Once Sepultura lost brothers Max and Igor Cavalera, the band needed to justify its existence. The ambitious arrangements and energy of 2017’s Machine Messiah accomplished just that. Even with the brothers gone, the more recent batch of Sepultura records does a lot more than capitalize on the most recognizable name in Brazilian…

Throughout the band’s 20-year journey, Brazil’s Soulfly has remained a vehicle for frontman Max Cavalera’s spirituality and cultural roots—his ongoing relationship with indigenous tribes like the Navajo and his undying love for heavy metal. While increasingly similar to the groovier side of his old band, Sepultura, his vocals and…