When Max and Igor Cavalera decided to put aside their differences in 2007 and reunite for Cavalera Conspiracy's debut , 'Inflikted', after a ten year feud following the fallout from Max's departure from the brother's former band ,Brazilian metal legends Sepultura , there was a palpable air of both salivating anticipation and also slight trepidation from the baying hordes. After all , surely this was just an effort to cash in on the Cavalera name , and provide a cheap nostalgia buzz? Thankfully , 'Inflikted' turned out to be a monster of a record , catchy and brutal in equal measures, with a respectful nod to the Cavalera's heritage, without over indulging in Seps tributes or rehashing old glories . Many thought it was a once off of course , and understandably so , but here the brothers are , back again , with lead guitarist Mark Rizzo and new bassist Johnny Chow in tow , with a new record , that's arguably even better than the first.
As one might expect from the title , 'Blunt Force Trauma' wastes no time getting down to business , with manic opener 'Warlord' , followed by the juggernaut riffing of 'Torture' and the shredtastic leads of 'Lynch Mob' .Indeed , Rizzo's leads come to the fore more this time around , his playing seemingly more confident and vital than on the more hardcore influenced ' Inflikted' .Moments like future moshpit anthem 'Rasputin' and the impossibly groovy 'Psychosomatic' mark the former Soulfly axeman out as a serious contender to the shredder crown previously held by Andreas Kisser , and his contribution arguably makes 'Blunt Force Trauma' what it is.
That said , you'd be hard pressed to fault the contributions of either Cavalera brother , Max sounding particularly pissed off with the world on songs like 'Jihad Joe', and the vitriolic title track ,while Igor is on typically excellent form, proving once again why he is regarded as one of the metal world's best drummers.
The album finishes with an ultra doomy take on Black Sabbath's 'Electric Funeral' , which seeks to prove that , if nothing else , the band are having a hell of a time doing what they do . More please.
Verdict : A more accomplished , mature effort from the Cavalera bros and co , 'Blunt Force Trauma' may just be the best thing any of the members of Sepultura have put their names to in years. 8/10
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