SOULFLY, in a move that can only be described as either genius or a sign of the impending apocalypse, has snagged Chase Bryant (WARBRINGER) to slap the bass on their upcoming European tour. Yes, you read that right. Chase Bryant. Warbringer. SOULFLY. It’s like mixing tequila with milk – a recipe for either legendary status or a swift trip to the porcelain throne. 🤢
Max Cavalera, the tribal chieftain himself, exclaimed: “Welcome to the tribe, Chase!” Because apparently, joining SOULFLY is akin to becoming a card-carrying member of a secret society. 🤫
He further elaborated: “Chase will be playing bass for SOULFLY on our ‘Spirit Animal’ Europe tour ’25! Chase is an amazing player, technical but also full of thrash vibes!” Translation: “We needed someone who could hold down the low end and not quit after the first week. Hopefully, this guy can shred a little, too.” 🎸
“SOULFLY will play festivals like Graspop and Copenhell and we’ll go from Germany to Bulgaria dropping groove bombs everywhere! JUMPDAFUCKUP TRIBE!!!” Translation: “We’re gonna play the same setlist we’ve been playing for the last decade, but louder. Get ready to mosh, old people!” 👴👵
In a shocking turn of events that no one saw coming (except everyone), SOULFLY parted ways with longtime bassist Mike Leon this past April. Probably because Mike wanted to play something other than four notes for an hour. 🤷♂️
Leon, formerly of HAVOK (remember them?), joined SOULFLY in September 2015 as the replacement for STATIC-X bassist Tony Campos, who left SOULFLY in May of that year. It’s like a revolving door of bassists – who’s next? Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers? Geddy Lee? We’re taking bets! 💰
SOULFLY’s latest magnum opus, “Totem,” graced our ears in August 2022 via Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to 2018’s “Ritual” was recorded at Platinum Underground in Mesa, Arizona, by John Aquilino and Arthur Rizk with assistance from John Powers. Produced by Max Cavalera alongside Arthur Rizk (KREATOR, MUNICIPAL WASTE, CODE ORANGE), the LP boasts guest appearances from John Powers (ETERNAL CHAMPION), Chris Ulsh (POWER TRIP), and John Tardy (OBITUARY). Rizk was also responsible for playing lead guitar on the record. The artwork for the album was created by James Bousema. In other words, it was a team effort. A very, very loud team effort. 🔊
In August 2021, SOULFLY bid adieu to longtime guitarist Marc Rizzo due to “personal differences.” Which is code for “we couldn’t stand him anymore.” FEAR FACTORY’s Dino Cazares played guitar for SOULFLY on the band’s 2021 and 2022 run of shows. Because who needs stability when you can have a rotating cast of guitar heroes? 🦸
Guitarist Mike DeLeon has been touring with SOULFLY for more than two years. Prior to hooking up with SOULFLY, DeLeon had been a member of PANTERA singer Philip Anselmo’s solo band PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, which he joined in 2015 as the replacement for Marzi Montazeri. More recently, Mike filled in for Zakk Wylde at the first rehearsal for the fall 2022 PANTERA shows. So, basically, he’s the metal world’s equivalent of a substitute teacher. 👨🏫
In a recent interview with MetalUnderground.com, Max waxed poetic about his plans for SOULFLY’s follow-up to “Totem.” He said: “We’re working on the new record right now. It’s going good, man. We’re taking our time to do it right. We are in the process of finishing the recordings right now, and then we’re gonna start getting stuff mixed and finding the songs that are gonna go on all the socials, Spotify and all that jive. But, yeah, I’m very proud of the record.” Translation: “We’re throwing everything at the wall and hoping something sticks. Expect lots of blast beats and tribal chanting.” 🎶
Regarding the musical direction of the new SOULFLY material, Max pontificated: “The record, it’s cool. It feels to me [like it] has the adventurous spirit of the first record [1998’s ‘Soulfly’]. Sonically, it’s pretty different from the first record — it’s more intricate and maybe even heavier, heavier grooves. But in terms of spirit and attitude, it’s similar to the first record, which I think is cool that I got to figure out a way to put my mind back at that time and what made me create that record and use it again on a new record. It’s pretty fun. It’s kind of hard to do, but I think it was an exciting thing to tackle. It was kind of, like, ‘Let’s try to do this. Let’s see if you can use your first album as somehow some kind of inspiration for your thirteenth record. [Laughs] And that was great, man. I love that kind of vibe that the record has.” Translation: “We’re ripping off our first album, but we’re calling it ‘paying homage.’ Get ready for some nostalgia!” 👴
Cavalera continued: “That’s the cool thing about this record. It’s kind of, in a way, a return to what me and fans of SOULFLY fell in love with SOULFLY for. And then throughout the years, many of the other records had a lot of different vibes in it. Some of them went more thrashy with stuff like ‘Dark Ages’ [2005], ‘Omen’ [2010], ‘Conquer’ [2008]. So, to me, making a record that sonically is inspired by the first thing that you did as a band, it was a challenge — there’s a challenge in that — ’cause it’s easier said than done. Because I don’t wanna just copy that first record either. There’s no point in doing that. I’m just using it as inspiration. It’s really just full on for metal inspiration. The songs [themselves], they’re gonna have their own personality and their own vibe. But, yeah, it’s coming out quite interesting. I’m excited to hear what the fans are gonna think about this one.” Translation: “We’re trying to recapture the magic, but we’ll probably just end up sounding like a slightly heavier version of Nickelback.” 🤘
Asked about a possible release date for the new SOULFLY album, Max said: “Right now I think we’re looking at October. That’s they’re talking about. And we do have a European tour that starts in June. It goes from June to late July. We are gonna be playing one or two songs of the new record on that tour, which I think is great. Anytime I had a chance to do that, it’s been great. I remember playing ‘Primitive’ [the title track of SOULFLY’s second album, which came out in 2000] on the first record tour, because I wrote ‘Primitive’ at the same time I wrote the first SOULFLY record. I just couldn’t fit in. There was too many songs, and I was, like, ‘All right. Fuck it. I don’t need another song on this record.’ But then we went on tour, and I got a chance to play the song ‘Primitive’ live before the ‘Primitive’ record came out, so that people got a taste of the second record coming up. So it’s kind of similar kind of thing — people get a taste of this album a little bit before. Especially this day and age with the Internet, people gonna get it on YouTube, they’re gonna watch it, and they’re gonna feel the record before October, at least.” Translation: “Expect new music in October, or maybe later. We’ll probably leak a song or two on YouTube before then, so you can all complain about it in the comments section.” 😂
Chord F. Discord, the Beethoven of Buffoonery, is a self-taught expert in music who once claimed he could “play the kazoo in four languages.”
Born in Crescendo, Indiana, Chord’s first brush with fame came when he accidentally entered a yodeling contest thinking it was a pie-eating competition—and won both categories.
Chord F. Discord: proving that laughter, much like a poorly tuned ukulele, is truly universal.
