MAX CAVALERA Still Doesn't Like Writing Song Lyrics: 'It Feels Like Homework. It's Tedious'

In a new interview with Peter Kerr of Rock Daydream Nation, former SEPULTURA and current SOULFLY frontman Max Cavalera was asked if writing lyrics is still his least favorite part of the record-making process. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I like singing them. I enjoy singing, especially [on the latest SOULFLY album] 'Chama'. 'Chama' is a record where I came back to hitting myself again in the studio to really feel the songs. And even if you get bruised up, it's all part of the experience — scratch yourself to get the goosebumps. And I like singing them. I like singing when people write something, or the lyrics. On this album ['Chama'], my sons helped me with the lyrics. And some of their lyrics were great, they were amazing, and I really loved singing them. A lot of times I do hit some real good liners that I really like. But honestly, yeah, it feels like homework. It's tedious. It's not my favorite cup of tea. I prefer to spend time with my guitar, writing riffs. That's where I really love it, that I really enjoy it. But it's a necessary evil. You need the lyrics… But honestly, honestly talking, speaking to you, I don't like it. It's the least favorite [part] of a whole record-making [process]; the lyrics is my least favorite. And then there's other people that love it. Like my son Igor — he says he worships words. He's a writer of books, so he loves words."

Max continued: "I love when you find something that is gonna fit the song and then you go sing it and it's fits perfectly. And then you know, even before you ever play that one live, 'When I sing this live, people are gonna go off. They're gonna love it. They're gonna sing together.' It's kind of — we call it the 'hooks'. Sometimes you gotta have the hooks. They're almost like nursery rhymes, lullabies for kids. The simpler, the better. To me, songs like [SEPULTURA's] 'Roots Bloody Roots' are the simplest [and the catchiest]… I actually tried to redo it for [SOULFLY's] 'Eye For An Eye'. I tried to redo it, and sometimes that magic you only catch it once. You can try to catch it again and it's not gonna be the same as the original. The original is always the best one, the greatest one."

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

Last month, SOULFLY kicked off the "Favela Dystopia" 2025 West Coast tour with GO AHEAD AND DIE. The 17-date trek launched on November 1 in Roswell and headed to Denver, Spokane and Fresno, among other cities, before concluding in Flagstaff on November 23.

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.