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Cavalera ConspiracyPandemonium

Estimated reading time: 2 minute(s)

★★★☆ I have been steadfast in my dismissal of all things Cavalera over the years, ever since “Roots.” But this album finally feels like it gets more things right than not. The detuning (both on the guitars and the vocals) combine with an unorthodoxically muddy mix to fit Max’s nihilistic ambitions while simultaneously putting him in his place: present, but not front and center. That position is instead given to the breakneck and unrelenting rhythm of the riffs and the pounding of Igor’s impeccable percussion. This isn’t a new kind of music by any means, and it’s not exactly highbrow, but it is surprisingly effective and invigorating.