Soulfly

Heavy-metal bands are all about rocking as hard as they can, as fast as they can and as loud as they can. Their breakneck speed and inaudible lyrics cause the majority of the world to just shake their heads and ask, "Why?" But any angsty, JNCO-wearing sixteen-year old can tell you why. Because when they're at that heavy-metal show, thrashing in the mosh pit, fighting to stay up, bloodied from a crowd surfer's foot, bruised from an elbow to the ribs, sweaty and tired, they have never felt more alive. For that moment they are one with the music, and it is the best they have ever heard. But inevitably, the day will come when they tire of the same old pummeling beats and they will begin to look for more sophistication in their music. For that day, there's Soulfly.

Formed back in 1996 by Max Cavalera of Sepultura fame, Soulfly interweaves worldly beats with abrasive metal for a highly successful result. Head-bang to the metal and then take a breather to groove to the tribal beat, reggae rhythm or classical guitar -- whatever Cavalera was influenced by at the time. On the latest album, Prophecy, the band experiments with Serbian musicians, flamenco guitars and Brazilian capoeira tempos. With this band, learn to expect the unconventional. Soulfly is capable of exposing you to cutting-edge experimental music and giving you a wicked case of whiplash. Angst has never sounded so good.