Track Listing

1. Refuse/Resist
2. Territory
3. Slave new world
4. Amen
5. Kaiowas
6. Propaganda
7. Biotech is Godzilla
8. Nomad
9. We are not as others
10. Manifest
11. Hunt
12. Clenched fist

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6764 in Music
• Released on: 1993-12-31
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .24 pounds

CD Description
Sepultura truly claimed its place on the heavy-metal world stage with 1993's CHAOS A.D., a focused, dose-of-thunder release that crystallised the Brazilian outfit's aesthetic. Propulsive rhythms, gravel-voice shouting, and epic guitar riffs drenched in nerve-fraying distortion come together in a perfect marriage here. But while Sepultura's music was originally inspired by the likes of Metallica and Slayer, CHAOS A.D. feels considerably more stripped-down than the music of these mentors--progressive changes and long, showy solos are few and far between.
Instead, Sepultura emphasises fierce,straightforward structures that have more in common with hardcore's no-nonsense approach than metal's glamorous flash. The band's lyrics take a distinctly political turn on CHAOS A.D., addressing issues such as state-generated war ("Refuse/Resist") and biotechnology ("Biotech Is Godzilla"--with lyrics written by Jello Biafra). The weightiness of the themes is well suited to the crushing, apocalyptic sound of the quartet (Igor Cavalera's drumming alone could bulldoze a medium-sized city), and the intensity of the performances throughout should appeal to fans of both traditional and hardcore metal. This is an essential album from one of the most important aggressive rock bands of the 1990s.

Customer Reviews

By far the best of the original Seps albums
This album is a bona fide nineties metal wonder. Everything, from the pace, variety and tone to the playing, guitar sounds and lyrics is distinctively 90s, and distinctively excellent.

The album has been structured to perfection, opening with an embryonic heartbeat before the thunderdrums of Igor Cavalera come in to mimic it, and then there's THAT two-note riff. From this striking opening the album continues to impress, each song on its own merits. "Territory" starts with that excellent drum fill before descending into heavy, heavy chugging. "Slave New World" may just have the best riff ever, alternating between slow grooves and crushing breakdowns. "Amen" is a much slower song with some fantastic playing all round, subtle but there when looked for. The fifth track, however, is what sets this album and all subsequent Seps records apart from their earlier material- the inclusion of the acoustic tribal jam "Kaiowas". Sure, the band had done restrained pieces before, but none so tinged with their own culture and heritage. Needless to say, it spawned a thousand imitators, and the band themselves would take this aspect of their sound perhaps to overkill levels on later releases, but smack in the middle of Chaos A.D. it makes for a perfect break.

"Propaganda" and "Biotech Is Godzilla" are a sonic punch in the nethers after the relative ease of "Kaiowas", and from here on the metal never lets up. Still, the variation continues, with the straightforward "Nomad" counterbalanced by the slow-burning "We Who Are Not As Others". "Manifest" for me represents the high point of the album, a song that is essentially an instrumental with some lyrics thrown in as an afterthought. The way it progresses is exemplary of how the band evolved from their fun but dead-ended thrash metal days. It builds and destroys, repeats with changes and features the best rhythms and guitar work on the entire album. "The Hunt" is a cover and as such feels somewhat out of place, but in an odd way the whole album is like a great big jam, so it ends up feeling right anyway! "Clenched Fist" closes the album with some truly brutal riffage, a real heavy number to leave an impression. The song closes with some static, guitar wailing feedback type noise, a spiritual connection to the other great metal album of that period, Rage Against The Machine's breathtaking debut.

Depending on which issue you get you'll be treated to a variety of extra tracks. The hardest edition to find is supplemented only by a brief cover of Titas' "Policia", a quick punky riff-fest with a killer breakdown. You can find that on the compilation Blood-Rooted, and on the "Territory" single as well is you fancy a challenge. The version Amazon is selling has four bonus tracks, none of which are "Policia". Instead, you get the electronic piece "Chaos B.C.", a mess of noise produced by Roy Mayorga for the Third World Chaos VHS tape. It's rubbish. "Kaiowas" (Tribal Jam) is an alternate, even more bare recording of the same track, although its nothing more than a curio. The live renditions of "Territory", "Amen" and "Inner Self" are the real treat here, recorded in Minneapolis during a concert that would occupy many Seps B-Sides for the next few years. The production is marvelous and the performance tight. I personally feel some of the songs from this show rival their studio counterparts as the definitive versions (check out the left/right channel split on "Slave New World"). More from this show also appears on Blood-Rooted, as well as the rest of the Chaos AD-era b-sides.

Most fans will agree that Sepultura hit a peak with this album, perfecting the mix of groove metal and thrash while introducing elements of their own. The albums on either side veer too heavily in either direction to be quite the same experience. I personally prefer the band's more recent work, as their development over the years has seen them discard the tired and forge on mercilessly with the styles they're best at, but there's no denying that Chaos AD is one of the very best of the year and by far the best from the band's classic lineup.

Not just Sepultura's best, but one of the all-time classics
This is where Sepultura really came into their own in the early 90's, and this album solidified that. They stripped down the distorted noise of "Arise and displayed an almost punk like straight-forwardness in their sound. This album contains the best monsterous riffs since Metallica's "Master of Puppets", with classics like the opening three tracks and "Propaganda". Igor's drumming is unrivalled: just listen to "Territory" and "Slave New World" for evidence of this. Max's vocals are as powerful as ever, and Andreas Kisser's soloing is second to none. All these elements conspire to make a hell of an album, only being equaled once in the 90's (Machine Head's "Burn My Eyes"). Top Stuff

Sepultura at their best
While 'Beneath The Remains' seemed a bit mechanic to me, lacking any genuine emotion, and 'Roots' had diverged too far off the metal path with muddy production and slightly OTT tribalisms; Chaos A.D was the perfect compromise where Sepultura truly found their position as a GREAT metal band. The album starts off with Max's son in the womb and doesn't become less emotional. Andreas Kisser may not be playing solos quite as long and as impressive as 'Beneath The Remains' but they still work great. Secondly, there is less dependence on the Megadeth style of riff-after-riff which only Megadeth pull off with true succession. The structures are a lot less reliant on unnecessary shifts. Refuse/Resist is a great introduction and one of the most catchy metal songs of all time. Also 'Kaiowas' is an acoustic track that really highlights the tribal/brasillian influence in Sepultura. Other greats are 'Propaganda' which is a metal classic, and also 'Bio-Tech Is Godzilla' a thrash classic blurring past in under two-minutes co-written (lyrically) with Jello Biafra of DKs fame. Passionate, precise and perfect; no metal fan should live with out,.