Released by: Nuclear Blast Entertainment
Release date: 19 October 2018
Genre: Metal
Links: soulfly.com , facebook
Lineup:
Max Cavalera – Vocals and Rhythm Guitar
Marc Rizzo – Lead Guitar
Mike Leon – Bass Guitar
Zyon Cavalera – Drums
Track Listing:
01. The Summoning
02. Evil Empowered
03. Under Rapture
04. Demonized
05. Blood on the Street
06. Bite The Bullet
07. Feedback!
08. Soulfly XI
When your boss asks you if you want to review the new Soulfly album, of course, you come out from under your rock and do it!
From the never-ending stream of consciousness that is Max Cavalera arrives another relentless masterpiece with Ritual.
Soulfly is the 1998 baby of Sepultura and Cavalera Conspiracy’s Max Cavalera.
Following up their 2015 masterpiece of Archangel, Ritual is every bit aggressive and honest as you would expect. They also recently toured the anniversary of Nailbomb – perhaps this tweaked the metal muse that gives us these news fruits of labour.
Album title track Ritual is as you would expect – aggressive, heavy and downright awesome. Opening the song with almost a tribal calling, it soon is dragged mercilessly into the bass and drowns in the sound of the music consuming you.
The anger has not left Max luckily and his articulation of same on songs like The Summoning, Bite the Bullet and Blood on the Street make for fun noggin nodding with a message.
The masterful guitar work throughout this album is as predominant as the insane riffs and chants that put this album together.
Evil Empowered is a lot of fun too. Lots of double bass drum and heavy riffs that make you want to dance like than angry gnome you saw at the last metal show you were at. You can almost visualize the sea of humans that will be jamming to this one.
My favourite song is actually one that has already been released called Dead Behind the Eyes. The minute I started listening I said “is that Randy Blythe”? And it is.
This fucking insane duet asks for no acceptance and gives no apologies. Downright aggressive and furious with its tempo you can’t help but fall into the hypnotizing rhythm of this song. Love it!
Overall this album is exactly what you would expect from Soulfly. Its hard its heavy it is fast and it is without a doubt fucking metal as fuck.
Also to note Soulfly XI – instrumental to close out Ritual. A really moody song that just takes you away with its soulful guitar, as if to bring everyone down from the high they just got jumping around dancing to this record. The pit is gonna get hot and sweaty for this tour.
Make sure to be kind to each other and keep your elbows down folks!
I really like it and I am giving it a 9/10. I really can’t wait to see it live.
Written by: Marianne Jacobsen
Ratings: 9/10
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