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Cavalera

Mar 26, 2025 By Matthew Berlyant Photography by Matthew Berlyant Web Exclusive

Following up on their 2023 tour when they focused on playing selections from their two best (and some of their most loved) albums, 1989’s Beneath the Remains and 1991’s Arise, guitarist/vocalist Max Cavalera and his younger brother and drummer Igor Cavalera (both formerly of Sepultura, the mighty Brazilian metal titans that released both of those masterpieces), Cavalera (also known as Cavalera Conspiracy) are back now, this time focusing on their earliest material from before they signed to Roadrunner, Beneath the Remains came out and they started building an international reputation as one of the most influential metal bands of the last 35 years.

The aptly-titled Third World Trilogy tour focuses on the Cavalera’s monstrously heavy re-recordings of their 1985 debut EP Bestial Devastation, 1986’s Morbid Visions, and 1987’s Schizophrenia (a sleeper favorite for some in the fanbase), all released within the last few years and all excellent, an unusual and notable feat for re-recordings (which generally pale in comparison to the originals, but not in this case).

As such, the setlist was dominated heavily by these records, though they did also play the title tracks of both Beneath the Remains and Arise (complete with intros) during the encore, along with their cover of Slayer’s “Black Magic,” thereby appeasing those who also wanted to hear more well-known material. Aside from the encore, the highlights of the main set were plenty, with “Septic Schizo” and set closer “R.I.P.” (Rest in Pain) being especially powerful this evening.

The group is truly both a supergroup for fans of extreme music and a family affair, as the bassist is Igor’s son Igor Amadeus Cavalera and is rounded out by Pig Destroyer bassist Travis Stone on lead guitar. With fans headbanging throughout the set, some even screaming “no Cavalera, no Sepultura,” and whether you agree or not, it’s easy to see the love that longtime and newer fans have for this project and their body of work even almost two and three decades (respectively) since Igor and Max split from Sepultura (who have continued on with different members and went on their farewell tour last year).
Following up on last year’s excellent headlining set at the much smaller Brooklyn Meadows (Reviewed HERE) , openers and Bay Area “new school of old school death metal” standard-bearers Necrot came back and managed to fill up the sound in the much larger Warsaw quite nicely. Given the early start time and them only playing an opening slot, my only complaint was that their twenty-five minutes set (which generally mixed songs from last year’s bludgeoning Lifeless Birth with 2020’s Mortal) was far too short!