Reviews (page 4 of 8)
I love the grooves. I never thought I could hear something so 90s
- Strong concept and sound. - Overstays welcome with somewhat repetitious energy - No musicianship flair in the solos - Pioneering but not quite timeless
Heavy nu metal from my childhood, enjoyed this, deffo reminded me of being an angst riddled teenager
Le tengo cariño a este disco, fue un regalo que me hicieron y lo escuché bastante en su momento. Sigue sonando bien la mezcla de Metal y toques étnicos. Desde "Roots Bloody Roots", "Ratamahatta", "Breed Apart", "Born Stubborn", "Jasco" hasta "Itsári" hay un mosaico de guitarras y percusión de otro nivel.
Well, I've never really been a fan of the atonal screaming metal vocals. I just don't feel like they add anything to the music. Apart from that, this is a pretty cool album. It has a lot of the elements of nu metal instrumentals without feeling completely shitty and soulless like so much of that music does. The traditional Brazilian influence does a lot for this album in terms of adding substance. It slowly seems to stop being a metal album and becomes a Brazilian folk music album 4/5
Nü metal is a genre I'm not interested nowadays, but I'm not going to hide the fact that I did have a phase as a teenager when I basically only listened to it, although it was also in a very superficial way, as I was just hearing the most well known acts, such as Linkin Park, Korn, Slipknot and System of a Down (come to think about it, these were exclusively the only groups I was listening to from that particular style). Sepultura was not a group that was in my radar, so this is my first time listening to it, and I'll say that this album is alright. It is very aggressive and loud, riffs are heavy, and the voice is very angry, but I certainly not banging my head to anything, and the screams and guitar playing can get a bit monotonous. What I'll give the album credit for is having some very interesting mixes of metal with folk and tribal Brazilian music, specially coming from the drums, giving the album its own personality. Nonetheless, I wish they were more ambitious about it, as some songs are just pure Nü Metal, and in others they just play some timbau or djembe and call it a day, so the more intriguing moments where they use chants, tribal rhythms or the influences are incredibly clear and add something truly valuable are very few. Ultimately, it is a decent album. It has its energy and aggressiveness, but it is also very long and sometimes it feels just very standard Nü Metal that I'm not crazy about.
Listened
Some songs start out with genuinely interesting melodies - "Ratamahatta", "Breed Apart", "Spit", and "Ambush", for example. But then the screaming vocals kicks in, the band surrender to tiresome metal cliches (heavy bass, the lead guitar thrashing over half-beats), and the songs end up sounding too much alike. The instrumental tracks fare better: "Jasco", a great solo guitar instrumental, "Itsari" and "Canyon Jam" manage to escape the imprisonment of (nu) metal tropes.
Not my jam but that doesn't mean its bad. Interesting and creative, especially when reading up on the influences for the album.
Heavvvy! 3.5/5
Good classic metal
Interesting, and I liked the traditional Brazilian aspect, but generally not my favorite style of music
I think that this album does overstay its welcome a bit (actually, a lot), but that's not to say there isn't a lot of good stuff going on beyond that. People love to shit all over nu metal, like it's just some cringey thing that teenagers liked in the 90s and 00s, (which is partly true), but this album shows that it can be so much more than that. On top of all the things that make nu metal what it is, the aggression is still very real, and the rawness in the vocals and guitar playing is on another level for its time. I find it to be a shame that it drags on for as long as it does, I was really enjoying most of it but by the end I was getting a bit bored. Either a shorter tracklist or just a more diverse pallet out styles would have done this album wonders, as there was a hell of a lot of potential.
Wow, damn did not expect roots! This is fun, even though I definitely prefer their earlier work before this, but this is a good album
Hmmm I may not be the intended audience for this one
Whatever your Attitude is about this album, it will still make you feel it in your Roots.
definitivamente uma experiência
Roots Bloody Roots - 4/5 Attitude - 3.5/5 Cut-Throat - 3.5/5 Ratamahatta - 4/5 Breed Apart - 3.5/5 Straighthate - 3.5/5 Spit - 3.5/5 Lookaway - 3/5 Dusted - 3.5/5 Born Stubborn - 3.5/5 Jasco - 3.5/5 Itsári - 3.5/5 Ambush - 3.5/5 Endangered Species - 3.5/5 Dictatorshit - 3.5/5 Canyon Jam - 3/5 At the beginning, I was pleasantly surprised given its low rating on here. "Surely it doesn't deserve its rating?" I said to myself. I certainly like the concept of it, merging groove metal and nu metal with traditional Brazilian music to make something truly unique. However, it drags on way too much after the first few tracks and doesn't use the unique blend of genres to its fullest potential, though the themes still remain in the lyrics. It's a bit too growly of metal for me to enjoy but there were parts of it that weren't terrible to listen to despite the "nu metal" label given to it. Overall: 3/5 Favorites: Roots Bloody Roots, Ratamahatta
Viihdyin tän parissa vaikka olikin ehkä raskaampaa mitä normaalisti kuuntelen
I’m a mini metal head, I love heavy metal, but sadly death metal is where my line is drawn. For what it is I can tell is very good, I love the drumming in special. But in this list flooded with Brit rock this band has 2 albums and SOAD and AIC just one each? Not too fair
I have very little experience with Sepultura, besides the other album on the list. This is obviously interesting for the genre. I wonder if something like this is embraced or hated by their older fans? Not for me, but sure keep it on a list like this.
Not my cup of tea. I can get why some people would like this but I would rather not listen to it again
This is decent. Good beats. Not as groovy as other metal albums I like but enjoyable enough
This sounds awesome, but I'm not the biggest fan of the vocal style:(
A tough one to judge. Musically, it is not bad and I can see where Slipknot, Breaking Benjamin and dozens of other high profile bands got their ideas. However, the screaming gets a bit grating after a while. There isn’t much variety here. I wouldn’t cry if I had to listen again, but nor would I be excited.
I've heard of this album for a number of years now, how it revolutionised metal. Metal isn't my thing so I never really explored, and I was fairly nervous about it. I still can't say it's my thing, but you're hearing things on this that I think you're going to struggle to hear anywhere else. The textures are great, some of the artistry is top notch, I just know I'm likely to never listen to this again.
I liked this album, more than I thought I would.
First time listening to them. I like it! Feels like they may have helped inspire bands like SOAD. Will definitely check out more of their stuff.
God I wasn’t up for this today. Heavy as hell, and the two singles particularly are great
First, Chris Cornell is the only belter I've ever heard that sounds really good. Honorable mentions to Phil Anselmo and Joey Belladonna. If you can't belt really, really well, don't. It's very simple. Second, musically, these guys are actually pretty interesting. Early drop tuning. Melodic thrash. The rhythms are sort of hypnotizing. If I'm lazy, I say give me the same music with Chris or Phil singing and we really have something here. Listening to this jackwad screaming at me is just too distracting. Finally, while I get it, and I genuinely liked this album musically, a shit singer can only take you so far. I'm going to assume without looking that he's also the lyricist and blame that uninspired, repetitive drivel on him to further protect the talented musicians in the band. Lawrd, is it a 3? I'll give a bump for the indigenous influences. Ratamahatta caught me off-guard in the best way. Until the infantile monkey of a lead "singer" got involved again. The band should kidnap the guest vocalist for a massive upgrade.
The beginning of this im sorry almost unlistenable but it came around!
At school the last few years there's a tradition that one of the videos for the year 12 farewell assembly is carpool karaoke with various teachers. And one of the science teachers this year (a mere 4 days ago) did a singalong to a Sepultura song from this album!!! I didn't mind this as a whole and it was musically kinda interesting (there was that song near the end that got a bit folky?) But probably not going back to it
Doubt their target audience is middle aged men on stationary bikes… but if it works, it works. Not as amazing once off bike and chillin but still pretty solid stuff. I bet the lead singer has to drink a lot of tea with honey. 3.25/5
Hell yeah
The "tropical" metal sounds are great, but the tracks aren't that great. Enjoyable, but I doubt I will fully revisit this one.
One of my friends growing up loved Supultura. I probably only listened to a song here and there myself. Callie enjoyed this one and started to bob her head to the music immediately while eating breakfast. I’m a fan but won’t likely go out of my way to listen to this specific album again.
Wish they played more into that Aztec tribal sound, seemed like they only touched on it here or there and the rest was just hard-core moshing metal music. It was pretty damn great hard-core metal thrashing music, but it left me longing for a bit more. Im finally in a musical realm where I can sit through something like this and enjoy it. A few years back, I think this would sound too abrasive for me. But if im in the right mood, this shit would hit hard for me. 7/10
RATING: 7.5/10 HIGHLIGHT: Ratamahatta LOWLIGHT: Cut-Throat
BH PORRAAAAAAAA SEGURA O METAL MINEIRO IHAAAAAAAAA concordo com o amigo, esse eh o piorzim deles. fico mto triste pq eles incorporam os batuques indígenas de maneira legal. daí vão lá e se misturam com a laia do nu metal. vai tomar no cu. deixando isso de lado, eu costumava dormir ouvindo esse qdo tinha 2 anos xD. eh mediano mas eh bom pra dormir.
Started out gaining my interest then slowly fell off
Pretty good
Classic 3. Good at times, bad at times, but not really my thing
To me, "nu metal" and "butt metal" are synonymous. I know korn are likely lurking on this list somewhere, and that will be a miserable day for this listener. However, although the sounds here are on first blush indistinguishable from that other late 90s garbage, there are some interesting elements here and there that surface through the rest of the sound. Just not my jam, in general. Moving on.
Metal!! This was fun. Thank you!
Good album, not one of my favorite heavy but still good
This is certainly a step up from the abject 'Arise'. What hasn't changed are the really hackneyed and terrible lyrics that say absolutely nothing; agonised platitudes about not following orders and a war is coming and so on. 'Roots Bloody Roots', delivered with a guttural scream, really brings home the frustration of having dry hair. Quite a blast for an opening track. 'Dusted' is also a towering track, huge riff, even if no focus on the 'rootsy' side of things. The thrash-led numbers tail off towards the end, culminating in the pointless 'Dictatorshit'. But the thematic focus of pairing metal with Brazilian roots music is the most interesting aspect. Several tracks are too rich for my blood, but there's an interesting traditional theme running throughout which breathes new life into what is a rigidly dull genre. It just shades three.
Roots Bloody Roots
3.7 Great but over long, like a lot of mid/late 90s albums were.
I have to be in the mood for Sepultura … today was not that day
This was pretty good. It would be a solid 4 if not because of the length. I enjoyed the percussion in some of the tracks and I like how they show some of their Brazilian heritage. Some songs I liked: "Roots Bloody Roots" (the most famous single and probably my favourite track in the album), or "Ratamahatta". I'd also like the more instrumental tracks or even interludes, like: "Jasco", "Itsári", or "Canyon Jam".
Not for me but appreciate the musical quality
Fett! Noe av det bedre innen "new metal". En sjanger i vanligvis ikke tåler. Men ka e greia med lengden på de her type albuma?? E så sinsykt mye filler. Hadde vært dritkult om man komprimerte til 30-40 min.
Ikke min sjanger, og de fleste låtene hørtes ganske like ut. Godt trøkk, det skal de ha.
6/10
Pretty dope album. Fav Tracks: Roots Bloody Roots, Ratamahatta, Jasco, Itsári
Dejansko nič ne poznam od Sepulture (razen, k sm zadnjič pogruntala, da očitno poznam vsaj en komad, k je cover od U2 - "Bullet the Blue Sky"). TIL, da so Brazilci. (Uf, pa 72 minut.) "Roots Bloody Roots" mi je kr kul. "Ratamahatta" je fakin hud!! So far, this is not a bad time. "Itsári" je basically chanting od Xavante tribea & Led Zeppelin. Kr kul. "Canyon Jam" je ful eksperimentalen. Nism tok fan zvokov streljanja. Kul! Zanimivo. Un komad al dva bom zihr še poslušala.
The tribal instrumentation and guitar riffs really elevate this metal record. Opening track really gets the blood pumping. But he's going to need a throat lozenge after all this screaming.
woke up ar 3 and couldnt fall back asleep, listened to this, nodded off in the last track. feel like i gotta get into nu metal, was listening to a chat pile interview where they were talking abt korn... my new favorite band and one of my oldest favorite bands tied by a golden thread... anyway this is cool idk what else to say i get why all those guys in my high school had the shirts. its almost like ambient and math rocky while still being something korn can do guest vocals on no problem. fave tracks breed apart, born stubborn, canyon jam
I didn't know that Sepultura was from Brazil...maybe if I could understand their lyrics through the screaming I could have figured that out. 15 year old me remembers listening to this in the weight room, but it wasn't as good as the other metal I was into at the time. 43 year old me doesn't have the stomach for this kind of nonsense anymore.
Love how brutal these guys are. Just pulsing and pounding, hard-hitting music, full of energy and passion. The last track, "Canyon Jam", is particularly unique as it feels like listening to a historic, native ritual. I like this record a lot.
Sepultura definitely went mor into their nu metal bag on this one, they have much better stuff but this is definitely still pretty solid. Roots Bloody Roots is great
⭐⭐⭐ Inte min go to genre men det funkar. Slås av att jag gillar trummorna på många låtar och tycker om de brasilianska inslagen. Det blir en 3a. Bäst är Roots bloody roots, Ratamahatta, Breed apart, Born stubborn, Itsari och Canyon jam
Guttural growling with cool drums. Not for me but I can appreciate the appeal.
I don't really think we needed two Sepultura albums on the list, especially while so many important Metal bands are completely absent. At least they are quite different from one another. One is a more straightforward Thrash album, while this one goes in a Groove Metal and Nu Metal direction. I guess this was some sort of turning point for the band's sound and remains controversial among their audience. I liked this one a fair bit more, the Brazilian Music influence on it made it stand out. Key tracks: Roots Bloody Roots Ratamahatta
canyon jam was kind of offensive ngl
This is #day672 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… so we're staying in Brazil for one more day. Yesterday it was psychedelic pop from 1968, and today it's nu/groove metal from 1995. I've known the band's name for a long time, but never really got around to checking them out properly. Being a huge Deftones fan, I was at least familiar with "Headup," featuring Max Cavalera on vocals. Otherwise, this is my first time listening to a Sepultura album front to back. What can I say? Roots bloody roots! Let it be a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day673.
6.5/10 Needed several listens to get into and even then I never really connected with it. The rhythms are very interesting and all, but I would like some more human emotion (or alternatively maybe a catchy song that sticks?) Highlight: Ratamahatta
What a weirdly wonderful mix of music. Starts off as some quite run of the mill heavy metal bordering on screamo, as ever accompanied by great heavy guitar but the vocals are annoying. Then the transition phase where you start to get drums and vocals drifting in a very different direction, a tribal feel but with occasional discordant sound effects. Gunfire as music, but a touch different to the 1812 Overture. Towards the end you get what seems to be a couple of songs that bear no resemblance to the original songs, before you’re dragged back in by Canyon Jam. Fundamentally weird but enjoyable in an unhinged sort of way.
Did Korn get lost in the jungle, get drugged and then form a heavy metal band with their new friends? You know when you get one of those really satisfying burps that you seem to conjure up from the depths of your stomach and you somehow manage to straight pipe that gas out of there. It has resonance and depth and is not too dissimilar to some of the spoken vocal thrashes on this at times. It's spectacular. "Ratamahatta" is maximum tribal energy and not intended as insulting but was slightly amusing at times. It reminds me of the little bitey Wachootoo warrior in Ace Ventura When Nature Calls running around making biting noises (not exclusively and not a complaint). I think the musical cultural fusions are what makes this. It adds complexity and changing tempo which some heavy metal lineups fail to achieve. The heaviness is a rock meditation, and that works because it can elevate the mundane and BECAUSE of its juxtaposition of normal sounds and tempo. When you combine them well, it achieves exactly that and this combo is an even more interesting and novel collaboration of sound. I do like to addle my mind musically at times and did enjoy this onslaught. Just wish they kept the fusion predominantly and not the complete deviations with the influence at times. In the end it made it feel like 2 albums mashed together and there was leakage at each end (and too long).
Did I expect to be listening to some Brazilian heavy metal today? No, I did not. But was it a pleasant surprise? Well kind of... This is exactly the type of weird shit I was hoping for when I started this project and I am happy to have listened to it. That said, I doubt I will ever listen to it again. At least not in it's entirety. There were some solid heavy metal moments and I liked the tribal elements that are scattered through the album. No single track jumped out to grab me but it was all fairly agreeable metal noise. It's also way too long and the final track can be avoided unless you want to hear what it sounds like when a man takes ritalin and decides to build a raft out of oil barrels in his garage.
More enjoyable than I expected, but this is the last time I will listen to this. ★★★
Not my kind of thing. However there were some interesting instruments used, excellent production values and I actually acclimatised my ears so I was eventually able to understand the 'singer' I can say I've heard it and kind of enjoyed it
Good heavy metal with a great theme that the band should have leveraged to a greater extend in their percussion and overall songwriting. The Brazilian "musical textures" don't feel like an overarching theme that underpins the entire album, but rather a concept that appears here and there. I also don't enjoy the harsh vocals and would have preferred some tonal variety in the singing. The instrumental arrangements, while dense and energetic, also become repetitive through each song and lack technicality; however, I believe that may simply be a feature of 90's nu-metal influenced music. Nevertheless, I appreciate the band's dedication to their expression of Brazilian culture and heritage in their music, and enjoyed the writing and production of this album that doesn't seek only to find mass public appeal, but a genuine creation of quality for fans of their music.
I quite like their music. I’d be a lot happier without the harsh vocals though.
My thoughts exactly when I listened to this: *Roots Bloody Roots starts* Man, this is awesome! The riffs, the aggression! Why don't I listen to metal more often! *10 minutes later* Huh, well, this sounds all the same. Starting to get on my nerves already. *10 minutes later* Give... me... melodies and harmonies... *puts on Beatles* To be fair, I returned later, and the mixing of metal riffs and growls with Brazilian tribal percussion was awesome. But the point stands. 2.5/5 - okay-ish
3.5/5
Deep riffs, excellent percussion. At points it’s a bit too choppy and intense but overall a good throaty album.
This was very different. The metal was metal, I did not know that metal already sounded like this so long ago. Felt like Slipknot was influenced by it. Also the noises and „tribal“ elements incorporate din the music, that was very special.
This one is pretty top-heavy, purely in terms of the singles. I would probably consider this album better than the other Sepultura one that appears on this list, the group matured a bit after all. In fact, the group literally went back to their roots and met an indigenous tribe in Brazil during the recording process, which then gave them some inspiration for this album's content. The rhythmic drumming and guitar are adept per usual. There's just...a lot of everything. It gets grating as a certain point unfortunately. The instrumentals were an interesting change of pace at least.
mmm i didn't enjoy it as much as i thought i would
Buen sonido, magnífico, pero algo que no soporto en el metal es cuando no hay vocals melódicos. Entiendo los guturales, pero CANTA (y sí soy una ignorante quizás). Me recuerda tantooo a tG el estilo. Breed apart y la fusión con música brasilera? pfff. Me aturde un poco cuando canta jaja
304/1001 Sepultra - Roots Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ❓ There's definitely some interesting stuff going on here, particularly the slower drum based parts. This isn't really my thing, but I didn't have a bad time with it.
I am partial to a screamo album from time to time, and I like the variety of traditional Brazilian aboriginal elements. It definitely is unique and that's a good point in its favour. Saying that there's not a lot that really stuck with me here, the theme of culture and preserving nature are strong but I don't find myself really connecting to how it's communicated. It lacks a little something to push it over the edge. Fav Track: Ratamahatta
Lots of toe-tapping', finger snappin' little ditties on this album, and when the vocals hit, I'm up on my feet and a dancin' like Elaine from Seinfeld.
se fosse um thrash comum eu daria uma 2, pois não faz meu estilo, mas como é um thrash com elementos brasileiros e duas faixas com tribos xavantes estarei dando 3. aqui é brasil, porra!!!
Goeie metal, goofy momenten
beetje te hard op de vocals, rest wel bieno
Imagine my surprise when I misread this as being an album by the band 'The Roots' and then hit play on the first song.
Roots Bloody Roots Ratamahatta
I wasn't feeling this album at first, but it started to grow on me after the first couple of songs.
Started off really strong. Nearly 20 minutes of mostly quiet instrumentals on the last half of the album really hurt the vibe. If you take out those songs, it's a high 4, but with those... it's a 3.
I'm not a metalhead by any means, but I enjoyed through the album. It's probably not one I'd thrown on myself, but I can appreciate it still.
Musically interesting. But screamo's not for me
Okay.
Interesting as a sort of proto-nu metal. Favorite track: Endangered Species
This was a bit of a struggle, mainly because I didn't have a block of time in which I could listen to the whole album end to end. I'm not a great lover of the screeeeeeeem school of vocal delivery, but much of the musical content and rhythm section was very much ok. I will try to give it another listen but for now it's a good 3
If it was a 40 minute album I'd say it was great, but I cannot get through twice that. Some pretty cool stuff going on outside the manchild vocals.
When it leaned into the "tribal" vibe, it was a 4. When it leaned into the "screamy shouty' vibe, it was a 2.
I really liked this when it came out and it's still a lot of fun to come back to.
Like many white males who were teenagers in the ‘90’s I had a nu metal phase. For whatever reason I never listened to Sepultura. This was pretty good-some unique sounds/instrumentation on some tracks (especially for nu metal). Nothing really jumped out at me, but overall I liked it.
Pretty good I guess, sounded a little generic maybe?
To long but pretty good otherwise
Hard. Needed a few listens to work through the layers.
Pummelling
Recognised a lot more of this than expected, clearly a mainstay of dirty 00s rock clubs. Quite like it when it's good, verged on SOAD at its best. Bit repetitive and I expected the traditional Brazilian music to be married better with the metal, it was more just typical rock tracks with some tracks of Brazilian beats every so often. Staying at a hotel with unexpected building work going on so it was the ideal album to drown it out. Scoring overall, it was okay.
I wasn't aware they were Brazilian. I would say not enough double bass - I didn't enjoy the stuff at the end of the album; much preferred the harder, angrier tracks at the beginning. Roots Bloody Roots was great.
I'm a bit familiar with sepultura from my teenage years. Was always more metal adjacent than a metal fan myself. With some exceptions. I always thought the circular things on the album cover were the eyes of some strange doll, but I've just realised the eyes are above these and it's a real tattooed person.... The title track and ratamahatta are my favourites. I think much of the rest is a bit too much for me. That much metal is too much metal.
Great album that I listened to back in the day. My sister was a huge fan and introduced me to them. I love the beats and native samples they use, it really works well and makes something unique. I was just starting to listen to heavy metal so this album was a great starting point. Dumb story: The first concert I ever went to was Green Day's Dookie tour. I wanted to wear something cool so I asked my sister what I should do and she loaned me her Sepultura shirt. I thought I was super cool and there was one guy at the show that saw the shirt and said "Sepultura, fuck yeah!". It was an amazing moment for a young me and I still think about it.
I had never heard this album before and if I had to guess this was the precursor to rap rock and numetal that came just a few years later. Either way there was some decent track on this. Prolly not for everyone but I liked it and am kinda struggling with the rating...
Majority of the best songs are near the start which is a shame as it had real potential.
Raw and aggressive. Good groove and heavy riffs but the sounds get mushy at times which is a shame. Best track was hard to choose but I choose Breed Apart.
Not my jam, but clearly dripping with dread and culture.
A bit boring
There are definitely better Sepultra albums
Enjoyed the instrumental stuff more than the rest but still a pretty interesting album. RYM: N Saved a song: N
I've been getting a lot of repeat artists lately. I don't know what's going on, but I can't really call it a bad thing when most of the albums have been good. Roots is a very interesting one. I've already heard one of Sepultura's albums for the project, that being their 1991 album Arise. That one was a pretty great thrash metal album akin to something like Slayer or maybe Megadeth even. Roots on the other hand pulls in a larger variety of influences like groove metal and nu-metal, as well as a noticeable influence from traditional Brazilian music. It's pretty neat that the band decided to bring in some aspects of their heritage with this album. How did it turn out? Good, but I think it could've been better. I definitely preferred Arise. I think Roots just has a little too much going on, with a runtime of over 70 minutes! The style here is very different, and I think it works for some songs, though others aren't really my thing. The album's got some good songs, don't get me wrong. The opener "Roots Bloody Roots" is fucking awesome. I think "Ratamahatta" is where the Brazilian influence is at its strongest. "Attitude" has a cool groove to it. But here's the thing. Those songs are all early in the album. This leads me to one of my bigger problems with the album. It kind of loses its luster as it goes on. There are good songs later on in the album. "Born Stubborn" and "Ambush" are good just to name a few, but I think the album is padded a bit near the end with some tracks that just kind of happen. None if it is bad, but it's a little bloated for my liking. Well, maybe "Lookaway" isn't really my thing. The writing has some respectable influences, with the trademark anger of nu-metal being used to get mad about Brazilian history and politics and such, so that's cool. Max Cavalera definitely has vocal talent, but I do think that the screaming gets a little tiring by the end of the album. While I love the ideas of Roots as an album, I do find the execution to be a bit overbearing. It's got some cool parts to it, but I'd be lying if I called this one of the greatest metal albums of all time. Still, it's a good listen for people who want to see a bit of a different side of metal. High 3/5.
I went into this album thinking I wouldn’t like it but the album cover seems promising enough and then when I read that this was a Brazilian heavy metal band, I was locked in. This is a great album, even if I am not a fan of the genre. There is so much love and respect in the music for Brazilian indigenous culture, for the band’s heritage, and for the rhythms of their ancestors that are nowhere more showcased than in the majestic track Itsári. Great album for anyone who is into this type of music. It speaks to the greatness of this album if even a layman like me can enjoy it.
not my cup of tea. but for what it is, it's great
Looking at the cover, you would think one thing. Then the first song starts and it’s not what you expected. The second song are worth the listen especially to get yourself moving on a morning walk
Bueno
РУУУУТС БЛААААДІІІІ РУУУУТС. В мій нюметал період я ніколи прям не заслуховувася Сепультурою. В них безаперечно є стиль і щільність, яку я любив в такій музиці. Але на такий довгий альбом не вистачає пісень-гачків. В головному хіті, та й по всьому альбому, перкусія реально тащить. Кавелера клоун ще той звичайно, але вже як є. Я б поставив 3.5.
Мазафакерський період сепультури це звісно вагома частина моїх старших класів, ми тоді це слухали, вчились грати рутс бладі руст і етітьюд на гітарі і все таке. Об'єктивно це період в них слабше за класичні треш альбоми, але шось є в цьому трайбал нюметалі, який далі переріс в соулфлай. Макс Кавалера звісно дурачок, але цей альбом я в принципі все одно люблю, хоча він і затягнутий занадто.
3.5 I actually kinda liked it
Harsh vocals is an acquired taste. World music influences is an acquired taste too. sadly I didn’t acquire either of them. but generally 3/5.
An interesting metal/nu-metal album. Not a big nu-metal fan and it goes a bit long, but the Brazilian twist to the genre and all of the ambient/instrumentals are a highlight
need to revisit, wasn't in the mood for it
I know I'm gonna sound like an old man by saying this album was a bit too loud and shouty/screamy for me. I know they are a respected metal band, but its just not my thing. I appreciate their musicianship, but wouldn't actively listen to it.
Finally something interesting! I don't like the vocals at all, and I'll never listen to any of these songs on my own, but I still appreciate the music. 3/5
Dig the music, but can not stand that guttural vocal style. It reminds me of that douchey kid you knew in HS that would scream like that because he thought it would intimidate his bullies, but everyone just laughed instead.
This is a very unique album, and I find it fascinating for its inclusion of traditional music of the Xavante people. The album wears its Brazilian influences on its sleeve as well, which elevates this above a lot of other nu metal. All in all, this isn't my favorite genre of music, but I do love the cultural mash-up, and have to give this album major props for its original elements. Favorite track: "Ratamahatta" for its fusion of metal and traditional components
Jak na mnie co nie słucham metalu to całkiem fajne brzmienie to ma.
Cool album
I remember listening to a bit of Sepultura in the 90s. But these days it's far too heavy for my tastes and I can't get on with the Cookie Monster vocals, but it is a highly competent thrash album with a complex set of sounds and influences. Not sure I'll get all the way through it though... I gave it about five tracks in the end and then I couldn't cope with it any longer
ROOOOOTS BLOODY ROOOOOTS
Very samey
Not a metal fan but had to respect the innovation on this album. But way too long and repetitive.
I don’t mind heavy metal music, but it does tend to sound very samesy to me. But I liked the sound of this one. I still am not enough of a metal head to really diverge it from other artists in the genre but I enjoyed the instruments in this album as well as the general sound. 3 stars I just can't get into heavy metal, the vocals are too grating and end up sounding cringey. Backing tracks were great though, would like the instrumental version a lot more. Songs had a really good flow between them too, not a fan of the end song though. 3 star as well
Pas mon style, mais excellent
great
7/10 not really into metal but I could bump it in my rotation
Not for me but different.
Straighthate
A hard one to rate. It reminds me of college when my room mate listened to Sepultura and I never got why he liked it. I like the music and the rainforest vibe but the singing remains too much for me.
I don’t know if it should, but this reminds me of Korn. Over all it sounds good. The songs themselves weren’t always my favorite but nothing bad.
I like the energy and the incorporation of, for lack of a better word, tribal elements. Harder than what I usually listen to, but not bad!
Roots Bloody Roots // Breed Apart // 2.5/5
Death metal is not exactly my wheelhouse, but I could tell this is some of the good stuff. There were definitely a few nonsense songs for me, but overall pretty cool. Best Track: Straighthate
So I waited to listen to this until I had a rage day. And it was perfect. Particularly enjoyed the drums
The rhythm section reminds me of some good Rage Against the Machine songs. The Brazilian percussion and chanting are the best parts. This is not for me, but I appreciate the production on this.
I enjoyed this. I had never heard of this band before, and I’m not much of a metalhead, but I was definitely animated by this album. I don’t see myself listening to it regularly, but it would be great at the gym.
Grei jobbemusikk
Almost conceptual metal as its mixed in with Brazilian percussion, and it chugs along at a breakneck pace. Much better than I thought it was going to be after the last Sepultura album I had.
Ok
Competent metal with a unique Brazilian roots perspective.
Funny that the best track is the hidden track
I enjoyed it despite the noise, it would have been better without the squeaking.
The music here is quite good but the screaming vocals I just can't get past. I always suspect some bands resort to this to increase the intensity of the music because they just don't have confidence in the lyrics and a more standard delivery they could though 3.5*
6.1
Solid
Honestly didn’t hate it. Metal isn’t really my thing and it was a bit long but at least it was unique
Good
I liked some of the influences brought into the genre here. Vocals were a little tough at times. Not bad, but nothing super interesting either. 3/5 Might listen again
Honestly, had fun with this. Still not as bad as most modern metal.
Heavy metal with some screaming, also a lot of tribal sounds/percussion, better than expected, may use some as pump up music
Never heard of album or band. Good guitar/drums in first song. You’ll never convince me that screaming into the mic like this is talent. With that being said the songwriting isn’t bad. Ending is really cool. Attitude is a very apt name. I like this one. Cut throat is fine. The background tracks have been really good throughout so far I just don’t like the vocals. Rattamahatta is more shouting. More good guitar. Breed apart is crazy in a good way. Makes me want to rage. Straighthate is 🔥🔥🔥. Best one so far. I’m liking this album and subsequently the genre as a whole more and more as I hear more. Spit was fine nothing special but not bad. Lookaway is really cool/unique. Layered guitars is so cool. Ending is a little unnecessary. Dusted is pretty good not the best not the worst. I like born stubborn a lot. Great guitar/drums. Solo is 🔥🔥. Jasco is so so refreshing. Incredible bridge into the last third of the album. Incredible range to go from heavy metal shouting into the mic to making great music like jasco and itsari. Hard to put into to words what I like about these songs but they are just good listens. Back to regularly scheduled programming with ambush. Can’t help but nod along to the guitar riff. Really catchy lyrics too. Not sure abt the back half. Endangered species 🔥🔥. Guitars are insane throughout. Dictator shit was fine. Interesting start to canyon jam. Interesting all the way through. So different from the rest of the album. Not great but not horrible. Overall I enjoyed the album more than expected. Made me appreciate heavy metal a lot more. 3.3 stars
Nice riffs, a bit too heavy for me
3.5
Similar review to Arise. Everything is great apart from the vocals. Not a metal fan by any stretch, but this does sound mostly great.
Bon, installez-vous, on va parler d’un monument. Enfin, d’un "monument"… disons plutôt d’un gros monolithe un peu boueux planté au milieu des années 90. On est en 1996, à cette époque, je bosse déjà au magasin, je trie des imports de Godflesh et je m’explose les tympans avec du John Zorn en tentant d’expliquer à des clients pourquoi The Great Annihilator des Swans est essentiel à leur survie mentale. Et là, débarque "Roots" de Sepultura. La pochette, déjà... ce visage indigène, ces racines rouges sanguines, cette promesse d’un retour à la terre, au primal, au viscéral. Sur le papier, le concept avait de la gueule. Sepultura, les Brésiliens énervés qui nous avaient déjà bien secoués avec "Beneath the Remains" et surtout l’excellent "Chaos A.D.", décident de pousser le curseur "tribal" à fond. Ils vont carrément enregistrer avec la tribu Xavante au fin fond de l'Amazonie, cest "Tintin chez les Picaros" version Thrash Metal. L’idée de mélanger le folklore brésilien, les percussions ancestrales et la grosse distorsion moderne, ça aurait pu donner un chef-d'œuvre d'avant-garde... Sauf que non. On va être clair tout de suite : "Roots", c’est l’album du "BOUM BOUM". C’est l’album qui a décidé que la subtilité était un concept bourgeois surfait et que ce dont le monde avait besoin, c’était d’une guitare accordée tellement bas que les cordes devaient pendouiller comme des spaghettis trop cuits. Dès l'intro, "Roots Bloody Roots", on comprend le délire. C'est lourd... Ah ça, pour être lourd, c'est lourd. Il y a une puissance indéniable, je ne vais pas mentir. Ça groove, ça saute, ça donne envie de se taper la tête contre les murs ou de sauter partout comme un marsupilami sous amphétamines. Igor Cavalera, derrière ses fûts, c’est une machine de guerre, le mec ne tape pas sur sa batterie, il essaie de l'assassiner, et franchement, c'est le point fort du disque. Cette section rythmique, c’est un bulldozer. Mais voilà, passée la première claque, passé l’effet de surprise de ce son ultra-compressé (merci Ross Robinson, le producteur qui a globalement ruiné le métal des années 90 en accouchant du Nu-Metal), qu’est-ce qu’il reste ? Bah pas grand-chose. Et c’est là tout le problème pour mes oreilles sélectives. J’ai été élevé au post-punk, à la complexité, à la noirceur abyssale, aux structures déstructurées. J’aime quand la musique me raconte une histoire, quand elle me griffe, quand elle me caresse à rebrousse-poil. "Roots", lui, il se contente de me gueuler dessus en postillonnant. C'est binaire, c'est d'une simplicité qui frôle parfois l'insulte à l'intelligence musicale, on est face à des riffs néandertaliens, répétés ad nauseam. Max Cavalera a troqué ses riffs thrash tranchants comme des rasoirs pour des accords de puissance basiques, rythmiques, qui servent juste de tapis sonore pour ses vociférations. Et parlons-en, de l’héritage de cet album et c’est peut-être ça qui me rend le plus aigri avec le recul. "Roots", c’est la boîte de Pandore. En sortant ce disque, Sepultura a ouvert la porte à toute la vague Nu-Metal qui allait nous polluer les oreilles pendant dix ans. Sans "Roots", pas de Korn (ou du moins pas aussi gros), pas de Limp Bizkit, pas de tous ces groupes en survêtement Adidas qui sautent sur place en faisant des grimaces. Sepultura a validé le concept du "jump-da-fuck-up", cette idée que le métal devait être une musique de trampoline pour ados en colère contre leurs parents parce qu'ils n'ont pas eu la bonne console à Noël. Alors oui, il y a des percussions, des berimbau, des chants tribaux. C’est la caution "world music" du truc, mais est-ce que ça s’intègre vraiment ? Parfois, on a l’impression d’écouter deux disques en même temps : un documentaire National Geographic sur Arte et un groupe de métal qui répète dans la cave d'à côté. Les moments acoustiques, comme "Jasco" ou "Itsari", sont jolis, certes, mais ils font figure d'entractes bizarres au milieu d'un champ de bataille boueux. C'est de l'exotisme pour métalleux qui ne sont jamais sortis de leur banlieue. Je suis dur ? Peut-être. C'est mon côté "vieux con" qui a bossé en radio indé pendant que tout le monde s'extasiait là-dessus. Je reconnais l'impact, je reconnais l'énergie, je reconnais que sur scène, ça devait être une boucherie absolue. Mais musicalement, une fois que le disque s'arrête, qu'est-ce qu'on retient ? Le riff de "Roots Bloody Roots", peut-être celui de "Ratamahatta" parce qu'il est rigolo avec ses percus... et c'est tout. Le reste est un magma sonore indistinct, une grosse boule de colère marronnasse qui tourne en rond. C’est l’archétype de l’album "impact". Tu le prends en pleine face, tu dis "wouah", tu as un bleu, et le lendemain tu as oublié pourquoi tu as mal. "Roots" est un "one-night stand", c'est le coup d'un soir brutal et sans lendemain. Mais "Roots", c’est aussi le chant du cygne de la formation classique car Max Cavalera se barrera peu de temps après pour former Soulfly (qui, soyons honnêtes, est Roots partie 2, 3, 4, 5...), laissant le groupe continuer sans son âme. C'est la fin d'une époque, ka fin du Sepultura thrash/death intelligent et chirurgical, pour entrer dans l'ère du groove métal pataud. Donc, pour résumer mon sentiment mitigé : je ne peux pas mettre une sale note parce que la production est massive, que la démarche était audacieuse et qu'Igor Cavalera est un monstre sacré. Mais je ne peux pas non plus crier au génie devant une musique aussi primaire, qui a, à mon sens, mal vieilli et engendré des monstres musicaux bien pires qu'elle. C’est un 3 sur 5, c’est la moyenne. C’est l’album qu’on garde dans sa collection parce que "c’est historique", mais qu’on ne sort plus jamais de sa pochette, sauf peut-être pour tester si le caisson de basse fonctionne encore. Mes oreilles sont devenues trop snobs pour ça, ou peut-être juste trop vieilles pour apprécier de se faire piétiner par une tribu en colère sans qu'on leur offre un verre avant. Verdict : Efficace comme un coup de massue, subtil comme un bulldozer, et finalement aussi mémorable qu'une gueule de bois.
Interesting metal album. Weird 10 minutes long nothing track at the end though.
I would probably have loved this if I'd heard it in 2000.
I’m exhausted from just listening to this album. I can only imagine what this lead singer went through while recording it. Death Metal is not something I gravitate to at all, but it was fun to give this a listen to once…once.
A lot to unpack on this one. I don't care for the gutteral vocals, not my thing and in this case it really takes away from the music...which is a shame because it's actually really good. They do a great job mixing death metal and nu metal to get a really cool sound and feel. I've always loved heavy metal drumming, no exception here and the bass is ripping on top of it. Killer guitar riffs round out the feel. Really tight solid sound, they could have ridden that alone, but they go farther and really do some interesting things. Throwing in Brazilian tribal chants, unique rythms, and just crazy sounds they shifted the mood of the album on a dime. Kept me both on my heels trying to figure out what the hell was happening and on the edge of my seat for what was coming next. Enjoyed the ride. I've always known of Sepultura, but this was my first true listen (vocals always turned me off pretty quick in the past) This album has some single worthy songs, but I think it's best consumed as a whole. Regrettably the gutteral screaming vocals hold this back in my opinion. Without bad vocals it's a strong 3, with bad vocals it's a weak 3. I say that to say the album is a solid three.
Even though it's not for me, this is a good record. My understanding is that this is the first record by Sepultura that significantly deviates from their earlier death metal/thrash, here including South American musical styles, especially in the rhythms. Unsurprisingly, the incorporation of South American rhythm instruments is my favorite part of this record. I just don't enjoy death metal style singing. I liked the chunky metal grooves of many of these songs, but they were driven into the ground. There were several times when my interest was piqued, but no track made me want to pay close enough attention for me to check out it's name. Though I wouldn't call this record nu-metal, there were a few times that the hip-hop influenced nu-metal style dated this album a bit. I've been meaning to listen to this album for a while, and I found my listens today rewarding. I love the concept of blending metal with South American drums. I know Sepultura has its fans, and the band has my respect, but I doubt I will ever seek out this album on my own. Three stars.
There’s a song on here called “Dictatorshit” which is a powerful political statement if I’ve ever heard one. Could have hit a lot harder if they named it “Dicktatorshit” though.
interesting
I listened to this record several years ago and remember liking the tribal drumming and indigenous Brazilian music aspects but not the aggression and screamed vocals. Listening again I felt the same although the locked into the groove a bit more this time. Admire the fact they tried to do something different but it's a bit too heavy for me.
Heavy
weird album mix of heavy metal and some random like background music drum solo at the end
much heavier than id like but nonetheless enjoyed it. it's also nice hearing something a bit different
brings back memories
Actually pretty good but ridiculously long.
Finally a metal album that I've not heard before! I really did not expect this to sound so similar to bands like Korn and at times System of a Down - it's very nu-metal sounding. I guess the 90's got every metal band in the end! The riffs are very heavy and chug away nicely, there are some interesting things happening such as the tribalistic drumming, and I like how angry it sounds, particularly the vocals (although they do wear thin). At times there are some very good blends of traditional Brazilian music and heavy metal which work well together. So that's the good. One not so good thing is it's over an hour long and it does get a bit tiresome in the end. Also because the guitars are so downtuned, there's little dynamics or tempo changes so the tracks do eventually just bleed into one long song. Not an album I'll be returning to that soon, despite the really cool sounds that they manage to blend together seamlessly. I personally think that Slayer's 1998 album 'Diabolus in Musica' is very underrated and if you want an 80's thrash band doing their version of 90's nu-metal, give that a listen instead of this.
later
I surprised myself by liking this. The mix of Brazilian percussion and heavy rock on some tracks was really interesting. If this was 10 to 15 minutes shorter, I might have given it four stars.
If there were no vocals to this I'd give it a 4. Love the sound of the band, but can't do the devil sounding vocals, that you can't even understand.
I don’t like metal. But this is groovy and I like that
Hey, so uh... This really isn't my thing, but actually it was pretty good! I was particularly surprised by the back half. Probably won't listen to it again, but I'm glad I did once and I feel like my horizons have been broadened in a way that I'm not unhappy with.
The percussion is quite good, but I could have done without the scream-singing.
My my my.....a blast from the past. I remember driving around with friends as a 15/16 year old and listening to this. I'm pretty sure some car speakers at some point were blown out by it. I have to say, if this is on the list (and Kid Rock of all people) then we need to see bands like Deftones, Tool,. RHCP, Primus and Incubus also on the list. Ive always had a love for Brazilian music for quite some time and was always impressed with how the tribal drumming type sound was injected into this album. Also, it's not everyday you get to hear a Berimbau on a metal song. The drummer himself was always impressive on this album to me. I like Max Cavalera and his vocals go with all the testosterone present in the riffs, but dear Lord I could not imagine screaming like that for 13 to 14 songs straight! And then what...touring and doing that night after night? Madness! Even Mudvayne, Pantera and Slipknot have parts in their songs where they mellow out and sing instead of scream. So yeah as an old guy the screaming on every song does wear on you after a bit.
cannot believe i missed out on this when i was 16 💔
faces the same issue i see with a lot of metal albums where it is combining itself with a different type of music that sounds very cool in theory but ends up being very incongruous or just like an album with songs of two different genres rather than an album that actually combines the two styles on individual songs, for instance a song like Itsari is really cool but i would love for there to be more thrash/groove songs that combine typical metal sounds with more of the tribal stuff from Itsari so you are getting both at the same time, as it stands i still enjoy it but also it is so LONG bro, 40 mins wouldve been fine lol. Canyon Jam is cool Fav song: Born Stubborn
Interesting concept, botched execution. I really liked the other Sepultura album on here because it was a refined thrash album. Almost as smart as that can get. This is sort of like that but for nu metal. Problem. Nu metal is not meant to be smart or high concept. It will always kind of suck. And it works best the more it fucking sucks. So that leaves this album in this sort of limbo where I want to praise its risks but also ask why this direction. Bummer.
Has its place and lots of fans I’m sure. And it did sound better when you turn it up. More variety than I expected, sounded almost like Wah Wah guitars on Ratamahatta, though I enjoyed the heavier songs more, I.e not Jasco and Itsari. Could’ve done without the last really long song. Felt a sore throat thinking about how he can get through a gig. Dare I say slightly better / more fun than Soundgarden.
I really swear I already had this… oh well, always happy for metal albums.
Cool riffs and Brazilian folk metal, enjoyed it!
3.5. Heavy and really fun.
At first the vocals jarred me and I didn't think I would like this album, but I got used to them and this turned into a decent showing. It's good metal; I don't think I can give it 4 stars because I generally don't like harsh, screamo vocals, but the music was decent nonetheless.
this kind of stuff really isn’t for me but that’s not what i don’t like about it, i think the beat on most of the tracks are really boring and simplistic. it’s still not bad thought i liked a good chunk of songs here
6/10 Mommy, why is Cookie Monster angry? 9-18-2025
I’m not super into the encroaching nu-metal influence, but I’m quite fond of the textures incorporated from various indigenous Brazilian cultures that add a nice bit of flavor to the usual metallurgic milieu.
#700. This one starts out with a fucking banger, but the rest of the album isn't as good. 3/5: decent
Man, definitely mixed feelings on this one. The groove metal instrumentals were no less than a high 4 for me. But the guttural screaming on each track kind of killed my vibe, especially when compared to Iron Maiden or Megadeath. Averages out to a mid to high 3, but I'm going to round down.
Decent. But not quite my thing for metal. I love metal, but for some reason this didn’t connect with me.
I am really not a fan of this type of growling metal vocal. But the rest of this band was fantastic and, musically, they ripped hard. I enjoyed Ratamahatta and the throat singing stuff. Like so many albums that I don’t inherently enjoy, I thought this was too long. The jam at the end was cool, but unnecessary. If you took the best 30 - 40 minutes of this and made an album, it might’ve gotten a 4.
I LOATHE the vocals on the 1st track but I'm ok w the rest of the album. I could see this on a long run.
This is not my type of music, but having said that it isn’t objectively bad
Ratamahatta was fun. Always good to have Mike Patton popping up unexpectedly. That being said, it's all a bit monotone for me.
Not my style but the recording is pretty good so sounds good on a decent stereo. I add a star for the recording quality.
Brazilian heavy metal was new to me, I enjoy HM in general and world music so this was a nice mix.
this is pretty good, all things considered
It's not really my cup of tea, but the guitar riffs are great and there's some cool rhythmical stuff and bass lines in the first half of the album. But screaming is too much.
Not my cup of tea but was decent!
Served in a bite-size it’s great. I like the sound of the first couple of tracks. But I don’t need a 72-minute three course meal with the same flavours.
I somehow sorta enjoyed this. I am so surprised.
Interesting listen - I probably would have liked this more in middle/high school (when I listened to Slipknot and other metal adjacent bands). I applaud their incorporation of indigenous Brazilian elements, its always interesting when bands get outside of their comfort zone from a place of genuine experimentation.
I get and love what they're doing here, this is a very good album I'm glad it's on the list. Not super for me, but I definitely like it better than Arise.
metal
Always liked chaos ad More. Still really solid.
2,5
Would have never expected a Sepultura album be in this. I do know how big this album is. I have never really heard it. I know max mostly from Soulfly. I dug Soulfly a bit but never heard much of Sepultura.
Decent stuff. I saw them support this album back in 1996 and really enjoyed the show. The vocals are not the best thrash vocals around but the percussion is excellent. Would I listen to this everyday? No, I wouldn't but I still rate this.
ROOOOOOOOTS
I liked Arise better but these guys are lowkey groovy
3.0 rym
Asså absolut det är mest skrik, men gick ju faktiskt att digga till?!
Kakva nostalgija!! Oni mi bili jedni od dražih bendova iz te faze kad sam bila mlađa, rasturačina. Jaka 3/5, 6.5/10
Very heavy, it was good but not my favorite.
Unhinged (complimentary)
I really dig the music a lot, but the vocals are a little harsh for me
a blast from the past....still loud.
I'm surprised by my high rating if this album. The interlude and final track are responsible for moving this from a 2 to a 3
Some cool riffs, some cool percussion. But the scream didn't age well for me.
3.5/5. Very angry.
It’s a good album but definitely need to be in the mood for it
In today's episode of I can't rate anything that's not a rock album, Roots - Sepultura. It was pretty okay.
I let out an audible "Not again" when this one came up. The other Sepultura album on the list was one of the least enjoyable experiences I've had going through the list. But I had a much better time with Roots.
I am a fan of heavy metal, but I like my metal toned down a bit. I am into more classic bands in this genre. This is not a bad record, and musically it rocks, but the vocals can become grating throughout the album. I would like this in smaller doses, but there are some bright spots.
Took some adjusting mood-wise to get me to be up for this one, but by the middle and end I was mildly enjoying it. 6/10
Never been a fan of this style of singing. Instrumentally very talented, and I might like similar instrumental bands. My favourite tracks were Jasco and Itsari. Otherwise I am unlikely to listen to this again.
nice head bobbing music
J - 3/5 Best Track - "Ratamahatta" F - DNL
Pretty sick
Super interesting album. I was really into the front side, but an hour long really wore on me. I bet this was insane to hear when this dropped in 1996. The instrumentals are amazing, the vocals are perfect at times. I'm glad I listened to this, but I'm not sure how often I'll go back to this. If I do, it'll be a track or two from the front half.
Screamo. Not my favorite, but the music is alright!
Meh. I remember loving this album in middle school.
This was fine.
Groovy, pummeling, and all nü metal. I actually liked Roots a lot, but I feel like the album's too narrow in it's vision, which causes the album to drag a bit towards the end. If I had heard it as a younger person, maybe I'd be more forgiving or more patient. That said, still great
Just can’t get past the singing
Happy to see Sepultura get a second album on this list. Real fans of heavier music know that they are one of the most influential bands to ever grace the genre. "Roots" is great, with "Roots Bloody Roots" being the standout track. Max Cavalera's vocals are primal, the drumming is tribal, and when it comes to Brazilian thrash metal, Sepultura has no rival. Seeing this album here, along with "Arise" earlier on the list is a bit of a let down though, as it means there's a high likelihood that the album "Chaos A.D." won't appear on it... even though it's regarded as their best album (it is!). I gave "Arise" a 3/5, and while I think this one is better, I think it's only maybe a 3.5 or 3.6, with "Chaos A.D." being a clear cut 4/5.
Looked back at the last Sepultura album and coincidentally I also listened to that one at 930am on a Tuesday. I really do like this type of heavy metal but only in small doses, and this album was a bit long. Luckily the instrumentals songs in the last 3/4s were a nice breakup of the heavy stuff. But I had to give my ears a break about halfway through this album. Canyon Jam at the end was pretty wild. Not as good as the last one so I will go high 3
If this was an instrumental album I could have maybe given it a 4, but I really can't take the vocals seriously. I had a fun time but every time the singer opened his mouth I couldn't help but laugh
Melkoista tykitystä.
Olipahan heleä ja soinnukas ääni solistilla. Toisaalta kivoja rytmityksiä
Metal is a genre I'm not familiar with, overall I enjoyed the album, great energy, thought the stronger songs were near the start, feels a little repetitive and long after a while though.
Why yes I'll have some Brazilian funk metal, thank you. I've never heard a metal album quite like this, which feels like a high compliment. I could see myself actually revisiting. Like many albums from its decade, it's at least 20 minutes too long.
I think this hit me on a slightly wrong day. I enjoyed their “Arise” album less than 2 weeks ago, but liked this one a little less. No big criticism from me, not sure why I liked it less. 3/5
A bit too heavy for my tastes but the latin tinged interludes and the politics behind the music make this an interesting enough listen and tolerable to the senses.
Pretty kickass classic nu metal album. Vocals are raw and furious. Bass is bright and driving, double kick is going. Not my cup of tea necessarily, but certainly interesting. The Brazilian/Latin vibes the Wiki mentions are more on the periphery, and I would not have caught them if not listening (aside from the few chants).
Alright
Finally some more metal, haha. This list is in desperate need of it. Not usually a big fan of groove metal. Previously gave Pantera's album Vulgar Display of Power a 3/5. And while this album has a lot of that feel, it's got enough death metal in it along with the Brazillian tribal grooves to elevate it for me. Weirdly, the biggest song from the record, Roots Bloody Roots, is probably the weakest track for me, but its still solid. The album is on the long side so can't really pick songs out specifically, but its very consistent the whole way through. I'd cut the album down personally, but there isn't a wasted minute on this thing either. Edit: After getting Sepultura's Arise, I'm bumping this down to a 3. Arise is better and definitely worth the 4. I'm not as huge on groove metal, and Roots is a little on the lengthy side.
Musically it's great, especially the drumming, but the roaring just isn't for me
Pretty angry groove metal with some tribal stuff going on, the execution was decent but there were some tracks that were pretty meh and experimental bits that kind of flopped
Оставлю как непонятную запись. Не любовь к ню-металлу искажает восприятие. В наушниках и в колонах впечатление разное.
Technically, this is an outstanding album, and I can definitely see its appeal. I liked the use of the native Brazilian instrumentation to some of the songs. It was a little too heavy for my personal liking, but overall, a solid album.
It's hard, it's fast, and it's loud. Nothing really stands out as "amazing" to me, but if you like this kind of music, it's a pretty good listen.
these riffs man. solid. could i write poetry to this? n
Sounds like a rainforest declared war on a metal band and they just decided to jam it out instead. 3/5 because I respect the chaos, even if my ears are filing a noise complaint.
It's funny how the lack of variety in dynamics and musical structure seems to be a shared problem between electronic and metal albums. Not all of them, just a lot of the mid tier ones. Anyway, the end track was an experience, fair play for something different even if I never want to hear it again.
Death metal is like a very hot Jacuzzi — unpleasant at first but tolerable and even pleasant once you get accustomed to it. Still, for me, this genre has a low ceiling. I did like how it was rhythmic and spooky, but I wouldn't seem it out.
not sure how much room I have in my life for 90’s nü metal that is nü to me. That said, the percussion is excellent, the guitar tones are sick, and this generally holds up a whole lot better than say, Limp Bizkit.
This is intense tribal metal. I don't hate it, but the lead singer's guttural screaming instead of actually singing knocks the rating down by 1/2 a star. It makes it less enjoyable overall. I think this would have been significantly better as an instrumental record, but what do I know?
Nice to have some metal in the mix. It is a good album with some heavy riffs and nicely worked latin vibes. Not too many tracks that made me want to keep going back though.
While I by no means consider myself much of a nu metal/screamo appreciator, there's lots about this that I DO like - powerful, driving guitar lines, and really amazing percussive arrangements. I don't think I can really say anything innovative about this album that hasn't already been said, but it features such a seamless blend of traditional/regional Brazilian sounds into such a harsh format, and for that should be applauded. However, I just can't get past the vocals, which are great for what they are, but really just don't do it for me. This was an interesting listen, and although I didn't actually make it through the full 16 SONG RUN (crazy), the 6 or 7 songs that I listened to were sweet. It wasn't necessarily an enjoyable listening experience, but I can appreciate what the band achieved with this LP; because of this, it's kinda hard for me to put a numerical value on this project, because it was like a 2/5 for listenability, but a 4+/5 in terms of construction and sonics. With that being said, I will settle on a 3/5.
I don’t usually go in for pebble-gargling grind metal, but my god did I need to hear this album yesterday.
I like when they sing in Portuguese better.
Can’t do the voice
Definitely a step up from the recent Napalm Death. I enjoyed the background info about them exploring their Brazillian roots and it came across in the music.
the instrumentals are so good but I’m cursed to hate lyrics
Sepultura's *Roots* is a landmark album in the metal genre, released in 1996. It marked a radical departure from the band's earlier thrash and death metal sound, embracing elements of groove metal, nu-metal, and Brazilian tribal music. While the album has been lauded for its innovation and cultural significance, it has also faced criticism for its stylistic choices and perceived lack of coherence. Below is an in-depth analysis of the album's lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence, along with its pros and cons. ## **Lyrics** The lyrics on *Roots* delve deeply into themes of cultural identity, political resistance, environmental concerns, and personal struggle. Tracks like "Roots Bloody Roots" emphasize pride in one's heritage and individuality. Max Cavalera described the song as a call to "believe in yourself" and "be proud of your roots"—a simple yet powerful message that resonated with fans globally. Other tracks explore specific aspects of Brazilian culture and history. For instance: - "Ratamahatta," sung entirely in Portuguese, celebrates life in Brazil's *favelas* (slums) and references figures like Zé do Caixão (Coffin Joe) and Lampião, a notorious outlaw leader. - "Ambush" pays tribute to Chico Mendes, a murdered rainforest activist. - "Dictatorshit" critiques Brazil's 1964 military coup. - "Endangered Species" addresses ecological destruction. However, the lyrics are often criticized for their simplicity and lack of poetic depth. While they effectively convey raw emotion and political urgency, some listeners find them repetitive or overly blunt. ## **Music** Musically, *Roots* is a fusion of heavy metal with Brazilian tribal rhythms and instruments. The band incorporated traditional percussion, chants, and melodies inspired by their collaboration with the Xavante tribe. Tracks like "Itsari," recorded with the tribe in Mato Grosso, showcase this unique blend. Key musical elements include: - **Riffs:** The guitar work by Andreas Kisser is heavily groove-oriented, with downtuned riffs influenced by the burgeoning nu-metal scene (e.g., Korn). Tracks like "Roots Bloody Roots" feature simple yet crushingly heavy riffs. - **Percussion:** Igor Cavalera's drumming is a standout aspect of the album. His use of tribal percussion alongside traditional drums creates a dynamic rhythmic foundation. - **Vocals:** Max Cavalera's vocal delivery is raw and aggressive but polarizing. His shouting style aligns with nu-metal aesthetics but lacks the depth of his earlier growls. While some tracks like "Attitude," "Spit," and "Breed Apart" are praised for their energy and innovation, others are criticized for monotony. The album's reliance on groove-based structures leads to a lack of variety in some listeners' eyes. ## **Production** Ross Robinson's production played a significant role in shaping *Roots*. Known for his work with nu-metal bands like Korn, Robinson emphasized rawness over polish. The guitars have a droning quality that some find atmospheric but others describe as dull. Similarly, Max Cavalera's vocals are heavily distorted and muffled at times. The bass is prominent in the mix, adding weight to the grooves. However, some listeners feel that the production sacrifices clarity for aggression. Critics have also noted that the album's overall sound can feel dry or lifeless due to its stripped-down approach. ## **Themes** Thematically, *Roots* is an exploration of identity—both personal and cultural. The title itself reflects Sepultura's attempt to reconnect with their Brazilian heritage after years of success on the global stage. This theme permeates every aspect of the album: - The use of indigenous instruments and collaborations with native tribes underscores their commitment to authenticity. - Lyrics address issues like colonialism, environmental destruction, and social inequality in Brazil. - The artwork features an indigenous man from Brazil’s Karajá tribe alongside Sepultura’s tribal “S” logo. While these themes are ambitious and groundbreaking for a metal album, some critics argue that their execution feels superficial or forced in places. ## **Influence** *Roots* had a profound impact on both metal music and Brazilian culture. It helped popularize the fusion of metal with world music elements and inspired countless bands to experiment with non-Western sounds. The album also cemented Sepultura’s status as one of metal’s most innovative acts. However, *Roots* also marked a turning point for Sepultura. Shortly after its release, Max Cavalera left the band due to personal conflicts—a split that many fans view as the end of Sepultura’s golden era. ## **Pros** 1. **Cultural Innovation:** *Roots* broke new ground by incorporating Brazilian tribal music into heavy metal. 2. **Raw Energy:** Tracks like "Roots Bloody Roots" deliver anthemic power that resonates with listeners. 3. **Percussion Excellence:** Igor Cavalera’s drumming is dynamic and integral to the album’s sound. 4. **Global Impact:** The album expanded metal’s boundaries and influenced future genres like nu-metal. 5. **Authenticity:** Sepultura’s commitment to exploring their heritage adds depth to the project. ## **Cons** 1. **Monotony:** The groove-heavy riffs can feel repetitive over the course of an hour-long album. 2. **Vocals:** Max Cavalera’s shouting style divides opinion; some find it visceral while others see it as lacking nuance. 3. **Production Issues:** Ross Robinson’s raw approach sacrifices clarity for aggression. 4. **Nu-Metal Influence:** Fans of Sepultura’s earlier thrash sound often criticize *Roots* for embracing nu-metal trends. 5. **Execution Flaws:** While ambitious in concept, some tracks fail to fully integrate tribal elements with metal. ## **Conclusion** *Roots* is an ambitious yet polarizing album that redefined what metal could be by merging it with Brazilian cultural elements. Its strengths lie in its innovation, energy, and thematic depth, while its weaknesses stem from uneven execution and stylistic shifts that alienated longtime fans. Regardless of its flaws, *Roots* remains a landmark release that continues to spark debate among listeners nearly three decades later.
Pretty heavy stuff here but not horrible
J’étais vraiment excité en lisant la description de l’album, ainsi que les tops commentaires: Metal au rythme plus lent, fusion latine, éléments tribal traditionnel brésilien… Quel ne fut pas mon désarroi en entendant le chanteur BEUGLER dans mes oreilles, osti c’t’un album de scream, y’aurait pu le dire dans la description crissme. Mais, enfoui sous le braillage, je détectais une super instrumentation, mixant bel et ben des percussions trad et même du didgeridoo (du moins, ça y ressemble). Je fit donc quelques recherches, tombant sur une version instrumentale des 4 tounes les plus populaires de l’album; ça slap sa mère les poteaux! J’accorde donc ma grâce à cet album en lui accordant un 3, au lieu du 1 traditionnellement accordé aux albums de scream
i liked them better im my youth when i had to pretend that i liked them to be cool. still, memories...
enjoyed quite a bit! don’t get around to sepultura much
do I like this album? No. Will I listen to this album ever again? No. But, I can see why someone would like it and listen to it. I’m not mad about it, but as soon as this album was done, I switched over to listening to Lofi. Maybe I just lack culture.
Too liud
Nie trawię za bardzo metalu, ale to jak z rapem - dobra muzyka przekracza granice. Tutaj, mam wrażenie, że Sepultura się na tej granicy zatrzymuje. Są momenty eksperymentalne, melodyjne, rytmiczne nawet, ale są też dźwięki, które prawie na pewno są tarką do prania. Ciekawe, interesujące, momentami nawet przyjemne (o ile tak można powiedzieć o metalu), ale jednak 5.5/10
Loppua kuunnelssa ja käsittämättömän upeaa selliats kunnellssa mietin että olenko ollut tajuamatta muuta albumia nimittäin loppu paras kappale jota vuon 2025 kuunneltu ei olla echoes vielä kujnneltu 2205.... #2 all time song heh.. Noh ei sentään... Katsotaan kanssapuoli sama side... Onko mileipide jahas ollaanko skipattu kun manufaktuuriviha... Sama juttu nykyajan leffoissa pum pum pum ammutaan.. jahdataan kun jänistä... NOH EI OLE EDES JÄNISJAHTI EXCITING JAHTITASOA... vaan paskaa paskaa mukamuka väkivaltaa HEHH KJEH MINÄPÄ KERRON MIKÄ ON TODELLISTA VÄKIVALTAA... Kuvitelkaa tämä: Olette sidottuna pimeässä huoneessa, jossa ei ole ulospääsyä. Aika ei ole enää jotain, mitä mitataan kelloilla, vaan se on muuttunut kivuksi, epävarmuudeksi ja toivon hitaaksi lahoamiseksi. Ei ole musiikkia, ei hidastettuja räjähdyksiä, ei sankarin viime hetken pelastusta – vain kahleiden kalina, vieraan kielen karjunta, ja tietoisuus siitä, että teidät on unohdettu. Tämä on Danielin helvetti. Ei Hollywoodin räiskintäfantasia, vaan todellinen vankila, jossa aseiden pauke on vähemmän pelottavaa kuin hiljaisuus ennen lyöntiä. Nykyelokuvien väkivalta on pelkkää kornia balettia – kehoja lentelee ilmassa, veri piirtyy kauniiksi roiskeiksi, ja katsoja saa nauttia tunteettomasta, esteettisestä tappamisesta ilman seurauksia. Mutta Danielissa väkivalta on todellista. Se ei ole pelkkiä ruhjeita ja verta – se on odotusta, henkistä kidutusta, tietoisuutta siitä, että jokainen päivä voi olla viimeinen. Se on kiduttajien jalkojen ääni käytävällä, jokainen askel lyö sydämen tahtiin: tuleeko hän minun vuorolleni? Aito kidutus ei kaipaa aseita. Se tapahtuu mielessä. Se on riisuttu ihmisyys, hitaasti pirstoutuva mieli, tarve pitää kiinni yhdestä viimeisestä muistosta, kun kaikki muu on riistetty. Siinä missä Hollywoodin toimintasankarit ampuvat sadalla luodilla ties kuinka monta vihollista, Danielin maailma on yksi mies pimeässä huoneessa, odottamassa, milloin nälkä, pelko tai iskut vievät viimeisen palan siitä, mikä teki hänestä Danielin. Sitä on todellinen väkivalta. Ei koreografioituja iskuja, vaan raa’an elämän epäinhimillistä armottomuutta. chatgpt Mutta tuo vika kappale... holy....
Didn't rate it much back in the day, but it goes hard still.
This record has its upside and downs. Not their best but not bad either
Started strong. Wore out its welcome.
3.75 Very enjoyable. That's some music to get shit done to!
Brazilian tribal KoяN. I Liked inu metal when I was a young teenager but most of it is pretty bad going back and revisiting. I liked Sepultura’s thrash sound before the full transition to numetal with this album.
Not usually into this style of singing anymore. At least since being a teenager. Album is played really well and I definitely got into the singing. Solid 3-3.5 stars
Certainly not an album I would typically put on, but found this more rhythmic and melodic than most of this genre.
Highlight: Ratamahatta In a nutshell: innovative nu-metal. Yes, you read correctly. Innovative nu-metal. It includes tribal music and some lyrics are in Portuguese as well as English. In 1996. Wow. I gotta give props to the band. Playing instruments and singing/growling/shouting with this kind of ferocity requires endurance. The energy is always up, I didn’t hear it dip at all. Do I like it? Not really. The riffs were repetitive and I’m not into nu-metal. Does it need to be heard? Absolutely. Overall: 5/10
Weird ending
Too long. 3/5
Some decent metal jams here, with guitar play that reminds me of System Of A Down. Too repetitive though. Favorite Track: "Itsari".
Slipknot in the jungle.