Chaos A.D.
For the first few albums of its career, Brazil's Sepultura was a better-than-average death metal band, but with the release ofChaos A.D., the group's true colors began to shine. In addition to focusing its rancor more deliberately, Sepultura began to flirt with tribal drumming and experimental guitar noises, elements that would later become trademarks for frontman Max Cavalera. In addition to creating torrents of volume, the band established a killer groove to propel its songs even during moments of sheer dissonance. The title track reveals Sepultura at its most caustic and aggressive, while "Kaiowas," with its tribal beats and acoustic guitar strums, exposes the band's more thought-provoking side.--Jon Wiederhorn