Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
Iggor Cavalera, drummer for Cavalera and former member of Sepultura, was asked in a recent interview with Polyend what it’s like to be considered one of the greatest metal drummers of all time, as per Blabbermouth.
It feels great to receive that kind of acknowledgment, especially because I’ve always tried to push forward as an artist and musician. It means a lot. At the same time, I truly believe there’s always more to learn.
Iggor discussed how his relationship with drumming has changed over time.
My relationship with drumming keeps evolving — I’m constantly exploring new ideas and perspectives, which keeps the instrument exciting and alive for me. Everything starts with rhythm. Before melody, before harmony — there’s pulse. Drumming comes from the inside. It’s physical, but it’s also emotional. It comes from the soul. It’s something deeply instinctive and human. That’s what has kept me connected to it all these years.
My roots are in metal and punk, that raw energy, that urgency, that almost confrontational honesty. That foundation shaped everything. But over time, I’ve become more interested in space, texture, repetition, and trance. The aggression is still there, but it’s transformed. It’s less about speed or power, and more about depth and intention.
The only two regular members of Cavalera Conspiracy, a Brazilian-American heavy metal ensemble based in Phoenix, Arizona, are brothers Max (vocals, rhythm guitar) and Iggor Cavalera (drums, percussion). Both are well-known for having played in Sepultura. For legal considerations, the band changed their name from Inflikted when it was established in 2007. The Cavalera brothers, who started Sepultura in the early 1980s, had been at odds for ten years before the group was formed. In order to release re-recorded versions of old Sepultura albums in 2023, they changed their name to Cavalera in 2022.
After the brothers’ breakup, Igor recorded four studio albums with Sepultura before quitting the group in January 2006, and Max Cavalera started a new band called Soulfly. When Max’s brother unexpectedly called him in July 2006, he urged Igor to come see him in Phoenix, Arizona, so that he could play in a Soulfly event. Igor performed two Sepultura songs during Soulfly‘s show. Max proposed that they start a new endeavor after the show, and Igor agreed. Max selected Soulfly guitarist Marc Rizzo and Gojira bassist Joe Duplantier to round out the lineup. In July 2007, the group worked with engineer and co-producer Logan Mader at Undercity Studios in Los Angeles to make their first album.
