The artwork for SOULFLY’s ninth studio album, Savages has been revealed and is available for viewing below. The forthcoming release will become available on October 4 via the band’s new label home, Nuclear Blast Entertainment and will be released as a limited edition digipak CD, 2LP vinyl and digital download. The CD was produced by Terry Date, who is known for his work with such acts as PANTERA, DEFTONES and SOUNDGARDEN, and more. Guest vocal appearances on Savages include CLUTCH’s Neil Fallon, NAPALM DEATH’s Mitch Harris, SOULFLY bass player Tony Campos and frontman Max Cavalera’s brother Igor Cavalera (LODY KONG).
The cover artwork for Savages was created by renowned artist Paul Stottler, who is best known for his work on SACRED REICH’s legendary “Surf Nicaragua” cover.
Date previously mixed SOULFLY’s 2002’s 3, Prophecy (2004) and Dark Ages (2005) albums, but had never produced any of the group’s CDs. The drum tracks on the new SOULFLY CD were laid down by Max’s 21-year-old son, Zyon Cavalera, who joined the band as its touring drummer for its recent rampage through North America. Zyon previously played with SOULFLY during the band’s tour of Brazil in February 2012.
Commented Max Cavalera: “Recording Savages was an amazing experience for me. I was so excited to work with Terry Date, whom I consider to be one of the best producers of all time. He has done some great records and we have been in contact for awhile since he mixed three SOULFLY albums in the past. He came to see SOULFLY whenever we played in Seattle, and we finally made it work that he would be the producer for Savages.
“My teammates were awesome. Marc [Rizzo, guitar] did some crazy guitar noises and we did a ‘Mars Part Two’ at the end of ‘El Comegente’; it’s very LED ZEPPELIN-influenced and Marc kicked some ass on it.
“I wrote ‘El Comegente’ with Tony Campos. It’s in Portuguese and Spanish and it’s about Vargas — a Venezuelan cannibal from the ’80s. He is the Hannibal Lecter of the Andes. Crazy shit!
“I worked for the first time on a full album with my son, Zyon. Before recording the album I first worked closely at home with him in preproduction, and it was great to spend weeks on the songs with Zyon, shaping the sound of the record.
“Zyon did a great job and he hits really hard just like his uncle Igor. It was amazing recording with my son. A whole record! A dream come true for a father whose life is dedicated to metal. Savages is a celebration of all that.”
Igor Cavalera comments: “I was super pumped when I got the call to add vocals to ‘Bloodshed’. It’s badass that Nuclear Blast chose it as the first single.”
Neil Fallon adds: “I am stoked to have been asked by Max to participate on the ‘Ayatollah Of Rock ‘N’ Rolla’ track! Max brought CLUTCH out on some of our earliest and most formative tours and this brought back some very fond memories of singing with Max all those years ago.”
NAPALM DEATH’s Mitch Harris comments: “It was an honor for me to finally collaborate on a song with Max and Co. It’s something we’ve been talking about for the last 9 years.
“I’ve always felt like part of the Cavalera extended family, and for me it was a truly uplifting, comforting and memorable experience after say 26 years or so. We ran through all the takes together, trying to capture the carnal energy, the push and pull between force and action. Friction, charisma, and something true directing the sole intent of the message, that was my general angle on it.
“Art and expression are about capturing the moment, the essence of a connection between like-minded souls, expanding on concise ideas that start small and end up big.”
Savages track listing:
1. Bloodshed (feat. Igor Cavalera)
2. Cannibal Holocaust
3. Fallen (feat. Jamie Hanks)
4. Ayatollah Of Rock ‘N’ Rolla (feat. Neil Fallon)
5. Master Of Savagery
6. Spiral
7. This Is Violence
8. K.C.S. (feat. Mitch Harris)
9. El Comegente (feat. Tony Campos)
10. Soulfliktion
Limited-edition CD and 2LP vinyl bonus tracks:
11. Fuck Reality
12. Soulfly IX
