MAX CAVALERA: I Love METALLICA's 'Black Album'

In a new interview with RadioactiveMike Z, host of the 96.7 KCAL-FM radio program "Wired In The Empire", former SEPULTURA and current SOULFLY frontman Max Cavalera spoke about his love of METALLICA, in particular the "Black Album," which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "When I was a kid, I had long hair, and my cousin was trying to get me to go straight, to be a 'normal' citizen. So he wanted me to cut my hair. So he offered to buy me any imported record I wanted if I cut my hair. So I picked 'Ride The Lightning'. So I cut my hair, I got 'Ride The Lightning', the hair grew back and I scored an amazing record.

"Yeah, I love METALLICA," he continued. "It was a big influence on the early SEPULTURA records. You can hear the '…And Justice For All', 'Garage Days' influence.

"I remember when I first heard the 'Black Album.' The first thing that jumps out is the production — it's an amazing, well-produced record," Max added. "There's really amazing songs in it. It's a controversial record for a lot of people, but I love it, man. I think there's some great songs in it. It's a bit different from the early stuff, but that's part of life. All of us musicians, we have to understand it's part of growth when bands do that. And I think they did it in a really killer way."

Max and his SOULFLY bandmates have spent the last few months working on the follow-up to 2018's "Ritual"album at Platinum Underground in Phoenix, Arizona with producer Arthur Rizk, who has previously worked with CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, POWER TRIP and CODE ORANGE.

Last month, SOULFLY parted ways with longtime guitarist Marc Rizzo due to personal differences. A permanent replacement guitarist has yet to be announced. FEAR FACTORY's Dino Cazares is playing guitar for SOULFLY on the current U.S. tour. The 33-date trek will conclude in Tempe, Arizona on September 25.