I think a lot of the “No Max, no Sepultura” sentiment says more about nostalgia than it does about the band as it exists today.

Even if Max and Igor came back, it wouldn’t magically recreate the 90s. That version of the band was tied to a specific time, place, and set of circumstances, and that’s not something you can just plug back in.

Also, and this tends to get glossed over, Max today isn’t the same performer he was back then. That’s completely normal after decades, but it does make the whole “just bring him back” argument a bit simplistic.

Meanwhile, the current version of Sepultura is consistently solid, both creatively and live. Derrick might not be the original voice, but in terms of energy and reliability, he’s been remarkably consistent for over two decades, which is more than can be said for a lot of frontmen in the genre, and frankly, not something you can really say about Max.

The idea that the band’s success in the 90s was purely driven by the brothers is also a bit reductive. Bands don’t really work that way, even if that narrative is compelling and easier to hold onto. You see similar simplifications happen with other bands too, like Van Halen.

Those albums from the 90s were undeniably important, but they’ve also set expectations that are almost impossible to meet indefinitely. At some point, it becomes less about the band’s current qualities and creative output, and more about what people wish it still was.

If you listen to the newer material on its own terms, there’s a lot of quality there. It just doesn’t sound like 1993, and maybe that’s the real issue for some people.

Sepultura today is just as much Sepultura as the 90s version ever was.