February 24 - Ratamahatta

Some days I just want to rock out. Now, I am no teenager anymore, so there really is no jumping up and down or headbanging - it's more a rhythmic movement of the head, involuntary foot tapping, and some movements of arms and wrists that may seem spastic, but that really are my subdued way of playing air drums. Or, if I am in the shower, you can probably hear me playing my torso like a drum set - although my time behind the drum set is probably marked by a slightly lacking inner metronome, but more then enough passion to make up for it (no wonder that I fathered two percussionists).

I really like rhythm. I like all the strange kinds of rhythms, such as odd time signatures and polyrhythms, but I also like just a straight up groove, one where the drummer locks in a rhythm that the bass (primarily) and guitar player just follow because it is so infectious. And today's song is built on that kind of a groove, although this groove comes to us from the rainforests of Brazil through the slums of Belo Horizonte, one of the host cities of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which is where Sepultura is from.

The song Ratamahatta is sung in Portugese, so I don't have to worry about the lyrics being too bad since I initially don't understand them. However, a quick search reveals that it is about the social inequalities so often seen in Brazil, and Belo Horizonte is not an exception, as it has its slum quarters (favelas), which are heavily featured in the song. They included David Silveria on this track, and he is the one responsible for the traditional Brazilian percussion that you can hear. Igor Cavalero is on drums, with his brother Max on vocals, helped by guest Carlinhos Brown. Andreas Kisser on guitar and Paolho Jr on bass round out the culprits of this recording. Please enter Sepultura's Brazil, heavenly groovy. Warning: This song can cause involuntary body movements...