{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2021}} {{lead too short|date=February 2024}} {{Infobox album | name = Machine Messiah | type = studio | artist = Sepultura | cover = Sepultura - Machine Messiah.jpg | alt = A collage of animal and machine parts to form what appears to be some kind of nightmarish surrealistic greater being. At the center of the cover is a facial skeleton that has two round objects as implied eyes. Attached to the top of this implied head is a torso with a skeletal-like ribcage, crab pincer arms (echoing Sepultura's earlier Arise album), and a "head" made of a glass-like uterus with a well-developed baby inside. Below the center skull are motorcycle engine-like parts with some kind of gear mechanisms underneath. Below this are a pair of human hands with fingers interlocked as if in prayer but holding what appears to be a clear crystal-like object. All this is resting in a brown, round depression with finger-like ridges. This abstract being also has what appear to be large blue moth wings with some rust coloring. In the background are dark back-light clouds. In the upper-left corner of the cover is the band's name with the album name underneath it. | released = January 13, 2017 | recorded = October–November 2016 | studio = Fascination Street Studios, Örebro, Sweden | genre = {{hlist|Thrash metal|groove metal<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web|last=Jurek|first=Thom|title=Machine Messiah - Sepultura|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/machine-messiah-mw0002995005|publisher=AllMusic|date=January 13, 2017|access-date=January 14, 2017}}</ref>}} | length = {{ubl|46:05|50:40 (deluxe edition)}} | label = Nuclear Blast – Sony (Latin America) | producer = Jens Bogren | prev_title = The Mediator Between Head and Hands Must Be the Heart | prev_year = 2013 | next_title = Quadra | next_year = 2020 | misc = {{Singles | name = Machine Messiah | type = studio | single1 = I Am the Enemy | single1date = November 10, 2016 }} }}
'''''Machine Messiah''''' is the fourteenth studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, released on January 13, 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/sepultura-to-release-machine-messiah-album-in-january/|title=SEPULTURA To Release 'Machine Messiah' Album In January|website=Blabbermouth.net|date=October 28, 2016|access-date=October 28, 2016}}</ref> The album sold 1,900 units in the United States in its first week.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.metalinsider.net/columns/metal-by-numbers/metal-by-numbers-125-code-orange-crush-the-charts|title=Metal By Numbers 1/25: Code Orange crush the chartsMetal Insider|date=January 25, 2017|newspaper=Metal Insider|access-date=January 27, 2017}}</ref> The title of the album was inspired by the song of the same name from Yes' 1980 album ''Drama''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Scharfpublished |first=Natasha |date=2025-04-08 |title=Sepultura's Andreas Kisser pays tribute to his prog heroes Yes |url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/andreas-kisser-steve-howe |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=louder |language=en}}</ref>
==Album information== The band recorded ''Machine Messiah'' in Sweden with producer Jens Bogren.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_Tj6a09BUA|title=Entrevista - Sepultura Ft. Bruno Sutter - Machine Massiah|publisher=Sony Music Brasil|date=February 15, 2017|via=YouTube}}</ref> ''Machine Messiah'' is the band's first studio album in over three years since ''The Mediator Between Head and Hands Must Be the Heart'' (2013), marking the longest gap between two studio albums in their career. The album cover art was created by Filipino artist Camille Dela Rosa.
The band stated the concept of the album, saying, "The main inspiration around ''Machine Messiah'' is the robotization 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 an humanoid, our biomechanical savior."
==Reception== {{Album reviews | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score = {{rating|3.5|5}}<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web|last=Jurek|first=Thom|title=Machine Messiah - Sepultura|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/machine-messiah-mw0002995005|publisher=AllMusic|date=January 13, 2017|access-date=January 14, 2017}}</ref> | rev2 = ''Metal Hammer'' | rev2score = {{rating|8|10}} | rev3 = ''Terrorizer'' | rev3score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref name="terrorizerrev">{{cite journal |last=Glasper |first=Ian |date=January 2017 |title=Sepultura: ''Machine Messiah'' |journal=Terrorizer |issue=278 |page=57 |publisher=Dark Arts |place=United Kingdom |issn=1350-6978}}</ref> }}
''Machine Messiah'' received positive reviews, with many critics calling it one of Sepultura's best albums. Thom Jurek of Allmusic gave it 3.5 stars out of 5, saying that, "''Machine Messiah'' continues to build on the diverse proggish elements displayed on ''Dante XXI'', ''A-Lex'', and ''Kairos'', while re-engaging with the thrash and hardcore that made 2013's ''The Mediator Between Head and Hands Must Be the Heart'' so compelling." He described the album as an "ambitious, angry, hungry outing", and that, "Sepultura remain vital in their creativity; they expand their palette dramatically while fully integrating the sounds that brought them here."<ref name="allmusic"/>
''New Noise'' gave the album 5 stars out of 5 and said, "Sepultura have very well created one of 2017's most noticeable records in ''Machine Messiah''. While Green provides capturing vocals and lyrics, the instrumentals truly stand as a testament to incredible musicianship." And that, "Sepultura have crafted an album to be incredibly proud of, and one fans will adore. ''Machine Messiah'' is a record that embodies the strengths of the past, innovative combination, and excellent musicianship on all levels."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newnoisemagazine.com/review-sepultura-machine-messiah/|title=Album Review: Sepultura - 'Machine Messiah' - New Noise Magazine|date=January 4, 2017|website=New Noise Magazine|access-date=March 4, 2017}}</ref>
''Loudwire'' praised the guitar playing, saying, "One thing that doesn't change is Kisser's skillful guitar work. Whether he's blazing along at maximum velocity or exploring progressive territory, it's creative and flawlessly played."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://loudwire.com/sepultura-machine-messiah-album-review/?trackback=tsmclip|title=Sepultura, 'Machine Messiah' - Album Review|website=Loudwire |date=January 13, 2017 |access-date=March 4, 2017}}</ref> ''First Post'' praised the vocals, saying, "Green is mesmerising, hypnotic and aggression personified in equal parts, and his versatility across the space of just these 10 tracks show exactly why there should never be a reunion."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/machine-messiah-album-review-sepulturas-new-record-celebrates-andreas-kissers-genius-3204430.html|title=Machine Messiah album review: Sepultura's new record celebrates Andreas Kisser's genius|date=January 15, 2017|access-date=March 4, 2017}}</ref>
''No Clean Singing'' praised the drumming, saying, "The other thing that really brings ''Machine Messiah'' to life is drummer Eloy Casagrande, whose own writing on this record is phenomenal. This is the first truly great drum performance of 2017 that I've heard, and I think it'll turn out to be a real standout for me for the rest of the year. He approaches the album in two extremes: He either sticks to the super tried-and-true basics or he just throws something completely fucking out there (see the fucked-up blast-beats in "I Am The Enemy"), and shows that he's not only filling the shoes of his predecessor just fine, he's outright superior to him in every regard as a living, breathing groove factory."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nocleansinging.com/2017/01/04/sepultura-machine-messiah/|title=NO CLEAN SINGING » SEPULTURA: "MACHINE MESSIAH"|date=January 4, 2017|access-date=March 4, 2017}}</ref>
''Maximum Volume Music'' praised ''Machine Messiah'' as one of their very best albums, saying, "It would come as something of a shock that at this point in their careers, Sepultura sound this vital and this fresh. But then, the only surprising thing, perhaps is that we are still surprised. Sepultura: confounding expectations since 1984 – and this is up there with their best."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.maximumvolumemusic.com/review-sepultura-machine-messiah-2017/|title=REVIEW: SEPULTURA - MACHINE MESSIAH (2017) - MaximumVolumeMusic|date=January 9, 2017|access-date=March 4, 2017}}</ref>
''Pure Grain Audio'' called the album "a very accomplished piece of work in its entirety, encompassing a variation of styles and syncopations."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://puregrainaudio.com/reviews/sepultura-machine-messiah-album-review|title=Sepultura - "Machine Messiah" [Album Review]|first=Mathieu|last=Sankeralli|access-date=March 4, 2017|archive-date=July 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170713230841/http://puregrainaudio.com/reviews/sepultura-machine-messiah-album-review|url-status=dead}}</ref> ''Already Heard'' praised the musicianship, saying, "The playing on this record is unbelievable, Andreas Kisser is on fire throughout, Paulo Jr's bass is heavy as hell and drummer Eloy Casagrande is stunning in his versatility.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://alreadyheard.com/post/155988183668/review-sepultura-machine-messiah|title=Review: Sepultura - Machine Messiah|date=January 17, 2017 |access-date=4 March 2017}}</ref> Tracks 9 and 6 were also praised, saying, "Vandals Nest" rips the listener's head clean off; Kisser's shredding is so sharp everything else is slow motion – killer. However, the one track that stands above is the absolutely massive 'Sworn Oath', its cinematic orchestration and angular guitar lines cut into a pounding bass drum that leads into as epic a thrasher as you are likely to hear."
''My Global Mind'' said, "Let's face it, our present day relies on machines. The computers and cell phones we glare into space for hours on end are machines. Many lost the ability of social interaction, making simple meeting places such as coffee shops, music stores, and arcades, a memory of the past. Everything is turning into a controlled digital monopoly, pulling our human strings into a handful of directions that we end up having short attention spans or enter frustrated confusion. With that said, to me, this is what Sepultura's Machine Messiah is all about."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://myglobalmind.com/2017/01/14/sepultura-machine-messiah-review/|title=Sepultura - Machine Messiah Review Myglobalmind Online Magazine|date=January 14, 2017|website=Myglobalmind Online Magazine}}</ref>
It was elected the 18th-best Brazilian album of 2017 by the Brazilian edition of ''Rolling Stone''.<ref name="rsbmelhores2017">{{cite magazine |title=Melhores Discos Nacionais de 2017 |url=https://rollingstone.uol.com.br/galeria/melhores-discos-nacionais-de-2017/|magazine=Rolling Stone Brasil |publisher=Grupo Spring de Comunicação |access-date=January 25, 2019 |date=2017}}</ref>
==Track listing== {{Track listing | all_lyrics = Derrick Green (1, 3, 4, 6 to 11), Andreas Kisser (2, 4) and Kyouchi Azuma (12) | all_music = Kisser, Green and Eloy Casagrande, except "Iceberg Dances" by Kisser and Casagrande, and "Ultraseven no Uta" by Toru Fuyuki | title1 = Machine Messiah | length1 = 5:54 | title2 = I Am the Enemy | length2 = 2:27 | title3 = Phantom Self | length3 = 5:30 | title4 = Alethea | length4 = 4:31 | title5 = Iceberg Dances | length5 = 4:41 | note5 = instrumental | title6 = Sworn Oath | length6 = 6:09 | title7 = Resistant Parasites | length7 = 4:58 | title8 = Silent Violence | length8 = 3:46 | title9 = Vandals Nest | length9 = 2:47 | title10 = Cyber God | length10 = 5:22 | total_length = 46:05 }} {{Track listing | headline = Bonus tracks | title11 = Chosen Skin | length11 = 3:17 | title12 = Ultraseven no Uta | length12 = 1:18 | total_length = 50:40 }}
==Personnel== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}} ;Band *Derrick Green − vocals *Andreas Kisser − guitars *Paulo Jr. − bass *Eloy Casagrande − drums, percussion
;Technical *Jens Bogren − producer, mixing *Linus Corneliusson − editing, mixing assistant *Viktor Stenquist − engineering *Andre Alvinzi − programming *Tony Lindgren − mastering *David Castillo − drum engineering *Ludwig Nasvall − drum technician
;Art *Javier Andrés − artwork, design, layout *Camille Della Rosa − artwork *Dedé Moreira − band photo *David Owen − back cover photo *Erik Cupino − photography *Gorka Rodrigo − photography {{col-2}} ;Musical guests *Elyes Bouchoucha − conductor *Kévin Codfert − conductor, violin arrangements *Renato Zanuto − conductor/arrangements/performer horn quintet, mini-moog and hammond *Bechir Gharbi − violins *Hamza Obba − violins *Mohamed Gharbi − violins *Youssef Belheni − violins *Agnaldo Gonçalves − horns *Douglas Costa − horns *Marcos Tudera − horns *Mauricio Martins − horns *Rafael Nascimento − horns *André Alvinzi − additional programming {{col-end}}
==Charts== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- ! scope="col"| Chart (2017) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- ! scope="row"| Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.auspop.com.au/2017/01/aria-chart-watch-404/|title=ARIA CHART WATCH #404|publisher=auspOp|date=January 21, 2017|access-date=January 21, 2017|archive-date=February 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202032637/https://www.auspop.com.au/2017/01/aria-chart-watch-404/|url-status=dead}}</ref> | 82 |- {{album chart|Austria|33|artist=Sepultura|album=Machine Messiah|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 25, 2024}} |- {{album chart|Flanders|35|artist=Sepultura|album=Machine Messiah|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 25, 2024}} |- {{album chart|Wallonia|67|artist=Sepultura|album=Machine Messiah|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 25, 2024}} |- {{album chart|France|114|artist=Sepultura|album=Machine Messiah|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 25, 2024}} |- {{album chart|Germany|27|id=321117|artist=Sepultura|album=Machine Messiah|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 25, 2024}} |- {{album chart|New Zealand|135|artist=Sepultura|album=Machine Messiah|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 25, 2024}} |- {{album chart|Portugal|35|artist=Sepultura|album=Machine Messiah|rowheader=true|accessdate=January 26, 2017}} |- {{album chart|Scotland|100|date=20170120|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 25, 2024}} |- {{album chart|Switzerland|27|artist=Sepultura|album=Machine Messiah|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 25, 2024}} |- {{album chart|UKIndependent|18|date=20170120|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 25, 2024}} |- {{album chart|UKRock|9|date=20170120|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 25, 2024}} |- {{album chart|BillboardIndependent|11|artist=Sepultura|rowheader=true|accessdate=January 26, 2017}} |}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Sepultura}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:2017 albums Category:Sepultura albums Category:Nuclear Blast albums Category:Albums produced by Jens Bogren