ALBUM REVIEW: CHAMA BY SOULFLY

Reviewed by Cecilia Pattison-Levi

The thirteenth album for Soulfly is named ‘Chama’ (that means flame or calling in Portuguese). It is a tight 10 song force of musical nature. It is a blend of brutal, tribal-infused groove heavy metal with socio-political depth and a modern edge. Fans will love this album, but it may not be everyone’s cup of tea. The sounds and problems that plague modern Brazil are brought front and centre in the songs, as the themes centre around the dispossession of the indigenous peoples, the raping of the jungles, the favelas, and the ideas around tradition. It’s all wrapped up in metal ferocity with tribal percussive sounds.

‘Chama’ is heavy and unapologetically relentless in its sound. The album opens with the mostly instrumental track ‘Indigenous Inquisition’, it is a primal build-up of a sonic landscape that brings in heavy basslines and drums, with tribal percussion delivering a ghostly call-out to lost tribes and stolen cultures. It is followed by ‘Storm The Gates’ which is a heavy metal war cry to “fight the power” and “fight the greed” and for people to “fight back” and “storm the gates” against oppression. It is where the album’s ferocity starts to hit the hardest. The album, then, leads into ‘Nihilist’ that starts with an electric guitar riff, punctuated by a powerful vocal roar, and a spectacular guitar solo.

Soulfly, turn ‘Chama’ to a darker space with “the last stand” of ‘No Pain = No Power’ with its machine-gun riffing loop that collides with big drum blasts, while a melodic chorus and a scream of defiance usher in a huge guitar solo. The song ‘Ghenna’ commences with a howl of rage and the fastest blast drumming you are likely to hear. The machine-gun-like guitar, guttural vocals, and big guitar solos are front and centre. The following track ‘Black Hole Scum’ has a solid drum kick as big guitar riffs underpin the vocals that scream about the “weight of temptation”, “lies” and “silence for the scum”.

The most powerful song on the album is ‘Favela_Dystopia’, which starts with more blast drumming and driving guitars. It is a protest and a compliment about the living condition on the streets of Brazil and the people’s resilience. The song, co-written by Igor Amadeus Cavalera, honours the hardship and resilience of Soulfly’s homeland. It is so dark and heavy. Then, the track ‘Always Was, Always Will Be…’ has drums pounding and a high-pitched guitar squeal, then a chugging bassline, with a tribal serration chanted through it with odd percussion used. It’s disturbing and fascinating as the drum blasts and the deep vocals grind away into a sonic storm. 

The beautiful instrumental track of ‘Soulfly XIII’ is all atmospheric, gentle guitar riffs and melody. It really is an album highlight as the guitar sounds tribal and leads the listener to a pure, meditative and reflective space. It’s the calm eye in the midst of a heavy metal storm. The song ‘Chama’ is like a summary of the album as it closes it out. It starts heavy, but there is a lovely atmospheric percussive break in the middle of the song, before it ends in big drums that slowly fade away.

Soulfly’s ‘Chama’ feels like a war cry and a love letter to their homeland. The sonic landscape is a reflection of Brazil’s true nature: the pulse of life in that place – its roots, its history, and its spirit. Soulfly are angry, but you can hear the pride and the hope that things can get better and it is in the power of the people. It’s an inspiring message enveloped in a stampede of drums, guitars, and percussive elements. As the song states: “set yourself free” and let the ‘chama/flame’ bring in the light.