Home Live Cavalera Live In Melbourne – Northcote Theatre 19/01/2025

Cavalera Live In Melbourne – Northcote Theatre 19/01/2025

From Morbid Visions to Schizophrenia and beyond, Cavalera’s Melbourne performance of Sepultura classics was a thrash metal rite of passage.

Daniel de Jongh

January 21, 2025

Sepultura played a pivotal role in my initiation to heavy music. As a restless teenager in search of heavier, faster, and more chaotic sounds, they felt like a revelation for my early metal discoveries. Albums like Beneath the Remains, Arise, and Chaos A.D. weren’t just part of my growing collection; they were milestones in a journey that’s shaped so much of my taste since.

But even before those classics, there were Morbid Visions and Schizophrenia—raw, unpolished, and unapologetically aggressive. These records stood apart, their energy both youthful and chaotic, made by Brazilian teenagers who hadn’t yet realised how influential they were to become. I can’t say I’ve spun them every month for the past two decades since those early discoveries, but when the mood calls for speed and brutality (i.e. I have deadlines at work), they’ve always been there, reliable and cathartic.

So when Max and Igor Cavalera announced they were revisiting their roots (pun not intended), recreating the spirit of those formative years with Cavalera, it felt like a long-awaited moment. 17 years ago was their first Cavalera reunion, but for me I’d had to settle for a few rewatches of their killer performance at the Maryland DeathFest in 2022. Now it was time to witness the Cavalera brothers bring their legend to the stage.

But up first was Black Jesus and Algor Mortis.

I’ve seen Black Jesus before, but typically in much humbler venues (warehouses, dive bars etc) and the graduation to a bigger venue was not lost on the band. Aggressive vocals, classic death metal riffs and one hell of a snare guided them through their 30-odd minute set. A solid performance packed with gratitude, energy, and what I’d consider some direct influence from the thrashier and groovier elements of Sepultura’s back catalogue. Judging from this, they’re just as comfortable commanding a larger venue as they are tearing up a back-alley dive.

Algor Mortis now, I’d not seen them before. But their ‘third stage of cooling after death’ vibe told me that we’re in for some classic gore-laden death metal. Think Obituary, Death, Cannibal Corpse et al.

Boy, I was pretty off.

What we got was slam. Pig squeals, basketball shirts, breakdowns and all. The female fronted group reminded me of Stabbing, and the lead’s softly spoken musings between songs were an interesting touch. Personally, I can’t say this is my cup of tea and some of the guitar performance felt overcooked. Nevertheless, those up the front of the audience seemed to appreciate it.

Igor Cavalera has been on the Discipline Mag noise radar for a while now. He’s guilty of collaborations with Vomir, Psywarfare, and has a good few others in the works. But we were here to watch him get back to the bare bones. The origins of it all, playing the Sepultura classics that paved the way for his own career and legacy that followed.

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Before the show could get started, it was stalled by an in-crowd incident. Waiting to photograph the set between the stage and audience, I had a clear view of an unconscious person lying motionless on the floor; front centre of the pit in the moments before Cavalera was about to start (not exactly ideal). People began to panic as the intro music reached its climax to the point the band were standing to the side of the stage, ready to play. Security eventually stepped in, stage managers took notice, lights were turned on and a man who’d had a seizure was taken away on a stretcher. It looked like he was about to get the treatment he required.

What came next I’d consider to be a pinnacle experience in the rites of thrash thrash metal. I’ve seen Slayer and Metallica a few times now. And sure, watching them in a giant festival or concert setting is cool. But watching Cavalera belt out the classics in a mid-sized venue was something else entirely. This felt more like Sepultura than the modern iteration of the band. And they were championing some of the most personally endearing of their material. Circle pits, mass chanting, raised fists and classic Sepultura ensued. The crowd was absolutely on fire.

Whether they garner this sort of a reaction at every show is hard to say. But what I can say with certainty is that in-between riffs, Max’s wide-eyed grin was difficult to conceal. The energy from the audience was palpable, and Max was returning it in-kind. He was having a good time, and from what I was gathering, the Melbourne show was turning out to be a highlight of the tour.

All across the board, the band played a tight set. Igor’s drumming sat high in the mix and were pummelled exceptionally. The two guitars and bass fused seamlessly, delivering a powerful, full-bodied sound as the band tore chronologically through their back catalogue.

The group moved from Bestial Devastation, to Morbid Visions, and to Schizophrenia, punctuating each set with brief transitions. The band gave two encores, the first featuring two slightly later tracks;’Refuse/Resist’ and ‘Territory’ from the Chaos A.D. album. These tracks were undeniably a highlight of the night. The second being a mix of ‘Troops of Doom’ and ‘Morbid Visions’ / ‘Dead Embryonic Cells’ / ‘Rest in Pain’ / ‘Bestial Devastation’. Max, using the final two songs to incite a wall of death.

It was a thing of magic to see the Cavalera brothers performing these songs again. The atmosphere was wild, and the band was on point. They gave and they gave, and the audience responded in-kind. For me, this was the pinnacle thrash metal rite of passage, and I can’t imagine it being surpassed any time soon. Many thanks to the Cavalera brothers for having the good will to bring their undying legacy to this part of the world.