INTERVIEW: MAX CAVALERA of SOULFLY & NAILBOMB talks about a life in music & FROTH & FURY 2026

Описание: SOULFLY has been spearheading the movement of groove metal for decades now, reaching into limitless directions while seamlessly retaining the expert quality and perfection that bears the Cavalera seal of approval. Coming straight from the deep jungles of Brazil to the arid expanses of Arizona, Max and company are soon to deliver their thirteenth album, the mighty, heart-pounding, tribally fueled CHAMA. Once again, a remarkable testament to the Brazilian songwriter’s natural affinity for slamming yet rhythmic riffs that defined his signature sound to listeners around the world. A true return to the spiritual upbringing of SOULFLY that somehow bears a modern-day edge and vitality. Something that could only be attained by a true master of the craft, and Max has stunned us all again per usual.

It has always been apparent that Max has brought attention to Latin American culture, art, and spirituality through his music, and CHAMA brings him back to those dirty streets of Belo Horizonte as he screams in Portuguese. The name Chama itself literally translates to ‘Flame”, but it also embodies the burning vitality of the human spirit, the strength of ancestors, the forces of nature that bind us to the tempo of the earth. Accompanying the album CHAMA is the story of a boy from the dingy favelas of Brazil, who in search of a higher power, finds himself amongst the tribes of the Amazon, who show him the way of the jungle’s souls. Max comments that the album itself loosely follows this concept, the boy Chama finding his fire amongst the chaos and debris of a collapsing industrial world.

The tribes and indigenous peoples of the Americas play a large role in the inspiration for many of Max’s recordings, and Chama is certainly no exception, bearing the scene of a Navajo ceremonial dancer on the cover of the album. Featured on the inner label is also the image of Oxossi, a guardian of nature. Drums and fire and a ritual that beckons the summoning of ancestor spirits, a burning fuel that defies the darkness, SOULFLY ventures into these sacred spaces where few other metal bands dare to tread. The album kicks off with an intro track, ‘Indigenous Inquisition’, an homage to the genocide and extinction of the original American people, as Max hauntingly recites the names of long forgotten tribes, a proclamation to the bloodshed and warrior pulse of those wrongfully persecuted. An uprising for the underdogs, a home for the homeless, peace for the war afflicted. The song remains insane.

Max has been playing alongside his son, the enigmatic drummer, Zyon Cavalera for over a decade, and for the first time in SOULFY’s career, Max has passed the producing credits and creative direction to his son, and it’s clear to see the apple does not fall far from the tree. Zyon has brought an intensity and commitment to the band that is fresh and invigorating, stomping through song after song like a driven warhorse. If you’ve seen SOULFLY live with Zyon then you know he commands the stage from behind the drum set, directing the tempo and swing of each song like a well-seasoned general. Upon speaking to Zyon, he commented on the evolution of the music, exploratory sounds, the new blood brought to the band with the lineup changes over the years, the excitement of playing with new musicians. “For me personally, to have over ten years with the band has helped me grow and try new things musically. I think there is a strong fire lit within SOULFLY to take things to a new level. We’re not content to stand around, we are hungry.” He certainly displays this hunger, not only as a top-notch drummer, but also as a creative entity and a song structuring adept.

CHAMA was recorded at the Platinum Underground Studio in Mesa, Arizona by John Aquilino. John has worked with Max and company multiple times before and is not only a talented engineer but a family friend. The studio features the highest end Focusrite board, one of only three in the world, and is as prestigious as they come. Also featured on the producing credits is the masterful Arthur Rizk, who has not only worked with the Cavalera family numerous times before, but has also helped to shape the world of heavy metal in the modern day. You can throw a stone anywhere in a record shop and probably hit an album that Arthur worked on, and that is said with the deepest respect. Arthur truly brings recordings to life with his wizardly mixing and mastering, he is the obvious choice to flesh out any album of any extreme genre. His work on CHAMA cannot be overstated, he is one of the best in the business for a reason.

CHAMA Coming out October 24th 2025 on Nuclear Blast Records.