Sepultura is one of the bands that defined thrash metal for ever. The Brazilian band managed to achieve worldwide fame during the late 80’s and early 90’s and for the next decades they attract huge audiences in their concerts. After being active for over 40 years, Sepultura announced that they will disband after their farewell tour at the end of 2025 (more details at the end of the article).
The band formed in 1984 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil by the Cavalera brothers, Max and Igor. A bit later, bassist Paulo Jr. came to the band, along with Wagner Lamounier on vocals. After Lamounier departure, Max Cavalera became the lead singer and rhythm guitarist while Andreas Kisser became the lead guitarist . During the years, the band changed line-ups several times. In 1996, Max leaves Sepultura and Derrick Green becomes their lead singer, keeping this role for 29 years. After 2006, there have been no original members left in the band, since Igor Cavalera also left the band.
Sepultura have been active for over 40 years, playing all around the world and releasing 15 studio albums, along with 4 live albums, 4 compilation albums and many music videos. In this article we will review Sepultura’s discography, ranking their studio albums from worst to best.
15. A-Lex 2009
The majority of Sepultura fans were disappointed with this album. Inspired by the book/novel A Clockwork Orange, Sepultura tried to blend hardcore punk, instrumental intros, groove and death metal. But it didn’t work well as it seemed uninspired. We deliberately chose the song We’ve Lost You! from this album, as they almost lost us then.
14. Machine Messiah (2017)
The band stated the concept of the album, saying, “The main inspiration around Machine Messiah is the robotization of our society nowadays. The concept of a God Machine who created humanity and now it seems that this cycle is closing itself, returning to the starting point. We came from machines and we are going back to where we came from. The messiah, when he returns, will be a robot, or an humanoid, our biomechanical savior.”
Although ambitious as it seemed, it felt like it didn’t stick right. Especially the track order. But you will find elements of Sepultura’s sound from previous decades in very good songs, like the Phantom Self.
13. Against (1998)
In a move that shocked all metal fans around the world, Max Cavalera leaves Sepultura in 1996. 2 years later and with Derrick Green on vocals, Against is not that bad as an album but it felt uninspired compared to Roots, that was released 2 years earlier. No matter what though, Choke is a great song and showed Derrick Green’s abilities.
12. Nation (2001)
Nation is the second studio album with Derrick Green on vocals and the last one released with Roadrunner Records. This album sold very few copies and Sepultura blamed Roadrunner for not promoting their album, that’s why they decided to end their collaboration with them. Nation is extremely political, blending nu metal with groove metal. It has some interesting songs that deserve to be heard.
11. The Mediator Between Head and Hands Must Be the Heart (2013)
An album that is based on the 1927 silent film masterpiece Metropolis, should have been higher in our hearts. Eloy Casagrande on drums gives an excellent performance throughout the album. It is fast most of the time, brutal and dark. If it were any other band, it would rank way higher. However, since we speak about Sepultura, we always demand perfection.
10. Roorback (2003)
After two albums with Derrick Green that did not go so well on sales, Sepultura needed an album that would put them back on the game. Commercially, that didn’t happen with Roorback. However, over the years, it received better reviews and the fans started to appreciate it. Sepultura remained political in this album and going full hardcore mixing it with nu metal.
9. Kairos (2011)
After A-Lex in 2009, it would be impossible to go worse. And indeed, Sepultura seemed ready to get back on tracks. Strong riffs, wild melodies, Derrick Green rejuvenated. Kairos is an album you need to re-discover.
8. Morbid Visions (1986)
If you listen to the original tapes (or the uploaded recordings from the tapes on Youtube), you will realize that this is one of the worst album productions ever. Even worse than those tapes from Norwegian early black metal bands in late 80’s. Even Max Cavalera had mentioned once that they forgot to tune their guitars when they were recording. Nevertheless, Morbid Visions is blackened death metal, or deathened thrash or whatever you want to call it. It might seem extremely raw to younger audiences, but it prepared us for what was about to come.
7. Schizophrenia (1987)
The transformation from Morbid Visions to Schizophrenia is beyond any explanation. Actually there is one. Andreas Kisser was the new guitarist. And he offered his magic to the world. And prepared them for what was about to come in the next years. Yes, it sounds like Slayer on some points. No harm here.
6. Dante XXI (2006)
In 2006, Sepultura decided to create a concept album inspired by Dante Alegheri’s Divine Comedy. And the result was a shorter (in duration) album compared to previous (or next ones), but more chaotic, harder, stronger.
5. Quadra (2020)
If you are a veteran with over 35 years of history and thousands of concerts all over the world, you don’t have to prove anything. Hopefully for us, Sepultura didn’t think like that when they were recording Quadra. Eloy Casagrande on drums is unique, the production is perfect and Derrick Green seems like he hasn’t aged at all. Endless dystopia.
4. Beneath the Remains (1989)
Between 1989 and 1996, Sepultura released 4 albums that will remain forever perfect. If Schizophrenia put them on the map, Beneath the Remains made Sepultura the band that all metalheads would discuss the years to come. We can easily say that Inner Self was the song of that era.
3. Roots (1996)
There is no need to say many things about Roots. The fact that many Brazilians still believe that Roots Bloody Roots must become their national anthem, really proves that Roots was an album that showed to all over the world that Brazilians can be extremely talented also in music, not only in football.
2. Arise (1991)
It will be a hubris even to say it, but I will say it. The best thrash metal song ever (ok, one of the best) is Arise by Sepultura. Everything is perfect. And when the second song of your album is Dead Embryonic Cells, you know that you hold a masterpiece in your hands.
1. Chaos A.D. (1993)
Slave New World, Refuse/Resist, Territory, Kaiowas. Thrash metal poetry. Perfection. A 10 out of 10 stars without any need to justify our position here. More than 30 years after its release, it still sounds like it was released yesterday. And only a few bands like Sepultura could do that.
As we mentioned in the beginning of this article, Sepultura will disband after the end of their global tour. For our friends in Bulgaria, you can see them this July in Hills of Rock, in Plovdiv. You can buy your tickets here:
https://ticketstation.bg/en/p4803-hills-of-rock-2025
