Sepultura (Portuguese for ‘grave’) launched in 1983. A band with humble economic beginnings, whose musical identity was forged in the context of living through Brazil’s authoritarian military dictatorship, Sepultura would go on to become Brazilian ambassadors to the metal world.

In June long-time guitarist Andreas Kisser (who joined in 1987), original bassist Paulo Jr, Ohio-born vocalist Derrick Green and drum prodigy Eloy Casagrande entered the studio with renowned producer Ross Robinson (Korn, Machine Head, Fear Factory, plus Sepultura’s landmark 1996 release, ‘Roots’) and co-producer Steve Evetts (The Dillinger Escape Plan). Inspired by Austrian filmmaker Fritz Lang’s classic 1927 movie ‘Metropolis’, Sepultura lean heavily on the strength of their thrash metal influences to make a statement against the dehumanizing effects of technology with new album ‘The Mediator Between Head And Hands Must Be The Heart’.

The album’s opening track, ‘Trauma Of War’, begins as a cacophony of noise that gives rise to an urgent panic that spins into a paranoiac distress about others making decisions that will lead to our demise in war. In ‘The Vatican’ yearning souls pray to their God to alleviate their suffering as the furious vocals, guitars, and drums document the moment when the faithful come face-to-face with the reality of their absent God, too self-absorbed with being adored to notice humanity’s cries for help. And with so many recent natural disasters throughout the world, who could deny the truth behind human greed and corruption sung about in ‘Manipulation Of Tragedy’?

Featuring a guest appearance by former Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo, ‘The Mediator Between Head And Hands Must Be The Heart’ does what many great albums do: it captures a moment in time and carves out a place to have a dialogue with listeners with an honesty that rings so true that it becomes a part of our arsenal with which to defend ourselves against the wrongdoings of the world.

Deluxe gatefold double vinyl with poster.