Soulfly

Soulfly is a Brazilian-American metal group formed in Phoenix, Arizona in 1997. The band is led by Max Cavalera, the former Sepultura frontman, who forms it after leaving that group in 1996. It is a Brazilian metal band with an emphasis on heavy, aggressive styles, and it remains active.

Style and themes

Soulfly combines elements of alternative metal, groove metal, heavy metal, nu metal and thrash metal, and the band’s sound also draws on Brazilian tribal and world music. Its early lyrics focus on spirituality, political and religious ideas, while later releases also deal with war, violence, aggression, slavery, hatred and anger.

Recording history

The group releases twelve studio albums, one tour EP, twenty-three singles, one video album and twelve music videos. Its debut album, Soulfly, appears in 1998, and the catalogue continues through Totem in 2022. All of the first six studio albums enter the US Billboard 200, with Primitive reaching number 32. The band also receives a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America.

Line-up

Soulfly undergoes many line-up changes, with Cavalera as the only constant member. Members associated with the group include Jackson Bandeira, Roy Mayorga, Marcelo “Cello” Dias, Logan Mader, Mikey Doling, Joe Nunez, Bobby Burns, Marc Rizzo, David Ellefson, Dan Lilker, Johny Chow, David Kinkade, Tony Campos, Zyon Cavalera, Mike Leon, Igor Amadeus Cavalera and Dave Chavarri.

Name and context

The band name comes from the Deftones track “Headup”, on which Max Cavalera appears.