Roots

1	Roots Bloody Roots 3:32
2	Attitude 4:15
3	Cut-Throat 2:44
4	Ratamahatta 4:30
5	Breed Apart 4:01
6	Straighthate 5:21
7	Spit 2:45
8	Lookaway 5:26
9	Dusted 4:03
10	Born Stubborn 4:07
11	Jasco 1:57
12	Itsári 4:48
13	Ambush 4:39
14	Endangered Species 5:19
15	Dictatorshit 1:26
16	[Untitled] 13:16

Barnes & Noble

Doyens of death metal from the depths of Belo Horizonte, Sepultura were easily one of the most influential non-Latin music bands to come out of South America. Listeners not immediately rendered deaf by their paint-peeling sound could be forgiven for dismissing them as an imitation of Anglo and pan-European practitioners of extreme rock -- until their masterwork, Roots, that is. The audacious premise of their last recording with visionary howler Max Cavalera was to rediscover the band's Brazilian heritage. Sepultura had in the past vilified their homeland's deplorable corruption and street-kid genocide, and their wrecking-ball sonic attack had nothing to do with the lightness and swing associated with Brazil's best. But Roots, with its collaborations with master percussionist Carlinhos Brown ("Ratamahatta," "Endangered Species"), proved these prodigal sons had more than a little funk in them. And the band's expedition into the Amazonian rainforest to record with the Xavante Indian tribe ("Itsari") remains one of the most extreme examples of cross-cultural collaboration to date. Misunderstood by adults of various nations, Sepultura's brave fusions proved them to be of a darker hue in the rainbow of styles that make up Brazil's irresistable music. Mark Schwartz

All Music Guide

Listeners intrigued by the rhythmic innovations and Brazilian influences of Chaos A.D. will be quite pleased by Sepultura's sprawling, frequently brilliant follow-up. True to its title, Roots wholeheartedly embraces Sepultura's native Brazilian rhythms, augmenting their music with field recordings of the Xavantes Indians, vocalist/percussionist Carlinhos Brown, and expanded percussion sections. The guitarists create an array of noisy, textural effects, so their technique and riff writing are not as impressive for fans of old-school thrash, but that's more due to the growing influence of alternative metal on the band, with Korn being a particular touchstone (vocalist Jonathan Davis even guests on one track). The songs sacrifice the tight structure of Chaos A.D. for extended percussion jams, plus some acoustic instrumental work. At 72 minutes, Roots inevitably loses focus in spots, but when the music connects (and it does so often), it carries tremendous visceral impact. Roots consolidates Sepultura's position as perhaps the most distinctive, original heavy metal band of the 1990s. Steve Huey