30 years Sepultura @ Webster Hall

Sepultura played the Marlin Room at Webster hall on Saturday night. Far from the largest room within the venue, It’s smaller size lent an air of intimacy that was entirely appropriate considering the band in question was Sepultura and the fans were Sepultura fans.

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Die-hard fans have stuck with Sepultura through changes that would have doomed lesser bands – first the departure of their original singer (Max Cavalera), then founding member and drummer Igor Cavalera, as well as subtle yet significant shifts in their musical direction. Judging by the grey on some of the heads and beards in the crowd, I was in the company of those who had ridden out the storm with the band. This is all to say that the crowd could’ve easily filled a venue much larger with their enthusiasm, which was at that point, before the band hit the stage, boiling over.

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When the band came on stage, the crowd erupted in cheers. Chants of “Se-Pul-Tura” began, and at least one Brazilian Flag was unfurled to welcome them to NYC.

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The band wasted little time tearing into their set, much to the delight of the audience. A pit quickly opened up and slam-dancing ensued. In every direction people either stood transfixed on the band, mouthing the lyrics to their favorite songs or pumped their fists in the air or fully indulged the kind of head-banging that is a entire body activity.

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Sepultura’s songs were as loud and heavy as you’d expect from an old-school Heavy Metal band, but with Sepultura a single show is in effect a retrospective spanning 30 years of a musical evolution which reflects the very changes the Metal genre has undergone. Unlike Metallica, Sepultura never abandoned Metal for the more commercially accessible sound of Hard Rock. Instead when they felt they could go no further with thrash, they turned their attention to the offshoots of Metal that were gaining momentum around them: Nu Metal, Groove Metal, Industrial, and even incorporating indigenous percussions into their song writing.

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With the heavily distorted bass and stripped down and brutal guitar riffs of songs like “Roots Bloody Roots,” groove and rhythm were emphasized over virtuosity. The unity of every instrument, including vocals, to create one groove transmogrified it into a living tendril that grabbed you by the throat and forced you to meet each down beat. For those who weren’t dancing, the down-tuned guitars worked their effect through the floor-boards, sending vibrations up your legs.

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The older songs maintained their thrash Metal edge despite being played among newer ones. Songs off of “Arise” and “Schizophrenia” were played heavier, with a slightly muddier sound, but it worked well with the rapid fire drumming of the older songs and made the breakdowns especially brutal.

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Also deserving of mention is how well Derrick Green’s vocals fit into the equation. The newer material, with the exception of the album “Against,” was written with his input, but the older songs didn’t suffer in the least for his vocal style, distinct as it is from Max Cavalera’s. His energy and stage presence added to the performance. A formidably sized guy, Green looked at times giddy on-stage, like he was fully aware of what he was – a fan who had managed to become the singer to one of his favorite bands, and helped to secure its legacy by extending it for future generations to come.

Text by Mario Norena

Pictures & video by Mart Kawaii