Veteran death metal band Soulfly keep things dark, damning, and utterly infernal on “Evil Empowerment,” the promo single for their 2018 LP, ‘Ritual.’

Soulfly aren’t new to the game.  Nope, the metal collective has been around since 1997, dropping their self-titled, debut album the following year.  Here it is 2018 and the band is set to release Ritual via Nuclear Blast on October 19, 2018.  What better way to kick off a new album with a hellish single? “Evil Empowerment” gives Soulfly that hellishness, in all its utter damnation – something like that.

The evil is truly empowered from the onset, with ‘in-your-face’ jagged, angular, rhythmic-driving guitars.  Honestly, it sounds as if the guitar is going to saw something in half with a chainsaw.  Adding to the infernal sounds are hellish vocals. Max Cavalera isn’t playing around, keeping his pipes aggressive, screamed, and forced.  And why shouldn’t he, in the spirit of metal? Sigh. Speaking of vocals, you’ve gotta love the chanted vocals on the chorus.  Post-chorus, the drums pummel, and the guitars are intense. Keeping things interesting and quite musical despite the edginess, there’s an excellent change of pace at about the 2:15 mark.  Here, the tempo slackens, and, unsurprisingly, the instruments grow even more intense. At about 2:45 in, the order is restored to the original sound. Again, all of it is hellish.

Final Thoughts

If it hasn’t been made clear, “Evil Empowered” lives up to its name.  Soulfly superbly captures the evil musically, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.  Hopefully, one isn’t damned by listening to such a devilish affair.  This is a great track, with just the right length (just north of three-and-a-half minutes).  I’m onboard – not with Satan of course…

Soulfly • Ritual • Nuclear Blast Entertainment • Release: 10.19.18

Photo Credit: Nuclear Blast Entertainment