sepultura variety of thrash metal into the present. Sepultura anno 2006 celebrate their straightforward, uncompromising metal without concessions, causing a serious adrenalin rush in their listeners’ veins, without any frills, directly and unequivocally to the point. Or, to quote vocalist Derrick Green, "Sepultura songs have their own dynamics that you won’t find in any other metal act."

After losing Max Cavalera to his own ambitions in Soulfly, Sepultura brought in Derrick Green, and then seemed to stumble a bit. But that’s not the case here. Dante XXI is a powerful record, on that stands alongside of Sepultura classics like Beneath The Remains and Chaos A.D.. Loosely based on Dante’s "The Divine Comedy" and clocking in at less than 40 minutes, this is hardcore thrash with a literary bent. Using the classic Sepultura speed metal churn, "City of Dis" burns along with a strong vocal performance by Green. But it isn’t a one-note piece of music either, as the band learned from their more experimental phase: "Fighting On" digs in with a slower torch, while "Ostia" has a beautiful string instrument break. Many people wrote the band off when Max left, but it would be a mistake to dismiss this album, as the band has once again found the same intensity they showed in their earlier years. --Robert Arambel