"Unleash" is a song by American heavy metal band

Soulfly Soulfly is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1997, and later based out of Phoenix, Arizona. Soulfly is led by former Sepultura frontman Max Cavalera, who formed the band after he left the Brazilian group in 199 ...

from the 2008 album '' Conquer''. This single, along with music video, was released a month before the album's release and was the album's first of two singles.

Dave Peters David Peters is an American musician. He was the original guitarist for the band Eighteen Visions, guitarist for the band Throwdown, and, as of 2002, the vocalist for Throwdown. He did guest vocals for the song " Unleash" by groove metal band ...

(member of Throwdown) is the guest vocalist, and helped

Max Cavalera Massimiliano Antonio "Max" Cavalera (; born August 4, 1969) is a Brazilian musician. He co-founded the heavy metal band Sepultura in 1984 with his brother Igor Cavalera, and was the band's lead singer and rhythm guitarist until his departure i ...

write lyrics prior to the recording.Unleash by Soulfly Songfacts
Retrieved March 8, 2014.

Cavalera's wishful thoughts

Max Cavalera quoted on the

Roadrunner The roadrunners (genus ''Geococcyx''), also known as chaparral birds or chaparral cocks, are two species of fast-running ground cuckoos with long tails and crests. They are found in the southwestern and south-central United States and Mexico, us ...

website about his appreciation with Dave Peters, "To work with David was a trip. The song's a full assault, and it feels really natural. It's got that uncompromising attitude." He also had wishful thoughts about this song, "It's the closest thing I've done to

Pantera Pantera () is an American heavy metal music, heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas formed in 1981, and currently comprised of vocalist Phil Anselmo, bassist Rex Brown, and touring musicians Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante. The group's best-kn ...

. Dave put some killer lyrics to the music. The fast part at the end is my favorite part on the album."

Lyrics and composition

The song is about unleashing war multiple times to make the war progressively more devastating. As a result, 'unleash' is said sixteen times in the lyrics, twelve are used in verb phrases per line three times each: 'unleash war', 'unleash my wrath', 'unleash revenge', and 'unleash my hell'; the remaining four is as the lone word per line, sung right before the song ends. The lyric also features eight consecutive idioms in order: 'war after war', 'hell after hell', 'scum after scum', 'hill after hills', 'pig after pig', 'stone after stone', 'doom after doom' and 'hate after hate'. This song utilises breakdowns, relatively uncommon in Soulfly's later work, with a lighter world music section in the middle of the song.

Music video

The music video shows the members performing inside

El Castillo, Chichen Itza El templo, known as the Temple of Kukulcán (or also just as Kukulcán), is a Mesoamerican step-pyramid that dominates the center of the Chichen Itza archaeological site in the Mexican state of Yucatán. The temple building is more formally desi ...

, a Mayan pyramid. Later, tribes show up and chug to the song. In the end, a tribe picks up a bloody tissue. It was directed by Robert J. Sexton.

Track listing

Digital Single

Europe promo CD

Japan promo CD

Personnel

– vocals, 4-string guitar,

berimbau The berimbau () is a single-string percussion instrument, a musical bow, originally from Africa, that is now commonly used in Brazil. The berimbau would eventually be incorporated into the practice of the Afro-Brazilian martial art ''capoeira'' ...

sitar The sitar ( or ; ) is a plucked stringed instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent, used in Hindustani classical music. The instrument was invented in medieval India, flourished in the 18th century, and arrived at its present form in ...

, production *

Marc Rizzo Marc Rizzo (born August 2, 1977) is an American musician, best known as the former lead guitarist of metal band Soulfly. He has featured on eight Soulfly albums: ''Prophecy'', '' Dark Ages'', '' Conquer'', ''Omen'', '' Enslaved'', '' Savages'' ...

– guitar,

flamenco guitar A flamenco guitar is a guitar similar to a classical guitar but with thinner tops and less internal bracing. It usually has nylon strings, like the classical guitar, but it generally possesses a livelier, more gritty sound compared to the clas ...

* Bobby Burns – bass guitar * Joe Nuñez – drums, percussion *

– additional vocals *

Andy Sneap Andy Sneap (born 18 July 1969) is an English guitarist, record producer and composer with over 100 albums to his name, most of which have been produced at his Backstage Recording studios in rural Derbyshire. Some of the most critically acclaime ...

– mixing * Gloria Cavalera – management * Christina Stajanovic – assistant * Bryan Roberts – assistant

References

{{Soulfly Soulfly songs 2008 singles 2008 songs Songs written by Max Cavalera Roadrunner Records singles