Sepultura have revealed the artwork, title and tracklist for their 14th album Machine Messiah.
The record is said to be “inspired by the robotisation of our society” and will be released on January 13 next year via Nuclear Blast. The artwork – created by Filipino artist Camille Della Rosa – and tracklist can be viewed below.
Machine Messiah was produced by the band and Jens Borgen of Fascination Street Studios in Orebro, Sweden. Borgen has previously worked with Soilwork, Opeth, Katatonia and Amon Amarth.
Guitarist Andreas Kisser says: “I found the work of Camille Della Rosa during some research I was doing to look for alternative artists to work on the cover of our new album.
“I had the concept in my mind and the name of the album, Machine Messiah, but that didn’t matter much since I was looking for different styles and ideas, different artists.
“When I saw her paintings I was really impressed by her style, full of colours and meaning, very unique and alive! She comes from the Philippines, a place where we performed some years ago and we could feel the intensity of their culture – very powerful.
“She has that power in her paintings and drawings.”
- The 10 most underrated Sepultura songs
- Sepultura launch UK tour documentary
- Sepultura's next album to feature brass section
- The story behind Sepultura's Roots
The Machine Messiah artwork is based on Rosa’s painting Deus Ex-Machina.
Kisser continues: “The main inspiration around Machine Messiah is the robotisation of our society nowadays. The concept of a ‘God Machine’ who created humanity and now it seems that this cycle is closing itself, returning to the starting point.
“We came from machines and we are going back to where we came from. The messiah, when he returns, will be a robot, or a humanoid, our bio-mechanical saviour.
“The painting Deus Ex-Machina is a masterpiece! I was really shocked to see how her concept of the painting was a perfect fit to our concept. The cover was done six years ago for our new album and she didn’t know it.”
Kisser says that the album continues in Sepultura’s identifiable style, but brings a new intensity to the mix.
He adds: “I’m very happy with everything about Machine Messiah, it is a Sepultura album but with a new direction and intensity, a new musical challenge, a step forward. I can’t wait to show the world our music for the new Messiah coming.”
The band recently revealed their documentary charting their 2015 UK winter tour.
Sepultura are currently on tour, with dates scheduled throughout the rest of this year and into 2017.
Sepultura Machine Messiah tracklist
- Machine Messiah
- I Am The Enemy
- Phantom Self
- Alethea
- Iceberg Dances
- Sworn Oath
- Resistant Parasites
- Silent Violence
- Vandals Nest
- Cyber God
