Sepultura are arguably the biggest Brazilian metal export. Their classic line-up, made of Max Cavalera and his brother, drummer Igor “Iggor” Cavalera, guitarist Andreas Kisser, and bassist Paulo Jr. originally disbanded in 1996 following Max‘s departure after a split between the band and his wife Gloria, who managed them. Igor remained with Sepultura for another decade – with Max‘s replacement and current frontman Derrick Greene – before leaving and reuniting with Max in Cavalera Conspiracy.
Even though the band has maintained a diehard fanbase in all parts of the world throughout their nearly four-decade history, Max-era albums “Roots” and “Chaos A.D.” were by far Sepultura‘s most commercially successful, having both been certified gold in the U.S. for sales over five hundred thousand copies.
The legendary thrash/groove metal stalwarts are currently on their farewell tour, marking the end of an era for metalheads worldwide. But will the final curtain truly fall without a reunion of the band’s original frontman, Max Cavalera, and his brother and original drummer Igor?
In a candid discussion with Sakis Fragos, publisher and chief editor of Rock Hard Greece, Max addressed whether he had been invited by the current band members to join Sepultura‘s final concert on their farewell tour. He clarified, “I have not been approached. In fact, I think I saw one thing Andreas Kisser, of course, said in an interview, like, ‘Why are we gonna ask them? They’re gonna spoil the party,’ which is very typical laughs of Andreas to say that”, he laughed.
Max continued, “I don’t know. I think I’m gonna let things happen the way they’re gonna happen. I’m not gonna force anything, and if there comes a time when we feel that we should make a reunion — okay, fine, as long as we do it the right way. Just like with these re-recordings [of early Sepultura albums that Igor and I are doing under the Cavalera name. I think we made them the right way — honest, proper, from the heart.”
Cavalera concluded the topic by saying: “So right now I’m not thinking about that. I know they announced the end of the band. I don’t understand this idea. I don’t know if they were forced to do it, or if it’s a mutual decision of just stop playing ’cause you don’t wanna do it anymore. I don’t know. I cannot live without music. I need to play live. It’s like the air I breathe. I love what I’m doing right now with Igor, with Cavalera, and we’re gonna continue.”