Customer Reviews

Conquer (CD + DVD)

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'm a longtime Sepultura fan, and when Soulfly's first CD came out, I thought it was good, but a little too nu-metal. I remained a fan of both groups as their paths took them in different musical directions over the following decade. After forgetting about both for awhile, I rediscovered them through Cavalera Conspiracy, which was good, but didn't have enough musical diversity to make me want to have repeat listens.

After reading a few reviews of Conquer on wikipedia, I decided to give it a chance. Man am I glad I did. This is the best CD I've heard from Cavalera since the Roots/Chaos A.D. era. Every single song has its own unique sound, and they all work together to make an amazing album. I haven't felt this way about a metal cd since Machine Head's The Blackening. Granted, I'm not the biggest metal fan anymore, but this CD had me hooked from start to finish.

I haven't watched the DVD yet, so I can't comment on whether it is good or not. It was filmed in 2005, so it doesn't have anything from this album on it. I own a Sepultura live show on DVD, and the energy Cavalera brings on the stage is impressive. So I'm sure the DVD is worth paying a few extra bucks for.

The CD also comes with three bonus tracks. All of them are solid, but I can see why they left them off the regular cd.

I don't really want to get into a track by track breakdown, because every song is great. It'd just be repetitive praise. Just know that the lyrics and vocals are great, the guitar work is fantastic, and the drums and bass fit each song perfectly.

If you liked Sepultura before Cavalera left, and have ever liked Soulfly, you should definitely buy this CD.

2008 is a good year for Max Cavalera. He and his brother recently got together for the first time in nearly 12 years since playing in Sepultura, and recorded the Cavalera Conspiracy album Inflikted. After that, you'd think it'd be enough. Months later, we have Soulfly's sixth album Conquer. While Inflikted was more about Max and Igor letting their punk, thrash, and hardcore influences out, this album definitely shows the influences of extreme talents like Slayer, Bolt Thrower and Napalm Death. It is a never-ending bulldozer of energy and aggression that keeps rolling and doesn't let up until the instrumental "Soulfly VI" (a tradition on each album, each instrumental numbered by the album: self-titled-Soulfly, Primitive-Soulfly II, 3-Soulfly III, Prophecy-Soulfly IV, Dark Ages-Soulfly V). The instrumental here is quite different because of the use of electric and acoustic guitars and drums where the other instrumentals were mostly acoustic, so I consider it to be the slow rocker of the Soulfly instrumentals. One thing interesting is that for Soulfly's first three albums, the lineup was always different. The current lineup has been able to maintain itself for three albums, which is great because it's the best one especially because of lead guitarist Marc Rizzo, who is not only excellent at rhythm guitar playing, but lays down amazing guitar solos. Prepare to hear some sick shreddage here. Did I mention that Conquer is the first Soulfly record where mixing duties were handled by Andy Sneap (Machine Head, Testament, Megadeth, Arch Enemy)? The resulting sound is a mixture of old and new: the Soulfly sound of previous albums Prophecy and Dark Ages, but with a heavier overall edge, and quite a few twists.

Who would have thought that Max would able to keep Soulfly together long enough to make six albums? Nobody thought he would do anything worthwhile after leaving Sepultura. Say what you want, but he deserves more credit than he is given.

Wow. I went a while without listening to Soulfly, and this is what happens. I check out the new record, and it is nowhere NEAR anything done by Max. Dark Ages saw this band taking a sharp turn into the thrash metal scene, and this one took it even further. This album is one of the best thrash albums i've ever heard. There are an insane amount of heavy, fast riffs on this album as well as complimenting drum-work. This is definitely Max's best work to date and better than anything Sepultura has recorded (I know, they're still legends). Marc Rizzo is one of the fastest and best guitarists i've ever heard, up there with Dino Cazares. If you don't like this album, you should stop listening to music now. EVERY single song on this album is great. Buy this now.

As a real old fan of Sepultura this record, to me, is Soulfly's best record. As a fan of music I love to see bands grow and that is exactly what they have done. Since Marc Rizzo joined the band the records have become more soulful, intense, and metal. Conquer is not only their best release but their most technical without losing their roots in making the crowd move. I would highly suggest this record to metal heads that love Arise and Dark Ages because of the soulfulness and technicality. You can tell they spent some time on theses songs compared to Cavalera Conspiracy. Just buy it you'll love it.

2008 was a very good year for Max Cavalera, and a real busy one so to speak. First, he and his brother Igor got back together for the first time in 12 years since their days in Sepultura, and formed their new side project Cavalera Conspiracy which also featured Soulfly's lead guitarist Marc Rizzo and Gojira's guitarist and vocalist Joe Duplantier on bass and backup vocals, and they would release the "Inflikted" album in March, and then later in July of that same exact year, Max and the rest of the guys in Soulfly would release their sixth full length effort titled "Conquer" This album is just freakin fast, energetic, punishing, and devastating beyond words, it's just that awesome, believe me. From the awesomely explosive opening track "Blood Fire War Hate", this album is an all out neverending freight train of heart pounding energy and savage aggression that doesn't let up until we finally reach the closing instrumental track "Soulfly VI". The overall production on this album is simply fantastic with Max himself handling the production and of course Andy Sneap (Machine Head, Arch Enemy, Testament, Megadeth) taking care of the mixing duties. Max leads the onslaught throughout as always with his powerful primal growls and screams and crushing rhythm guitarwork guaranteed to command the tribe into battle with each word and riff. Marc Rizzo is definately one of the best and most proficient lead guitarists I've heard today. He just rips and shreds his way throughout this album with amazing guitar solos that would definately make Dave Mustaine and any other shred veteran mighty proud. Meanwhile, Bobby Burns grinds out heavy and volatile bass lines that will carve your chest, and drummer Joe Nunez just crushes and slaughters behind his drum kit, forging a rhythmic background for an all-out sonic war.

Favorite Songs Included:

The first track "Blood Fire War Hate" (which also features guest vocals by David Vincent of Morbid Angel) is an explosive opener that begins with a repitive chant of "BLOOD FIRE WAR HATE", and it keeps building up momentum, and then at 1:19 before you know it, all hell breaks loose with a violent barrage of wild thrashing guitars, fast throttling drums, and raging vocals. Up next, we have "Unleash" which is the album's first single and also features guest vocals from Throwdown frontman Dave Peters, as well as ultra brutal, pummeling riffage and double bass kicks, and there's also a cool melodic part where Marc throws in a really neat squeal-like sounding guitar solo before the heaviness resumes. Track three "Paranoia" is a killer mid paced cut that features a great chorus and a wailing guitar solo by Marc, while the fourth track "Warmageddon" is highlighted by a slow yet heavy and blistering opening riff, and there's also another savage and violent thrash section around the 3 minute mark with more ripping guitar solos and hammering drum beats. "Enemy Ghost" is another catchy mid paced headbanger that features more heavy teeth grinding riffs and angry growls from Max, and I also love that awesome shredding solo by Marc near the end. Track seven "Fall of the Sycophants" is another savage thrasher that is highlighted by more violent thrashing riffage, fast crushing drumwork, and more raging vocals to boot. The song does slows down a bit making way for another amazing Rizzo guitar solo before picking up full speed once again. Track eight "Doom" is another catchy, killer headbanger that keeps the energy and aggression going, while "Touching the Void" has a more slower and creepy sound that is reminiscent of Black Sabbath (yeah, I can tell because it says to Black Sabbath in the lyric sheet), and of course the final song "Soulfly VI" is a real fantastic instrumental closer that ends the album on a melodic and peaceful note after a neverending assault on your senses and rightfully so.

Overall, Soulfly's "Conquer" is simply put, ONE monster of a metal album, and it's definately the heaviest and most musically diverse album that Soulfly have released to date thus far. It truly shows you how much Soulfly have grown and evolved throughout the years. Highly recommended for fans of Soulfly as well as early Sepultura, and I also recommend "Inflikted" by Cavalera Conspiracy too.

STAY METAL...

Ive been a really big fan of max calavera and his music, when this album was released I got it and it was incredible! Very fast and good guitar solos, especially in paranoia and doom! And how they give it some slow parts in the songs like unleash with the slow part in the middle and the end of doom. This album is very very VERY good and i love it! =)

Soulfly do not disappoint and evolve stronger than ever on this disc. This disc is not unlike previous releases but has a stronger Metal element. Straight forward tracks of Riffs that crawl under your skin. Max does not do anything particularly 'new' but there is a renewed energy on this disc that takes over where 'Dark Ages' started. There are more 'Sepultura' sounding tracks as well. Especially on 'Warmageddon' and 'Blood,Fire,War,Hate' which has a very reminiscent sound of 'Remains' era Sepultura.

There are guitar solos on this that are very good and fit songs appropriately. There are definitely More Thrashed out moments and it is very bottom heavy Produced making it sound thicker. This works well with the down-tuned guitars. As stated previously, nothing out of the ordinary musically but its executed tightly and with a no holds barred approach.

'Doom', 'Unleash', 'Blood, Fire, War, Hate' and 'Enemy Ghost' absolutely kill and are in the same league as anything 'Lamb of God' does but has that Max inflicted flavor. 'Paranoia' is a killer mid paced number. 'Touching the Void' has a real slow-creeper sound reminiscent of Soulfly meets Sabbath. Well done but could have been edited down a little at the end. And 'For Those About To Rot' is a decent track with a touch of Brazilian/Tribal flavor.

Those are my favorites, but other tracks hold well. People who like the Roots and Remains era of Sepultura will definitely enjoy this over older Soulfly discs. Max Cavelera seems to be coming full circle with the thrash metal stylings of old at this point. Brutal.

That said, those who liked Soulfly's debut and more nu-metal approach wont enjoy this as much. But doubt many will admit to liking that era anyway. There aren't nearly as many skip-able tracks as there were on 'Prophecy' and 'III'.

I would totally skip the 'Soulfly VI' track at the end. It is a terrible way to end the album. Instrumental and does not fit in the context as the rest of the disc. I understand trying to stick in something different, but it is unwarranted.

Cavalera Conspiracy and veteran Sepultura fans should have this though. Really they all go together anyway. It is Heavy as hell. Just don't expect anything earth-shattering or new and you wont be disappointed. Also, be sure to listen more than once.

best album of soulfly, long live max, it's just mind blowing, suuuuuperbbb! just get it.

I'VE started listening to MAX'S music since Sepultura-Beneath the Remain, but stopped after he departed the band. I heard their CONQUER preview at HEADBANGERS BALL before the album was released, and i was like "max came back to his ROOTS- BLOODY ROOTS. I gotta tell you, this album includes all the styles he had over the years-BENEATH-ARISE-CHAOS-PRIMITIVE-DARK AGES. If you are a SOULFLY fan, this album is a must. JUST BUY IT, IT WONT DISSAPOINT.

yes folks we have it right here 2008 album of the year and it is Labor Day weekend so not much left to come out besides the new Metallica so anyway lets get down to business this one took me by surprise because the last Soulfly album Dark Ages was borderline incredible this one is arguably thier finest moment clocks in at 71 minutes or so and never a dull moment they tear your head off with their thrash and then they get into experimental tribal stuff which is common for them but just briefly in most songs, highlights include most everything but # 1 blood fire war hate is a great starter # 3 paranoia # 4 warmageddon # 7 fall of the Psychophants #8 Doom and especially # 10 touching the void total Black Sabbath worship {they even say in the lyric sheet [to Black Sabbath]and then end it with Soulfly VI [instrumental] which is something that Ritchie Blackmore would have done on any Rainbow album good stuff indeed and the bonus tracks of Bad Brains and I really liked Marilyn Mansons The Beautiful People HELL YAH
if Max Cavalera stepped in the ring with all 9 members of SLIPKNOT and compared new albums 9 people would be dead and Max would have 9 Stonehenge masks as a trophy