ALL IN THE FAMILY

Recently, I caught Metal Master Max Cavalera and his band Soulfly performing at Brick by Brick in San Diego, CA.  Also on the bill was Max’s sons band, Lody Kong. There was a fair amount of people there for Lody Kong, but the place really filled up in time for SoulFly.  The primarily male crowd was especially evident by the long line for the men’s room and no wait at all for the ladies room.

Lody Kong, a three piece band from Arizona that features two of Max Cavalera’s sons ( Sepultura, Soulfly). Max’s  son’s are  carrying on the family line of work. In this case work is play, playing music. The band formed in 2011 recorded a demo and EP then changed their line up and released the album “Dreams and Visions” in March of 2016 on Mascot Label Group.  Formerly a four piece, they have tightened up their members to three. Igor Cavalera is now on vocals and bass, having first started on rhythm guitar and vocals. His brother Zyon Cavalera is on drums and Travis Stone is now the sole guitar player.

The band is very different from Sepultura, Soulfly or Nailbomb. The boys are doing their own thing and it grooves.  Lody Kong has found a way to fuse many genres taking sounds loved in the past and lifting them to new heights. It was hard to believe so much music coming from just three musicians. The songs are strong and the music pounds.

They list themselves as sludge, punk and stoner music.  I heard all of that and more, sort reminded me of The Melvin’s.  It’s an awesome sound that blends  sludge, old school punk, psychedelic metal and even grunge. They have a unique way of writing and the different styles of music fuse well in an exciting new blend.  Their name comes from twisting around the name of their friend. Cody Long.

These boys have talent, creativity, energy, dreams and visions. Keep an ear out for more.  I like the direction they’re headed.

Soulfly’s frontman Max Cavalara formely of Sepultura performed to a receptive crowd.  Max is the riff master and a pioneer in the metal industry.  About 20 years ago, Max recorded his son’s heartbeat and it can be heard on a Sepultura album.  Now Zyon is drumming for Soulfly, that’s right he had double duty at the show performing with both Lody Kong and Soulfy.  He had different drum sets for each band and had no problem keeping up the standard of drumming you would expect in a band like Soulfly.

Marc Rizzo on guitar does a blistering job. He also is reportedly playing with the Misfits.  Bassist Tony Compos made a guest appearance and played that night.

We Sold Our Soul to Metal gets the crowd going right off the bat with its’ pounding and powerful musical phrase which is repeated in between growls.  It’s a quick song only about two and half minutes long which is over before you know it.  It makes you ready and wanting more. A great song to charge up metal fans, fueling us all like lighter fluid feeds a fire.

Next song LOTM (Last of the Mochians) was the perfect follow up song. This song is about being dedicated to who you are and your own heart and soul, rather than selling out.

The band closed with an awesome version of Motorhead’s Ace of Spades live.  Lemmy is one of Max’s idols and has a great story about the first time he met Lemmy.  The over eager Max was excited to meet Lemmy but the feeling was not mutual. Lemmy dumped his whiskey over Max’s head and told him to leave him alone.  Max didn’t shower for a week.  Max went on in later years to tour with Motorhead.

Soulfly are true to metal, great live and have played to large and small audiences worldwide.  I love seeing a band of this caliber in a smaller venue such as Brick by Brick.

Soulfly Set List

Intro BFWH

We Sold Our Souls

Slave New World

Carved Inside

Sodomites

Prophecy

Living Sacrifice

Downstroy

Seek n Strike

I and I

Plata O Plomo

Rise of the Fallen

Nailbomb

Frontlines

Red War

Jump/ Eye For an Eye

Ace of Spades

Review by Brenda Starr / BackStage360

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