In its more than 30 years of existence, Sepultura has experienced so many ups and downs that any article about Sepultura ends with a swearing about their constantly changing line-up, the Cavalier brothers and their early and later albums. Someone with foam at their mouths compliments "Arise" (1991), others nostalgically recall "Chaos A.D.". (1993), and some of them are nostalgic about "Roots" (1996).
But who could wait after the band's work 10-15 years ago, which was described simply as a "clot of pure energy", that Sepultura would advance so far on the way of the technocratic variant of thrash metal not without a reasonable number of progressive metal elements!
Quadra plunges into the depths with its symphony, huge content of heavy sound, complex and aggressive, sticking to heavy tradition and not neglecting Latin American folk elements - that's how the material of the new Brazilian album can be briefly described.
In full accordance with the title, Quadra, roughly speaking, is divided into four equal parts, where each part is a kind of reference or even a return to different eras of the band, with different directions and different sounds. And each triptych is a complete work. The new elements immediately penetrate into "Isolation".
The monolithic production is completed by speed and brute force. However, the low, lush sound and rage that can be felt in each note are very similar to "Chaos AD" and "Roots". The most luxurious begins with "Guardians Of Earth" and "Raging Void", where the Brazilians are served in the most progressive, producing such mature and twisted melodies, and such a masterful technique of performance that one cannot help but admire them, very good guitars and drum cannonade in the mid-tempo.
Constant changes of rhythms and moods of "The Pentagram", transitions from furious and furious thrash parts to deeper and more thoughtful progression. Everything adds up in "Fear, Pain, Chaos, Suffering", the culmination of everything that makes this album different. Thanks to the metaphysical performance of Emmily Barreto from "Far From Alaska", this song will test the patience of fans the most. Juicy symphonic parts are borderline with the departure from the thrash metal genre.
However, the fans of the old school don't need to despair. Diehard fans should pay attention to "Ali" and "Autem" - instrumental tracks that demonstrate its musicality. If there is room for criticism, it is that the band chose "Means to an End" as a pre-release single. There's nothing wrong with the song, but we haven't heard anything like it from Sepultura before or recently.
"Quadra" was recorded not only as a monument to the band's long and varied career but also as an attempt to satisfy all the fans, regardless of their preferences. Many will find this approach logical, but in fact, it is surprisingly effective. Not only is the album full of chic and memorable action movies, but it also offers enough variety to make it really interesting to listen to.
