The latest release from the Cavalera metal dynasty is here and it doesn’t disappoint. Comprised of Igor Amadeus Cavalera (Healing Magic) Max Cavalera (Sepultura, Soulfly, Cavalera Conspiracy) and Johnny Valles (Ensepulcher,) Go Ahead And Die brings all the power that you’d expect from this collab.
Right out of the gate, the opening track Desert Carnage punches you in the face. My expectations were certainly met, to be sure. Max and Amadeus bring the fury with signature Cavalera-style riffs and Johnny’s drums are powerful and fit perfectly. The tempo changes in the back half of the opener brought some respite from the ripping onslaught before the first track’s theme reemerges and we’re reminded of what it is that we’re listening to; an album of legacy-produced thrash metal and punk.
Split Scalp drops in the same fashion as Desert Carnage; blast beats and in-your-face riffs. It’s representative of the rest of the album; a sweaty party filled with punk, metal and thrash fans all moshing in the same pit together. With dive-bomb leads and cleaner, effected guitar parts layered over machine gun riffs, the track segues its way into Tumors, a downright chug fest fit for the Cavalera family crest. The vocals here feel unabashedly Max: drenched in reverb and evil. The guys do a great job of playing with feel on Tumors as Johnny switches through different styles from blast beats to straight time to triplets then triplets with offbeat China smacks all behind crushing riffs.
The general mayhem continues through the album with Drug-O-Cop and No Easy Way Out . All manner of slam-fest riff patterns, blast beats, power chugs and freight train power come together in a mashup of heavy style choices that leave nothing behind. MDA (Most Dangerous Animal) opens with a spoken word interlude left me with more questions than answers, but the track delivers headshot after headshot of powerful, chunky metal.
Cyber Slavery gives a dose of straight ahead punk with thick vocals and layered guitars and degrades into feedback madness that leads into a double-kick Blast Zone intro for a ride through all sorts of tempos and feels courtesy of Johnny’s strong playing. The album’s title track, Unhealthy Mechanisms, kicks off with more spoken word, authored by the great Doctor of Gonzo Journalism, Hunter S Thompson. A great album closer, it wraps up the record just as strong as Desert Carnage opens it. Signature Cavalera riffs backed by Johnny’s kick-you-right-in-the-ass drumming.
The album doesn’t rely on ultra clean and polished production, nor does it need to. It’s the end result of three guys firing up the gear and letting fly without the worries and pressures of a shirt and tie record label exec breathing down their necks. It’s filthy, gritty and raw as hell. It’s exactly what it should be.
8 out of 10.
#cavalera #metal #thrash #punk #crossover #healingmagic #sepultura #soulfly #review
Thank you to our Sponsor: JLH Sustainable Homes
