Igor Graziano Cavalera (born 4 September 1970) is a Brazilian musician, best known as the former drummer for heavy metal band Sepultura, which he co-founded with his brother Max in 1984. Max left the band in 1997,[1] and Igor departed nine years later, making him the last original member of Sepultura to leave the band. The brothers reunited in the band Cavalera Conspiracy.
He has played in the bands Nailbomb and Strife. He began to DJ as his hip-hop influences grew stronger. Cavalera is one half of DJ duo Mixhell, a project he founded with his wife Laima Leyton.
In 2016, Soulwax introduced a live show entitled "Soulwax Transient Program for Drums and Machinery", which included Cavalera as one of three drummers with Victoria Smith and Blake Davies, and Leyton on synths and backing vocals.[2] This live show was the basis for their album From Deewee, released March 24.[3] Cavalera has remained an official member of Soulwax since then.
Biography
Cavalera started playing drums at around seven years old. He was into samba music as a child, but after seeing Queen live in 1981 with his older brother Max, he started listening to rock music.[4] When Sepultura was formed, Cavalera was the youngest member at age 13, while Max was 14. Sepultura was a big success and gave Cavalera an early start. On 21 April 1984, Cavalera played for the first time on a real drum kit, borrowed from Helinho of the band Overdose.
After the band split with Max (lead vocals/rhythm guitar) in 1997,[1] their relationship soured but later improved. Cavalera joined Max's band Soulfly on stage at the 2006 tenth annual D-Low Memorial Show, to play the Sepultura songs "Roots Bloody Roots" and "Attitude". It was the first time the brothers had played together in ten years.
Cavalera is credited with a guest appearance on Biohazard's 2001 release Uncivilization, on the track "Gone". He served as a live musician for parodic heavy metal band Massacration, under the pseudonym "El Covero", throughout 2004.[5]
In 2006, he began spelling his name "Iggor". On 13 January 2006, it was announced that he was taking a break from the band due to the birth of his fourth child, initially leaving Sepultura temporarily. He later announced he was quitting Sepultura due to "artistic incompatibility". Sepultura replaced him with Jean Dolabella.
Cavalera was scheduled to collaborate with underground hip hop artist Necro on a project described as in the style of "old-school '80s thrash/death metal".[6] However, Necro mentioned later that the project would not go ahead.
In 2012, Cavalera performed drums for the entire Strife album Witness a Rebirth, released via 6131 Records. In 2017, he played drums for Soulwax on their album From Deewee and in their live tour, with two other live drummers.
In 2018, he formed the noise music duo Pet Brick with Wayne Adams of Big Lad and Death Pedals.
In early Sepultura albums, his drumming was loud and fast, following the thrash metal style of the 1980s. He mastered this style by 1987–1991 (with Schizophrenia, Beneath the Remains and Arise). His innovative style in the album Chaos A.D. brought tribal elements into the songs. One example of his contribution is the introduction of the song "Territory" (1993, Chaos A.D.). He further developed this style in the 1996 Roots album, adding more tribal elements.
Throughout his career, Cavalera has been recognized as a hard-hitting drummer (acknowledged by producer Scott Burns during the recording of Beneath the Remains). In later years, Cavalera adopted a drumset with upright toms and fewer cymbals, as seen in Live in São Paulo. In reference to his work on the Sepultura album Nation, AllMusic wrote "Drummer Igor Cavalera's timing and tempo couldn't be more perfect as the adrenaline heightens until the album's intensity burns right through the speakers."[8]
Personal life
Cavalera has four children, born in 1996, 2000, 2002 and 2006. He has lived in London since 2013.[9]
Cavalera collects toys and football shirts and has many hobbies, including Brazilian jiu-jitsu, kickboxing, snowboarding, surfing, drawing and supporting Brazilian football club Palmeiras. His late father Graziano Cavalera is his role model. In 1996, he started the fashion label "Cavalera", which has faced controversy of its use of the Albanian flag as a logo. In 2020, a petition called for "Cavalera" to change it.
On July 5, 2023, Cavalera’s brother Max announced that their mother Vania had died.[10]
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