Max Cavalera, the legendary frontman of SEPULTURA and SOULFLY, recently reflected on the 30th anniversary of KORN’s self-titled debut album in a conversation with Joshua Toomey on the “Talk Toomey” podcast. The Brazilian metal icon discussed how KORN’s groundbreaking album influenced him as he was working on SEPULTURA’s “Roots” album, a monumental record that helped redefine the metal genre.
Max reminisced about a time when his late stepson, Dana Wells, brought home promo tapes of KORN’s debut and DEFTONES’ “Adrenaline.” This was a pivotal moment for Max, as he had not heard of these bands before and even found their names odd. He admitted jokingly that he didn’t think KORN would make it big, saying, “KORN, that’s a weird name, man. I don’t think that’s gonna fly.” As history shows, Max was proven wrong, as KORN went on to become one of the most influential bands in the nu-metal movement.
What stood out for Max wasn’t just KORN’s eventual success, but the music itself. He was particularly struck by the grooves and emotional weight of KORN’s debut, describing it as a record with “a lot of emotion, but it’s balls-heavy too.” As he worked on SEPULTURA’s “Roots” and later SOULFLY’s debut album, Max frequently found himself blasting KORN and DEFTONES in his car, drawing inspiration from the raw intensity and innovative sound that these bands brought to the scene. In his words, the first KORN album had “great grooves,” a sentiment he echoed for DEFTONES’ “Around the Fur,” which he called one of his favorite records.
What made this moment in metal history even more special for Max was learning from KORN members Jonathan Davis and Fieldy that they had been heavily inspired by SEPULTURA’s 1993 album “Chaos A.D.” while working on their debut. This mutual exchange of influences highlighted a broader theme in the metal community: the idea that musicians feed off each other’s creativity. Max emphasized how important it is to embrace this cycle of inspiration. “You should never shy away from being inspired or inspiring people,” he said, acknowledging that his work has inspired countless musicians, just as he continues to be inspired by others.
However, SEPULTURA’s “Roots” didn’t come without its share of controversy. Released in 1996, the album marked a significant shift in SEPULTURA’s sound, incorporating tribal rhythms and Brazilian influences that set it apart from the band’s earlier, more straightforward thrash metal albums like “Arise” and “Beneath the Remains.” Some SEPULTURA fans criticized the album for not being “metal enough” and for aligning with the then-emerging nu-metal genre. But Max stood by “Roots,” defending it as a heavy record that was misunderstood by some in the metal community. Tracks like “Straighthate,” “Spit,” “Ambush,” and “Endangered Species” were, in his view, brutal and fast, exemplifying the kind of aggression fans had come to expect from SEPULTURA.
Max believes that much of the criticism stemmed from the album’s popularity. “It got really popular; it got trendy. Some people connected it with ‘nu metal’,” he explained. Despite the nu-metal tag, Max doesn’t see “Roots” as part of that movement. Instead, he described it as more primal and stripped down, with simpler but heavy riffs and powerful percussion. “It’s really kind of more caveman,” he said, reflecting on the rawness of the album’s sound.
“Roots” was more than just a musical experiment—it was a bold artistic statement. Max’s vision for the album included recording with Brazilian indigenous tribes, a groundbreaking idea that added a new dimension to metal. This fusion of tribal elements and heavy music was something no one had done before, making “Roots” not only innovative but also a risky gamble for the band. “Not many people gamble everything and make a record with crazy ideas like that,” Max said, noting that many bands prefer to play it safe by sticking to formulas that work. But SEPULTURA was different. “We like to push the envelope. We like to go forward,” he declared, emphasizing the band’s refusal to rest on their laurels.
For Max, “Roots” wasn’t just an album—it was a deeply personal project. He was passionate about incorporating the indigenous elements and Brazilian culture into the music, and he felt that the album’s “Brazilianity” was one of its defining features. He praised the production work of Andy Wallace, who mixed the album, and the innovative music videos, including the Gracie-family-featured “Attitude” and the doll-filled “Ratamahatta.”
Despite its groundbreaking nature, “Roots” also marked a turning point in Max’s career, as it was the last album he recorded with SEPULTURA before his departure in 1996. This split was partly due to disagreements within the band, particularly regarding management, as Max’s wife, Gloria, was their manager at the time. Looking back, Max remains proud of “Roots” and its legacy, noting how many prominent musicians, including Dave Grohl and members of SLIPKNOT, have expressed their admiration for the album. “It’s a big record. Many famous people like this record a lot,” he said.
Interestingly, not everyone in the metal community saw “Roots” in a favorable light. KORN’s Jonathan Davis, for instance, once criticized the album for borrowing too much from KORN’s sound. In a 2016 interview with Metal Hammer, Davis called “Roots” a “blatant KORN rip-off” and admitted that he confronted producer Ross Robinson about it. Robinson had worked with both KORN and SEPULTURA, and Davis felt that SEPULTURA had copied KORN’s innovative sound.
Max, however, disagreed with Davis’s assessment. In response to Davis’s remarks, Max pointed out that SEPULTURA’s sound was distinct from KORN’s, especially in terms of bass and low-end production. He also emphasized that KORN wasn’t the only reason SEPULTURA chose to work with Ross Robinson. Max had been impressed with Robinson’s work on a FEAR FACTORY demo and a track on DEFTONES’ “Adrenaline” and felt that Robinson’s raw production style suited SEPULTURA’s vision for “Roots.”
Max also found Davis’s accusations to be immature. He compared the situation to SEPULTURA potentially being angry with CANNIBAL CORPSE for using producer Scott Burns, who had worked on SEPULTURA’s earlier albums. “That’s childish,” Max said. “So he’s just really being childish. And I really don’t give a shit about KORN or anybody.”
Despite these disagreements, Max acknowledged that both bands had their own unique styles and contributions to metal. While Davis may have viewed “Roots” as derivative of KORN’s sound, Max saw it as an entirely different entity. For him, SEPULTURA’s identity was rooted in their own distinct approach to music, and any similarities between the two bands were purely coincidental, a result of working with the same producer rather than a deliberate attempt to copy KORN’s style.
As “Roots” approaches its 30th anniversary, its influence and legacy remain as strong as ever. The album stands as a testament to SEPULTURA’s willingness to push boundaries and experiment with new sounds, even in the face of criticism. For Max Cavalera, “Roots” is not just an album—it’s a piece of metal history, a record that continues to inspire fans and musicians alike, even decades after its release.
