Reviews (page 6 of 8)
I can't get through this. The vocals are atrocious to me - guttural screaming is very much not my thing.
Loved it
I'm surprised I still appreciate this album as much as I do 27 years after first hearing it. Fans of earlier Sepultura often shit on this album for it's nu-metal sound, but it still ranks as top tier in their discography for me. If you let go of the expectation that this should be thrash, it's a wonderfully unique, heavy, groove-laden metal album. Nothing before or since quite sounds like this with its heavy tribal influences, and the lyrical themes were far ahead of their time. Sure, the album is a bit bloated at 72 minutes, but that often comes with trudging into new territory and not knowing what or where to cut. I'd rather have this album be too long than too short. Rooooooooots, bloooooody rooooooooots is an easy 5/5 compared to the albums on this list.
Savage Sepultura.
Roooooootttsssss blooodddyyyy rooooottttsss
Brazilian Slipknot
Very heavy. Some songs were a bit too hard, but others were really cool. I liked the tribal parts (Canyon Jam was interesting). Now I finally know where I got the "ROOOOOTS BLOODY ROOTS" from.
A lovely marriage of old-school metal and the sounds of Amazonia. Lovely drum sounds abound. Lots of heart and energy.
10/17/24. I don't dive into metal often but really enjoyed this album from a band I've never heard of before. Great vocals and guitars, didn't really feel like this sone was nearly an hour, although I didn't care for the jam track at the end.
Really good album, I guess less so if you aren't at least a bit of a metalhead. The production is excellent with a proper bottom end driving the whole thing along. It's long, overlong probably and that does go against it, but it is still a great record with very few missteps - i coukd live without Canyon Jam, or at least not all 13 minutes of it, but thats the only dip.
Groove/nu-metal thay integrates Brazilian influences (particularly indigenous) in a thoughtful and pretty seamless way. It particularly does a lot to spice up the rhythm on this heavy album, which is pretty heavy for metal that’s still somewhat accessible. Downtuned Riffs galore. A few standout tracks, but a bunch just blow by well enough but without much thought. Enjoyable album overall and seems notable in the genre, even if it’s not my typical thing. I’ll probably think about this album more than I’ll actually revisit it though.
As is usually the case with this genre, I made it through half a song and called it a day. I'm glad someone out there finds this enjoyable but that person is not me. 2/10 (1/5)
Metallihan toimii aina. En tajunnutkaan, että Sepultura on näin nu-metallia. Kappaleissa kanssa käytetty siististi perinnemusiikkia. Parhaat: Cut-Throat, Roots Bloody Roots
I don't find anything in the world as unbendingly humorous as bands like this. I really am amazed at the ability for bands like this not to burst out laughing at how f'ing stupid they sound. This deserves zero stars, but gets one just for giving me the good laugh that I needed today.
For a metal album, the worst part of it is the Metal. There are basically two albums in here. One is a traditional metal album, sung in English that is meh. The other adds it's Brazilian roots to it and is amazing. More of that, please. 5/10
Need to listen again as I don't really remember details but I liked
When I saw the album cover, I got the feeling that this surely must be some kind of heavy or black metal or something. I wasn't wrong! Cool to include an album like this on list that is some order of magnitudes heavier than anything that's been here so far. Doing this in '96 also feels quite early for this type of music, so this must have been quite novel when it came out. I read online that the album is about the band exploring their Brazilian heritage, and that they went to visit some indigenous tribe in the jungle. This is quite an interesting backstory that was at least missed out by me when listening to it. As for the actual music... well, it's not for me. I find it hard to connect to and appreciate, which also makes it impossible for me to give it a fair score. But I dare say I've heard music in this genre that I liked way less, so I guess that's... good? I'll give this a 3 star rating as it feels most fair. Also, it wasn't that bad honestly.
Cool album! Really enjoyable riffs and really liked the latter half of the album with the mix of metal and tribal music. Felt fresh and experimental. I still have a problem with growling vocals but I think it worked ok here. Also I know this was the foundation of what later became nu-metal and I really hate nu-metal. As such, some of it was a bit to close to it for my taste. It was a good listen albeit slightly long. Strong 3 stars!
Thank god it wasn't a double.
1/5. I can't stand heavy metal.
I'm not into this kind of metal and it was too long. But some songs slapped, great mood. Stand-out: Itsári
Not my style
Not my thing.
As far as this genre goes. I reckon this is about as good as it gets. Simple formula - find a group of the most talented musicians to play some amazing music. Get someone to scream over it in a terrible way to take you right to the brink of where you can stand the music 3.6
Quite liked this album, it's a bit of a mix of styles, experimental I suppose? Would definitely listen to it again at the right time. Just the ending seemed to go on a tad long.
Headache-inducing.
Sepultura, yeah! Heavy metal is not my genre, but Sepultura was such a massive band and this album (and Chaos A.D. before this) had such heavy play that they were inescapable, which is good. Roots’ mix of metal with Indigenous influences and percussions arranged by Carlinhos Brown make this such a unique album. Roots Bloody Roots and Ratamahatta are my favorites, but I also like Born Stubborn a lot.
Nah. I can scream into a trash can as much as the next guy.
While I can see the draw of Sepultra and I can hear the talent of the band, it's something I recognize but cannot find enjoyment in.
METAL! Love it! 5/5
Listening to the daily album pick has become a bit of a ritual with my wife as we unwind from a long day. For once, I’m glad she’s not home for this one—Sepultura’s Roots is an intense ride. My first memory of hearing the band takes me back to 1997 when I witnessed them live at a massive summer festival in Italy. Surrounded by over 100,000 fans kicking up an almighty dust bowl, that chaos instantly earned my respect. Produced by Ross Robinson—ubiquitous in the late '90s—Roots embraces many of the nu-metal tropes popular then. However, what sets it apart is Sepultura’s incorporation of traditional Brazilian instrumentation that makes it immediately clear who you’re listening to. The opener, "Roots Bloody Roots," remains an undeniable classic. Its iconic chorus and memorable guitar progression are instantly recognizable to a generation of MTV rock fans. Yet, that relentless assault can be overwhelming over the album’s hefty 1 hour and 12 minutes, which is a shame because some of the more interesting moments are interspersed in the album's tail end. Perhaps it’s a sign of getting older, but I find the abrasive vocal style harder to digest nowadays. Still, this is the first non-European/American album I’ve encountered from the list, at least offering an intriguing change of pace. While Roots may not be an easy listen, it reflects a time when a band from Brazil travelled the world and kicked everyone's ass. Repeatedly. Did/Do I own this release? No Does this release belong on the list? Unsure Would this release make my personal list? Not for me Will I be listening to it again? It's not something I find myself wanting to revisit, but that doesn't diminish my respect for the band.
Waste of time. 0/5
roots
This album is too long, and probably caught me on an off day for heavy rock
- Was für ein geiles, treibendes Album, welches einfach schon 28 Jahre alt ist. - Ultra prägend für so Vieles, was danach im Bereich Metal und vor allem im Groove/Thrash/Core Bereich passiert ist - Dann auch noch so inhaltlich authentisch eingebettet, was es mMn total zeitlos macht - Ist nicht zu 100% mein Geschmack, was Metal angeht, kann aber nicht leugnen, dass mich das Album total unterhält, es viele eingängige Tracks mit "wiederholungsdrang" gibt und mich die Platte durchaus auch antreibt. 4,25/5
Whoa. This is good for what it is. Drums are hardcore and the brass is a huge part of it. The vocals are simple but really emotional. This is what the Micronesian dudes wanted me to play when they came on the Sea Spider to offload our frozen albacore
I'm really not a fan of the vocals on this. But for that, I think I'd rate it four. I really enjoyed the other components.
For my 500th album: my first DNF in a very very long time
Today I learnt that there's a difference between roots and The roots
👁️👄👁️
una gran confusione, ma meglio di quanto mi aspettassi
So I really hoped that this would be in Portuguese so I wouldn't have to really pay attention to the lyrics. Overall comment what is it with metal singers singing like they really really really need to cough? That singing just ruins it for me and takes out the originality of the vocals, making all metal sound the same. Also they just repeat scream the same lines over and over...the repetitiveness lyrics just make the songs longer without adding much. All of the songs just sound the same after a while. Metal rant done...I read reviews which lead me to reading the lyrics for the songs. That helped and there is some beauty there and refreshing to see them speak of real world issues. I liked tiny parts of Ratamhatta...the parts that showed the Brazilin influence. Jasco and Itsari were really cool. I can see how someone could give this a 3 or 4 (maybe) but I really can't listen to this again.
I liked this more than most Death Metal. Guitars and drums were awesome. If they could just take out the vocals I would like this alot more. Really gets annoying having someone scream growling the whole time.
Ugh, I really don’t like this type of music. Even if it has deeper meaning in the lyrics and decent instrumentation, I can’t get past the loud noise and yelling. I do appreciate the few tracks that were more tribal and not metal. The things this project is doing to my Spotify algorithm, lol. Can we be done with nu metal now?
This is fantastic
This album deals with subjects of cultural displacement, ecological disaster, civil disobedience, heritage, and authoritarianism. The musical collaboration with the Indigenous tribes throughout this album, especially the drumming, further brings home these points. Every song is a powerful statement and I'm all here for it. And maybe the anger and speed of previous albums like 'Arise' has been traded in for a more groovy style, and the riffs have taken on a bit more nu-metal edge, it's a showcase of Sepultura not getting stuck in one place and doing new things. After all these years, this album is topical and a marvelous listen.
Too damn long. Half decent songs at the beginning but I really don’t like this genre
Crap
Not my particular brand of metal but it’s ok honestly.
4.0
Oh yeah
not for me
This was a wild ride to something between 2 and 3 stars. I did like the Brazilian influences and sounds.
Started out somewhat interesting, but by the middle of the album was just too much
Roots saw Sepultura going back to their Brazilian... well okay, roots (bloody roots)… but at the same time incorporate a lot of nu metal ideas? I don't know, it's not really my cup of Ayahuasca, and although the indigenously inspired percussion tracks are interesting, it sort of ruins the flow of the album.
According to Max Cavalera, Roots ends on “Dictatorshit” with “Canyon Jam” playing after the record is over. For the purpose of this review, I’ll stick with that being the truth. Sepultura fully embrace their Brazilian heritage and incorporates a great amount of culture and rhythms on this beast of a 90’s metal record. I remember discovering this when I was 13 and being gobsmacked by the entire rhythm section. It’s still a bit too long, but the intensity delivered by the Cavalera brothers especially is wild.
Loved this album as a youth, Brazilian death metal band bringing in a tribal sound to their recordings. My neice recently got into Megadeth and other 80/90s metal so I got her this, perhaps a little too much for her yet. I still very much enjoyed it which I cannot say about a lot of my old cds
As Roots Bloody Roots blares from my speakers, I anticipate something special from the album Roots. It’s a standout metal anthem, and I think, “If the rest is this good, it could be my favorite Sepultura album!” Unfortunately, the album is a major disappointment. Aside from a few decent tracks like *Born Stubborn* and *Ambush*, the rest varies from mediocre to downright awful. *Lookaway* is particularly bad, with muddled guitars and a chaotic mix of vocals that feels more like noise than metal. Even the instrumental tracks, like Jasco and Itsari, outshine much of the metal content. Ratamahatta is original but ultimately ineffective, and Canyon Jam—a 13-minute tribal percussion piece—feels pointless. Overall, only 16 minutes of this album deliver the metal I crave. I rate it a 2 out of 10, mainly due to a few solid songs amid a sea of missed opportunities. The blend of metal and world music here is a failed experiment.
Creative musically but the distorted angry vocals just leave a lot to be desired. Better than the previous record that I listened to from this band. Wider range of sounds.
No soy muy fan del metal, excepción aparte de algún grupo y algún tema en especial. Este disco ha sido catalogado como la cumbre creativa de la leyenda del metal brasileño, Sepultura. En algunos temas, como "Ratamahatta" (uno de esos temas que sí disfruto), consiguen integrar los ritmos nativos e incluso la percusión y la voz de Carlinhos Brown dotando al álbum de una textura alternativa que en ocasiones se aleja del clásico trash metal.
Man, a metal album from the CD era, which means an overly bloated runtime. This was a bit of a slog to get through as it's not really my favorite genre. It's fine for sure, but wore on me as the 72 minutes wore on. Not my favorite.
Solid grooves and solid concept - with Brazil's marginalized indigenous people as its central theme. The sole issue of this album, and Sepultura's music in general imo, is that their riffs and tunes change only a little across songs. Sure there are different breakdowns in some, but in general, it makes the album feel much longer than it is. Still, it's really good and perhaps the best of mainstream groove metal.
I knew the name Sepultura but had never listened to them before. It was cool reading about the band exploring their Brazillian heritage and spending time with an indigenous Amazon tribe during the development of this album.
I'll start of by saying I am happy heavy/death/nu-metal has finally been represented in this list for me after 500 albums, but I'll then bring it back down to earth by saying I'm disappointed it's this album. There are just so many better similar bands out there - Mastodon, Gojira, Opeth, Meshuggah, etc. Hell even KoRn has better albums, which go even further down the naffer nu-metal route. On the whole there's not much worth saving down from this album, despite it being fairly decent. No killer tracks (arguably Roots would count as one but I overplayed it in my teens). What could have been.
Pikkuskloddina Roots Bloody Roots oli jopa vähän pelottava biisi ja hyvin poikkeava kaikesta muusta. Levyssä pari oikeasti hyvää biisiä sekä helvetisti munaa.
Kaikin puolin raskasta kuunnella, ei pysty tykkäämään
It's hard to believe that this band has 2 albums one must listen to. Actually I'm gobsmacked that they produced 1 lp that fit the criteria.
Groove/Nu/Death Metal with the flavour of Brazil, especially on tracks such as "Ratamahatta". Have you seen a doctor about your throat?
Ah yeah, I'm back in school, trying to be an edgy teenager by all means necessary, deciding that for the next few months of my life Sepultura will become my favourite band. And what a glorious time that was! Roots was, of course, THE album to listen to during that period. It's funny, but I tried to give it a go today, almost 20 years later, but I can't really go through the whole record. Roots is meant to be listened to in a certain moments in life, and I'm sure those moments are long gone for me. But the sentimental and melancholic feeling of having Ratamahatta on a loop in my childhood bedroom will definitely stick with me forever. And for that reason only Roots deserve the highest possible praise.
Known about this for a long time as an actually good proto nu metal album but never made time to listen to it until now. It's not a wrong take but kind of minimizes what they're up to with the deep grooves, thrash riffs, hardcore screaming, Brazilian percussion, gutteral death metal howls, industrial production and epic breakdown & rebuilds. Extremely good at its best, but 72 minutes is probably 33 too many. I'm not pissed off enough to REALLY love this, but if I were, oooh boy...
not for me
absolutely not
oh hell no
Get used to this album. It's the music they play in hell. 24/7.
Just not something that I would ever listen to - why is this considered something that I must hear before I die? There are issues with this "list".
I really, really don't like this music genre. Although, having been subjected to Slipknot recently, I have to admit this album is musically more advanced and inventive. There were parts of some songs that I appreciated and had compelling rhythms like Straighthate. Ratamahatta was basically a good song (except for the Hulk Hogan vocals). Actually, If I could take a magic eraser to the singer (does posturing growling count as singing?) this could be a tolerable listen. I do relate to being angry about corruption, inequality and deforestation. But I personally wouldn't express it in this way.
Please stop screaming at me. Some of the songs begin promisingly, but then the screaming starts. I was contemplating a two because of Itsari and Canyon Jam, but they didn't write Itsari, and re-listening to Canyon Jam, it's crickets and tin cans and gunshots, it just sounds nicer at first because there's no screaming. Also leaning towards a 2 because I thought it was at least a little better than Slipknot, and good to see some additional cultural representation, but I just can't go higher than a 1 because of the screaming.
Nope. Don't understand how anyone can find this enjoyable to listen to.
Yikes! I have notnhad much exposure to heavy/death metal and this sure leaves its mark once it is given a listen. However this is a metal album that crosses with Brazilian culture and world music rhythms in places. The themes are serious and the delivery, to say the absolute least, is angry. Instrumental songs are good, "Jasco", "Itsari" and the lengthy "Canyon Jam". Giving it a three just because of the relevant themes and connection to Brazilian rhythms.
I had never listened to Sepultura before today. The hardcore metal stuff was hardcore metal stuff kind of undifferentiated from most other hardcore metal stuff. What really grabbed my attention was the interstitial pieces. The stuff that obviously differed from North American or european metal. Then it got to the last Hidden Track Canyon Jam. That one blew my mind. I'm keeping this album on my phone just for that track.
1001 albums WHO should listen to before death? Nope. This is HELL on earth.
Listening Notes: Too much screaming. A few of the instrumental tracks were refreshing to the ears.
Look, I don’t like the dog-bark vocals on metal albums. I just don’t. I think it sounds stupid and it makes me roll my eyes. But! You can still pretty much understand the lyrics here, and even if you can’t you can tell they’re at least words. That seems to go a long way with me. People call this early nu metal but it’s so much better than that. Nu Metal just sounds like whining brats to me. This has actual earned anger in it. And it rocks. The instrumentation is fantastic. I could rock out to that all day. At least til the vocals kick in. I really dug the native influence. Very cool.
I find it, as usual, really hard to rate. On the one hand, I think it’s really great that they wear their origins on their sleeves, collaborating with the Xavante trine. And it shows by the excellent percussion throughout the album. Also, the opening four are among their best songs. On the other hand, the album is way too long, so it’s hard to sit through in one listen. In addition, I’m not too keen on the tribal sounds. I’ll let the positives somehow outweigh the negatives and rate it 7/10
So this is what Sepultura sounds like. I've had many Latino metalhead friends tell me this is one of their favorite bands - I get it. It's very hard, raw, and has a ton of indigenous sounding instruments. Perhaps a nod to Brazil's indigenous populations. This album isn't exactly for me, but I know this band means a lot to my peers.
Väl långt men ganska trevligt ändå
Crazy rock album, i kinda like them but are hard to listen to.
Metal
I liked this a lot, especially the more experimental parts. I was trying to forgive the more nu-metally parts but then I learned Jonathan Davis guests on this album so 🤷 3.5
Foundational, a little much as an album, some extremely important standout tracks
I really don't like the growl vocals. But the instrumentals were pretty cool! I tuned a lot of this out gotta be honest.
this was not spreadsheet-editing music to say the least. I'm not sure i've ever been in a mood that requires this album. the heavy vocals remain not for me but the chanty and instrumental tracks were fine
Hey, I forgot Sepultura exists. I had to save this until later to be ready to listen to it because it was not my 9am vibe today, and Canyon Jam was simply unnecessary. Otherwise kind of enjoyable. Not a high-ranking vocal style for me though which is the real drawback.
The equivalent of getting a power drill into your forehead. Can't say I'm a fan of heavy metal and this did little to convince me. I respect the craft, but just not for me. 4/10.
Albumi #8, 04.08.2024 Sepultura ei ole ollut omia suosikkejani missään vaiheessa. En pidä erityisemmin örinävokaaleista, mutta soundimaailmaltaan Roots on ihan kelpo teos ja biisit sinänsä ihan ok raskasta metallia. Kiinnostavimpia hetkiä levyllä ovat ne, kun jossain pilkahtaa viittauksia brasilialaiseen heimomusiikkiin. Se lopullinen koukku kuitenkin jää puuttumaan. Tämäkin levy lokeroidaan kategoriaan ”ei mikään erikoinen, mutta pitää tietää”. Levyn paras biisi: ”Lookaway” tai ”Ratamahatta”.
Derreta meu rosto, deuses do metal
Another heavy metal band, another "Cookie Monster Voice" lead singer. Credit where credit is due, I can at least understand most of the words. I don't know why but the murder/slasher/horror lyrics come off as needless in death metal whereas they seem almost essential in gangsta rap. I don't like horror movies so maybe that's part of the lack of appeal. If the references were pertinent to me, maybe I'd like it more? I know a lot of metal lyrics are very political but it's hard to take that seriously when I can't understand so many of the lyrics and it's some guy screaming it in a put on cartoon voice. The Portuguese lyrics in some of the songs aren't even a problem since most metal in English has lyrics I can't understand. Either the lead singer or someone else in the band has a "Gremlin Voice" to go along with the standard growl, equally annoying though. I'm not familiar with metal to understand the nuances between each song....after a while they all sound exactly the same. The songs inspired by the traditional music of Brazil are a radical departure from the rest of the album...it's a nice break from the heavy guitars and yelling. More found sound, this time gun shots. 13 minutes of gun shots over background music? I'm sure this "means" something. Canyon Jam is like listening to the audio of a Predator movie, some music behind the alien walking through the jungle and shooting.
No, absolutely not.
WOW what a unique album. I loved the blend of indigenous voices, metal, and drum rhythms.
Fun fact: for probably close to a decade, I've thought Sepultura was Canadian for some reason. Turns out they're Brazilian. Huh. Anyways, this was quite the aggressive listen! Tons of energy, no doubt, and some of the earlier tracks had some fantastic riffs. Some of the more tribal sounds on display were kind of neat too. That said, 72 minutes is a long-ass record when it's this heavy. And what was that last track? 13 minutes of instrumentation that sparse isn't for me. I didn't hate this listen, but I just don't see myself ever listening to it again. If it was half as long, it would have easily earned 3 stars.
brutal
A heaviness this list has been lacking for me. Really dug the indigenous people influences and the rhythms the percussion incorporates (3.5/5)
Ciol
Cool metal album with an interesting little indigenous flavor. Unfortunately, it drags on a bit too much and lacks highlight tracks. Simply not condensed enough to stand out.
Oh, Ross Robinson. The producer responsible for what most consider to be the worst Cure album (that said, it’s still a Cure album, so it’s better than a lot of stuff out there). Nu metal was never really my jam. I went through a brief period of listening to Linkin Park and Disturbed … fine, I’ll admit it, I owned a Limp Bizkit album too. But I never got into Korn, with the exception of Davis’ work on the Queen of the Damned soundtrack. And I was definitely not into the really growly stuff that came later (Slipknot, etc.). So, the vocals on this album are difficult to get used to. And a lot of the music sounds very similar. It's somewhere between thrash metal and nu metal. If you’ve listened to Pantera, Metallica, Korn, or Limp Bizkit, you’ve heard the heavy power chords a million times. What is cool about this album: the indigenous influence sets it apart and makes it sound different from all the other cookie cutter nu metal. The drums on songs like Ratamahatta, the guttural throat chanting on Ratamahatta and Lookaway, and the flutes on Ambush are pretty cool, although the cadence/rhythm of the scatting is still reminiscent of what Jonathan Davis and David Draiman would do (I wonder if they ripped it off from Sepultura). The concept of the album’s lyrics is also cool. These songs are about the oppressed indigenous and poor of Brazil rising up and taking back what was stolen from them. It’s the anger of nu metal channeled into something meaningful rather than just angry white dudes who seem angry for the sake of being angry — more Rage Against the Machine than Limp Bizkit. The execution of the lyrics isn’t always the best — some of the words are pretty cheesy and simplistic, and I’m not sure how much of that is down to language barriers and how much is just down to the limitations of the genre. Portuguese always sounds cool, so while I don’t know what they’re saying, the non-English songs are fun. Jasco and Itsári are probably the coolest songs on the album. Acoustic guitars, tribal drums, and traditional chanting take over, and the album takes a more mellow turn for a bit. It’s nice to get a break from the screaming and bravado for a few minutes and hear a more vulnerable side (as well as the true musicianship) of the band. Then with Ambush we’re back to the typical nu metal, though the tribal drums reappear at the end. The closing track Canyon Jam is … really weird. It’s basically 12 minutes of ambient sounds and tribal instruments made to sound like guns firing and saws (?). I get the symbolism they’re going for, and while it’s cool, it’s not the most enjoyable listen (but then again, that’s probably not the point). 3/5 (maybe a 3.5) — it’s an interesting concept, and I suppose they deserve kudos for being one of the earlier pioneers of nu metal, but it’s probably not something I’d listen to again (aside from maybe a song or two).
I respect the atypical rhythmic choices. While definitively metal, this doesn’t feel at all derivative. The B-side’s non metal tracks are sick.
Screaming intensifies, interest dies.
Not human no thanks
Not a huge fan of the genre, but Sepultura do what they do.
Ooh, ow my ears hurt a little. Not my favourite thing but I was interested to learn that this band I mostly know through 90s metal shirts worn by other people, is from Brazil.
72 minutes of angry screaming
Music was 3 stars but negative 4 stars for the “singing”
Well this is way better than the Me-Talica album I just had. Is does something a bit more interesting. Yeah it's a bit shouty but has some really interesting moments.
bom para um caralho,a maior banda de rock do brasil. tem que ser respeitada
Can’t stand the voice
Shame. There’s some fuckin awesome music underneath the vocals. I just despise that guttural screamo style of vocals. Album’s also half an hour too long
Starts very strong, some wonderfully composed thrash metal. The breakdowns are brutal, the guitars are fucking disgusting, and the composition is impeccable. This stuff really gets the head bobbing. While the album does drag on a bit longer than I’d like and explores some less designed tracks and dives into tribal music. A bit out of character.
Insane. Takes an awesome ethnic turn in the latter half.
I can't.
Sepultura, a band hailing from Belo Horizonte, which happens to be a city I’ve spent a bit of time at in recent years. Alas, their familiar geographical origin did little to secure them a musical place in my heart.
I’m sorry but no matter how influential an album is considered it should NOT sound like this. I will truly never understand why screaming voices can be so likeable and that’s something I will never back up.
"Sepultura" is the Portuguese word for "grave" which is also a place I'd rather be than listening to this assault on the living. Or perhaps will end up after (if) I finish this album. So yes - the name checks out. 0/10 wishing for a 0 star rating.
This firmly gets a positive review from me, I enjoyed it a lot and respect what this album is trying to do. The inclusion of all the indigenous music and instruments really adds to the entire sound and doesn't feel gimmicky in the slightest. I can't give it higher than a 3 because I rate based on my likeliness of listening again, and metal is 100% not my cup of tea, but I'm really glad I got the chance to listen to this. Respect.
I'm not familiar with Sepultura, but the description of this album seems really interesting, so I'm curious how I'm going to feel about it. Well, Roots is definitely an experience. Based on the description of this album, I expected something more Brazilian-influenced in the sound, but in my opinion, this was pretty much just another metal album. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad, but I felt like it didn't really fit the bill of how it was sold to me. There were some Latin and Brazilian influences, but I felt like they were few and far between. Over the course of this album's 72 minute run time (just under an hour if you don't count the 13 minute "Canyon Jam"), this album's sound just wore down on me. I was pretty bored with this about halfway through, and I never managed to get interested again. I really wasn't a fan of the guttural vocals, and there wasn't really anything musically that kept my attention either. Again, I don't think this is a bad album, but it's definitely not my taste. I hope the other Sepultura album that's still waiting for me is more up my alley.
tough listen at 6a.
Well, it’s better than rap so must be a 2.
Pretty good heavy metal album here. Gotta round up from a 3.5
Nope. Music might be good, but the instant I hear the vocal I shut down.
Some of these albums, I just can't.
For 10 songs this was torture. I remember someone trying to get me into this band 30 years ago and my ears bled… Jasco was welcome respite then the torture started up again. Canyon Jam was fine to end on - I can cope with rhythmic drumming but the voice kills me every time. Percentages are not in their favour.
This is music to listen to while dismembering a body
I wanted to go higher on this, but ultimately didn't enjoy this one as much as the first of the band's we listened to (1991's Arise). This one seemed a little starker, though I thought the inclusion of some of the Brazilian percussion elements was cool. The rhythms in general were my favorite aspect of the album.
I remember checking this one out way back when we reviewed that other Sepultura album. And yeah, I still dig this one. Again, metal that features singing like this isn't really my thing. But damn if these guys don't bring it in terms of great riffs and arrangements. And this album has something that so many metal albums don't have: variety. They really mix things up quite a bit on here. And the weirder this album got, the more I liked it. If it wasn't for the singing, this would be a 5.
I didn’t derive any enjoyment from listening to this one today, it became tiresome rather quickly. I do enjoy some varieties of metal a lot, but this groove/nu metal doesn’t really do much for me This definitely would’ve sounded better if I didn’t listen while driving: the roads are so loud that music like this turns even more into just a wall of aggressive noise
Some interesting percussion work and I appreciate the melding of metal with indigenous sounds. I wish there was more of that. The vocal stylings are really what put me off here, it too often veers into what sounds like violent retching.
Can zero be an option?
an absolute chore to listen to
Vocal performance wasn't really to my taste. But this was a blast!
Inwish I found this when I was a teenager. Really interesting theme for a metal album and it smashes!
Creepy and horrifying. Seems demonic. That said, very creative. Gotta respect the artistry. C teir.
Man I love this album, it is definitely in consideration to be my favorite metal album. The louder you make it the better it sounds! Air drumming and stank face can also increase your enjoyment of this album. Everything on this is so heavy, the last 2 minutes of Roots Bloody Roots is some of the best/heaviest music ever recorded (I have been listening to this song basically once a week for the past 5 years). Max Cavalera's vocals are crazy and he may be my favorite metal vocalist primarily due to this album. And of course I can't forget about all of the indigenous Brazilian instruments and chanting, it is such a creative and unique sound. The only thing I can say negatively about this album is that they probably could have cut a song or two in the second half for better pacing, but I love them all so I don't really care. Also my vinyl copy of this album has demos on side 4 instead of Canyon Jam, so that is kind of a bummer (but it does have Kaiowas so that is a plus). Also shout out to Johnathan Davis and Mike Patton on Lookaway
I liked roots bloody roots since before but the rest of the album is pretty good too. Like that they mix in some interesting rhythms.
Positive: South American folk elements Negstive: Blended into a template I personally don't care for.
Gets a bit much with the black metal vocals after a while but Roots is brilliant. Also love the traditional Brazilian instruments
Despite this being about 180 degrees from “my thing”— and, for many of you readers, I imagine this is not your thing either— I feel a defense is necessary. Yes, I did laugh extra hard when they started track 1 with “ROOOOOOOTS! ROOOOOOOOTS!” (why do they all do that?), and yes, some of the lyrics are particularly cringey when translated from monster-speak. But there remains something extra musical and kind of charming (?) with some of the music here. Amid waves and waves of cringey doom roars, I turn my head and go— wait— what’s that percussionist doing? That was kind of sick! Same with the guitarist. This is far, far from my favorite metal album (is this even metal? Far more angsty and scream-adjacent), but there is something redeeming in the playing and general tightness of everything other than the groans, moans, the microphone spit-launching sessions. 2/5. Too long!
Pure raw aggresive metal. Heavy af, some great riffs and pure headache material
what IS this
An excellent album full of raw aggression and groove. Excellent incorporation of Brazilian musical themes as well. My only gripe is that the album does feel slightly bloated; it would be much better if the second half was trimmed a bit. But overall an excellent album. Top tracks: Roots Bloody Roots, Attitude, Ratamahatta
There's no album like this anywhere else, raw & brutal, just a bit too long, and Canyon Jam is pure headache fuel.
Heavy Heavy Brazilian Thrash Metal and I love it. Roots Bloody Roots is one of my favourite metal songs of all times. Everything about this album is great and if you haven't heard it especially if your a metal fan get it listened to.
expected to hate this after hating Arise. went back and forth on this one. didn't like the thrashier parts but really liked some of it. still earns a 4
Nope. Good for MMA, and meats in the barracks. Soundtrack for the Deplorables.
Decent, but I don't think Sepultra needed two albums on this list. Keep this one, ditch *Arise*, imo
Ein paar gute Dinger drauf. Insgesamt aber schnell ermüdend.
can appreciate the playing but this is clearly not for me
Cool metal album, just a bit on the long side for me.
Took a bit of adjusting since I barely listen to metal but overall I enjoyed this album. I adore Brazilian music so the elements of it on this album were awesome and really cool getting to hear them blended with metal. The vocals aren't my cuppa tea but I got used to them. Probably could be like 15-20 minutes shorter tbh. Fav tracks were roots bloody roots, Ratamahatta, and attitude. 6.5/10
No ty
Music is great. Never a fan of this style of singing.
Honestly liked this one more I thought. Maybe I should get into nu metal.
I'd heard of Sepultura and this album before and always thought I wouldn't like it Turns out I quite enjoyed a lot of it! I'm not really into screamo type music, but the music itself was badass I found the album too long though, and Canyon Jam was really bad on the ears. That metal scratching sound was so bad. And 13 mins was way too long 3 ⭐️
Roots Bloody Roots and not a lot else......
I like angry music, but this pushes it. I think I could get into everything except for the vocals, but still I rather listen to this than Taylor Swift.
Super fun, never heard of it before.
A excellent blending a traditional music and heavy metal. A mix few have ever even tried for, let alone achieves at this level.
1.5! Tuneless roaring
Nope not for me.
This is... just not my style of music. I can appreciate some of the Brazilian influnces (in drumming, for example) that sneak in here and there, but otherwise this is not an album I'd want to listen to. It's an unfair criticism given the genre, but it's just too screamy for me. And without the melodicism of (e.g.) System of a Down.
I can hear the capabilities and inventive but to me this sounds like Korn. It’s the singing that alienates me
Brazilian Heavy Thrash Death Metal…didn’t see this coming. If one was a fan this might be a good one. Nope.
This was badass. I liked it way more than I thought I would. Really dug the tribal rhythms and heavy riffs
Yuck
What had always nagged me a bit about the tracks I knew - and quite loved - from 'Roots' was, in this and my personal limited experience, the obviousness of Sepultura cruising in the wake of Nu Metal, most notably the sound of Korn, but now that I've listened to it in full, I'm happy to bury that thought. This is a legit album, the fantastic overlapping section of a Death/Nu/FromBrazil Venn diagramm. Fuck yeah!
If there was an option to give this fuck all I would have used it!
Hard and tough. I'm sure this is impressive live on stage, but I'm not gonna listen to music like this at home.
3/5
the comments on the "roots, bloody roots" are worth an extra star alone.
Not really into this.
A little better than the last Sepultura album, but still not really for me.
This was long. Too long. So much angriness.
I was not thrilled to see Sepultura return for a second album in the list after not really appreciating Arise. However, I thought this one was more listenable and more interesting and better earned its place here. Having traditional Brazillian percussion and indigenous chants sneak their way into a heavy metal album was pretty cool.
I suppose that it sounded like music, but not like any music that I enjoy.
Seriously? Someone thinks I must listen to (at least) two Sepultra albums before I die? That is incorrect. I did however enjoy this more than the other one whose name I can't be bothered to look up. Though Roots seems unnecessarily long, there are a few interesting tracks in the mix to break up the monotony.
Ok… started this up and was all ready to complain and bitch about it because I’m nearing the end of the project, am losing hope that The Pointer Sisters will get their due, and really don’t enjoy Cookie Monster heavy metal. I was just itching to give this a 2. BUUUUUUT… this album had lots of hints of traditional Brazilian music in the first half, then the second half started making it very apparent. Jasco, Isatari and Canyon Jam really altered the tone and made those touches all the more apparent in the second half of the album. I gave “Arise” (the other Sepultura album) a 3 despite the unpleasant vocals, but this album should eke out a higher rating I think because it is even more interesting and creative. But those vocals keep this squarely out of my permanent rotation.
2 stars for Poatan’s walkout song.
I know someone is into this. But I am not. I don't doubt the skill or technique of the musicians. But it's just not my thing. Whatever experience these musicians are providing is not the experience that I look for in music.
Whewwww boy. This was a big ole' "NOPE." It was loud. It was long. When the album started and my ear drums started bleeding, I thought to myself "Am I enjoying this? No. Would I regret turning this album off and not finishing it? No." But then my lovely husband GUILTED me into finishing it, saying, "I don't think you can rate the album if you don't finish it. ItS nOt In ThE SpIrT oF ThE PrOjeCttttt." Fine, Jeff. I finished the album. I'll bill you for the permanent ear damage I incurred. *As an aside, if I were to say anything nice about this album, I at least did appreciate the Brazilian/Latin instrumentation and beats that were sprinkled from time to time. They were fun and broke up the monotony of screaming chaos.
I’m not sure who’s angrier, Dr Dre or Sepulture.
I get a sore throat just listening to this guy scream/sing. This is not an easy listen. I’m determined to listen to the whole album but I’m on track 4 of 16 and struggling ! What’s this? Track 10 is a lovely little instrumental palate cleanser nothing like anything else so far ! Track 11 more tribal, no lead singer growling! Ok screamer is back for tracks12-15, and now track 16 is an 13 minute percussion track. Will the instrumentals be enough to get this album up from a 1 star to a 2? Gonna depend on the last 5 minutes of this last track, but it’s got a deep hole to overcome… I predict/hope I will never listen to this album again.
AAAAAAÄAAAAÁÆAAAAAÃAAAAAA
This was amazing, with an awesome tribal closer. Definitely early alt / groove metal and I am all for it. I also liked the couple of instrumental interludes they had near the end, same with the acoustic driven tracks near the end as well.
I wish I had more to say about this album. It's perfectly good metal, but it just didn't really grip me too hard. Maybe it's the overall length, maybe it's the specific style... I'unno. Part of me feels bad, 'cuz I'd love to have more to say about or higher marks to give non-American metal, and I do like how they incoporated an indigenous Brazilian tribe (the absurd length of the hidden track "Canyon Jam" aside), but that's just how it be.
While having the usual 90s Length Problem, this is still some kickass metal.
It’s a 3. There are some really good songs here, but I’d say about half of the album hits that good mark, and the other half just sorta falls flat, either from trying too hard to sound edgy and deep, or from not doing enough creatively with its instrumental soundscape to justify the screaming vocals as the main focal point. When this album hits, I do think it hits really nicely, with a good burst of energy; Born Stubborn is probably my favorite one here. When this album hits those lulls, it just feels like I’m waiting for another chance without getting any kind of feeling from the song itself, no matter how hard it tries to keep the energy up – Lookaway is full of these exotic grunts and backing vocal yells, but they just come across as cheesy to me. Don’t even get me started on the last track, which had me captivated for the first 6 or 7 minutes off just percussion and atmosphere, and then had me begging for it to end by the 10 minute mark when it just kept fucking going. It’s a good album, but it just has a number of flaws to me that make it so I can’t justify going any higher than a 3.
Great 90s metal. 3.5 stars
I don’t really like the screaming vocals, but the guitars/drums are incredible. Might not listen again on my own but good for what it is. 3.5
Great first half. Fuck the 2nd half tribal shit.
British boy put this on the list because of the tribal sounds. He hates metal.
Fantastic, love the intensity. I'm just going to disregard the last "song" entirely.
I really wish I liked this album more. Brazilian heavy metal with a bit of a basis in MPB (Música popular Brasileira) sounds like a surefire win in my book, but unfortunately that promise just doesn’t really deliver. “Roots Bloody Roots” and “Ratamahatta” are really the only songs I like. The former is just a great groovy metal track, and the latter is probably the most Brazilian-sounding song on the album with a basis in post-samba rhythm. Still though, these two tracks bring up the rest of the mediocre metal into something solid enough that I’d give the album a positive spin.
Un poco largo y sólo por eso no alcanza las 5 estrellas.
I think there’s a valid case to made that Roots is the greatest metal album ever made, aside from Black Sabbath’s Paranoid. The investigation of Brazilian culture both sonically and lyrically are ambitious but largely successful, and it helps that Sepultura were metal masters by the time they made this. From a musical standpoint, I think this is as good as metal was in ’96. The gutturals, the down-tuned riffs, the rhythm section that incorporates Latin grooves – all of it is top notch, and still sounds impressive today. While it didn’t invent nu-metal, it’s definitely coming to the same conclusions as Korn did, just from a radically different angle. But I also find Sepultura’s approach to this sound more sensible? more logical? At least more interesting. But I’m also a nu-metal apologist, so take it with a grain of salt. The only reason anyone would hate this I think is because extreme metal in any sense of the word is too scary for their ears, or because they just find metal lyrics a bit silly. And while that’s fair, thankfully, I was introduced to pig squeals, gutturals, and ridiculous lyrics when I was 12 listening to screamo bands before I even dove into “real” metal, so I’m actually upset more extreme metal isn’t on this list. But at least we have Roots, and Roots is a high water mark.
The music is good, but I'm not a fan of the vocals. When it comes to growls and the like, it feels very hit or miss depending on the vocalist.
This is a true gem. Had no idea this was out there
Roots Bloody Roots or Ratamahatta
Too aggressive
ich mag Metal nicht aber schönes Album cover (ich hab 0.5 Songs angehört)
What ended up being the last album of Max Cavalera led Sepultura. A good album, but not among my favorites. when I want some Sepultura, I reach for Beneath the Remains or Arise more often than not.
Brazilian metal. I've listened to this album before. I love it because they mix native Brazilian precussion and instrumentation with their metal sound, so it ends up being like metal world music. It's solid! It's like Brazilian Slayer. I remember the first time I ever heard of Sepultura was on that documentary Global Metal. It was Roots Bloody Roots that they played during their interview. Favourite songs: Roots Bloody Roots, Ratamahatta, Cut-Throat, Straighthate, Spit, Dusted, Endangered Species, Attitude, Dictatorshit, Jasco, Itsari Least favourite songs: Lookaway 4/5
Not for me but good
yay, more metal. the most interesting revelation about this album is that I had no idea they were Brazilian. I've complained about Iron Maiden screamo vocals before – well, I had no idea what was coming for me. I like the instrumental intros of several songs like Ratamahatta, Breed Away with its tribal-ish drums, also the first minute of Straighthate. otherwise it's mostly just in your face roaring all the time
Too much shouting to even want to listen to the songs. It's a no from me!
Great sound but wasn’t a fan of the lead singer
wow. awful
This shit fuckin RIIIPS.
Bloody awful, off brand tool I wish I hadn't listened to it. Very very unpleasant.
Heavy as hell, I think this would have broken my head a bit if I had heard it when I was 14! However, with more knowledge of heavy and extreme music, I now love it and value its place in the progression. A clear influence on Korn, Slipknot, and many other bands I love, perhaps the most interesting and comparable being the wonderful Alien Weaponry - who would hopefully see the compliment in being thought of as a Maori Sepultura!
I don't actually get this album. Most of their earlier stuff is better? I still like it well enough but this isn't my pick from them. Will I listen to again: 20%
There are some pretty good jams throughout this project, but the nonsense noise drowns a lot of it out so I won’t bother to find them once I complete this listen. Not my favorite genre, but these guys do a lot to make it listenable. I appreciate that. I appreciate the album. I will almost certainly never listen to it again. 4/5
Unique influences but not my bag
Sepultura is perhaps one of the most renown Brazilian heavy metal groups in history. Their album "Roots" is loud, aggressive, and powerful. "Roots Bloody Roots" is an absolute riot. About halfway through the album, the gripe about this album would be that, after awhile, it all starts to sound the same. However, the placement of "Jasco" and "Itsari" is perfect to break up the monotony. Sepultura's dedication to their Brazilian heritage, seen through cultural instrumentation and inclusion of Xavante tribesmen, is commendable. Interestingly enough, this album and my previous album by Slipknot were both produced by Ross Robinson, "The Godfather of Nu Metal."
35/100
I guess I can't say I listened because I only made it through half of the first song.
There was a time that I would have loved this, but now it kind of messes with my nervous system. That said, if you're gonna do death metal or thrash metal (nu metal?), you gotta be extreme and this is certainly extreme, without being completely unlistenable like some of it is. I actually listened to the whole thing, which was a surprise. I would never listen to this record again, but if they ever come to Chicago I would totally go to the show just for the scene.
GOOOOOD PRETTY GOOOOOD
Listening to Sepultura's "Roots" was, for me, a grueling experience that left me more exhausted than exhilarated. This album and I did not mesh well, to the point where I found myself compelled to give it a 1-star rating. While I acknowledge and respect the collaboration with Mike Patton, whom I deeply admire for his work with Faith No More and Mr. Bungle, his contribution couldn't sway my overall impression. Patton has an exceptional ability to bring light and shade to his projects, creating a rich, dynamic musical landscape. Unfortunately, the elements that make his other projects stand out—variety, depth, and innovation—seemed notably absent in "Roots." The album predominantly showcases a relentless intensity that lacks the musical diversity I cherish. While I can see how "Roots" might appeal to fans of heavier, more aggressive metal, for someone like me who thrives on variety and nuance in music, this album felt overwhelmingly one-dimensional. The traditional Brazilian elements, while interesting, were not enough to salvage the overall listening experience for me. Favourite Tracks: None
No, just no.... not willing to let this scream into my ears for more than 2 minutes.
Album is too long, too noisy, too much screaming and also the last song on itself is too long. So, two stars will be too much for this album. I could have used my previous Sepultura review for this album as well; 'Nope'.
It’s like pantera if pantera would be shit songwriters
Very tempted to give this 1 extra star because it just has some weird stuff in it and I respect that. But the whole experience was a bit too unlistenable
fuck this
Heavy metal is not for me personally - hate the vocal style
Great album
Ummmm. Not so into scream-music anymore. Had I heard this when it came out I might have liked but…. Maybe? Best rants: Roots Bloody Roots 2.5
What an album… cool integration of Brazilian tribes and great rhythm metal throughout… Roots and Ratamahatta stood out for me…..
Hated that
Wow I know there’s people that like this kind of thing but to me it’s a lot of screaming and repetitive noise.
Not for me
I do like metal but not in this case
Could not finish, not my style I don't like screamo or really heavy metal music.
Milho (corn in Portuguese)
Roots Bloody Roots – 5 Attitude – 4.5 Cut-Throat – 4.5 Rattamahatta – 5 Breed Apart – 4.5 Straighthate – 4.5 Spit – 4.5 Lookaway – 4.5 Dusted – 4 Born Stubborn – 4.5 Jasco – 4 Itsári – 5 Ambush – 4 Endangered Species – 4.5 Dictatorshit – 4.5 Canyon Jam – 4.5 Average – 4.5⭐ Quite a Unique Listen Makes me feel like I am lost in the Jungle and slowly going Insane Loved it👍
Korn type music. Not a fan
I can’t do it. I like heavy music, I love dark music, I like some metal. I love Metallica. Guess I’m a poser because I can’t imagine any human on earth getting joy out of this. 2.1/10
Sepultura pays tribute to their homeland by incorporating traditional Brazilian chants with face-melting metal riffs. A little too long but there’s no other metal album quite like it.
I thought its was pretty good but not that good enough to warrant some more listens. Pretty basic metal in my opinion.
One of the best albums ever released
This is the first proper, full on metal album I have ever listened to from start to finish, so I went in with an open mind. I have to say, I found it tough going. From the opening track it feels relentless. Heavy riffs, tribal drums, aggressive vocals and very little let up. It genuinely felt like being shouted at for an hour. I can appreciate the intensity and the power, and I can hear that there is serious musicianship behind it, especially in the rhythm section. The Brazilian influences and percussion elements are interesting and give it a unique edge within metal. But it is just not my genre. The constant volume and aggression made it hard for me to find anything to latch onto melodically. Instead of energising me, it left me feeling worn down. I can see how this would be a huge album for metal fans, and I respect what they were doing stylistically, but it is not something I would choose to return to.
Wahrlich nicht mein Stil. Der Sound ist aber gut. Genregemäß düster, kein Gesang sondern Geschrei. Die Einbindung der indigenen Gesänge und Rhythmen ist aber gelungen und verbessern das Ganze.
I can see what they’re trying to do, and I can appreciate that it is (or was) a unique and interesting idea, but I don’t think it ever really lives up to the promise of the idea. Because of the focus on the rhythms of indigenous Brazilian music, the music is necessarily Groove Metal, and that unfortunately leaves something to be desired in the quality of the riffs; they’re all just a bit basic, and that’s really the cardinal sin for a metal album. So, it’s a two for my quality of enjoyment, but I’ve bumped it to three because I can see what they were trying to do, and how it’s influenced other local non-western metal scenes
Heavy as fuck metallords and social justice warriors! I needed this today. I'm looking to find my bloody roots again and triumph over the dictatorshit in my own life, and this unrelentingly powerful metal fuels me to keep pushing ahead in my quest.
With a mix of samba, soca and baticsds and lyrics in portuguese and english and including indigenous music this is easily top 3 of the greatest death metal albums ever and shows us the diversity Brasil has. At the highth of their musical career it shows how much they matured as musocians not just showing off their insane musical ability but actually making better arrangement choices and understanding only playing fast and with range it makes a good death metal song. Inviting other musicians from around the metal scene using their fame to spread this album and push sales around the world which it did. Its really hard and intense but very well done. Having 2 classical guitar songs right in the middle of the album lind of like an interlude to have the listener relax and rebbot the brain for the second part of the record which is even more intense than the first part. Great move by the producer. Sound of recording is clean and crispy
To say they have been around for 40 years I have never previously heard of Sepultura. Might say something of me as an incomplete music fan or more likely in my defence that this music was never meant for me. I’m over 70 now so I say the same about Hip Hop or Rap etc - made for a completely different generation. Having said that having now listened to this album I could have seen the younger me liking it (unlike Hip Hop and Rap) Some nice guitar riffs in particular. What I don’t understand about these Thrash Metal combo’s is why the lead ‘singer’ needs to growl instead of sing?And if they need to growl, why in English or any other earthly language? Klingon would be better suited in my view and probably make it a bit more enjoyable. 1/5 31/3/24
Can’t handle the bloody roots :(
Not my kinda thing at all
Great production(oh, 1996... back when the overdigitalization of metal was a distant blip on the horizon...). Gotta be honest, not something I'm gonna return to. I got most of my metsl jimmies out in the early 2000s. But i can recognize vision and craft. Mostly it sounds like very well produced Slipknot core. But it came out 3 years before Slipknots debut. I dont know what that means. My favorite songs were the acoustic tracks jasco, itari, and ironically the most grindcore song on the album, Dictatorshit.
Didn't grab me at first but did by the end, unique and interesting metal album!
💖 breed apart 🗣️ 9️⃣
That was awesome! If not for the screaming vocals would probably be a five
Giving a 2 for the idea to use the Brazilian roots in the music. But never really liked it, only some bits and pieces from a couple of songs. Also remember all of a sudden all these brazilian baseball kind of shirts were introduced on the festivals where black shirts were the norm :)
The quality difference with Arise is major. Yet there are a few really good songs on this album, but in general it is just too much nu-metal for me, especially the vocals.
I remember quite liking Chaos AD, but losing interest in Sepultura when Roots was released. After a few listens, I still have my doubts about the quality of the songs on this album. The vocals also seem more annoying than on previous albums; I don't mind harsh vocals, but Cavalera's technique sounds very forced and unhealthy. The album is okay when in you are in an energetic mood, but in general, I would not return to it often, except maybe for a few songs.
It's monstrous, just one additional star for the tribal elements.
This was an interesting choice. Brazilian metal sounds more impressive than it is. They rock hard and the instrumentals are impressive. Not sure what else was going on though. This felt like a filler for a metal album so they went with a wildcard choice. Yet there hasn’t been a tool or painters album yet. Both of which are more impressive. 4.4/10
Nope. Noise.
Good 90s metal
Heavy thrasher music isn't really my thing....but I didn't hate this album. I might even put it on again if I feel the need to let out some steam.
Just not a big aggressive heavy metal fan
Nicht meins
Bare metall. the vocals are not my taste (shout)
Interesting take on "roots". I liked the ideas, could have been more melodic. Kept me interested the whole hour plus album.
An extraordinary recording - reactions to this ranged from glee to terror. The music makes you want to duck out the way from the aural assault and then punch the air with the sheer exuberance of it all. The addition of traditional Brazilian music adds depth and this genuinely stands out. Thrilling, really, and a vital album.
In which some of the coolest, tightest, heaviest instrumentals in this entire book are paired with some of the most unbearable vocals of all time
I like metal but couldn’t get into this for some reason.
Not my thing but I did appreciate the creativity.
Mostly just blah metal noise. That one track had a fun stop-motion music video. And "Jasco" is actually some nice intense rhythmic acoustic stuff, so that was a good discovery. Really, the three or so acoustic tracks here are good, the rest is just blah.
This album came out slightly too late for me to notice it. I was into grunge and metal in high school but by the time I went to college I had moved on and completely disregarded the nu metal/Korn/Limp Bizkit era, which I lumped Sepultura into. I was wrong. Although I still get annoyed by screamy growly singing, this album is frickin' cool. I love the indigenous instruments and chants. With the benefit of 28 years of hindsight, I can hear the influence of this sound on modern bands that I love like Gojira.
Nope... just nope for me
So primal. This album rules.
Cool heavy metal. Not totally my style.
God, death metal is awful. POV: you face an angry sheep ("Spit" 2:19)
The rhythms and riffs are pretty awesome. The screaming, not so much.
I so very much dislike this music. I tried to listen to each song but I had to skip over most of it. The voice especially is awful.
I can honestly say I’ve never heard anything in my life quite like ‘Roots’, across metal, or any genre really. It’s dripping with atmosphere and leans heavily into its Brazilian heritage: for example, I love that ‘Ratamahatta’ is sung in Portuguese. Or that the band went out to central Brazil and recorded with the Xavantes tribe, and that that music appears on the album. Or that they incorporated native instruments into the music: you can really hear the samba rhythms in the drumming across many parts of the record. It’s not perfect, but ‘Roots’ is ambitious and creative, brutally exhilarating, raw, and primal in a way many albums and artists are not. It’s a record that still floors me nearly 30 years after I first heard it.
Sepultura is cool, kind of a bridge between metal, grunge, and nu metal. Some interesting ideas on this album, great percussion and cool guitar tones. Max’s vocals are a little too one-note for me though.
I hadn't listened to any Sepultura until now, I assumed they would be heavy, loud and metal melting and I wasn't far off. Their abrasive, aggressive sound isn't something I would seek out, nor would I remotely consider this essential, but clearly, they have fans that are engaged with their sound. I'm too old to tolerate being shouted and growled at, it's angry and fast which normally doesn't bother me, but really it's time to grow up and move on...
Ughh...I really don't enjoy this music. I struggle to see the talent and creativity in the style and genre.
Puh, schwierig. Einerseits das Geschrei, welches mich zum Weghören nötigt. Andererseits die Integration von brasilianischen Rhythmen und Instrumenten/Percusssion der Natives in die Musik. Hat mir gefallen.
3+
Groove y nu metal. Me compro el vinilo, venga.
New to me. I really loved this one and can see why the album is called Roots. Intense metal fusion!
Awesome album, heavy and interesting
Death metal then ends with more earthly acoustic sound.
Nothing enjoyable about that experience. Jesco and Itsari are the only listenable songs, the rest of the album is noise with Satan on unintelligible lead vocals. Definitely near the top of the 1001 too long album list. (0.4*s)
Fucking intense album. Not for me but it was a good listen as it was a fun change of pace and I support that. Great, unique instrumentals and hardcore vocals. I like supporting the metal albums on this list.
I like music that tells a story. Or has a message. Or just has lyrics that are great to sing along with. This is why Heavy Metal has never been my go-to genre of music. On the other hand, I think Metal is great fun. How could anybody who loves guitars think otherwise? But Metal usually falls in two categories for me: "this rocks" or "this sucks". There's nothing in between. As for Sepultura's "Roots", this album rocks. Big time. This is Metal at it's best. These boys thrash. I've always thought the best Heavy Metal bands have the ability to write amazing ballads. While most of this album is trying to bust your eardrums, Sepultura throw in a 1-2 punch of "Jacso" and "Itsári", which are both beautiful instrumental tracks. I've already added them to my Spotify playlist. These guys are brilliant musicians. But like most Heavy Metal heads, they just also happen to be complete lunatics..... In the best possible way. This rocks. 🤟
Very interesting to hear this compared to their album Arise not that long ago. Where that one was very thrash, this is almost nu metal. The Brazilian influence is even stronger too. I do really enjoy the unique percussion elements.
Я знал bloody roots. И морально был готов к размоту ) но как же долбит кайфово! Прям хочется взять гитару и подыграть этому альбому. До этого слушал тейлор свифт и что-то на контрасте прямо хорошо, прямо урчу
It was very heavy and I can see it's influence in a lot of heavy rock afterwards.
Wayyy better than the previous one