MAX CAVALERA Says He Is 'A 17-Year-Old Trapped In A 56-Year-Old Body': 'I Haven't Really Changed Much'

In a new interview with Australia's The Rockpit, former SEPULTURA and current SOULFLY frontman Max Cavalera was asked if there is a music project he has always wanted to do but that has never happened, for whatever reason. He replied (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, I was thinking about that the other day. I was actually watching a Paul Simon video. And it was really interesting because I'm a big fan of [his albums] 'Graceland' and 'The Rhythm Of The Saints'. And when he wrote 'Graceland', he was in his mid fifties, I believe. And people had kind of written him off; they thought his best days were all over, which was the stuff with SIMON & GARFUNKEL and all the hits he had before. And so he made a second life with 'Graceland'."

Max continued: "I love watching things like that 'cause it kind of gives me hope that there's better things coming in the future. There's ways to get other things. And nothing wrong with what I've done. I'm super proud of the works, all the SEPULTURA records and KILLER BE KILLED and NAILBOMB, GO AHEAD AND DIE, SOULFLY — it's great — but the chase is what makes it interesting, that you can still find the magic to do something that surprises even yourself. And that never gets old. The chase never stops. And that's kind of a thing that it's really cool, is that inspiration to always try to be inspired as much as you can whenever you're gonna make a record. Touring is different. Touring, you don't need to be that inspired, because you're not creating a new body of music; you're playing stuff that's already written. So you just gotta worry about performing them very well. But I love both [touring and making music]. I don't know which one I like more. I probably like touring a little more, just 'cause I get to really just do what I love and know that that's there. Creating new music is always a bit bit scary all the time, but, yeah, I like to think that better things are still to come, and so that kind of drives me to the future."

Circling back to whether he has thought about pursuing something completely different musically, Max said: "I don't have any projects set up yet, but, yeah, I'd like to do some stuff… There are some things that I thought about. It's just gotta be done the right way at the right time. But, yeah, I love jamming. First of all, I like jamming in general and with different musicians and stuff like that. That's why I have so many bands, as you notice: KILLER BE KILLED, GO AHEAD AND DIE, SOULFLY, NAILBOMB, all that. I get to jump from one to the other, and it's different guys on all those bands… And I just love to interact with all of them, man. It's great. It's amazing. It's a really, really cool thing. 'Cause I think music — there's something really pure and magic about music that nothing else gives me that rush."

Regarding where he gets his musical inspiration from nowadays, Max said: "I'm a curious man by nature. That's why even watching things like Paul Simon documentaries and stuff like that always inspires me. As far as music goes, yeah, I'm always on the lookout for new things and sounds and records that really pique my interest. And then you get influenced by them, and sometimes it is a higher volume of influence. Sometimes it's less. But I think in general I've always kind of been the same guy; I haven't really changed much. So literally I'm actually a 17-year-old trapped in a 56-year-old body, because of that. I don't let the other stuff outside of metal, the politics of music and all that, I don't let that destroy the purity of why I fell in love with this music in the first place. And that's something that is sacred to me. And I fight tooth and nail to keep that thing sacred alive, the 17-year-old Max Cavalera that just loves metal and is actually a nerd. I'm actually a nerd. I like all the things about metal. I like to study it and learn. I think you're always learning, man. You never stop learning. Always. There's always somebody who can tell you [something] that you go, 'I never look at it that way. That's cool. I'm gonna apply that to my life.' There's always that. So, it's great. It's an amazing world and you just gotta keep your ears and your eyes open for the inspiration to come and then use it."

SOULFLY's thirteenth album, "Chama", came out on October 24, 2025 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Last fall, SOULFLY completed the "Favela Dystopia" 2025 West Coast tour with GO AHEAD AND DIE. The 17-date trek launched on November 1, 2025 in Roswell and concluded on November 23 in Flagstaff.

SOULFLY drummer — and Max's son — Zyon Cavalera co-produced "Chama", which was recorded at the Platinum Underground Studio in Mesa, Arizona by John Aquilino. John has worked with Max and company multiple times before and is not only a talented engineer but a family friend. The album was produced by Zyon and Arthur Rizk. The latter was also responsible for the mixing and mastering. Rizk has not only worked with the Cavalera family numerous times before, but has also helped to shape the world of heavy metal in the modern day. SOULFLY enlisted Carletta Parrish to create the album artwork. For the album, Igor Amadeus Cavalera (GO AHEAD & DIE, NAILBOMB, HEALING MAGIC) played bass and Mike De Leon played guitar.

Guitarist Mike DeLeon has been touring with SOULFLY for three years. Prior to hooking up with SOULFLY, DeLeon had been a member of PANTERA singer Philip Anselmo's solo band PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, which he joined in 2015 as the replacement for Marzi Montazeri. More recently, Mike filled in for Zakk Wylde at the first rehearsal for the fall 2022 PANTERA shows.