Album Review: Go Ahead and Die - Unhealthy Mechanisms
Reviewed by Sam Jones
Max Cavalera has been at the head of numerous projects throughout the years, but perhaps its most distinctive and newest comes in the form of the death/thrash/groove band penned as Go Ahead And Die. Formed in 2020 and based around California, United States, the band are amongst the newest project as of yet established by the Brazilian titan. Releasing their self-titled debut album a year later, the band have otherwise released two Singles in preparation for their sophomore studio full length: Unhealthy Mechanisms. This was a band I’d never heard of beforehand yet piqued my curiosity when I learnt not only Max, but also his son Igor Amadeus Cavalera, would also be in the band. The advantage record labels have in this case is, Cavalera is already a widely regarded name and therefore, new bands created under this label are nearly guaranteed a number of records through a deal. So, slated for an October 20th window and continuing their partnership through Nuclear Blast, let’s delve inside this record to see what this band are made of.
Like many of Max Cavalera’s projects, Go Ahead And Die open up their latest record with a blunt and forceful performance that hides nought from its audience to suggest it’s going to be anything other than what you’re listening to right from the first seconds. What’s curious about this band’s songwriting is how they manage to invoke this sense of speed into their performance without it feeling like they’re racing from start to finish; the band exude a great sense of power and might throughout the album but it’s not like we’re having to continuously run to keep pace with its rapid fervour. Go Ahead And Die might punch with a clenched fist but the pace by which their impact is thrust towards us has been nicely controlled and brought down to earth; no doubt Cavalera’s decades of experience has come in handy here as he and his son Igor Amadeus Cavalera Jr play and roar in our faces without us needing to exert a single breath of energy to stay alongside them. Even when drummer Johnny Valles, his first album credit on drums with the band, enacts his blast beats, the record possesses this finesse over their momentum thereby keeping everything grounded. There’s no chance of losing your way with this record.
Additionally, the band’s songwriting is much more methodical and segmented than other more extreme works too. This isn’t a constant strumming or blast beat marathon, likely due to the band’s blend of death and thrash and groove metal, but there’s still a considerable structure being implemented within every track which makes each one not only exciting but also interesting. Since the band, owing to their sound and style, needed to write music that’s not as ferocious or crushing upon the audience, it’s resulted in songwriting that can take us from one place in a direction we never knew they’d undertake, planting us somewhere we never knew the track would end up in when we first started listening. In a manner of speaking Unearthly Mechanisms has a progressive flair to its songwriting without being distinctly progressive. I can only imagine the twists and turns new fans will appreciate and await should this material be played live.
Much like the riffs, the drums too seem to know what would be the best pattern to play at any given moment. While blast beats are to be found throughout this record, that must confuse us into thinking they’re the dominant drumming technique. For the most part, the drumming throughout the album is actually quite conventional with Tom-Toms striking away with a remarkably taut skin that makes each impact memorable and impactful; even the simplest approach to drumming has been rendered with a fist so as to make the audience feel like each phase of the songwriting, for whatever track it is, is important to the overall structure. I appreciated how the band didn’t always need to play too aggressively for the drums to shine either. I caught one or two instances where the riffs slipped away a touch and the bass drums were brought to the forefront; these moments are brief but they certainly aid the band’s attitude as something that isn’t to be underestimated.
Max Cavalera, arguably amongst, if not, the most famous South American metal musicians, has been able to regain the ferocity this vocals were renowned for during the early days of Sepultura’s rise. Between this, Nailbomb and Cavalera Conspirarcy, its great to see how this vocals have managed to survive the decades of work his throat has been subjected to. Yet, in this instance, he now has his son to support him vocally so the entirety of that vocal effort is no longer thrust upon his vocal cords alone. It’s great to acknowledge how, now in his mid-50s, Max can still hurl his gruff and ripping delivery forth with all the tenacity his earlier self could do so but with his son supporting, it means Max can ease off on his vocals from time to time, when need be. You can tell the difference: Igor’s delivery is much more visceral and harnesses a stronger blackened aesthetic than his father’s. The two timbres are wildly different and ensure audiences are constantly engaged since we won’t know what delivery we’ll be assaulted by. But how heartwarming is it to see a genuine father and son doing something together they equally love?
In conclusion, Go Ahead And Die bring a record that’s powerful, fierce yet never overstays too long for it to feel like it’s welcome has been too greatly extenuated. I feel like Unearthly Mechanisms could easily be filed under the moniker of gateway albums since there are so many elements of the more extreme varieties going on t simply deem this as just another hybrid record. If people take to this album then it could certainly open new vistas for them they’d never known to eh were open to. But on the whole, this album is great. I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent with the band here and it’s nice to see that, following multiple bands that Max has now fronted, he’s still finding new ways to express his style and songwriting. Go Ahead And Die is as unique to Nailbomb as it is unique to Sepultura. I liked how they didn’t rattle us from start to finish, crafting an environment that’s oddly pleasant and makes sure we’re comfortable to listen, with no possibility of our losing our place herein. I’d definitely be open to more from the band.
