Reviews (page 2 of 7)
Being a nerd has almost zero payoff. I beg and plead for an extreme metal record and when one shows up, I have to rate it critically. I have very little doubt that Sepultura appeared on the author's radar due to Headbanger's Ball, and "Roots," which helped usher a "nu" wave of metal into the mainstream. White guys with dreadlocks rejoiced upon that day, and I'm sure we'll be subjected to that (de)evolutionary touchstone at some point. I have spoken in the past about the lack of extreme music on this list, and it doesn't come from a place of childlike angst, but rather a desire to see a viable genre get a modicum of the respect that it deserves. Death metal was a vibrant, youthful movement that had pockets of relevance all over the world. From the Sunlight (buzzsaw) sound in Stockholm, to the esoteric weirdos in Finland, to the revolutionary pioneers in the swamps of Florida, this music is groundbreaking, and it's ridiculous that it isn't seen as the artistic statement it is. "Arise" comes to us late in death metal's "run." Many see 1991 as the last great year for the genre as it began to get oversaturated in the following years, and lost much of what made it special in the late 80's and early 90's. I personally think there are many gems from the genre into 1994, but "Arise" absolutely marks some of the qualities that felt a little tired by 1991. The production is relatively clean, the pace is slowed, and the songs get play on MTV. However, this thing still rips. I feel as though I'm being forced to critically analyze an album that in my own personal taste profile might be a solid 3.5. With that said, and in mixed company, I intend to fiercely defend this record and grade it on the curve. How sick is that artwork too?? 5 (3.5) HIGHLIGHTS: Moooom I got lost in the horrifying flesh labyrinth again
Classic
YAAASSSSS!!!! When Seps absolutely ruled. Such an amazing album. Knock it out the park stuff. Brilliant. 5/5
Rage and anger so encapsulated in the songs that you just want more
This is a classic album by one of Brazils best. I really enjoyed it.
Amazing album! It combines thrash metal with groove metal and other genres. Max Cavalera's vocals add all the more reason to love this album. It's an amazing album! One of my favorite metal albums. This is truly an underrated masterpiece!
landmark metal
Easily ….
79/1001 🇧🇷🤘 Oh yes! Seeing Sepultura live at Donnington in 1994, aged 16 was one of the most thrilling things i have ever witnessed. They literally turned the site into a field of flailing limbs. My mind was blown and their music never ceases to give me goosebumps. The 2 albums that followed Arise are the ones that i come back to so it felt really fresh to hear these songs again. From start to finish, this is an aural assault and it really get the adrenaline racing. Igor Cavalera absolutely pounds the life out of his drumkit, whilst his brother Max's vocals are from the deepest recesses of hell! Best Tracks: Desparate Cry, Altered State, Arise
After I listened to the album it was like I just smashed my head on concrete because all I could taste was metal.
Got blessed today. What can I even say… this is one of the best works from the Cavalera era. A true thrash/death metal gem. The album is pure aggression from start to finish, but it’s not just noise—it has purpose. Rebellious energy, heavy riffs, and surprisingly deep themes and lyrics running through it. Everything feels sharp, focused, and alive. Honestly, this is a 0 skip album. Every track hits, and I can’t even pick a favorite—they all stand their ground.
Love it! 5/5
Some old school metal! Was wondering if I was going to get a metal album!
I love to indulge in some metal, and I've been looking to expand my horizons, so this album was a great listen for me. There's so much energy in these songs, and so many cool riffs, drum parts, guitar leads, etc. It was nice to hear the punk influences that clearly shaped the sound of many of these tracks. That is to say, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this, and I'll definitely be returning. Favorites: Altered State, Under Seige (Regnum Irae), Meaningless Movements
WOWWWWWW SOOO GOOD
FUCK YEAH MOTHERFUCKER
Sepultura operating at maximum efficiency
that was supposed to be for this one giving this a 5 simply to see if i can goad rob into listening to the opening 40 seconds
9/10 03.02.2026
heavy. visceral. angry. in your face.
who knew that i was missing Brazilian heavy metal in my life
OMG! Hell yes!! It's not often a heavy metal album comes through here. This will be a treat! The riffs in Dead Embryonic Cells are sick!! Fuck that was a sweet album! 5 stars!!
Brutal just how I like it!
Не помню, слушал ли альбом раньше. Запись меня захватила. Мощный и вдохновляющий треш.
Genuinely one of the greatest metal albums of all time. It’s so solid, it has brief atmospheric moments that never overstay their welcome, which always give way to super powerful and booming guitar riffs. Genuinely if you like metal I couldn’t imagine how you could have any problems with this album it’s just so perfect. It has variety without helps cause it never feels stagnant, but it also feels like it never deviates from the metal genre which is truly impressive. Honestly my “hot take” on Sepultura is that this is their best album, I know the consensus is that their best album is “Roots” but I’m so underwhelmed by that album. THIS is the best album by them for my money.
ABSOLUTE CINEMA 🔥🔥
Fucking incredible record. Don't know how I've never heard this one before. Raw, angry, focused and INTENSE. 10/5 on this one.
Dude
Sepultura is the band Metallica wish they were
Original review: "Top metal album! A lot of influences can be heard. Was the perfect anthem for my Friday." It's not Friday this time, it's Wednesday. Much needed to give me a kick to get through the rest of the week! Obviously still a 5.
Fantastic Thrash. Not a rehash or clone of the Big 4. Rhythm section is punishing and the lead guitar work is really creative. 5 stars.
Overall: 10/10 Honestly shocked that this made it on to the list. This is the closest thing to actual good death metal that you'll find while doing this (even though it's closer to thrash metal). I love Sepultura so much, and the Max Cavalera era is the best they have to offer. This album gets pretty brutal at times, but it's also groovy and the riffs are killer. This was sadly the last time they got thrashy (during the Max era) and they became more of a groove metal band afterwards. Fav Song: Dead Embryonic Cells
It is a 5 stars!!!
\,,/
This album blew me away. You can literally hear “Desperate Cry” slip from straight-up thrash into the doom and sludge realm for a bit, and it’s awesome. That kind of shift shows how much range Sepultura had even in their early days. “Murder” might be the textbook definition of a thrash song. It’s fast, aggressive, and tight from start to finish. It honestly sounds like something Slayer would write if Tom Araya skipped the intro screaming and just let the riffs do the talking. Before this, my only real experience with Sepultura was Roots and a few scattered songs, but after hearing Arise, I wish I’d started way sooner. This album rips from start to finish, perfectly balanced between chaos and control. Early Sepultura deserves way more credit than it gets. Favorite song: Desperate Cry
Banger
One of the best Thrash albums out there.
Did I enjoy this? Not really. Is it important and deserves a spot on such a list like this? Most definitely. It’s well done and very good at what it does. That I won’t listen to it much doesn’t detract from its importance and quality. 5.
Awesome
A tight, intense thrash album with some super good riffs. Big Slayer energy in the best way
BR PORRA!
I thought that it is going to be too harsh for me. But it was great surprise.
Me fascinó, crecí escuchando Metallica y arise está muy inspirado en master of puppets. Sin duda me lo repetiré
Grenser mot en 5er denne... hardt og godt
What an awesome album ! If you love old school Pantera and Metallica then you’ll love Sepultura. Every single song took me to a different region in Riff City. The vocals seem a bit cliche and forced but I can’t deny the insane instruments.
Ik ken de band (ik heb ze een keer eerder gehad ook), ik ken het album niet. Eigenlijk meteen in het begin word ik een beetje verrast dat het zo trash-metal-achtig is. Een wedstrijdje wie kan het snelst. Ik had het trager en lomper verwacht. Maargoed, zo'n verrassing is zeker leuk. Het tragere, lompere werk hebben we al gehad met dat album waar 'Wortels bloederige wortels' op staat. Ik zet dit zelf nooit aan, maar als ik het hier in de lijst een keer krijg vind ik het dan toch wel heel leuk. Die breakdowns af en toe toveren daadwerkelijk een lach op m'n gezicht. Op de één of andere manier vind ik die grappig. Je ziet ze bijna staan, of in het geval van de drummer zitten. Lekker die dubbele bassdrum pedalen als een machinegeweer afvuren terwijl de gitaren zo snel mogelijk aangeslagen worden, zoveel zweet overal op het lichaam dat de tattoos bijna loslaten en uiteraard met de lange haren wapperend in de wind. Ik word hier wel vrolijk van. Een leuk feitje dat ik toevallig paraat heb omdat ik er vorige week nog naar heb gezocht: Max Cavalera (van Sepultura dus) zat ooit in een band genaamd Nailbomb. Die gaven hun eerste liveoptreden op Dynamo Open Air festival in 1995 (tot op heden het grootste meerdaagse openluchtfestival ooit in Nederland) te Eindhoven, waarvan ik uiteraard alleen de verhalen ken via een neef van me. Enkele dagen later gaf de band de pijp aan Maarten en zo bleef dat optreden (inmiddels te bekijken op Youtube) jarenland hun enige live-optreden ooit. Tot ze in 2024 ofzo weer een keer geld nodig hadden natuurlijk. Zo gaat dat. Mand. 5 sterren.
Totally new band for me I believe, although there’s a chance I have heard a song or two somewhere.. this was a great sound, some nice Metallica sounds but still their own voice with it. Great production, metal is sometimes a bit muddy to me but this maintained throughout. Was initially worried with the length but this was fucking great.
Top metal album! A lot of influences can be heard. Was the perfect anthem for my Friday.
Incredible.
5/5. It's rare to find metal on lists like these so when this came on, I honestly forgot it was still a genre especially when pulling from here. At first, I was thrown off by vocals but with great mixing and guitar and drums, this album sounds amazing. I was enjoying each song and was excited to replay it. Part of it might have been the fact that I never get to hear metal on here so it was a nice change of pace. Even still, I was having a good time and I'll have to revisit the lyrics but from what I could catch, seemed very political and angry at the right people so that's always a plus. There are also clear signs of introducing different styles to classic thrash that was nice to hear. Best Song: Arise, Dead Embryonic Cells, Altered State, Infected Voice
Este disco es bestial en todos sus aspectos, sonido , producción , composición , potencia , años dorados de los autenticos Sepultura. En mi opinión este disco tiene más elementos de Death Metal que de Thrash, una banda con un estilo unico. Brasil, obrigado!
Best metal record of the nineties.
The mere existence of this album on this list is surprising in so many ways, 1. This list actually has a really good (and somewhat niche) metal album 2. This list has a Sepultura album 3. This list actually has TWO Sepultura albums 4. And then for some reason they chose Arise over Chaos A.D. I still love this album too but I think Chaos A.D. is a little more refined and it has bigger hits too. Man I forgot how much this album rips. My favorite thing about this album is that whenever a song start to get boring or repetitive they add this crazy breakdown. I swear the second half of every song here is better than the first half. Low 5.
South American heavy metal is fascinating to learn about and Sepultura is one of the biggest acts to come out of that part of the world. The fury and passion this music evokes is so welcome on this list. Such a fantastic listen today.
Masterfully done album. So crisp, and sharp while unrelenting and merciless. Always wonderful to listen to, never gets old.
I did not expect this album at all! BANGER! I guess I can see why it’s rated low because metal but come on!
Hell. Yeah. 5
This is an absolute classic.
That's metal for sure.
Really good metal album. Aggresive enough, but not too overpowering.
So weird to find Arise on the 1001 album list. It's a killer thrash metal album that I've listened to countless times but Sepulturas album Roots is more understandable as it's more unique and more differentiated from other albums in the genre. Still Arise is a 5/5 album but as thrash metal albums goes I would rather recommend early Slayer or Metallica.
Toen ik dit album voorgeschoteld kreeg, dacht ik gelijk: waarom een 2x keer Sepultura? Was 1 niet genoeg? En missen we nu niet allerlei andere metalalbums in deze lijst, die er absoluut niet in hadden misstaan. Ik was dus helemaal in de rantmodus. Ik wilde uit protest een 1 gaan geven. En toen zette ik het album aan. Nondeju! Ouderwetse thrashmetal waar Metallica in de beginjaren zijn hand ook niet voor omdraaide. Dikke riffs, groovy. Ondersteund door goede drumritmes, die af en toe vertragen of versnellen in een off-beat. En dan een gillende gitaarsolo eroverheen. Wat een moddervet album. Thrash met een hoofdletter T. Een kleine 45 minuten later stopt de moshpit en mag de neckbrace om voor de komende tijd. Wat lekker zeg. Eindelijk weer eens een keer 5 sterretjes.
🤘 BADASS. 🤘 I don't have much of a relationship with this album - I was way more team Metallica back in the day, and didn't have the resources to invest in all of Sepultura's back catalog - I went for "Chaos AD" and "Roots" instead. But this is great! Everything I like about classic thrash, with their own subtle twists thrown in (and none of the nu metal taint that crept into "Roots")! Fave track - "Dead Embryonic Cells" ☠️
Spectacular album!
Whoa! Didn’t know I loved Sepultura! I can’t remember what I didn’t love about Roots, but this was SO GOOD!
Va bene
While the thrash purists may disagree, I always felt Sepultura shined the brightest with more tribal instrumentation. Chaos A.D. and Roots will always beat out their earliest stuff for me, but the Cavalera brothers seemingly could do no wrong in the 80s and 90s. Arise is a nice transition spot in the discography that still mostly holds onto a thrash sound but begins to introduce lower BPMs and a more groove oriented rhythm, which becomes much more apparent in the subsequent albums. If I were just rating metal albums, I might give this album a 4. Compared to the rest of this album list, Arise is a 5...no question.
that's the devil music
I knew I was in for a loud Monday listen but I wasn’t fully prepared for how relentless it would be. Mechanical, thundering drums accompanied by wailing guitars all the way thru. This was a blast, great energy and a welcomed surprise hit. So fucking good 5 stars
Arise" by Sepultura, released in 1991, stands as a pivotal album in the realm of heavy metal. It combines aggressive guitar riffs, rhythmic complexity, and politically charged lyrics, showcasing the band's evolution from thrash to a more diverse sound. Lyrics The album's lyrics delve into social and political issues. Tracks like "Dead Embryonic Cells" address societal decay, while "Altered State" explores altered mental states. The lyrics are thought-provoking, reflecting the band's engagement with the world around them. Music "Arise" is a sonic assault with a blend of thrash, death metal, and tribal influences. Andreas Kisser's guitar work is outstanding, with powerful riffs and intricate solos. The rhythm section, featuring Igor Cavalera's drumming, contributes to the album's intense energy. The title track, "Arise," exemplifies the band's musical prowess and ability to create a heavy atmosphere. Production The album's production, helmed by Scott Burns, captures the raw intensity of Sepultura's sound. The mix allows each instrument to shine while maintaining a cohesive and aggressive sound. The production quality was a leap forward for the band, contributing to the album's lasting impact. Themes "Arise" revolves around themes of societal upheaval, inner turmoil, and resistance. The album's cover art, featuring a monstrous figure emerging from the earth, symbolizes the chaos depicted in the lyrics. The thematic coherence adds depth to the overall listening experience. Influence "Arise" has left an indelible mark on the metal genre. Its fusion of genres influenced a generation of bands, contributing to the development of death metal. The album's impact is evident in the subsequent work of Sepultura and the broader metal landscape. Pros Musical Diversity: The album showcases Sepultura's ability to seamlessly blend diverse musical elements. Lyrical Depth: Thought-provoking lyrics elevate the album beyond typical thrash metal themes. Influential Impact: "Arise" played a crucial role in shaping the direction of heavy metal. Cons Limited Sonic Variation: While cohesive, some critics argue that the album could have explored more sonic diversity. Intense Atmosphere: The relentless intensity may be overwhelming for listeners seeking more melodic elements. In conclusion, "Arise" is a landmark album that transcends the boundaries of thrash metal. Its impactful lyrics, powerful music, and lasting influence make it a crucial addition to the metal canon.
Metal masterpiece
I used to this album years ago as an angry teenager. Classic Sepultura!
This is the album that reminded me (not that I ever need to remember this) that electric guitar goes hard as fuck.
Pure metal baby!
Rules
I'm surprised that this is here, not because it's bad but because this list isn't great with metal. This is a killer album. Throw up the horns, bang your head, etc. Enjoy it. This isn't that Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Hanoi Rocks weak tea.
Great big riffs or something. Really nice albom
SOOO pleasantly surprised to see Sepultura listed here. AND it's an album I'm actually not too familiar with. The global score on this one is notably lower than average, and I completely understand why. Sorry, y'all, I know that dirty, grimy, oldschool death metal isn't everybody's jam, but this is a pretty fuckin good day for me.
Heavy as hell and twice as loud
FUCK YES
Amazing. Desperate Cry is insanely good. Probably one of my favorite metal songs now. The drums and guitar fucks. I’m definitely going to check the rest of their albums out.
This album is perfect. Absolutely perfect. Like when I have an enemy that I've captured and tied up in the basement and needs to be interrogated and they need to be softened up. Or if I have some houseguests who need to leave, like my parents. Oh yeah! At an hour long, it doesn't have the repetition that, say, re-runs of Gilligan's island might have.
fuck yes. Rocking so goddamn hard. Drums like machine guns. Guitars rip. Loved this
Great
A Thrash classic, raw energy and power in every single track already heard it but gladly gave it a spin, still as good as I remember
Classic trash metal album. Not a big fan of the genre but knew this album and it is perfect of course.
This is an amazing record
An all time banger. Peak form between this and Chaos AD
Yeah, with a couple of exceptions, this is a bloody good album.
O começo da confirmação da poder do metal brasileiro.
sweet, just what I expected, can't wait to hear it in my car
I enjoyed this album way harder than I thought I would. I normally don't enjoy death metal too much. But the vocals are brutal and raw. Just some really solid stuff. Add in the artwork too, it feels so classic. Overall do I think this album is a 5/5? Maybe not in a Objective but from my personal perspective? this feels really good honestly.
Fucking old school Sepultura. Enough said.
In my top 5 favourite metal records of all time, easily. Maybe top 3.
Steengoed Sepultura album, iets meer death dan het Chaos A.D. album
Amazing trash metal I miss Max Calavera
No había escuchado este pedo. Me atrevo a decir que está en el top 3 de mejores disco de trash de la historia. Tiene todo lo que necesitas: riffs veloces, solos increíbles, gruñidos, letras sobre el fin del mundo, coros gritados. Fabuloso. Le doy 420 estrellas.
Gnarly!!!
wow awesome thrash metal band. Never heard of them but a big fan
Man I feel so bad for the people on this website, it must be so sad to not enjoy good music 💔 While this isn't my favourite Sepultura album (that would be Chaos A.D.), this is still the peak if their early thrash days. They remain the best metal band ro ever come out of Brazil, a country that can possibly rival UK and USA in terms of Music.
always happy to get a metal album from the generator :) kind of boring at the start but definitely picked up in the second half, 3.5 stars
I liked this, but I liked their later stuff better. This album feels like a band in progress. Still, I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected to.
I’m at a 3.5 that I’ll just bump up to a 4. I mean, you can’t say the album doesn’t fucking rip from an instrumental standpoint. The fury from the guitars & percussion feels absurdly potent on each track, and with the shorter runtime here compared to the 72 minutes of “Roots”, the overall energy just feels a lot stronger & more focused. It’s incredible to listen to, and when they’re at their best, it feels like an unstoppable force that’s up there with some of the best thrash metal of the era. The problem with this album, however, is the complete lack of bigger variety – practically every track here starts with a diatribe about how it sucks to be born, how the human race is doomed, & how existing is torture, & how Earth needs to be purged of its sickness as a planet to have a chance at existing, or some other relatively defeatist line of thinking. Coming off of something as positive & optimistic as “Definitely Maybe”, it’s just highly jarring. It wouldn’t be a big issue if it weren’t the same thing on every single fucking track, creating a homogenization that underlines the whole thing in a bad way. If their instruments are an unstoppable force, then both Cavalera’s & Kisser’s lyrics are the immovable object, with a persistence towards cynicism that just drags the whole thing down a bit. Honestly, if there was just a bit more variety & a bigger sense of atmosphere (ala Megadeth or Metallica) as opposed to just going full throttle on every track, I’d feel pretty inclined to be near a 5. As it stands, the entire album experience feels longer than the 42 minute runtime on account of each track feeling way too similar, no matter how technically talented they are here. It’s a good set of tracks, but not a super cohesive album. I’m just not too surprised at the 2.73 here – it’s great to listen to, but it just doesn’t feel as engaging as it could be. I think it definitely deserves to be on the list for its country’s representation, & since someone else won’t care as much about the lyrics & just fucking rock out to the instrumentals (deservedly so). For me, it's a 3.5 that I’ll bump up to a 4, though just barely.
Sepultura's best album for me, the perfect mix of nasty and technical - great riffs. Favourite tracks: Dead Embryonic Cells (probably my favourite thrash song), Subtraction, Orgasmatron (too much fun to leave out)
Not as eclectic or interesting as Roots, but still a damn good metal album
At 16, this was one of the albums that baptised me as a metalhead. I think I had a local cop in my small home town pull me over one night for playing this WAY too loud WAY too late while I cruised Main Street all while headbanging away. For me, it holds up. While I can understand why Chaos AD is the album Sepultura fans will point to for this era, it's Arise that holds a special place, as it was the first album from this band to find a wider audience. And there are some fantastic tracks on here. While I like this album, Roots, however, is a personal favorite. I remember trying to learn Dead Embrionic Cells from the tablature in a guitar magazine back in the day and being completely overwhelmed. 35 years later, I think I could hold my own trying to play it now. Ah, who am I kidding? Those solos are so brutally fast.
15 year old me would have fucking loved this album. I find it enjoyable in a way that somehow transports me back to my teenage years, despite having never listened to this album before. 4/5 because I really enjoyed my time but no song was particularly strong to me.
Ok
It was nice. Moderately heavy album.
7.5/10
Heck yeah: chugga chugga chugga, dodalaadee dodalaadee, indeed.
Sepultura released Roots when I was 14 years old. That album blew my mind, and shaped how I expect metal to sound. This is a very different sound, and really closer to generic thrash metal. It's not bad, but it's missing all the more interesting rythmic elements that made me love Sepultura in the first place.
Much like many Sepultura albums, it’s hugely frontloaded and tails off pretty hard, but this may honestly be my favourite record of theirs. Absolutely killer production with the crunchiest guitar tone and a nice mix of technicality and melody amidst all of the breakneck thrashing.
Enorm gecontroleerd en gedisciplineerd. Totaal geen concessie op de kwaliteit terwijl het wel echt hard en duister is. Een perfecte uitvoering van death met trash gecombineerd. Enige nadeel is wel dat je akkoord moet gaan met de cookie monster growl hier en daar.
Lo escuché hace muchos años y todavía recordaba varios riffs. Gran disco
brasil porra
Really strong speed metal album, need to dive deeper into this bands catalog.
While I sort of knew Sepultura as thrash-adjacent, I hadn't had the opportunity to really listen to them before now. Having listened to this album, they're really good, the propulsive energy of thrash metal with melodic overtones. This would be a fantastic workout soundtrack. Standout for me was Altered State, just due to the drum work.
\m/,
Heavy. And in that very particular way that the big bands of the 80's thrash scene specialized. Honestly, not as left-field as I expected for a band from Brazil. I understand those influences came in later. The production is very direct -- not a ton of reverb or synth or orchestration or any of that kind of thing. It has a bit of a hardcore punk feel to it, which is enjoyable and perhaps a window into a thrash influence that might not be totally visible all the time. This is a hard album to give a rating to. I really prefer my music to have a bit of melody to them but that's often not the point of thrash metal. It's a technical showcase, for sure, and the power on display is unquestionable. This is worth your time to hear the link between bands like Iron Maiden and more extreme kinds of heavy metal. Sepultura were influential on their contemporaries and have been influential on their successors. Will you come back frequently? If so, you probably already know them. But you might as well try. 4/5 out of respect. You should think of it as a 3.6, though -- overall, it mostly lacks the dynamics of the very best of metal. This genre, just as much as jazz, is also about the spaces between the notes, even if they're pretty sparse in this style.
My metal taste isn't refined enough to be able to tell the differences between the songs, but it was a good (but intense) background jam music. Probably got my heart rate and adrenaline moving fast enough to make me fairly productive. Could also see it being good for running, until I collapse.
For death metal, this is likely pretty good. The guitar riffs were stunning! Could not understand the lyrics at all, so I looked them up and that helped my enjoyment. Perfect music for today’s age, and maybe that’s the allure of this genre — it travels well through time. I'll go 4 stars. I'm an easy grader.
Can't explain why but enjoyed this quite a bit in the background. A little nervous giving good rating without listening for and understanding any lyrics. But hey, worst case I endorsed summoning a righteous demon upon the Earth or something.
I think this is the only proper death metal album on the entire list? And even still, this album marks Sepultura's shift towards groove and nu-metal (Although only really in the drumming here and there, it's not immediate). While I liked Roots, that album was a bit overstuffed, and I'm not a huge fan of groove metal (Roots Bloody Roots is a great song). This album was definitely more up my alley. Songs like Dead Embryonic Cells and Altered State are great (Although the whole album is fantastic). Really sounds like if Metallica had a competent drummer and decided they wanted to be death metal instead of thrash (Although Arise does contain elements of thrash. It's not quite as heavy as something from Death for example). Great album though, although I do question it's inclusion. Roots definitely belongs on as their definitive album, but picking this album over including something like Death's Human or Symbolic, or a Morbid Angel album, or an Entombed album?
7/10 I’ve always associated Sepultura with their later records in which they started to bring in more tribal percussion and indigenous Brazilian music, but this earlier album is an interesting point in their career. It has one foot very much in the thrash metal of their earlier work and one in the camp of the emerging groove metal scene that worked its way from bands like White Zombie into the more established sound of Pantera’s Cowboys From Hell, released a year prior to this record. While not as melodically inclined as thrash metal icons Metallica or Slayer, where this record shines is within the rhythms. The drumming work of Igor Cavalera is excellent, with lots of quick changes of groove and emphasis throughout, while always maintaining control of the tempo, and punctuating his work with some captivating fills and flourishes. There are moments where things resorted to a more machine-gun approach to rhythm, which is where I got a little lost, but when placed carefully, those moments did actually work really well. Interestingly (and perhaps backing up my point regarding melody), Max Cavalera’s vocals aren’t really the focus for much of this album and he almost uses his voice as an extra percussive part rather than as a tonal anchor. There are lots of instrumental sections and it often felt like the vocals were there to augment the riffs, rather than the other way around, which was quite cool. I did enjoy some of the sound design work here as well and you can definitely get brief snippets of where the band were heading, which added a nice bit of depth to things. While I typically prefer a little bit more melodic focus and harmonic richness even in my heavy music choices, I did find the rhythms in this compelling, and while there are other bands I’m likely to lean towards for either thrash or groove metal, this will be a nice one to throw into the mix from time to time. Arise - It’s a slightly cheesy sample based intro, but that’s quickly dispelled by the balls to the wall pace of the thrash that kicks in. The effect to introduce the vocal is very cool. There are some cool riffs in here, but a lot of the rhythmic breakdowns and changes are really what catch my ear. It’s quite relentless in places, but those breakdowns do allow it to take a breath here and there. There’s not really a sense of melody from either the vocal or instruments, which makes this a little dense, so I’m hoping things develop a little further in that regard. Dead Embryonic Cells - Ah, there’s a lot more melodic intent behind the riffs and guitar lines here. It still has those sections of relentless thrashiness, but this feels altogether more varied, balanced and, with that touch of more melodic influence, a step above the opener. There are enough changes to the groove and emphasis of the track that it doesn’t feel relentless, but maintains interest throughout. Desperate Cry - This leans more towards the groove metal and sounds quite like the stuff Pantera were doing at the time. It’s less rapid for the most part and plays a lot more with weight and groove over the fury of the earlier tracks. But it still has time for some quick-fire drumming towards the end. As with the last track, we’re given a more developed tonal focus here to run alongside that change up in rhythms. Murder - Again, this has a good blend of drive and groove with some solid touches of melodic riff building. It’s interesting that they don’t necessarily have a vast focus on vocals, with plenty of instrumental sections. The drumming is great and the general feel of this is great. Not super keen on the guitar solo work here as it feels a little unfocused, but again, the switching up of rhythmic inflection is cool, even if some sections where things drift into speed for speeds sake and that does detract a little. Subtraction - When they break the rhythms into swung grooves here, it’s really good, but there’s a little too much machine gun drumming for me in places. That’s not something I mind in short bursts, but those sections are a bit prolonged here for my tastes and it loses the rhythmical nuance of the stuff that clicks better with my ear. But the groove metal stuff is very good. Altered State - The samples to bring us in here are great and we get a bit of the tribal drumming that they would work with more extensively on future records. The building of the beat here is great and they don’t allow the relentless bits to dominate, instead working more with weight and groove before injecting pace for effect in bursts. The guitar solo section here is really good, probably the strongest guitar focused part of the record so far. There are some epic drum fills in here too. Under Siege (Regnum Irae) - This is really strong and atmospheric to begin with and builds nicely. The pace change into the vocal is a tiny bit jarring but also quite cool. There’s plenty of groove here, but also some more sludgy, grimy stuff too. The atmospheric work here gives this an interesting feel to it compared to earlier tracks, but it maintains the thread through the rhythmic changes and crunch weight of the riffs. Meaningless Movements - That main riff is really good set against the lead vocal and again, there are some really nice moments when the rhythm switches up. There’s quality pace and drive to this, without it becoming too relentless and the interplay between the two guitars at certain points is great. Some of the drum fills are brilliant and the guitar solo’s solid too. Infected Voice - Back to something more purely thrash for the finisher now. It’s a little too relentless for my tastes, but there’s some great stuff in there and as a live experience, I bet this is fantastic. The riffs are decent, it’s fast and furious and there are the odd moments of groove, but the main focus is on that relentless thrashing. As with the opener, there’s a little less focus on the tonality of the song, but it’s still a quality thrash track.
Jamais écouté avant. Une plongée sombre et rageuse dans une contrée désolée, où résonnent riffs dévastateurs et batteries agressives, guidée par les hurlements hargneux, qui flirtent tranquillement avec le death growl, de Max Cavalera. C'est tout ce qu'on attend d'un album de thrash metal, et c'est peut-être ce qu'on pourra lui reprocher : en dehors de quelques expérimentations indus ou tribale qui ne vont pas très loin, Sepultura reste ici "dans les clous". Mais après tout, la formule fonctionne, alors pourquoi bouder son plaisir... Top : Desperate Cry Flop : Infected Voices
Great metal album
finally, some metal. this will remain a classic. like all thrash, it can sound a little same-y, but i really don't turn to thrash when i want nuance, subtlety, or experimental sounds. i want the thrash. that said, they do experiment with their sound a bit here with some mild use of keys, more punk, and even some latin jazz/percussion. it really is a fantastic album
Trash is the kind of metal which you just have to give yourself up to while it stampedes over you. I’d find it too overwhelming to try and keep up with Sepultura, instead the best I can manage is to tentatively approach them like a mortal in the presence of a vengeful demon. I am in awe of the mania they can summon, seemingly from the pits of hell.
Low to solid 4 to me, great groovy thrash with a bit of death metal in there too. Great chugging, exciting solos, locked me in for nearly the entire thing without blowing me away
Muy buen disco. No la habia escuchado entero.
I really enjoyed this album! I specifically liked the guitars riffs throughout. I wasn't so much a fan of the rough voice singing.
I was expecting to give this a 1/5 after having heard Sepultura's Roots earlier during the project, but no, this one's actually good. Imagine my fucking surprise.
The mighty Sepultura. Overall this was a good metal album with a bunch of really good riffs. That said, the songs kinda melded together and I wish the vocals were a touch cleaner. I probably need to come back to this one for a proper score…
"Arise" is the fourth studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura. Thrash metal and death metal are the Wiki-listed genres. The album's style is described as a continuation of "the death/thrash as with their previous album, "Beneath the Remains," and their first incursions into industrial music, hardcore punk and Latin percussion. The bandmembers included Max Cavalera (lead guitar, rhythm guitar), Igor Cavalera (drums, percussion), Andreas Kisser (lead guitar, backing vocals, bass) and Paulo Jr. (bass). The album had wide-spread critical acclaim in the heavy metal press with one critic calling it their best album and a landmark in thrash and extreme metal. Commercially, it reached #119 on the US Billboard 200 and #40 in the UK. Loud knocks and a monster breathing open the self-titled "Arise." Heavy metal riffs and drums pounding. In your face guttural vocals screaming about humanity's self destruction. The song changes beats going from heavy to thrash and back again which is common on just about every song on this album. A screeching guitar solo, up and down the scales, at the end. The trend of starting with noises continues with "Dead Embryonic Cells" with chains and machinery. A slower pace but they eventually get to thrash. Layered metallic guitar riffs highlight the song. "Desperate Cry" begins with an ominous heavy guitar riff and the band settles into a groove with slightly more melody. Well, that must have been boring since they eventually crank up the thrash. The third and final single "Under Siege (Regnum Irae)" begins with an acoustic guitar. This song goes all over the place with beat changes. Backwards-recorded vocals are layered with Cavalera's normal vocals giving this is a dreamy/psychedelic vibe. Epic. The closing song "Infected Voice" begins and ends thrash. Several pace changes. A piercing guitar solo. A song about fear. This album at its core is thrash metal. The band takes it out that thrash mode with constant pace changes in each song. Then the music can go standard heavy metal, industrial and even punk. The guitars follow suit with the pace changes being melodic, ominous, mechanical or machine-gun like. Cavalera vocals are heavy and guttural with the lyrics dealing with destruction, suffering, a dead world, religion and brutal governments. The technicality of the music is quite good and this album is no doubt high level thrash metal. So, if you're fan of say "Master of Puppets," this album is for you.
Un delicioso disco de Thrash Metal por parte de los legendarios Brasileños. Con los Cavalera y Andreas Kisser en la banda, nada puede salir mal. Me soprende estar escuchando este LP y no "Roots" que los separa más de sus contemporáneos. Con algunos toques de Death y una tecnicidad y registro impresionante, Sepultura no tiene nada que envidiarle a ninguno de los nombres más grandes del Metal estadounidense. "Más duro solo el asfalto bebé" Pistas destacadas Dead Embryonic Cells Murder Altered State Under Seige
I feel like if I need to explain to someone what metal music sounds like, this would be a good intro. Its heavy, its chuggy, the vocals are screamy and growly, it has really good finger picking style guitar solos. Kind of has everything you would expect. What I wasn't expecting was Orgasmatron. That song was hilarious, not just from a subject matter reason, but from the fact that it was all in a major key. Like it good have been a Chuck Berry song, but then it was really heavy.
Like a lot of metal the lyrics are a bit overdone but the album overall is a banger
Solid album. Haven't listened to loads of Sepultura. Roots is the main album I have listened to before and this is a bit different but overall enjoyable.
Good to see that Brazil is not just represented by Samba on the list, although I do have some questions - there are 30 "metal" albums on the the list (half of which are a bit dubious), and so two of them being Sepultura, and one of those being this album rather than Chaos AD, is odd. This is a solid thrash album. Rating boosted by existing prejudices
This album does what it's meant to do very well! It's thrashy, boasts some great guitar playing a drumming, and delivers on the heaviness the genre is known for. My main gripe is that the album was pretty monotonous. It was all energy all the time, which got stagnant for me. It's clear why this album is respected the way it is amongst heavy metal fans, and I agree with their sentiment even if it wasn't my own cup of tea.
A very high three
Of the early banger Sepultura albums, this is the cream of the crop. Furious thrash that hits just right. Favorite track: Altered State
Es difícil hacer que el thrash metal suene del todo bien, el chiste del género es que es sucio y fuerte pero creo que sepultura en este album logra hacer todo eso y aparte sonar bien
Arise - 5/5 Dead Embryonic Cells - 5/5 Desperate Cry - 5/5 Murder - 4/5 Subtraction - 4/5 Altered State - 4/5 Under Siege (Regnum Irae) - 4/5 Meaningless Movements - 4/5 Infected Voice - 4/5 Average score: 4.4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ basically Brazilian Metallica. i'm not as into metal as i used to be so maybe my opinion matters less here. it's still a pretty good album tho
06/04/2026 Pretty decent way to start my bank holiday. I'll take it. Spotify listeners: 2.3 million
If you like your thrash a little more heavy, little more sinister and less introverted, look no further. Feels influential for a lot awesome newer bands like Trivium. Good to see some of the heavier stuff on this list.
This is hard hitting thrash and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It sets the stage for what Sepultura would ultimately evolve in to by the time Roots came out, which I think is much more relevant to this list than this album. I think the more primitive thrash songs aren't as good as the stuff that indicates the depth of their talent, specifically Desperate Cry, which is really great. The instruments are all super tight and the voice, while grating, fits the music. This is a genre that most people are not going to be in to, which explains the low rating, but it really is a great example of this specific type of metal/hardcore. I hope Roots has a higher rating because that's a real classic.
I'm not usually a fan of metal, but I kind of liked this. I'm not sure what differentiated it from other albums in the genre that I've found painful though.
Still sounds good!
3.5 - The other music they have playing at Mary’s. Sounds like a cross between Metallica and slayer.
With that voice, I can't take this seriously 😭. Every time I hear those low growls I just can't help but laugh in a way that makes me enjoy the album a bit more. As with this kind of metal, I feel like I've heard this sound in some online parody, but have never intentionally listened to thrash/death metal. Even the name of the genre sounds scary. "Arise" sounds like the broodier twin of that Megadeth record I listened to a few weeks ago. Now gaining more metal experience thanks to this generator, the guitar riffs are what I really like the most about this genre. When they match the drum beat, that's *chef's kiss*. (3.5-4)
4 out of 5. From the album art to the music this fuckin' shreds.
Très sympa de bon matin.
Really impressive album. Loved the guitar work and heavy melodies throughout the whole album.
71/100. This is a really solid thrash record that hits you with a ton of intensity right from the start. It is super consistent with its heavy material.
As an early fan of thrash metal I remember when Sepultura broke through with Beneath The Remains and we were all eagerly waiting for the follow up Arise to come out. Unfortunately I was not able to get deep with this album back then. I think the problem was the production as everything sounds so compressed and flat. Since the production didn’t breathe, all these great songs just went over my head in a big mid-range wash. The songs here are great. It’s pretty much the pinnacle of Sepultura’s thrash metal era. I would say that there’s a progressive element here in just the sheer amount of riffs displayed here. I also forgot about some of the industrial touches in some of the intros which were well placed. This is probably one of, if not, the last great thrash metal album that was made in that era. It’s great to see this album on this list and also to see that they included Roots which is a different sounding but no less important album. It really is too bad that there aren’t albums by other great thrash metal bands on this list as there are many awesome recordings out there. If Sepultura gets to have the two then Slayer and Anthrax also deserve to have at least one more each. Then there’s all the other great albums by Death, Carcass, Testament, Exodus, Flotsam and Jetsam, Death Angel, Kreator, Coroner, etc…
woah guys I think I like metal, actually enjoyed this a decent bit more than I thought i would. the instrumentals are really cool
I was surprised at how much liked this album as Sepultura largely passed me by back in the day. It holds its own against other thrash of the era; musically it's tight and interesting, with songs whose tempo move up and down through the gears like good thrash does. Case in point at roughly 4 minutes into 'Dead Embryonic Cells'. Only point of personal preference is that I prefer a cleaner, sharper vocal like James Hetfield's rather than this throaty, sludgy style. These days I would listen only occasionally, and in small doses but good nonetheless. Notable: 'Altered State', 'Orgasmatron', 'C.I.U.'. Subsequently listened to Caos A.D. which, as others have pointed out, is arguably better.
Finally get a metal record on this thing. Shout out to my middle school friend Stuart who was a big Sepultura fan and held fast in calling most other non-metal music shit. Hope you're doing alright, man.
The origin of life for death metal, and still goes hard as all hell to this day.
This was rad. Just a really good metal album. Definitely a different style compared to Roots. Favorite songs were Dead Embryonic Cells, Desperate Cry, and Altered State.
I am typically not one to enjoy Thrash Metal, at the very least not nearly as much as most of the "extreme" metal genres, but I think Arise as about as good as I can expect out of the genre. Is it because it strays away from most Thrash formulas in favor of a more Death-esque sound in many aspects, no doubt thanks to Scott Burns? Yeah, probably. Enough about my hatred for Thrash Metal, this album rips. For how extreme and visceral the album is, it never comes off as cheesy or performative. The riffs are next-level brutal, on par with Human, substituting technicality with heaviness and groove. The vocals are a little James Hetfield but a tad darker and harsher, in a good way. In general the production on this album is massive, destructive, and in all ways amazing. Arise doesn't do anything extremely progressive or groundbreaking, only harnesses the best parts of each metal sub-genre at the time to create an apocalyptic amalgam not unlike the one on the cover.
Taattua brasilian thrashmetallia. Suosikkejani oli ”Murder” ja ”Under Siege (Regnum Irae). Levyllä myös hyvä Motörhead-cover ”Orgasmatron”.
Great album. High energy Standout songs: Dead Embryonic Cells Subtraction
Enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would.
I had never heard this album! Pretty solid, classic metal!
I was so busy moshing I accidentally tried on the cat. They definitely have the riffs - and whilst it isn't my favourite metal album (or metal sub-genre) it's good to see some of the heavy stuff represented on this list.
Peak late 80's early 90's heavy/death metal. First time listening to a record by these guys, but I've heard of them before. Has a ton of similarities to the Big 4 (Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax, Slayer.) Solos are ripping, drums? Shoutout to the drummer for laying down the tempo I mean good lord. Vocals aren't my favorite when it comes to metal. good riffs and drums. The acoustic riff from Desperate Cry is one of my favorites. Solid heavy metal album. 7/10
amazing, Sepultura always kick ass and i cant wait to see them in 2026
I believe the ideal album in the subgenre of hellish thrash metal is Slayer's Raining Blood. Sepultura sounds undoubtedly monolithic, uncompromising, and devastating, but the runtime is a bit too long, so 4 out of 5.
I was just griping yesterday that metal didn’t have a strong presence in this project, and then Sepultura’s Arise popped up. Ask and you shall receive, I guess. I really got into Chaos AD and Roots in highschool, but never sat down with this one. It’s pretty solid, though a bit more of a thrash vibe than those other records. Thankfully, they’re really good at what they do. I still prefer those other two records, but Arise is pretty legit. 4/5
Sepultura sounds like what Metallica would sound like if they were good
Compared to the other thrash classics on this list, Master of Puppets & Rust in Peace, this one is really lacking in the production department. It often sounds muddy, and a couple of the songs could have used one more pass to add some more interesting arrangements. Still brutal and awesome, with an incredible opening trio of songs.
This, like Roots from earlier in the Proj, was right on the cusp or what I find palatable with metal. And it came down on the right side of the line I think. The shouting vocal are offset nicely by really good and interesting guitar work and suitably ferocious drumming. Is it the right music for a sunbed? No, it makes you feel absolutely psychotic. But still, who doesn't want that?
Some tracks are too long without doing much but Sepultura is a goated thrash band
Foundational, heavy and driving, maintained momentum through the album
Some solid thrash
I'm not a metalhead, but I appreciate metal. I know not everyone does, so for that reason I can't claim you must hear this before you die, for which reason I can't give this a 5. That said, this definitely got my head bangin', so it'd have to be a 4 from me.
Very good metal album. I wish Sepultura leaned more into their groove sound over the thrash blast beats in the songs, but that comes down to my own enjoyment of the former significantly more. This is a very good album with plenty of raw energy and lots to headbang to. Top tracks: Dead Embryonic Cells, Desperate Cry, Altered State
Sepultura's fourth studio album 'Arise' is an arrestingly chaotic journey through a doom-laden landscape, articulated via a suitably apocalyptic lyrical lexicon to match. Riotous and bleak laments at the state of the world are par for the course here: human nature and all its ills, oppressive totalitarian systems, and religious impropriety are dissected and lambasted in equal measure here by both songwriters, lead singer Max Calavera and lead guitarist Andreas Kisser alike, bulleting their sepulchral takes across the canvas like the last days of Sodom sent for the MoMA. The title track establishes a portentous mode, erupting from the bowels of some otherworldly dimension into a meaty, muscled thrash number for the ages. 'Altered State' rides a parallel track with the production on the haunting intro evoking a looming jungle storm that suddenly caves into alternating brash punk phrases and tumbling hardcore breakdowns. The record doesn't lose much steam across the body of its nine core tracks. The groove shifts are a little less stark and thrilling on the final two tracks, 'Meaningless Movements' and 'Infected Voice', but Kisser's guitar solo at around the two-and-a-half minute mark on the latter track is as bloodthirsty as any other he delivers on this album. Overall, 'Arise' is an austere yet sizeable demonstration of dynamism and cohesion, each track walking a barbed-wire tightrope to the meter of Igor Calavera's rumbling freight-train drums. A morbid, nihilistic polemic brimming with anti-religious and anti-political messaging would be a hard pill to swallow for anyone, but the depth and breadth of vision in the uncompromising and passionate production offers up a lot to appreciate if one can look past the album's gory and sinister exterior.
If you can handle metal this is some pretty freakin good metal.
Metal is one of my favourite genres but I never listened to Sepultra much. I love instrumentals on this album but vocals are not really my thing.
Erittäin armoton rässilevy jossa kivalla tavalla jo vähän kuuluu muukin kun täysin länkkärikulttuuri ja -asenne 4/5
Nice metal album for a workout
3.6
Excellent album with good tracks from top to bottom. My first time listening to Sepultura and I’m now a fan.
Heavy AF. Strangely my infant daughter loved listening with me.
This record slays. The chord progressions are awesome and the music flat out rocks. Love the energy and tempo throughout and it kept my attention the entire time. A true metal record.
Always bummed out that I just kinda of missed Sepultura growing up even though I was into Soulfly. This album has a more raw and angry feel than a lot of the thrash and metal from the early 90s.
Was not expecting to like this but I was low-key vibing
Not really a Metalhead, but I do listen to metal sometimes. Didn't really turn this one up but still have it a good listen. Arise, Dead Embryonic Cells and Desperate Cry is a brilliant start to this album. You can immediately hear how influential Sepultura's sound is through listening to the first few songs. Altered State is a other good one, the quality of music remains pretty high throughput the whole album. There's some nice experimental-ish sections, too. Honestly this album is better than many Iron Maiden or Slayer albums.
it's like I enjoy it but just not quite as much as I think I should Will I listen to again: 83%
3.5/5
When I think about Sepultura, I only think of Roots, I feel that album is kind of universally agreed upon in the heavy metal community as 'the' hardcore Brazilian metal project. When I'm in the mood I like to put it on, it's probably been some 6+ years in all honesty, but it's a near perfect soundtrack to Latin rage. This album art is a bit better than that of Roots, it also strongly and accurately represents the energy of the project. Nightmare fuel, the only reference I had before giving this my first listen. I felt straight up thrash metal, very little Latin or Native American influence, although it's mentioned there, it's like adding a pinch of salt to a large cauldron of noise stew. They're not even practicing their native tongue at all, it was a little confusing to me how US based it sounds. Now, on the thrash side of things, very impressive. I've heard Megadeth albums that have felt less rugged and powerful. I'm sure I'll be coming back to this, maybe even more frequently than I visit Roots. 4/5
Pangskiva! En av sepulturas bästa. Dead embryonic cells är en perfekt thrashlåt - dubbeltramp, groovepartier och ett kerry kingigt gitarrsolo som låter som det skrivits på måfå.
Äntligen metal!
äntligen något man kan respektera! emo för vuxna? mer avgrundsvrål och djävulsmusik åt folket!
It's basically the first time i've actually stopped and heard any of sepultura's songs, it's quite nice actually.
Wow, Sepultura in this list? I'm shocked! What a pleasant surprise! Yes, I'm a metalhead (at times) and I loved this album when it came out back in the day! Already being familiar with "Beneath The Remains" two years prior, this was a godsend. Better production, stunning riffs - thrash done at an incredibly high level. The Brazilian/Latin influenced percussion only foreshadowed what was to come with "Chaos A.D" and in particular "Roots". That said, I liked the latter the best, because they incorporated indigenous Brazilian percussion and themes into metal and their slightly different direction towards alternative metal instead of straightforward old school thrash-metal as it still was on "Arise". Even so, amongst Slayer's "Seasons in The Abyss" and Megadeth's "Countdown to Extinction" this album was and is an absolute thrash-metal classic! 4/5
My favorite Sepultura album. Riffs are tight, drumming is insane, and it's got that growling death metal voice but you can understand the lyrics. 3.6 / 5 stars
Interesting, I never listened to this album before. It's almost like a missing 80s Metallica album with different vocals.
The Good: The only way is up! The Bad: Sometimes, arise only refers to getting out of bed… The Ugly: Finding out that your bed is a coffin… Maybe it was my mindset while listening to this, so I get it… and I was banging along with the strong riffs, and I even did the horn sign with the hand… though at no point did I pretend to be a vampire. It is interesting how one day you listen to this band and think “this is total shit” and another day it is just awesome! There’s no explaining this… So, am I to be considered a metal head now? Will I start painting fingernails black, get a fucking arm-sleeve tattoo that spills into the hand too? Will I need to change my wardrobe so that it includes predominantly black clothes? 4*, because I know that I will want to listen to this album again...
This is the Sepultura that I love. I definitely prefer the early more thrash focused albums as opposed to the more tribal groove metal that started showing up on the album after this, Chaos A.D. Arise is brutal, raw full of incredible musicianship. I loved revisiting this one.
This one is more or less like a Metallica album. I feel like Sepultura came into their own later on with the tribal sound. That being said, it's heavy as fuck, and worthy of a 4.
Enormous record, and welcome on this project. Three plays too! Already on my shelves. Heard before ✅️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ✅️ ★★★★☆ (8/10)
Genre: Thrash Metal Oh hell yeah, this thing cranks. There is absolutely no low end, no bass or anything thick and lush like most metal sounds nowadays, but this thing cranks. Fast-paced, over-the-top, great playing, and some killer thrash riffs. I don’t know if this is technically essential, but I loved it. 4/5
I really liked this album. I have heard of Sepultura but am not a huge metal fan so i never listened before today. The band is really talented and this manages to be very "heavy" but intelligible and more varied than i would have expected.
very heavy but very good
Heavy
More metal! More familiar with Sepultura, although not sure I'd heard any of this. Sounded like I expected it to and I enjoyed it. I'm a sucker for a double bass pedal. The start of the album was the best.....Much like with Megadeth, an hour of metal may be too much metal for me. 3.5 but better than Megadeth so 4
COME TO BRAZIL! This album is pretty cool, I would probably love it if I didn't have chronic thrash-chugging fatigue
RRRRRAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH
A rare example of metal I can enjoy. Solid.
Ay. Le bajo una estrella sólo porque siento que a la voz le faltaron matices. Le pondría 4.5/5 si pudiera. Fue un lujazo escuchar este disco hoy.
Rules
Death thrash metal alright but in this album i think i can hear some industrial edges(samples,fx NIN style),bit more experimental and with some tribal drumming like in track Altered state.I also hear some Ministry influences.. Hardcore punk is in there as well especially in tracks like Subtraction and Desperate cry.Although i'm not that much of thrash metalhead i really enjoy this!! Personal pick: Under Siege.
Gear: Abyss DIANA MR Artwork: 🔥👹🥩 Production (2018 Remaster): 👊🤕🔪 Music: 🥁🌪️🌀 Rating: 🧟🧟🧟(🧟)/5
Its not roots but its still pretty damn good. It moves. And I like that. Fast as hell with some slower parts that break it up nicely. But just a solid wall of sound that is great to listen to all around. If you like metal music in any form this is worth a listen. Again the drums are it. That guy is amazing and his beats are my favorite part of the whole record. Its not as diverse as roots but sometimes thats not what your in it for. Its rips and that's it
Hell yeah man! This rocks so hard! When Metallica was going alt rock these guys just got heavier and faster.
Stupendous album with terrific riffs on it. Dead Embryonic Cells is a favourite.
My favorite Sepultura album. It just rocks from start to finish. The drumming on this is insane, as well as the guitar riffs. 3.58 / 5 stars
BRAZIL MENTIONED Always a pleasure seeing some band from motherland coming up here. I never expected that Sepultura would be in the list. Much less with this album. not a big fan of black metal, but they sound really good
4 estrelas. dou 5 pro Roots.
I'm assuming I'm going to be the only person from this group to listen to this album and full and actually review it so I'm gonna take this opportunity to stretch out and look back. My musical journey really starts in 1982. Up to that point I listened to what my parents listened to on the radio and whatever cassettes we had received from the latest Columbia House shipment (the 12 tapes for a penny thing). This consisted of things like The Greatest Hits of TV and Film, Simon and Garfunkel and a Johnny Cash greatest hits album. As a result I know all the words to You Light up My Life, The Theme to Brian's Song and One Piece and a Time. I was in desperate need of something to call my own. Cut to the summer of '82. I heard Ozzy Osbourne's Flying High Again at a church camp that summer being played on a boom box by a fellow camper. The riff, the voice. I was in. All in. I went out and bought Diary of Madman when I got home and I was off. I discovered there were other boys like me - I loved metal but wasn't exactly a metalhead - I just couldn't commit to the lifestyle. The not quite metalhead talked at school and soccer practice and eventually discovered there was a show on WVEU - UHF channel 69 in Atlanta - called Metal Works. Each afternoon they would show an hour of metal videos hosted by The Butcher - a local "celebrity" who played guitar in a local band the never quite made it called the Swinging Richards. He dressed so cool from my 13 yr old perspective - basically keith Richards chic - and he introduced me to countless bands. In addition to more Ozzy videos I got Motley Crue, WASP, Celtic Frost, Kind Diamond. I didn't love all of it - it can be a little silly especially in that era - but things that hit, hit hard. And nothing clanged my young skull harder than Motorhead. That kicked a door wide open. The only video they played was Ace of Spades. But when introducing the video one afternoon , the butcher mentioned how good their recently released live album No Sleep top Hammersmith was. I didn't need to be told twice. By the next year I discovered my local college station - WRAS Album 88. Especially a weekly show called Pure Mania on Wednesday evenings. An amazing mix of music that just exploded my world. There I got Husker Du, Mission of Burma, love and Rockets, Jesus and Mary Chain but also first exposure to punk - Fear, Corrosion of Conformity, Black Flag and Bad Brains. And some more that is too vast to count. It wasn't all heavy - but I can't lie - I liked the adrenaline rush of the fast stuff with some dude yelling. I hadn't moved on from metal but I soon realized these were two separate camps and school with one notable exception - Motorhead. Turns out playing sped up classic rock n roll (not classic rock - like chuck berry) appeals to both musical appetites. So there was connective tissue - however tenuous. So I'm on both worlds going wherever i can get my fix. But I liked other stuff too - Brian Eno and his whole tree - u2 , Bowie, talking heads, and my first forays into ambient music, the Replacements, Peter Gabriel/Kate Bush and countless other things that seem to have fallen from view. Cut to junior year of high school. I start seeing Slayer shirts appearing on the kids who are in shop classes. Reign is Blood had been released the year before. Intrigued - I check it out. Nothing quite prepares for the onslaught of that album. Its pure adrenaline. And seemed to connect metal with punk energy. And they did it in a way no one had. It had a certain purity. And a way better drummer than Metallica ( F@#K Lars - long love Dave Lombardo). So I'm back in. I distantly remember mowing the lawn while listening to RIB, being terrified the first time I same them, watching actual fires being lit (multiple fires) the second time I saw them but always being completely mesmerized by what they did and how they did it. It was a crowded field but they brought energy like no one else. Uncompromising. Lyrics - whatever. It's that beat. all of em. What's the point of all this. I was in college when this album came out. Past my metal prime. I still harbored (to this day) my love for Slayer. I have listed to it previously. I prefer the next two albums as they start incorporate more diverse influences - especially Roots which is also on the list is get ready - but the energy of this album is undeniable. Had a been a few years younger I could have probably gotten on this train. They are the closest thing on this planet to Slayer. With just enough difference (better lyrics, the eventual use of traditional instrumentation) to make them stand out. They should replace Anthrax on the Big 4 list. Once and always a not quite metalhead.
Awesome
Highlight Song/s: Dead Embryonic Cells, Desperate Cry, Altered State This is what I've been missing out on... These tremendously good riffs, absolutely amazing beat, Intelligent lyrics; and not just some demonic stuff. I really do need to lay off a bit of Radiohead and the Smiths and use that time to listen to some Metal instead, I really didn't know what I've been missing until now. I appreciate the album sounding really sinister without devil this and devil that. Not that it's necessarily a problem to me, but some people in extreme metal go full brain dead sometimes and can't write a song without mentioning Satan. "Dead Embryonic Cells" having the words "I didn't ask to be born" I'm like damn, I feel that so much, and so deep. Seriously, I wasn't expecting those lyrics. They sound overly juvenile, couldn't they have chosen any other words?
4/5
This is as hard as metal gets while still being music and it's way harder than I like.
Un bon album de trash! Mieux que 3.5, alors un 4.
My love for thrash metal goes back to when I was in high school. I would be the kid wearing his battle jacket proudly with all my patches and stuff. This album kind of reminds me of my early days into listening to louder music and for that, I think it is alright. My taste in music has changed dramatically ever since high school, but I think this album is pretty good. Never really listened to Sepultura but I should probably give them a shot. Favorite Tracks: Arise, Dead Embryonic Cells, Orgasmatron Rating: 4/5
4/5 - I needed to hear this because the drums and guitar rip. Lyrics and Cookie Monster growling do zero for me. Obvious major influences from Master of Puppets and Slayer here. Dead Embryonic Cells and Desperate Cry were my favorites.
When I was a kid, it was albums like this that I was afraid of... 5 Stars.
Surprisingly vibey
Absolutely excellent solos. Altered State is 11/10
Really really liked this one. I listened to it most of the day on repeat. I'm going to dig into the rest of Sepultura discography. I heard Roots before, and liked it but didn't love it, so I didn't check out the rest. I love this though. 4.49/5
Good metal album
Dude can't sing, but he's great
Check out next two albums.
I think Sepultura is becoming my favorite metal band that I’d never heard before this project.
2 for 2, the list has officially made me a Sepultura fan (3.5/5)
Listenable metal. Favorite track - Infected Voice
nog niet het meesterwerk dat Roots was, maar je hoort wel dat ze er naar toe werken...
Super enjoyable listen, love Sepultura but rarely listen to them. I rate how diverse the influences were for this album.
Fuck it what the hell this is great it’s all great it’s good feed me more mmhmm
This is incredible. The energy, the tightness, the rhythms are fantastic. Will definitely listen to more from this band.
I haven't listened to thrash metal in years, but I can still tell this is a great album. Solid energy all the way through. Like the groove in Orgasmatron, a little different from the rest of the tracks. There are a couple of other standouts as well.
I think Sepultura is a good band, and I can remember them being around for as long as I can remember, but for some reason, nothing ever really inspired me to dive deep into their full albums. They definitely have their own unique flavor, especially with the tribal elements they incorporate into their music, which sets them apart a bit. But with that said, they’ve always landed in that “slightly above average to moderately good” category for me.
It is time to THRASH, my dudes. This album is a fantastic assault on the senses, with heavy doses of technical musicianship holding it up - this level of growl is not usually my jam, however this was kind of brilliant.
Finally, some fucking metal!
Can’t say that I fully get it but go off king.
Brutal.
Some people will say this is just noise, and those people are idiots. While not something I would typically listen to, this is an interesting varied album. I would listen to this again. My head was abobbin.
For Jim and I
As far as heavy metal goes, definitely one of the best ones I've hears
Not as good as roots but still great
never heard of these guys but i am a big metal fan, this album was great.
Good music to lift to. I understand this is a competent metal album and there is definitely musicality here, but really there's too much guitar noodling for my taste. I think I gotta give it a 4 even though I'll probably never listen to it outside of shitty gym speakers.
The album is "classic thrash/death" metal and it's very good, the problem other albums in this genre are better (where is Death!), this album really doesn't highlight what made Sepultura great and unique. Chaos A.D. which is the next album would have been a better choice. Anyway still great to see this band appear twice so far, however I doubt there will be a third.
Solid death metal: growling vocals, precise musicianship, chunky and heavy guitar with screaming solos. Too much can get repetitive.
lækkert med noget ordentligt smadder. Jeg har aldrig hørt et Sepultura album før, og var rimelig overrasket over hvor gammelt det er
Way more thrashy and way less death metal than I imagined! Sick riffs and great songs! What a banger!
Pretty badass. Love seeing the sentiment of “fuck the police” crossing genres, cultural and even linguistic boundaries.
Nowadays I can't put on metal at any time of the day, in any mood like I used to. Was more than happy to have a few spins of this, and loved the nostalgic production. It's a 3.5 but can have a 4
Damn good metal album that is a great example of the thrash genre
90s Brazilian death metal is not what I would probably expect to listen to on a Thursday morning but sometimes life calls for 90s Brazilian death metal and this definitely provided
Super solid metal album, front-to-back. Sad that this band was never more popular outside of the metal community!
3.8 if their vocalist was as good as James hetfield (cliche I know) then they would be a household name
I like it, it’s just a bit repetitive
This made me write my thesis draft at lightning speed. Thank you Sepultura. 7/10 Fave track: Dead Embryonic Cells
3.8 - Wow I actually didnt hate it. Sometimes I felt the drums took over way too much and was sometimes a bit obnoxious, but I guess that's their intention. A lot of the instrumental stuff was really cool though
I needed this album today. I guess I have always been a Sepultura fan and didn't realize it.
Not my genre but as the type goes, this was solid. Now I debate myself, is it a 4 because it's so good at what it's trying to do, or is it a 3 because I am never going to put this on again?
I'm not usually a fan of Thrash/Death Metal, but I liked this album.
Thrasherpiece
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 7/10 Delayed to listen to this album too much. Because I only listen during my morning commute this album had to prove itself a lot; as its hard to listen to trash before you even had coffee. But it was good trash
A brilliant metal record in a time where those were starting to get hard to come by. Sepultura was one of the few bands keeping extreme metal alive during the dark ages of the 90s. Arise isn't Roots Bloody Roots but it's a damn fine record. Excellent intro track, too.
Some nice instrumental playing the second song on the album, but really hard for me to listen on a dayily basis
Pretty badass. I like the sound a lot. Surprised they were Brazillian
Intense. Actually enjoyed it.
4/5. Kilka kawałków bardzo dobrych, szczególnie w drugiej połowie płyty, np. Meaningless Movements
A great metal album - I think i even prefer this to Roots although only by a bit.
Du très bon trash metal, mais j'ai un peu de misère à voir le gros hype autour de cet album. Pour moi ça sonne très trash à la Slayer. Reste que c'est vraiment amusant et très bien fait. 7/10
Nice festive fair for boxing day. OK, listening now instead of just looking at the album art, and good news, this album would be just the thing almost any day of the year. Two thumbs up. Thank you to the reviewers that suggested checking out their next album too.
Oh man I love Anthrax !! Who? But they sound just like... Oh well \m/ all the same
It was lit!
Rating: 8.5/10 Incredibly heavy and groovy, what a fun listen.
I liked this better than expected but then again I just had to suffer through a Christina Aguilera album so this was probably what I needed at this very moment in time. Next up Alice in Chains, Bring it on 🤗
Best metal album I’ve heard so far. These guys know their stuff, they’re tight, they go very hard! 4.3
Beaucoup aimé ce métal assez classique, pesant sans être antipathique
I listen to this a few times a year. Still as good now as it was 30 ish years ago
Way better than the album art would suggest. Don't judge a book by its cover
Fast, unrelentingly fast. That’s Sepultura on Arise...It all adds up to an amazing album without any weak spots. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-arise-by-sepultura?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Fast, hard riffs. Killer drumming. Harsh vocals. What's not to love? This band has always reminded me of what Metallica would sound like with death metal vocals
Mg
Even though I really dig it, the album sounded really same-y
Heavy metal. Very tight. Impressive drumming. New to me album.
Classic stuff. Riff city. A+
... I enjoyed this far more than I was expecting to!
This is as classic as thrash metal can come. Masterfully produced by Scott Burns, the bad boys of Brazil unleash their fury as they materialize their hellish soundscape of death and corruption. This is my favorite kind of thrash metal; vicious with some kickass solos to bridge the tracks together. However, and to piggyback off one of the popular reviews for this album, I agree this was the oddest choice for Sepultura over Choas AD. That album is probably considered more iconic and feels more “necessary” to listen to. Arise is great, but the band hasn’t reached their peak yet, as some of it feels too standard for thrash. That does cost it a star, but it’s still important for the band, and it a good showing of their work. With that said, I eagerly await the day the generator gives me Roots. Favorite track: Arise Other hits: Dead Embryonic Cells (try saying that title in front of your parents), Subtraction, Altered State, Desperate Cry