Max Cavalera’s musical influences are embedded deep with his DNA. The bands that inspired him can be heard in everything he’s done, from Brazilian trailblazers Sepultura to Soulfly, Cavalera Conspiracy, Nailbomb and beyond. In 2013, Max dived deep into the albums that shaped him.
The First Album I Bought
Queen – Live Killers (1979)
“My first album was Queen, Live Killers. Me and [my brother] Iggor went to the show in Sao Paulo, and the next day I went to the store to get anything by Queen and the guy from the store recommended it. I loved it, I listened to it every day. That was my first introduction to heavy metal, I guess.”
The Best Album Artwork
Scorpions – Blackout (1982)
“I always liked Scorpions’ Blackout. It’s a really striking image, it’s a face breaking the glass and he’s got forks in his eyes. It’s painted and it’s actually a really beautiful composition.”
The Album I Wish I’d Made
Black Sabbath – Sabotage (1975)
“I wish I’d made Sabotage by Black Sabbath. Just for the riff from Symptom Of The Universe, which I think is the best riff in the history of heavy metal. That and Hole In The Sky as the two opening tracks is so brutal. You don’t get any better than that.”
The Album I Break The Speed Limit To
Nails – Abandon All Life (2013)
“I’m going to say Nails, Abandon All Life. Such a great album but, unless it was a real short journey, you’d have to listen to it about 10 times.”
The Album No One Will Believe I Own A Copy Of
Sigue Sigue Sputnik – Flaunt It (1986)
“Sigue Sigue Sputnik isn’t the sort of thing that people would expect me to like, but I got into a lot of new wave stuff like The B-52s and The Cure and they were by far the most crazy of all those bands.”
The Album That Defines Metal
Motörhead – No Sleep ’Til Hammersmith (1981)
“I think Motörhead’s No Sleep ’Til Hammersmith would introduce them to metal quite nicely. It’s just brutal. Energy and power and speed… it is the originator of thrash music. Without Motörhead or that album, there probably would be no Metallica or Slayer or Sepultura.”
The Album That Should Not Be
Celtic Frost – Cold Lake (1988)
“I think Celtic Frost, Cold Lake. I was such a big fan and when Cold Lake out I just thought, ‘What is this garbage?!’ Trying to be glam?! I thought Tom Warrior was playing a joke on us. It was a big letdown, man.”
The Album That Reminds Me Of Brazil
Chico Science – Afrociberdelia (1995)
“Anything by Chico Science. He’s my favourite Brazilian artist and he talks a lot about Sunday afternoons in Brazil and eating Brazilian food and lots of other things that I can really relate to about being part of the Brazilian culture. When I listen to him it just takes me right back home.”
The Album I Want Played At My Funeral
Nailbomb – Point Blank (1994)
“I think Point Blank by Nailbomb would be fine. Very pissed off, angry, hateful… Nailbomb was all that. So that would be the perfect way to go.”
The Album That I Want To Be Remembered For
Soulfly – Soulfly (1988)
“My proudest one has to be Soulfly. Of all my albums, it was the hardest one to make with my circumstances at that time. I had just left Sepultura, and the death of Dana [Wells, Max’s stepson]… it was a very dark moment and I had so much to say but it had such a great vibe and we had so many great musicians on it. I’m very proud of it – the hardest but also the most amazing.”
Originally published in Metal Hammer issue 250 (May 2013)
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