This came out in 2004 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Call it The Passion of Max Cavalera.
Prophecy, the fourth album from the singer-guitarist’s Brazilian death-thrash outfit Soulfly, is also his most spiritual album to date. But even though the former frontman of Sepultura dedicates this disc to God and emphasizes his faith on tracks like I Believe and Moses, he still hasn’t forgotten how to play the devil’s music. The 56-minute Prophecy delivers the same punishing collision of tribal percussion and death-metal brutality fans have come to expect from Cavalera — and in stronger doses than on his past couple of so-so albums. Along with that, though, there’s enough innovation here — these dozen tracks incorporate everything from reggae and samba to belly-dance grooves and marching bands — to make this the most eclectic and intriguing effort of Cavalera’s career. When it’s all said and done, Prophecy gives a whole new meaning to the term Bible thumping.
