Text by Marcelo Gomes
Expectations were high after Sepultura announced their farewell tour in December 2023, surprising fans worldwide. And it didn't stop there; just days before starting their " Celebrating Life Through Death" , drummer Eloy Casagrande left the band to join Slipknot . Having overcome these challenges, it was a long 10 months of intense anticipation from the announcement until the first of three sold-out shows at Espaço Unimed took place. The performance, which happened on the 6th, featured Torture Squad as the opening act.
Upon entering the venue, a different energy, a different feeling, was noticeable. The band managed to draw many fans who hadn't been to a show in a long time and gained new followers eager to witness the farewell of Brazil's greatest metal band. Some families brought their children, keeping alive the tradition passed down from father to son in what may be the final chapter of this brilliant journey. What one saw was a sea of people wearing the band's t-shirts and, between us, like it or not, what these guys did cemented their names in the history of world metal. All this attachment is completely justifiable, after all, it's a Brazilian musical treasure that has declared its end.
The audience was still arriving when Torture Squad took the stage. With a setlist that included tracks like "Flukeman," "Warrior," and "Horror And Torture," the band mixed aggressive riffs, technical solos, and vocals ranging from guttural to beautiful melodies, culminating in a brutal performance, serving as a great warm-up for what was to come.
Thirty minutes late, Derrick Green (vocals), Andreas Kisser (guitar), Paulo Xisto (bass), and Greyson Nekrutman (drums) took to the stage at Espaço Unimed with a grand production and told their story for two hours to a devoted audience thirsty for the band. The killer opening with “Refuse/Resist,” “Territory,” and “Propaganda” immediately ignited the crowd, creating mosh pits and setting the tone for their farewell. “Phantom Self,” which followed, was no less impressive.
In the first interaction of the night, Derrick Green asked who had the Roots and was surprised by the massive response. They played three bangers from the album that no fan could fault: “Dusted,” “Attitude,” and “Spit.” The next part of the show focused on the Derrick era, opening this section with “Kairos,” which can already be considered a classic. At this point, Andreas praised the audience that quickly sold out the first date and took the opportunity to introduce the newcomer, Greyson Nektrutman. The task of replacing Iggor Cavalera and Eloy Casagrande is not for just anyone; however, the charismatic drummer has been doing very well, as seen in the complex “Means To An End.” They continued with “Convicted In Life,” “Guardians Of Earth,” “Mind War,” and “False,” closing this period with “Choke,” tracks that demonstrate the quartet's versatility and the evolution of Sepultura's music.
The highlight of the night, however, was the performance of “Kaiowas” with a special lineup on stage that included special guests Jean Patton (ex- Project46 ), João Barone ( Paralamas do Sucesso ), members of Torture Squad, Yohan Kisser ( Kisser Clan ), and fans of the band. This collaboration revived the jam session they did on the Chaos AD in 1994 and brought a unique energy along with the Brazilian spirit that has always been at the heart of Sepultura's music.
From Brazilian rhythms to the return to the thrash of "Dead Embryonic Cells" and the heaviness of "Biotech Is Godzilla," the frenzied fans formed mosh pits as if there were no tomorrow. To calm things down a bit, they played the fantastic "Agony Of Defeat," a slower, more elaborate Quadra that could certainly be part of any drama film soundtrack. But the calm didn't last long; they revived a cover of Motörhead and followed it with "Troops Of Doom"—it was breathtaking.
The final part of the show featured the classics “Inner Self” and “Arise,” and for those who thought the fans were satisfied, they were wrong. They called for the band, who returned for an encore with “Ratamahatta” and closed the night with “Roots Bloody Roots.” It was the highlight of the night, with everyone jumping and singing the anthem of a generation that symbolizes the band's history and its impact on the world stage.
Celebrating their legacy and saying goodbye to Sepultura gave us the feeling that we never truly know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory. The farewell in São Paulo was emotional; each song evoked a moment in the band's history, and in the end, it was as if a movie was playing in our minds. And will the movie end without Max and Iggor Cavalera? There's still hope; Andreas Kisser revealed that he would like the brothers to participate in the final show. All we can do is wait and, for now, thank Sepultura for representing Brazil so well!
Check out exclusive photos from the show taken by our contributor Wellington Penilha :
