History is something that always follows you, and for such short-lived enterprises like music bands - even decades later it is not possible to avoid some mentions. Sepultura was supposed to be the world's biggest band now, if not unprofessional decisions dictated by feelings. On the contrary, it was a purely commercial pragmatism to continue with the same known brand… while, unfortunately, taking a pivot musically. 

But hey, anyone would have done the same in place of Derrick Green - this is just an opportunity that was stupid to miss. It is just difficult to imagine a poorer choice, considering that the band decided to not part with their history and still (try to) play their old classic stuff. Do not get me wrong, Derrick’s vocals are great (on the recordings) and I think he deserves a much better credit, - especially if it was another brand - other band name. 

That emotional spark almost thirty years ago resulted in the most high profile split in extreme music - at first giving us some unexpected bright moments (especially the first two Soulfly albums), but then quite soon fading - with an adverse antagonistic effect for both sides; and both sides sticking to quantity over quality. For Sepultura, replacement of a songwriter and a figure with charisma, recognizable vocals - by someone with completely different characteristics, with a loss of an instrument was a terrible hit to the music quality. Damn, even having Andreas Kisser on vocals (search “Sepultura - Live Donington 1996 (Bootleg 1996)” on youtube) and keeping the band as a trio would be a much better choice from the music perspective (btw, Andreas is a very versatile vocalist). I also freaked out when I saw a list (and checked out what is online) of those who auditioned to replace Max - and did not get the place. 

Now, that was an intro that I am sure no one has ever thought of or written about, right? Sorry for being so unique. 

I have seen Sepultura previously - regretfully, after 2012, and it was just bitter to watch. My last time they were not even headlining - just to imagine the depth of their fall. 

But this time it is their swansong (though, we have all seen Scorpions, Motley Crue and Slayer doing something “very final”), - and we give them a chance today, still keeping in mind our hope that they fold now in order to later make both good commercial and good musical choice, - but time will show. 

Not surprising that it is completely packed today. A massive banner with their logo is up. Smart lights shine in the audience so that we cannot see who walks onstage, - but not blinding us at the same time. 

I get pictures of pedalboards from the first row - it seems like Paulo Xisto Pinto Júnior (?) has SansAmp DI2112 bass drive, TC Electronics’ Chorus, something that looks like Darkglass DG-VULTRA Vintage Ultra Pedal, Plethora 5X from TC Electronics, DigiTech Drop Polyphonic Drop Tune Pedal, Crybaby JTC95 Justin Chancellor Wah expression and Shure GLXD6 wireless / tuner. Interesting. 

Another side (Andreas?) has just Jim Dunlop Sepultura 40th Anniversary Cry Baby Wah Pedal. 
Black Sabbath War Pigs starts and everyone in Sentrum Scene sings it. Then Titãs - Policia starts. Sepultura’s cover is much better. After that intros from the first albums go combined one after another and then the intro from Beneath the Remains starts. I would say, too long for an introduction. 

Aaaaaaaaand the band is up here, it is Beneath The Remains, the venue explodes. In the beginning there is almost no vocals, but then some emerge. The vocals sound like black metal, there is absolutely zero depth that Derrick Green has on the recordings - all much higher than Max. Like in most of the videos I have seen, Derrick does not sing - he spits the beginnings of the words. There is no sustain and long sounds are cut maximum short, like if there is no air in his lungs. 

The bass is inspired by …And Justice For All - it is almost none. Paulo is also hiding like some secondary support member. 

But what a guitar sound! When I saw Sepultura in 2017 opening for Kreator (damn, you just read this once again!!! Could you even imagine this anywhere around 1991-1996?), their sound was very bad. Not sure what they use now, but that time use of Orange was a bad match with their sound. This time the sound is simply fantastic - sometimes I stare to make sure it is only one guitar - how powerful it sounds. 

And the drums. The Drummer! Greyson Nekrutman. The best drummer Sepultura has had in years, - he is so much more relaxed than Eloy, and delivers so many interesting details! The drum sound also stands out. 

Second song is Inner Self, and people start crowd surfing (which is very untypical for the locals). This makes the club remove the photographers from the pit - so sorry guys, not many pictures from this gig. 

As if the vocals were not bad alone, the mix does completely no justice to vocals - no compression and no effects in most parts that really need it. 

Desperate Cry and then something faceless from post-1998 recordings called Phantom Self, that Derrick cannot sing either. 

Attitude and very cool lights on a great drummer. Some more bass here, but not enough to properly cut through. And this is really strange, - it was the same issue on the previous gig - like if the instrument trio deserves only two instruments to be audible. I do not get it - when Andreas does the solos, - it is almost nothing apart from the drums that one can hear in the mix, while the bass needs to be massively boosted. 

Something from Quadra and then Kairos played (that one is Ok-ish). Propaganda has slightly better vocals. Again, drums and guitar tone really save it!! 
Then goes The Treatment from A-lex, and again vocals on the recording are much deeper. 
Then another unknown song starting with acoustic guitar. 

Sorry (not sorry :) ) for repeating myself. It is cold Scandinavia, Oslo, and yet there is a lot of crowd surfing today!! 

Choke, the audition song is on - that one had a lot of great versions from potential front figures. Andreas announces something old, and Escape to the Void it is. 

Kaiowas with additional percussion is next, someone contributes with an additional acoustic guitar. Does this extra member do guitar on other songs too? 

Dead Embryonic Cells is followed by Agony of Defeat, and here I admit that this song is a great fit for Derrick. That is that song where he really opens up and such material should be played by the gang lead by Derrick. Why torture the old stuff? The mix engineer deserves a slap for vocal treatment for the most part of the set. 

Then my all-time favorites, Troops of doom, Territory, Refuse/Resist, that sees Paulo playing a bass bridge (instead of the guitar), - so finally we can hear that he just has a terrible muffled bass tone that is completely overshadowed by two other instruments in the mix. Derrick does a really long scream on Refuse/Resist. So he can do great long notes, but just does not want to?

Arise and a drum solo are then followed by mandatory Ratamahatta (that one was completely desecrated by Derrick) and inevitable Roots (sorry to admit that sustaining “R’yyooooooots, blyooyee ryyooots” instead of “Rrrrroooooots bllllloody rrrrrrroooooots” was also very very painful, but hey, this is the end). 

Yeah... But overall it was a good concert and a good memory. I really wish to hear what Andreas, Derrick and Greyson do if they fold the band for real. Sometimes history makes bizarre turns..