Soulfly [CASSETTE]

Soulfly

After the release of the cross-pollinating metal landmark Roots, Brazilian metal giants Sepultura acrimoniously splintered, with frontman Max Cavalera--thought by many to be the instigator of the primal rhythms that made Roots such a ferocious prospect--striking out bravely with his own project, Soulfly. Their eponymous debut picked up where Roots left off, debut single "Bleed" opening with a fearsome patter of drums, and then letting the floodgates burst open with a seldom-rivalled burst of speed-metal riffing. By no means was this Cavalera standing still, though--Soulfly skips tempo with virtuostic ease, showing a loose affinity with the harshest grooves of crossover hip-hop/metal groups like Korn. The aforementioned "Bleed" features a spittle-flecked rap from Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst, and "First Commandment" invites Chino Moreno of the Deftones into the arena to duel it out with Cavalera. They're brave men--on Soulfly's evidence, few can match him on his own turf. --Louis Pattison