On the chilly evening of December 2, 2016, a substantial crowd gathered at the Essigfabrik venue in Cologne, Germany, buzzing with anticipation for a night of nostalgic metal mayhem. The occasion was nothing short of historic: Max and Igor Cavalera, the iconic Brazilian brothers known for their seminal work in Sepultura, were about to take the stage together. The tour, aptly named “Max & Igor Cavalera Return to Roots Tour,” promised a night of ferocious rhythms and hard-hitting riffs as they revisited their roots in the music that had once placed them at the zenith of the metal realm​¹​​²​.

The venue resonated with the potent energy of metal aficionados, each one ready to transcend time as Max and Igor Cavalera prepared to storm the stage. As the lights dimmed, the atmosphere became electrifying, thrumming with the heartbeat of drums and the growl of guitars. The setlist was a journey back to the seminal times of Sepultura, featuring iconic tracks such as “Roots Bloody Roots,” “Attitude,” “Cut-Throat,” “Ratamahatta,” “Breed Apart,” and “Straighthate” among others​¹​.

The performance was not merely a concert; it was a living chronicle of the Cavalera brothers’ indelible imprint on the metal genre. The crowd reciprocated the energy on stage with an inferno of mosh pits, head-banging, and relentless roars of approval.

The visuals at the concert, though not captured in videos, but through photographs and the memories of the attendees, painted a vivid picture of a night where past met present, as Max and Igor Cavalera delivered a performance reverberating with the primal essence of their musical journey​³​.

The concert in Cologne was one of the two performances by Max & Igor Cavalera in the city, marking a rare appearance in a city they had only performed in twice out of 265 concerts. The event was a part of a larger tour that saw the Cavalera brothers revisiting the essence of their earlier work, a gesture much appreciated by their enduring fan base across the globe​²​.

The live performance was a testament to the enduring legacy of Max and Igor Cavalera, offering a poignant reminder of the raw energy and innovative spirit that characterized their early years in Sepultura. Through the “Return to Roots” tour, the Cavalera brothers not only celebrated their illustrious past but also showcased the unbreakable bond of brotherhood and music that continues to inspire legions of metal enthusiasts worldwide.

The night in Cologne was more than a concert; it was a pilgrimage for many, an opportunity to witness the Cavalera brothers in action, reliving the raw, untamed spirit of a sound that had once defined a genre. As the echoes of the final notes faded into the night, the crowd dispersed, each individual carrying with them a piece of metal history, etched in roaring riffs and thunderous drums.