Chaos A.D.
Sepultura
1993
Why This Album Matters
Chaos A.D. is an undeniable landmark in Sepultura's trajectory and in the history of global heavy metal. Released in 1993, this fifth studio album represented a courageous break from the death/thrash metal sound that the band had perfected in previous works, such as Beneath the Remains and Arise. Instead of replicating already established success, the group embraced a denser and more cadenced sound, prominently mixing elements of groove metal, industrial metal, hardcore punk and even influences from traditional Brazilian music. This fusion of styles resulted in an album of visceral intensity and social relevance, where the lyrics began to address urgent issues such as popular uprisings, territorial conflicts and police brutality with greater depth. The sonic and thematic ambition of Chaos A.D. solidified Sepultura not only as one of the greatest bands in Brazilian metal, but as an innovative force capable of expanding the genre's boundaries and engaging with a much wider audience.
Chaos A.D. represented a turning point both in Sepultura's career and in the global heavy metal scene.
José Julio do Espírito Santo · Rolling Stone Brasil
Context
Before Chaos A.D., Sepultura had already achieved international recognition with a sequence of albums that established them as a powerhouse of thrash and death metal. Works such as Beneath the Remains (1989) and Arise (1991) catapulted them to the forefront of the extreme scene, displaying technical and compositional ferocity. However, after years of touring and refining their characteristic sound, the band felt the need to break away from musical stagnation and explore new directions. The move to Phoenix, Arizona, in 1990 and observing their homeland, Brazil, from a new perspective during international tours, influenced the band to direct their lyrics towards more tangible social and political issues. This period marked a phase of transition and maturation, where Sepultura sought to transcend the boundaries of pure thrash metal to incorporate a wider range of influences and express an acute critical consciousness about the world around them.
Recording
The recording sessions for Chaos A.D. took place between 1992 and 1993 in the United Kingdom, marking a new chapter for the band. Opting to isolate themselves from distractions, Sepultura and producer Andy Wallace, who had already mixed the album Arise, chose Rockfield Studios in Wales. This was the first time the band recorded as a quartet with Paulo Jr. on bass in the studio, as Andreas Kisser had recorded the instrument on the three previous albums, in addition to his guitars. Wallace played a crucial role in restructuring and refining the songs, encouraging the band to focus more on groove and rhythmic feel rather than the pure speed of the blast-beat. One of the most notable moments was the recording of the acoustic instrumental track "Kaiowas", which took place live amongst the ruins of Chepstow Castle, also in Wales. This search for distinct environments and sounds underlines Sepultura's intention to break paradigms and explore new musical textures.
Songs
Chaos A.D. is a sonic and lyrical manifesto, where the songs reflect a profound thematic shift compared to the band's previous works. The lyrics abandoned apocalyptic fantasies to delve into urgent social and political themes, such as urban violence, corruption and territorial conflicts. The opening track, "Refuse/Resist", exemplifies this new direction, starting with the heartbeat of Max Cavalera's then-unborn son, Zyon, followed by Afro-Brazilian percussion and a striking riff, transforming it into an anthem of resistance against police brutality. Other songs such as "Territory" address the Israel-Palestine conflict, "Slave New World" protests against censorship, and "Biotech Is Godzilla" criticises the exploitation of natural resources, with lyrics co-written by Jello Biafra of Dead Kennedys. The presence of an entirely acoustic track such as "Kaiowas", recorded in a medieval castle and dedicated to the Kaiowá indigenous people of Brazil, demonstrates the band's boldness in incorporating ethnic and percussive elements into their heavy sound, enriching the album's musical tapestry.
Legacy
Chaos A.D. was not only critically acclaimed, but also achieved significant commercial success, selling over a million copies worldwide. The album was certified gold by the RIAA and in other countries, besides being Roadrunner's first album to feature in the Billboard 200 Top 40, reaching number 32. Its importance is reiterated by various publications: Rolling Stone Brasil magazine included it at number 46 among the 100 greatest albums in Brazilian music, while the American edition of the same magazine considered it the 29th best metal album of all time. The song "Refuse/Resist" was ranked at number 26 on VH1's list of the 40 greatest heavy metal songs of all time. More than just numbers and rankings, Chaos A.D. exerted a profound influence, being considered one of the pillars of groove metal and paving the way for genres such as alternative metal and nu metal. Bands such as Korn, Slipknot and Machine Head sought inspiration in Sepultura's innovative approach, solidifying the album as a watershed moment that transformed the trajectory of heavy metal in the 90s.
Rankings
Tracks
Credits
Sepultura
Andy Wallace
Sepultura
Max Cavalera
Paulo Jr.
Igor Cavalera
Andreas Kisser
Simon Dawson
Alex Newport
Podcasts
Meep Meep Podcast · Ryan Rainbro
Bo Lueders from Harms Way joins Ryan Rainbro in a deep dive and love fest over Sepultura's 5th album "Chaos A.D." from 1993.Coyote Corner: Rick Jiminez from This Is Hell responds to last week's Life of Agony "River Runs Red" episode.www.Patreon.com/MeepMeepPod
Obra Fechada · Marcelo Fonseca
Olá mais uma vez! Existiu um tempo onde o Brasil era reconhecido como uma nação de terceiro mundo. Os grandes símbolos do país reconhecidos fora dele, eram Pelé, a bossa-nova, a caipirinha e o Carnaval. Com a chegada da década de 1990, outros atores que já existiam e se mobilizavam desde meados da década anterior, chegam a cena. Com o acontecimento que foi o Rock in Rio, o rock torna-se a música
CMM · Crazy Metal Mind
Episódio originalmente publicado em 09/10/2016. No 267º episódio do Podcast mais Rock’n Roll da internet Rômulo Konzen, Daniel Iserhard e Carlos Augusto Monteiro batem papo sobre o disco Chaos A.D. do Sepultura. Trilha sonora do podcast (na ordem): *Sepultura - Refuse/Resist *Sepultura - Propaganda *Sepultura - Manifest *Sepultura - Amen *Sepultura - Territory *Sepultura - The Hunt *Sepultura -
No episódio nº 87 do RNM, Wiliam Faria e Bruno Glaser recebem o amigo Marcel Ianuck, do canal Decifrando Discos e também baixista da banda NW77, para juntos falarem sobre o disco Chaos A.D, do Sepultura. Quinto trabalho de estúdio da banda e lançado em 1993, Chaos A.D marca uma fase de amadurecimento e crescimento da banda a nível mundial, sendo referência até hoje como um dos discos mais importan
Videos
SEPULTURA CHAOS A.D.(1993) REVIEW
METAL DOLPHINS
CHAOS A.D. - UM REVIEW DO CLÁSSICO DO SEPULTURA
A Playlist Infinita
SEPULTURA: ANÁLISE FAIXA A FAIXA DO "CHAOS A.D." (part. Daniel Dutra) | TUPFS Resenha #85
Tomar Uma
Sepultura - Chaos A.D. 30th anniversary REVIEW
Jim's Music Dungeon
ÁLBUM CLÁSICO | SEPULTURA | CHAOS A.D. (1993) COMENTARIO | RESEÑA
Resonancia Musical
Sepultura - Chaos A.D. (Classic Metal Album Review)
freetobewhoibe
Films
Books
Analyses
Chaos A.D. – Wikipedia
Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia
Chaos A.D. – The 100 Greatest Albums of Brazilian Music
José Julio do Espírito Santo · Rolling Stone Brasil
Gravado com participações ilustres (Jello Biafra, do Dead Kennedys, e Evan Seinfeld, do Biohazard),Chaos A.D.representou um ponto de inflexão tanto na carreira do Sepultura quanto no cenário do heavy metal mundial. Para o quarteto de origem mineira, a deixa havia sido dada para se enveredar cada vez mais pela música brasileira, conseguindo uma visão única para seu som e lançando posteriormenteRoots, outro disco essencial. Para o resto do mundo, via-se ali alternativas para atualizar o gênero. Tool, Korn e toda uma nova geração devem muito a este álbum.
Sepultura - Chaos A.D. - Reviews - Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal ...
metal-archives.com
What turned fans off was the fact that with Chaos A.D. Sepultura left the world of thrash completely, choosing to replace their Slayer heritage with hardcore-influenced groove riffs that laugh in the face of speed and are as complex as a hydrogen atom.
Sepultura tem a dissonância do álbum 'Chaos A.D.' dissecada com ... - G1
g1.globo.com
As ações de marketing durante o lançamento do disco, em outubro de 1993, também são objetos de análise. Com informações esmiuçadas, Castro costura narrativa fluente que jamais soa pesada.
Sound Classic: Sepultura — Chaos A.D. (1993)
soundhousebr.blogspot.com
O que chamou a atenção logo de cara em Chaos A.D. foi a ausência de velocidade. Em vez disso, a banda apostou em riffs mais densos e cadenciados, além de afinações mais baixas.
Discogs
Chaos A.D. – Discogs
discogs.com