Coming straight from the jungles of Brazil to the desert heat of Arizona, Soulfly are back to stoke the fire. On Chama, the band’s thirteenth studio album, Max Cavalera reignites the primal fury that made him one of metal’s most visionary leaders. It’s a return to the tribal, spiritual core of Soulfly’s early years, but sharpened with a new edge that’s both feral and forward-thinking.

“Chama is the Brazilian word for ‘flame,’” Max explains. “It also means a ‘calling.’ This record is the sound of Soulfly’s fire. I can’t wait to play these songs live for the Tribe!” It’s an apt metaphor for an album that blazes with the energy of a thousand suns, as Cavalera’s unmistakable riffs collide with crashing grooves and ancestral rhythms. The first single, “Storm The Gates,” is a warrior’s cry in every sense, a pulverizing anthem that rages against control, greed, and complacency. The track surges with the weight of generations, summoning rebellion through ritualistic percussion and chainsaw guitars.

Much of Chama’s power comes from within the Cavalera family itself. Max’s son, drummer and co-producer Zyon Cavalera, describes the album as a creative awakening: “With each Soulfly record I’ve played on, I can feel my evolution happening in real time. This one was no different. I got to handle a good amount of the production for the first time, and it was a blast pushing the band to places we’ve never been before.”

Recorded at Platinum Underground Studio in Mesa, Arizona, Chama was co-produced by Zyon and Arthur Rizk, known for his work with Power Trip and Cavalera Conspiracy, who also handled mixing. Rizk’s touch gives the record a blistering intensity, it’s organic yet devastatingly heavy. The lineup is rounded out by Igor Amadeus Cavalera (Go Ahead & Die, Healing Magic) on bass and Mike De Leon on guitar, with a guest appearance from Dino Cazares of Fear Factory. The artwork, created by Carletta Parrish, channels the album’s spirit with mythic graphics.

Twenty-five years after their debut, Soulfly still sound like they’re discovering new territory through the smoke and dust. Chama is a ritual, a rekindling, and a reminder that Max Cavalera’s flame burns as fiercely as ever.