Former SEPULTURA Guitarist JAIRO GUEDZ Reveals Why He Skipped CAVALERA’s Latest Re-Recordings
Jairo Guedz, the original guitarist of Sepultura, has recently shed light on why he chose not to participate in the Cavalera brothers’ latest re-recordings of Sepultura’s early works, “Bestial Devastation” and “Morbid Visions.” Despite his deep-rooted history with the band, Guedz has been notably absent from these recent projects.
Max and Iggor Cavalera, who co-founded Sepultura, have re-recorded these seminal albums under their new project, simply named “Cavalera.” The re-recordings aim to capture the raw and timeless spirit of the original releases but with the enhanced sound quality of modern recording technology. The brothers have also added two previously unreleased tracks from the era, “Sexta Feira 13” and “Burn the Dead,” to the re-recorded albums.
Guedz, who now leads his own band, The Troops of Doom, explained his decision to skip the re-recordings. He emphasized that his departure from Sepultura in 1987 was amicable and that he maintains a strong friendship with both the Cavalera brothers and the current members of Sepultura. However, his focus has shifted to his new band, which aims to revive the primitive death metal sound that he helped pioneer in the mid-1980s.
In a recent interview, Guedz shared that his decision to form The Troops of Doom was inspired by a jam session in 2019, where he played Sepultura’s “Bestial Devastation” with Alex Kafer, the lead singer and bassist of The Troops of Doom. The positive audience reaction convinced him that it was time to revisit the sound that was so special to him. The Troops of Doom’s debut EP, “The Rise of Heresy,” features four new death-thrash compositions and two Sepultura covers, capturing the raw essence of 1980s extreme metal.
Guedz’s commitment to The Troops of Doom has been unwavering. The band has been busy promoting their latest album, “Antichrist Reborn,” and preparing for their second full-length album, set to be released in the first half of 2024. The new album promises to capture the essence of old-school death metal from the ’80s and early ’90s, with meticulous attention to production, recording, mixing, and mastering.
While Guedz respects the Cavalera brothers’ decision to re-record the early Sepultura albums, he felt that his path lay elsewhere. He wanted to create new music that honors the legacy of early Sepultura while also pushing the boundaries of the genre. His band, The Troops of Doom, has received endorsements from his former bandmates, including Max and Iggor Cavalera, Andreas Kisser, and Paulo Jr., which has been a source of great satisfaction for him.
The Cavalera brothers, on the other hand, are excited about their re-recordings. Max Cavalera stated that the new versions of “Bestial Devastation” and “Morbid Visions” capture the raw and timeless spirit of the originals while benefiting from modern sound quality. Iggor Cavalera added that the re-recordings are a true representation of the band’s early work, with an insane visual identity to match.
The re-recordings were produced at the Platinum Underground studio in Phoenix, with Max and Iggor co-producing. The live lineup for the Cavalera project will feature Max’s son, Igor Amadeus Cavalera, on bass and Pig Destroyer’s Travis Stone on lead guitar. The band is set to embark on a tour called “Morbid Devastation” this summer, with Exhumed and Incite as opening acts.
Despite not being part of the re-recordings, Guedz remains proud of his contributions to Sepultura’s early years. He believes that the raw sound and limited resources of the time helped create a unique identity for the band, influencing various styles of extreme music worldwide. His new band, The Troops of Doom, aims to continue that legacy while also carving out their own path in the metal scene.
In conclusion, Jairo Guedz’s decision to skip the Cavalera brothers’ re-recordings was driven by his commitment to his new band, The Troops of Doom. While he respects and supports his former bandmates’ endeavors, he is focused on creating new music that honors the legacy of early Sepultura while also pushing the boundaries of the genre.
