Sepultura - The Cloud of Unknowing

Sepultura are a legendary band in the history of metal. With over 40 years of reinvention and a string of classic albums behind them, the band has very little left to prove. Sepultura are currently deployed on the “Celebrating Life Through Death� farewell tour, and set to retire at the end of the year, I was surprised to see them announce a new EP, titled The Cloud of Unknowing.

I’m always intrigued when a legacy band release an EP, let alone when a band chooses to bow out with a four track release. The EP format is something I relate more to independent acts looking for label interest, rather than a final release of such a classic act on a major label. However, after digging into the press release it seems as though the primary driver was a desire to record some new Sepultura music with their new drummer Greyson Nekrutman. The 23-year-old American joined the band in 2024, and in a short period of time has made enough of an impression on the band that Andreas Kisser felt compelled to make a record with him, using the ideas that they’d be playing around with during sound check and the like.

Stylistically the EP is a nice mix. I’d admit I am not as familiar with the later part of the Sepultura catalogue as others might be, but I was taken back by the relatively experimental nature of some of the elements on this EP. At different times there are keyboard parts, string style arrangements and mellow sections that I was not expecting. Similarly, the closing track "The Place" gets underway with a finger twisting, almost progressive riff and groove. There is plenty of material on here that sounds more like the Sepultura I expected though. "All Souls Rising" and "Sacred Books" both have plenty of that tempo thrashy/groovy sections, full of head nodding riffs and aggressive vocals form Derrick Green. "Beyond The Dream" is a bit of a ‘Thrash Metal Ballad’, sounding like something lifted from the 1990’s. This track in particular has a strong and memorable chorus. Lyrically the album is inspired by The Cloud of Unknowing, a book Madison Smartt Bell about the slave rebellion in 1780s Haiti. Whilst it don’t usually gravitate to lyrics in metal music, I did find myself really hearing what Derrick Green is singing or shouting about across the course of the EP.

I imagine the band felt pretty free an unhindered writing and recording this EP, knowing that they are hanging up the instruments and calling an end to the Sepultura legacy. Whilst I don’t think this is an essential release (unless you’re a die-hard fan), I did enjoy what The Cloud of Unknowing had to offer, and respect Andreas Kisser’s decision to release a record that allows his new drummer to be formally associated with the recorded work of the band.

Track Listing
1. All Souls Rising
2. Beyond the Dream
3. Sacred Books
4. The Place

Added: April 22nd 2026
Reviewer: Chris Reid
Score:
Related Link: Sepultura online
Hits: 11
Language: english

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