Dante XXI

by Greg Prato

When Max Cavalera left Sepultura in 1997, fans figured that some of the group's metallic fury would be lost. But this certainly proved not to be the case, as the "Derrick Green version" of the group continued to churn out such angst-filled releases as Against, Nation, and Roorback. On their fourth studio set with Green, 2006's Dante XXI, the group continues to bring the rage. While it's not the same groundbreaking work as their last few albums with Cavalera were -- Chaos A.D. and Roots -- much of the elements that made Sepultura stand out from the metal pack are still present. Andreas Kisser's penchant for penning rubbery/elastic riffs is still a main focus for the group (why Kisser remains one of metal's most overlooked guitarists remains a mystery), as evidenced by such tracks as "False" and "Buried Words," while Sepultura's desire to visit new musical avenues is evident by "Ostia," which introduces strings to the group's sound. And from a lyrical standpoint, Sepultura continues to be one of the more challenging metal bands on the scene, as Green has looked to The Divine Comedy by Italian poet/philosopher Dante Alighieri for inspiration. Overall, Dante XXI is easily one of Sepultura's strongest releases to feature Green on vocals.