In an Modern Drummer producer and CEO David Frangioni , former Sepultura and current Cavalera Conspiracy Igor “Iggor” Cavalera was asked about the names of his drumming heroes.
Despite having several drummers as inspiration, the musician didn't hesitate to answer: “My main hero on the drums has always been Bill Ward from Black Sabbath . He's the man. I have many heroes on the drums, but if I had to choose one person who defines all these things for me, about being creative in a studio, playing live with so much energy, it's Bill,” he reveres.
Igor was fortunate enough to see Bill still active with the band that made him famous (transcription via Blabbermouth.net ): “I saw him live many times and I have one of his bandanas, which he gave me after he performed with Sabbath. So, I keep that as a treasure for the rest of my life. I had the pleasure of seeing him play near the end of his career, of course, and he is an incredible creative force. He was doing things that inspire us as Brazilians, like making congas, doing percussion overdubs with Sabbath. People say, 'Oh, you practically created this whole tribal [mixed with metal] thing,' and I say, 'No, there are many other people doing things that led me down this path.' And Bill Ward is definitely one of those guys. He's super open-minded. You can hear heavy metal, jazz, and Latin things with him. So he's my guy.”
Igor continued, saying that Bill "took the drums further," beyond just being a percussion instrument: "I always tell many friends, family, and fans—technique, of course, is a beautiful thing, but it's about making the drums something fun to do," he added. "I want to have fun playing my drums. And I can see that Bill had that pleasure when he played. He hit things and it was pure energy. I prefer that to the technical aspect of being so stressed that you realize the person isn't really having fun while playing," he concluded.
Other inspirations and current works
In the same interview with Modern Drummer, Igor Cavalera spoke about other drummers who had a great impact on his career: “I have a huge list. Of course, Stewart Copeland [ of The Police ] is also a big influence. As a Latino, I grew up playing samba and all those rhythms, and to see someone like him bringing that to the pop world—we're talking about someone who [had] hits doing crazy things on the drums, mixing Jamaican styles and things like that, with a punk attitude. So, he's also another innovator, in my opinion, who really influenced me in many ways,” he says.
In February 2025, Igor embarked on a solo tour of the United Kingdom, during which he presented electronic music from his solo discography, inspired by various subgenres of avant-garde, drone, industrial, and noise. Along with his older brother, Max Cavalera, Igor is a founding member of the Brazilian thrash metal band Sepultura. Currently, Igor is the drummer for Cavalera, Cavalera Conspiracy, Soulwax, Petbrick , and other projects. Cavalera is also part of the DJ duo Mixhell , an electronic music project he founded with his wife , Laima Leyton, in 2006. With this duo, he has toured the world, performing at European festivals such as Glastonbury, Bestival, and Reading.
Check out Igor Cavalera's interview for Modern Drummer:
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