In October 6th, 1998, Sepultura faced one of the biggest turning points in their history. With Derrick Green stepping behind the microphone for the first time “Against” became more than just another album it was the sound of a band rebuilding itself and refusing to disappear.
And musically? Sepultura weren’t simply trying to recreate the past. They pushed deeper into groove, tribal percussion, industrial textures and experimental territory.
So which tracks stand out the most?
“Choke”
Released as the lead single “Choke” immediately introduced listeners to Derrick Green aggressive vocal style. The track mixes tribal percussion with heavy nu-metal guitars and a driving rhythmic attack.
It was a pretty clear message: the new Sepultura had arrived.
“Against”
The title track is relentless from beginning to end. Heavy, aggressive and built around the transitional sound of the album “Against” connects Sepultura old-school groove with the newer industrial and experimental textures they were exploring.
It doesn’t sound like a band looking backward.
“Tribus”
“Tribus” puts Sepultura tribal side right at the front. Released as a single, the track is driven by percussion and a powerful rhythm section, giving it one of the album most recognizable grooves.
If you liked the rhythmic experimentation surrounding Sepultura sound, this one is hard to ignore.
“Hatred Aside”
This one comes with some serious guest power. Jason Newsted, then the bassist of Metallica, appears on the track with vocals, baritone guitar, theremin and percussion.
“Hatred Aside” is one of those “Against” tracks where the guest appearance becomes part of the song identity rather than just a name in the credits.
“Reza”
Fast, aggressive and packed with energy “Reza” features guest vocals from João Gordo of Brazilian hardcore punk band Ratos de Porão.
It’s another reminder that “Against” wasn’t interested in staying inside one musical box.
“Old Earth”
A fan favorite from the first half of the album “Old Earth” takes a more mid-tempo approach while keeping the heavier, groove-driven character of the new lineup.
It may not be the obvious single, but sometimes those are exactly the tracks that fans keep coming back to.
“Against” Was a Complete Rebuild
Behind the album was a huge amount of uncertainty. Before Derrick Green was chosen, Sepultura auditioned several vocalists. Early demos of “Choke” even featured Chuck Billy of Testament, while other unreleased recordings were made with Marc Grewe of Morgoth and Phil Demmel of Machine Head.
Andreas Kisser described “Against” as the most important album of the band career because, after losing their frontman and management, Sepultura had to “rebuild everything” and prove they could survive.
The album also expanded the band global approach. Sepultura traveled to Sado Island in Japan to record with the taiko percussion group Kodo. The result included “Kamaitachi” while the album guest list also featured Mike Patton on “The Waste” and João Gordo on “Reza”.
And then there was the media battle: “Against” arrived only six months after Max Cavalera’s Soulfly debut, making the two releases impossible for the rock press to ignore.
With Derrick Green, Andreas Kisser, Paulo Jr. and Igor Cavalera, Sepultura entered a new era.
But which “Against” track hits the hardest?
🤘 Vote for your favorite!
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