MAX CAVALERA: 'If It Was All Up To Me, We Would Be Doing A SEPULTURA Reunion Right Now'

Peter Atkinson of KNAC.COM recently conducted an interview with SOULFLY/CAVALERA CONSPIRACY frontman Max Cavalera. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:

KNAC.COM: How's the initial response been to [CAVALERA CONSPIRACY]?

Max: So far the response has been very good, very positive. People really dig the record, they like the fact that it's a very straight-forward metal album and me and Igor are playing together. It's been a lot of fun. There's been a lot of excitement and interest, not just from fans but all around.

It's been kind of crazy. Family calling, other people who I've been on tour with. I was on tour with MEGADETH and Dave [Mustaine] was talking about that it was so cool I was talking with Igor again. So I think it's cool, it shows that there is a broad impact, and I think that most people are happy we are together after 10 years without talking. And the fight with SEPULTURA and all the bullshit is behind us and the future is where we're looking. I'm definitely excited that the fans are behind us and ready to hear the record and see us on tour. That's why I'm here for, you know.

KNAC.COM: That the album is as heavy and brutal as it is is icing on the cake.

Max: I like the album 'cause it's short (laughs). It reminds me of the old VAN HALEN records, or [SLAYER's] "Reign In Blood". Most people who know me know my albums tend to be pretty long. And I'd be the first to admit, my albums are almost impossible to hear all at one time, the whole thing, even I can't a lot of the time. The SOULFLY albums, they're like bibles, they are really long and have a lot of vibe. So I really like the fact that the CONSPIRACY album only has 11 songs, and they are done really fast. But I think that the feeling at the finish is that you want more, you know. It's not so exhausting. It's simple, it's to the point. It's like right there, no bullshit, it comes in and kicks you in the face and doesn't let it go until the end. I'm happy. It was a good time to make a record like that.

KNAC.COM: When he left SEPULTURA, Igor said it was because of "artistic incompatibility." Has he said whether he was just disenchanted with their music or metal in general?

Max: It was probably both. At first, in my head, I was thinking, "OK he's left the band and he's not playing drums anymore," but I also was like "Hmmm, you now what, if we play together he's going to come back because I know him. And if he doesn't, then I'm wrong and I'll call quits, but I'm going to give it a try." So that's what I did.

So that's why I think when I played "Roots" live with him, it was unbelievably important to play that song live in Phoenix in front of all of the fans without any warning, it was a clear vision that "yes, to me there was no doubt that we should continue to make music together." You've got to be completely insane to do something like that and then go, "no I don't feel like playing that music anymore." It was so strong.

KNAC.COM: Plus, now you've whet people's appetites by playing together, if you hadn't followed through, everyone would have been pissed?

Max: (laughs) I know. But you know, that's not why we did it, we did it for us. That might sound selfish, but it's the truth. I was something we had to do for ourselves and get everything out of our systems.

And it's not a bitter album about me and him and what happened at all, I blocked that off. I'm not this miserable guy that's gonna just go and talk shit. What happened, happened, it's done. There is some anger coming out, but it's in the riffs and in the music more than anything else. But there are a lot of feelings coming out from definitely not seeing each other and the whole bullshit we've been through.

So the album actually is a really great release of feelings from both of us, like therapy. It was like this is the album we want to make, this is the music I want to play right now, and he felt the same.

KNAC.COM: It's definitely explosive.

Max: I was shooting for that big time, and we were in good company. Marc wanted to go faster, a thousand miles an hour every song, which is good, that always helps, although I had to slow him down (laughs). And Joe from GOJIRA is a huge fan and a really cool-minded person. He's from a new generation of metal, I can see him being influenced by SEPULTURA and MORBID ANGEL, but with an imprint of himself on his playing and his vocals. That's a good team, and I think that helps.

Sometimes bands, or projects like this, they don't work because they have the wrong chemistry, you can have great players and something not that good comes out of it. But this thing worked from the first time we played together, everyone felt connected and we never stopped, from the first song all the way through.

KNAC.COM: I'm sure everyone's been asking you this, but now that you're playing with Igor again are you interested in a full-blown reunion with SEPULTURA, or this enough for you, just playing in a band with your brother, no matter what that band is?

Max: It's really good to play with him and this record means a lot, it was really, really awesome to do, but everyone knows I also love SEPULTURA and I think it's a very important band and very influential band, but I don't know. It's more complicated. Me and Igor working together was easy, we know each other and we knew we could do this. But when you involve more people it becomes more of a problem. But I always never say never, I'm that kind of guy, I think it will happen sometime, I really do.

In fact I've said to many people I'd like to invite some of the older members too, the guys from "Morbid Visions" times, the death metal guys, like Jairo [Guedz, lead guitar]. To me, it would be really great to do a communal thing with all these guys, not just the "classic" lineup. I don't think it's going to happen right now, but it should happen in the future.

KNAC.COM: A retrospective all-inclusive thing sounds pretty cool. It would be something different than the plain old reunion tour?

Max: It really would. Our fans want it, I want it, my kids want to see it. So definitely the desire is there to do it, but like I said it's not entirely up to me. But I hold my ground, I'm ready to do it, I would love to do it. That's my attitude and it's been my attitude for the last couple years when people have been asking me about this. If it was all up to me we would be doing it right now, but it's not entirely up to me, so we'll just have to wait until everybody feels right. But I'm not worried about that right now, I've been super busy not only with the CONSPIRACY but SOULFLY also has a new album that is in the making. So I've just got to take it easy and take one thing at a time. To be honest with you, if I would have been doing a reunion with SEPULTURA right now, it wouldn't be right because I'd be so busy with both things, that and SOULFLY, that's not good. We wouldn't have the right amount of time to do everything right. And to do something like a reunion, I have to be devoted to that only and not be thinking of other things. So everything in its time.

Red the entire interview at KNAC.COM.