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EP Review: Sepultura - The Cloud of Unknowing (Nuclear Blast Records, 2026)

  • 2 days ago
  • 5 min read

Written: 19th April 2026


Since discovering them through 1989’s Beneath The Remains at the age of sixteen, Sepultura have been an ever-present in my musical life. From seeing them live for the first time at an incendiary gig at Hammersmith Odeon in 1991 to the departure of the Cavalera brothers to their almost three decade run with Derrick Green, they have remained one of my favourite bands. In 2024, twenty-three year-old American drummer Greyson Nekrutman joined and quickly proved to be a powerful catalyst within the band. “We were always jamming - between tours, during soundchecks,” guitarist Andreas Kisser explains. “Greyson constantly brought new ideas to the table, which sparked riffs and directions. I also had a few demos left, nothing complete, just ideas. But we wanted to record something with Greyson before the end.” As a result, more than forty years after their formation, Sepultura prepare to release their final studio offering, EP The Cloud of Unknowing, their first new music – the SepulQuarta re-recordings aside - since Quadra in 2020.


Across four songs, The Cloud of Unknowing is a diverse and emotionally resonant release. Opening track All Souls Rising is an old school, raging thrash-driven track that also makes use of jagged orchestral interludes which add further variety. Derrick Green spits his vocals with penetrating ferocity, while many of the guitar riffs hark back to the band’s earliest days. Explaining the themes that are explored within the lyrics, he notes, “The core idea was inspired by a book by Madison Smartt Bell about the slave rebellion in 1780s Haiti. On a broader level, it speaks to what’s happening in society today - how much can be changed when we come together beyond race, religion, and politics. It’s also about the changes we can make within ourselves.” Providing a blistering foundation for an impassioned Green, Greyson Nekrutman – whose technical ability is outstanding - and bassist Paulo Jr. are a formidable duo and show that Sepultura are still capable of writing aggressive and intoxicating music.


Beyond The Dream – the result of a direct partnership with Sérgio Britto and Tony Bellotto of Titãs - is totally different in nature and indicates Sepultura’s willingness to experiment on this final release. Gently picked guitars initially draw us in before another guitar joins above in melodic refrain. Although surprising, Derrick Green’s deep, clean vocals perfectly suit the mood and sludgy, doom-type elements move the track forward with slow, calculated steps. It is unlike any track that the band have ever released but clearly something they have been considering for some time. “It fulfils a long-standing desire of the band to explore the ballad format, blending Sepultura’s identity with the melodic sensitivity of renowned collaborators.” Lyrically, the track serves a reflection of the band’s own musical journey shaped by albums, tours and life on the road. Looking out the blurry window / Wondering how we got this far / Bleeding out we feel the nightfall / The future was never so clear / Pushing far beyond the dream / Forced to face our own reality / Believed in what we did / Said the future is not our end. Melancholic and lamenting, it truly feels like Sepultura’s closing statement and their own admission that their time is ending, an emotionally rich guitar solo adding another layer of sorrow.



Sacred Books – the shortest song here at three minutes - is, for the most part, a bludgeoning onslaught during which Kisser’s riffs chug with a belligerence that complements Green’s biting vocals. Completely atypical however, is the piano solo that although dissonant and slightly haunting, brings heavy jazz-inflections to the central part of the song.


Moving through several sections during its six minutes, The Place is amongst the most progressive tracks in the band’s discography. The introduction builds from distant notes that gradually come into sharp focus via Paulo Jr.’s rumbling bass and Nekrutman’s simple but effective rhythms. Slower-paced and deliberate in structure, with each passing minute The Place adopts a slightly different nature and the final two minutes finds the band in full on attack mode in moments that hint back towards albums such as Beneath The Remains. Derrick Green reveals that the lyrics are written to follow the changes with the music. “This song deals with immigrants who have come to a place seeking refuge and start a new life.  Once assimilated into a false sense of security and relentless propaganda they began to act out against what they hate about themselves. The transition begins to escape from the self-hatred and the lashing out against people who believed in the same ideas. Starting with disappointment and arriving at anger.” As a final statement for the EP and band’s career, The Place is a powerful and emotive ending that brings their story to an end on their own terms.



The Cloud of Unknowing is a fascinating final release because it refuses to be one single thing. The intentional shifts in approach across the EP mean that each track offers a different angle on what Sepultura can do when they choose to stretch their sound. There is enough in the faster songs to appeal to old school fans but those who are open to the breadth it offers will find a release that holds the interest from start to finish. In the words of Andreas Kisser, “I’m proud that in our final year we can release something this spontaneous and honest - and play it live on tour as well.”



It is with a heavy heart that I will say goodbye to Sepultura. Having seen them play twice on their farewell tour, they still remain a compelling live act (see my review of their show in Hammersmith here). Without doubt, there will be metal fans who dismiss the EP without hearing a note. While I have never agreed with the ‘No Cavalera, No Sepultura’ mantra, I respect those who hold the view if they have actually taken proper time to listen to the music the band have produced without them. The years following the departures required adjustment and albums such as Against and Nation would sit lower in my own ranking. However, what followed also included the focus and intent of Dante XXI, the ambition of The Mediator Between Head and Hands Must Be the Heart, the strong songwriting of Machine Messiah and the virtually flawless Quadra - records that unquestionably demonstrated continued relevance and quality rather than decline.


In a year that Megadeth also released their last planned material, the standing down of metal stalwarts is accelerating. Sepultura will be remembered as one of heavy music’s most important and enduring bands; their absence will be keenly felt when that final show draws to a close.



The Cloud of Unknowing is released on 24th April 2026.


Sepultura online

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