Live Review: Max & Iggor Cavalera, Carbon Black

Illawarra outfit Carbon Black clearly relished the 45-minute slot provided. Their more groovy, thrash-leaning material was received with greater enthusiasm as the crowd steadily appeared. Even as the Liberals were closing in on a state election victory, a call to arms to support live music endeared the quartet to the uninitiated, and the metallers likely left with some new fans in tow.

“This is the real Sepultura right here, Sydney,” the always charismatic and noticeably slimmed down Max Cavalera barked as he surveyed a sweaty and adoring crop of punters. In 2017, former Sepultura linchpins, Max (vocals/guitar) and brother Iggor Cavalera (drums) celebrated the Brazilian outfit's tribal metal landmark album Roots. Less than a couple of years on, nostalgia seemingly still rules in the metal world, and this time around the siblings zeroed in on Sepultura's thrash classics, 1989's Beneath The Remains and 1991's Arise. The duo were aided by guitar maestro Marc Rizzo and Mike Leon (bass), bustling with energy and performing the songs with reverence - injecting a little of their own personality, but also aware of whose surname was on the marquee.

The structure of the set incorporated half a dozen songs from each record, followed by an extra dose of Sepultura fan favourites, as well as covers of the likes of Motörhead and AC/DC (led by a guitar-free Max, they afforded Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap a loving hardcore/punk overhaul), and snippets of Sabbath and Slayer. Opening proceedings with Beneath The Remains' title track meant beers were spilt by the dozen as moshpit bedlam ensued, while Inner Self followed to plenty of audience participation. Slaves Of Pain was also a crushing standout. However, with Arise enjoying more widespread commercial success, it was unsurprising said material elicited the most vociferous response, security earning their pay throughout the three-pronged, singalong attack of the title track, Dead Embryonic Cells and Desperate Cry.

This evening was further evidence that while heavy metal trends come and go - and relationships can become strained and later repaired - ultimately, great songs endure.