Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Max finds his Roots! Bloody Roots!, October 13, 2005
Four and a half stars
I must say, since I first heard this album yesterday, I have been beside myself anticipating the free time I would have to write a review for this unexpected gem.
Arise was really the first album I purchased that made me feel like I listened to "heavy" metal. I ate up all the other Sepultura releases, and though I love Beneath the Remains, Arise, and Chaos A.D. quite a lot, Roots has always been one of my favorite albums of all time.
Soulfy, while interesting, never really captivated me much, though I enjoy the occasional spin of Primitive and Prophecy. This new venture, Dark Ages, I am welcoming with open and eager arms, and you should too.
Aside from the second track, Babylon, this album sounds nothing like any other Soulfly release, except occasionally with the tribal drumming (though this staple of Max's started more with the Chaos A.D. album). No folks, instead of pulsating nu-metal stadium jumping tracks, Max and co. serves straight up death/thrash which oftentimes echoes the stylings of his Sepultura masterpieces.
Another welcome change is the abundant solos. Marc Rizzo absolutely shreds through his leads, and quite honestly, lays down the best solos I have ever heard in Max Cavalera songs. Couple Marc's lead abilities with the reaffirmation that Max has plenty of tasty real metal, and not just nu-metal, riffs left up his sleeves, and you end up with an album that will have your vertebrae re-experiencing the kind of punishment it received in the early-90s.
Though I will agree with many other reviewers here that the progression of songwriting is lacking with the focus shifted back to a heavier sound, the songs are in no way stagnant, and in many ways remind me most of Sepultura because of the multitude of neck-breaking catchy riffs in each song. If you want simplistic, monotonous songwriting, go for the early Soulfly albums; you are not going to find such static repetition here. In addition, tracks like "Inner Spirit" are undeniably menacing, but still contain moments of the varied stlye which was so prominent on Prophecy.
To me, the nail in the coffin for this album is the outright rage that spews forth from each track. Without a doubt, Dark Ages finds Max as pissed as ever, and though spirituality remains a prime focus, it seems that the unfortunate and tragic episodes of Max's life have reached a boiling point. Never one to shy away from harsh and dark social and political commentary, Max seemed to have tempered the expression of these messages in the Soulfy releases in favor of exalting his spiritual passions. Dark Ages, as the name so perfectly suggests, finds a return to the sick of it all ranting, and this mood undeniably seeps into the music as well.
Luckily for the world of music, this recipe results in a tasty treat for Sepultura-only, Soulfly-only, and Sepultura and Soulfy fans. Though at times the lyrics are annoyingly juvenile and antagonistic, fans of Max will recognize them as the manifestation of a great man's struggle with the actions and ignorance of his fellow brothers and sisters. Thank God, as you know Max would want you to, that he has again found a way to send his message with the effect of chilling you to the bone with sheer brutality and purely visceral adrenaline. Welcome back Max.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Finnally..., October 5, 2005
The album that every Soulfly and Sepultura fan has waited for... Dark Ages is heavier, faster, and more powerful than all the of the other Soulfly c.d. put together. The greatest quality of Dark Ages unlike the last four Soulfly albums is that it is consistant! not with all the good and bad, soft and heavy songs all mixed up. its all heavy! the only soft song is of course the last song, the instrumetal "Soulfly V". Other than that Dark Ages is truly an incredible album that never lets up and never slows down.
Some reviewers have compared this album to early Sepultura, but i think that Dark Ages is too heavy and not thrashy enough to really be compared to any Sepultura cd's. Sepultura is bar none the best thrash metal band. No other band will ever make better thrash metal than Sepultura, that including Soulfly. And plus Dark ages kinda has an errie industrial sound to the songs instead of that tribal metal sound they have always had, which is another big difference that Max has made in Dark Ages.
With awesome screaching guitars, militaristic drumming, enraged shout along chorus's(on and on and on! into the babylon!) what problems could this cd possibly have?! well the guest vocalist on "Innerspirit" and "Staystrong" is a little irritating at times, but other than that... flawless.
Dark Ages is relentless in its full on heavy metal assault but it also has a soft side too; the new "Soulfly V" is a great chill out song to listen to when relaxing after 50min of nonstop headbanging!
All in all i highly recomend you buy Dark Ages right here right now without hesitation. This is far from any Soulfly Album you've ever heard, thats for sure. Just like how other roadrunner record bands like Chimaira, Opeth, and Devildriver are achieving huge sucess w/ their new albums, Dark Ages is sure to do just that for Soulfly. Also be sure to get this and the new Exodus cd: "shovel headed kill machine" and you will be good to go. Cheers for Soulfly. may Max continue in this direction of creating all out extreme metal and never go back from it ever again. buy Soulfly's new album Dark Ages. support true metal.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
THE BEST SOULFLY CD SO FAR!, January 30, 2006
ALL THESE REVIEWS ARE GOOD AND RIGHT ON THE MONEY, BUT IN SHORT TERMS, THIS IS THE BEST SOULFLY CD SO FAR, IT HAS SOME CHAOS AD, NAILBOMB, ROOTS AND ARISE INFLUENCE INTHERE BUT YOU CAN ALSO TELL IS SOULFLY BY JUST LISTENING TO IT, SO IS ALL GOOD.
MORE THRASHY AND METAL. IF YOU LIKE ALL THE ABOVE ALBUMS THEN BUY THIS ONE... MAX AND COMPANY, GOOD JOB GUYS, KILLER ALBUM, THANKS AGAIN!
THE BOSTON MA AND HARTFORD CT CONNECTION
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