In 1996, Korn were riding high on the still-incoming wave of nu metal that would dominate not only the heavy music scene but the mainstream for the remainder of the decade. Fashion also took its cues from hip-hop's omnipresent influence, helping the worlds of rap and rock collide in a time-capsular moment with its skronky riffs and bar-spitting interludes that affected everyone from scene newcomers to established acts like Brazilian thrash legends Sepultura.
Though they cut their teeth on everything from Slayer-worshipping shredders to the early days of black metal, Sepultura's ability to morph with the times was never quite so prominent as when they released Roots. The ambitious album, which dropped on Feburary 18th, 1996, saw the group delve further into their ancestral heritage while incorporating the slower tempos and experimental passages they'd included on 1993's Chaos A.D. Admittedly inspired by the fresh sound they heard in rising bands like the aforementioned Korn, Sepultura went so far as to invite not only members of that band Jonathan Davis and David Silveria to guest on the LP, but also other rising stars in the genre as well including Limp Bizkit's DJ Lethal (plus a rad guest spot by Faith No More frontman Mike Patton).
Sepultura's transformation was solidified by the time they played Texas venue the Lubbock Municipal Coliseum on May 1, 1996. Donning a black Adidas tracksuit and a mess of hair that appears to be early stage dreadlocks, singer Max Cavalera roars the song's simple-yet-powerful lyrics into the mic while the down-tuned cacophony around him rumbles. The album's iconic cover looms large in the background as the band rage on to a stoked and approving crowd.
Also check out the show's opener "Ratamahatta," in the clip below, complete with rousing Brazilian percussion and a brief introduction of the band's homeland influences. Max and Igor Cavalera partner up for duel-drumming duties to kick off the performance, with the former throwing his drum sticks into the crowd wildly before jumping on the mic to bring down the house.
