Sepultura Announces New EP
Brazilian metal legends Sepultura announced an upcoming EP titled "The Cloud of Unknowing," continuing their decades-long run as genre innovators. The announcement comes as the band maintains their prolific output in their fourth decade. This follows their recent creative resurgence and lineup stability.
The band's recent creative peak was their fifteenth studio album, "Quadra" (2020), which was widely hailed as one of their best in decades. The album was noted for blending the band's thrash and groove metal roots with more progressive and atmospheric sounds. This new music is being created as Sepultura embarks on a global farewell tour, intended to celebrate their 40-year career before the band disbands. The tour commenced with a recent lineup change, as drummer Greyson Nekrutman, formerly of Suicidal Tendencies, took over from Eloy Casagrande in February 2024. Sepultura was a major force in the metal scene of the 1980s and 90s, selling nearly 20 million records worldwide. Their 1996 album "Roots," which famously incorporated indigenous Brazilian sounds, is their best-seller, with over 2 million copies sold. The band's long history includes significant lineup shifts, most notably the departures of its founding members, brothers Max and Igor Cavalera, in 1996 and 2006, respectively. Vocalist Derrick Green has fronted the band since 1997, with guitarist Andreas Kisser and bassist Paulo Jr. maintaining their long-standing roles. While early albums like "Beneath the Remains" (1989) and "Arise" (1991) are considered thrash metal classics, the band is credited as a major force in the groove metal genre that emerged in the 1990s. Their sound has continued to evolve, later incorporating elements of world music, hardcore, and industrial metal. According to guitarist Andreas Kisser, the decision to end the band was a conscious choice to go out on a high note following the success of "Quadra." This final tour and the forthcoming EP will serve as the concluding chapter for one of Brazil's most successful musical exports.
