Schizophrenia

Sepultura

1987

Cover of Schizophrenia
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Why This Album Matters

Schizophrenia marks a pivotal turning point in Sepultura's discography, being the band's second studio album and the first to feature Andreas Kisser. Released in 1987, this work is crucial for understanding the group's sonic evolution. It represents a significant stylistic transition, moving away from the death metal predominant in its predecessor, Morbid Visions, to embrace more pronounced thrash metal influences. This change consolidated a more technical and aggressive sound, defining the identity that Sepultura would develop in the following years. The album is a testament to the raw energy and musical experimentation that characterised the Brazilian metal scene of the era, establishing the foundations for the international recognition the band would achieve.

Context

Schizophrenia is notable for being Andreas Kisser's debut album with Sepultura, his entry into the band in 1987 marking the beginning of a new creative phase. Kisser's incorporation brought a new dynamic to the group's songwriting and musical execution, directly influencing the shift towards a more thrash metal-oriented sound.

Recording

The album was recorded in August 1987, at J.G. Estúdio, in Belo Horizonte. Schizophrenia's production and mastering were handled by Sepultura themselves, with the collaboration of Tarso Senra. An interesting particularity is that the bonus track "Troops Of Doom", originally from the album Morbid Visions, was re-recorded for Schizophrenia. This new version was mixed by Scott Burns in 1990, in Florida, and featured a re-recording in August 1990 at JG Studio, produced by Sepultura and recorded by Gauguim, with final mixing at Morrisound Studios, in Tampa, Florida.

Songs

The album's lyrics were predominantly written by Max Cavalera and Andreas Kisser, while the music was collectively composed by Sepultura. A lyrical highlight is the song "To The Wall", which was inspired by a police stop experienced by the band members in 1985. In his autobiography, Max Cavalera details that they were detained for not carrying identification, and on that occasion, the police allegedly insulted them for their metalhead style. The lyrics for "To The Wall" were credited to Korg, from the band Chakal.

Rankings

Tracks

Credits

Lyrics By

Andreas Kisser, Korg, Max Cavalera

Bass

Paulo Jr.

Drums

Igor Cavalera

Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar

Andreas Kisser

Rhythm Guitar, Vocals

Max Cavalera

Songwriter

Sepultura

Synthesizer

Henrique Portugal

Violin

Paolo Gordo

Engineer

Tarso Senra

Mastered By

Sepultura, Tarso Senra

Photography By

Fabiana

Podcasts

DMA #83: Sepultura "Schizophrenia"

The Department of Metal Antiquities · Nik Cameron

58 min·14 Jun 2022

Back in 1987 a new band dropped their sophomore record. Instead of leaning back into the black metal sounds they were becoming known for, they flipped the script and turned into death metal. Join Nik and Duncan as they dig into the grave of Sepultura's sophomore record.

Max Cavalera (Cavalera/ Soulfly/ ex- Sepultura)

Scars and Guitars

40 min·14 Nov 2024

Max Cavalera revisits Sepultura’s groundbreaking early albums - Bestial Devastation, Morbid Visions, and Schizophrenia - sharing stories of challenges, influences, and production. He reflects on Andreas, Paulo Jr., and overlooked contributor Jairo Guedz and dives into the early tape-trading scene with legends like Chuck Schuldiner and Euronymous. CAVALERA Third World Trilogy Australian Tour Dates

SEPULTURA: FAIXA A FAIXA DO "SCHIZOPHRENIA" (part. Andrew Traumann) | TUPFS Podcast #192

Tomar Uma Para Falar Sobre... · Rafael Araujo e Iúri Moreira

32 min·25 Nov 2021

SCHIZOPHRENIA foi um álbum que marcou a carreira do SEPULTURA por ter sido a porta de entrada para o mercado internacional, tendo como diferencial a estreia do guitarrista Andreas Kisser na banda. Então, convidamos Andrew Tramann para tomar uma a falar sobre todas as faixas do SCHIZOPHRENIA!   Formação: Max Cavalera – vocal e guitarra base  Igor Cavalera – bateria e percussão  Paulo Jr. – baixo  A

Videos

SEPULTURA: FAIXA A FAIXA DO "SCHIZOPHRENIA" (part. Andrew Traumann) | TUPFS Resenha #98

Tomar Uma

SEPULTURA SCHIZOPHRENIA(1987) REVIEW MY FAVORITE SEPULTURA ALBUM

METAL DOLPHINS

SEPULTURA - SCHIZOPHRENIA (1987) Review & Rating

King Of The Pit TV

Sepultura - Schizophrenia (album review)

Blenderstyle

New Release Review! Cavalera: "Schizophrenia" Re-Recorded (Sepultura/ Brazil/ Heavy/ Thrash Metal)

No Nonsense Metal Reviews

Cavalera Conspiracy - Schizophrenia - Album Review

Sh!t Talk Reviews

Films

Books

Analyses

Discogs

Schizophrenia – Discogs

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