SEPULTURA Explains 'Quadra' Album Concept

Brazilian/American metallers SEPULTURA will release their new album, "Quadra", in early 2020 via Nuclear Blast Records.

After relentless touring for its previous opus, 2017's "Machine Messiah", SEPULTURA returned to Sweden's Fascination Street Studios to once again work with producer Jens Bogren. "Quadra" saw the bandmembers pushing their own mental and physical boundaries and has been one of the group's hardest albums to complete.

Singer Derrick Green explains: "The experience was like no other time in the studio. I felt the preparation was key in making the recording process go as smooth as possible. We were relentless each day giving everything that we had until complete exhaustion of the mind, body, and soul. This album is a direct result of the sign of times. The music is an evolution needed to push ourselves to go further than we ever have."

The cover for "Quadra" was created by Christiano Menezes for Darkside Books. Revolving around the meaning of the number 4, the concept goes much deeper, as guitarist Andreas Kisser explains. "Quadra, among other meanings, is the Portuguese word for 'sport court' that by definition is a limited area of land, with regulatory demarcations, where according to a set of rules the game takes place," he says.

"We all come from different Quadras. The countries, all nations with their borders and traditions; culture, religions, laws, education and a set of rules where life takes place. Our personalities, what we believe, how we live, how we build societies and relationships, all depends on these set of rules that we grew up with. Concepts of creation, gods, death and ethics.

"Money, we are enslaved by this concept," he continues. "Who's poor and who's rich, that's how we measure people and material goods. Regardless of your Quadra, you need money to survive, the prime rule to play this game called life. Hence the coin.

"The coin is forged with the senator skull, who represents the set of rules and laws we live by; the world map on his head delimiting the borders of all nations, imaginary lines separating people by concepts of race and the sacred."

SEPULTURA revealed the name and cover artwork of the record during its appearance Friday night (October 4) at the Rock In Rio festival. SEPULTURA also performed the album's opening track, "Isolation", for the first time (see video below).

"Machine Messiah" was SEPULTURA's fourteenth studio album and the eighth since Green joined the ranks. Lyrically, the disc tackled the metaphorical robotization of society and the need to follow and worship someone.

SEPULTURA was formed in 1984 in Belo Horizonte by brothers Max and Igor Cavalera, who are no longer with the band.