Cavalera Conspiracy - Inflikted

Cavalera Conspiracy - Inflikted

(Due for release March 2008 )

If someone put this on and told me I wasn't listening to the Cavalera brothers (Max & Igor) I would have said it was a great imitation. After their split and withdrawl of brotherly love, I doubt anyone would have expected this to ever happen.

So what does it sound like?


If you need to ask that then I will assume you haven't heard Max or Igor play anything in the past 12 years.

If you take the good bits of Soulfly (yes there where a few, so don't start) and add a little bit more of a democratic vote on how it should be played, then throw in some good old Chaos AD style drumming, then you might get close. It can be hard to pick out just where the Soulfly flys off and the Conspiracy begins in places. Not that this is a bad thing. The bad thing is the fact that there are clearly twice as many tracks on this than should have been.

As a plus point this album is not a case of Max saying to his younger brother, "see I can do it without you". This is more of a "this is what Soulfly would have sounded like if you came on board" (again only in places). Making it sound less like a group of musicians trying too hard (i.e. Soulfly). Honestly though, It is weak in places, mostly the latter half of the album. Don't get me wrong, It is a solid album, for what it is and I do think that it would (maybe) stand up on its own if both Soulfly and Sepultura never exsisted, but it's hard to look at it that way. I know the Cavalera brothers could do better......

"Inflikted" - 4:31
Its starts off with some off whiney little guitar effect, which doesnt immediately sit well with the ears. Then a chugging riff kicks in and Igor starts to pound away. Soon this song has become catchy, if not a little repetitive. Major downside is the use, in places, of the whiney effect from the intro. Lyrics are Max through and through. At the 3 minute mark, in the middle of a solo, you get a lovely little "Nobody move, nobody gets hurt" chant, followed by more solo another chant and then a slight break down into a freefall fret massage.

"Sanctuary" - 3:23
Starts off with a guitar slide in the key of Motley Crue and then smashes that idea away with a biotech is godzilla type ensemble of drums and guitars. A complete hark back to Max's old school vocals circa CHAOS AD. The musicianship isnt anything to be overly excited about. There is a widdle here and there, but when it hits the 2:30 mark, the song takes the shape of a different song. With a blast of some drums and then a head first dive into the pit, this song will have you moving either to the bar or into the mash of sweaty bodies that is set to ensue when this is unleashed live.

"Terrorize" - 3:37
A song with another weird effect played as an intro. More spat out lyrics backed with some classic Seps style guitar from Rizzo. Not the best song onthe album by far. Rather non descript until you are nearing the end when it launches into a thrash inspired riff with a rather friendly f**k death, lets kill(?) chant. It then goes back downhill from here.

"Dark Ark" - 4:54
Starts off with some tribal drums and a robotic sounding Max talking. Soons kicks into a generic bit of Soulfly-esque nonsense of a mini guitar solo. Although, tbh, this sounds quite like the last song on some places. It does showcase a bit more of Rizzo's fretwork, but nothing spectacular. Its mostly chugging guitars and Max screaming.

"Ultra-Violent" - 3:47
With a name like this you would expect a pounding skin tearing song to get the pit going. Unfortunately you'd be quite wrong. Another chugger of a song. Some poor lyrics and some boring musicianship makes for a s**t song. You have to wait until you get half way through and you are given some more Rizzo fretwork and then a sped up version of what came before it.

"Hex" - 2:37
Starts off really promising. "Old skool" thrash Seps style. Pounding drums and shredding that makes my wrists hurt just listening to it. Unfortunately again this song gets a bid repetitive.

"The Doom Of All Fires" - 2:12
It reminds me of another song I know. Sadly it's "Hex", the previous track. Again this seems to go nowhere until we get near the end. Wailing solo and some speed added to make the song follow suit with a good few of the tracks on here. Chugging riffs, solo, speed up, fade. Snooze!

"Bloodbrawl" - 5:41
Hmm. What can I say. More of the same. We get a solo in the middle again, but this time there is a twist. We get a little acoustic interlude to ease us gently out of the monotony of the last 3 tracks (which IMO, sounded like one). I am also sure there is a digeridoo at the end of this....my ears may have been taking the piss though.

"Nevertrust" - 2:22
As you may imagine, this song contains the lyric, NEVER TRUST. Infact, every line has those two words at the start. There are some good points though. Rizzo is on form again for a little while, until Max feels the need to list more things we should not trust. Ends with Rizzo doing what he does best.

"Hearts Of Darkness" - 4:29
Starts all chuggy and quite like it may offer something else. Unfortunately for the listen, his hopes are shattered by this point and you will realise that this should have been a 5 song EP...at a push.

"Must Kill" - 4:50
Maybe a good closer. Not too similar to the past few tracks, but it has the similar feeling that it is going nowhere. A good track, but it is being spoiled by the weight of having just listened to the rest of the album.

At most this album is a Seps/Soulfly fanboy must have. At worst, this is an example of what a 12 year gap in recording could have done to Sepultura. It is a shame, as I was so excited about this album as it opened so well....well better than it finished at any rate.




Members:
Max Cavalera - rhythm guitar & vocals
Marc Rizzo - lead guitar
Joe Duplantier - bass
Igor Cavalera - drums

official website: http://www.cavaleraconspiracy.com/
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/cavaleraconspiracy
RRUK artist page: http://www.roadrunnerrecords.co.uk/artist/Cavalera+Conspiracy
(where you can hear one of the better tracks off of the album)