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Interview
by SashaS
26-3-2004
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| Soulfly: 'Prophecy' on World-Metal mart |
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A lone warlock
Soulfly’s globalisation up-sounds
Whenever meeting and interviewing Max Cavalera, there’s always been this feeling of - an ancient soul. [It’s made me think of reincarnation so many times as his ‘21 grams’ appear to have journeyed several lifetimes.] An intuition enforced by his dreadlock’d apostle image…
Of all musicians ever - there have been many kindred-spirits, from Burton C. Bell (Fear Factory) to Siouxsie Sioux, from Robert Plant to Robert Fripp - there’s always been only one other musician who evoked similar impression. Dr John, the New Orleans voodoo-boogieist but, hey, this is a private ‘trauma’ and no space to get any deeper.
Anyhow, Soufly‘s new album ‘Prophecy’ is such a big leap from ‘3’, a huge adventure into genres and styles HM has never dared. It is an album where Cavalera is nearing the final definition of his ‘tribe’ and nailing the ultimate sound of World-Metal; a heady brew that a regular headbanger will require few extra scalp-scratches. There have been many other changes as well.
The old band is gone and Soulfly’s current line-up - copied from the artwork - runs: Max Cavalera (voz, 4-stringz, berimbau, soul, sitar), Marc Rizzo ([ex-Ill Nino], guitarz, flamenco guitarz), Bobby Burns (bazz on all tracks except where noted), David Ellefson (bazz on ‘Prophecy’, ‘Defeat U’, ‘Mars’, ‘I Believe’ [outro only] and ‘In The Meantime’) and Joe Nunez (drumz, percussion). Additional instruments include gemshorn, zurla, gajde, dvojnice, sheepskin bagpipes and pen-pipes.
In meantime, Mr Cavalera was a guest on Dave Grohl’s ‘Probot’ project. [Link/Search for the interview to read Max’s thoughts on the proj.]
There are some serious changes on the new album, not least the new band behind you?
“Yeah, a lot of changes, the band members but the most important change is that I recorded in three different places: Phoenix, Arizona, Seattle, Washington and Belgrade, Serbia. I’ve never done this and it was different and exciting, and obviously reflecting in the new sound.“
Let’s firstly deal with the change of personnel?
“The people have changed and the new musicians have brought in something new, fresh, it feels different… The first time I heard the rough-mixes I felt it was different, I could hear it sounding different and not repetitious like on the last record. I recorded half of the album with Dave Ellefson from Megadeth, it was fun to work with him, he is a great guy and we worked really well together.”
“Dave [Ellefson] lives in Phoenix and it was natural to hook up with him, which gives it a unique flavour. Just like the rest of the musicians who allowed me to make an album that is as fresh sounding as… It is quite difficult to explain the sound but it is like when we [i.e. Sepultura] did ‘Roots’, or ’Chaos A.D.’, because they didn’t sound like the previous albums.”
“Then, recording in Serbia, that was off the wall, something completely unique to give the album an international flavour… It was great to venture into that part of Europe and record with people who think rock but with a twist. This record is full of things I’ve not done before and I’m very excited about this album. Our label is excited about this record and totally behind it.”
“They know the way Soulfly works and what we stand for, they know we are not a radio-friendly band, Nickelback or whomever, we are in a different league. As for the changes within the band, the artwork was done in France!”
Really international and Worldly disc?
“By all means, and that’s what I wanted to do, an international record. It is the most adventurous project since the Sepultura days. Its feel, approach and spirit are like when we went to England and Wales to record ‘Chaos A.D.’ and record in different parts. This album feels like that and it all contributes, the artwork, songs, sounds… Everything I ever wished to do, but it was all to do with fate.”
“I played the show in Belgrade [in January 2003], it was a great show and I met some people… Also, my stepdaughter, Faith, is married to a Serbian guy who had this band of Gypsies perform at their wedding. They even did some songs from ‘Roots’, on trumpets and accordions and it sounded completely - mad!? Brilliant, but nothing like I’ve ever heard! I loved their versions and wanted to record a song with Gypsies for my album.”
A very specific kind of World Music, by the sound of it?
“I’ve always been into World Music but this is one step beyond anything I’ve ever heard and done. I went back to Serbia and we got to work around a traditional, folklore song, ‘Marsh Na Drinu’ [‘Marsh On River Drina’ is a bonus cut], a great track; I had ten Gypsies in a studio and that was great fun! At the same time I got hooked with a band called EyesBurn and they play a mixture of reggae, Hardcore and Metal. I’ve always wanted to do a Metal-reggae song, phat breaks but with Max’s twist, like ‘Moses’.”
“We [dubbed Eye For An Eye] ended up playing a show, sort of a live jam, in Belgrade and 2 thousand kids went mental. I spent a week there and it was one of the most exciting times I’ve ever had. It was like being a kid again, it was all about music, not politics, not music business… Just get into the jungle and see what happens! It was great and I think Rock‘n‘Roll is all about this. Both songs are brilliant!”
Music may be broader but no lyrical let-up?
“I’d say the subject matters are the things that usually concern me… There is a song, ‘Born Again Anarchist’, an ironic way of looking on these religious groups that knock on your door and try to convert you without having any respect for your beliefs! On another one, ‘Mars’, it is about war and then, ‘Prophecy’, it is about the state the world is in right now: watching what is happening now, it was set up years ago!”
Soulfly fly their own flag as if an independent nation headed by a very spirited leader.
SashaS
26-3-2004
Soulfly’s album ‘Prophecy’ is released 29 March 2004 by Roadrunner
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