The Osbournes (R.I.P. Ozzy) may be the first family of Rock ‘n’ Roll, but the Cavaleras are without a doubt the first family of extreme metal. Max Cavalera started his journey into the extreme with Sepultura in 1984, took things to the next level in 1993 with Nailbomb, mixed the best of nu-metal, death metal, and thrash in 1997 with Soulfly, pushed heavy music to new heights with Cavalera Conspiracy in 2007, and got his groove on in 2020 with Go Ahead and Die. Max and his brother, drummer Iggor Cavalera, have been touring as simply Cavalera over the last few years, and to make it even more of a family affair, Max’s son Igor Amadeus Cavalera plays bass in the band.

Cavalera recently re-recorded the first three Sepultura albums and celebrated that on the “Third World Trilogy” tour earlier in 2025. Now, they’re back on the road celebrating 32 years of Sepultura’s landmark album, 1993’s Chaos A.D..

This four-week tour made a stop at the House of Blues in Anaheim, CA, for a Tuesday night rager on October 7, with openers Thrown Into Exile, Genocide Pact, Prong, and direct support from Fear Factory. With five bands on the bill, the night had a mini-festival vibe as doors opened at 5:00 PM. It was clear this would be a night to remember.

Now 14 years into their musical assault, Los Angeles-based Thrown Into Exile kicked off the night at 6:30 PM with a bit of a surprise. Vocalist Evan Seinfeld was down with an illness and couldn’t perform, so guest vocalist Hannah Rebel stepped in and absolutely killed it. Adding a bit more aggression to each song, she fit right in with the band.

Founder and TIE captain Mario Rubio led the shredding and hair whips (watch out, Ira Black—Mario is giving you a run for your money as the best hair in a metal band). Drummer Hank Lin, filling in during the search for a new permanent drummer, held down the beat with power and precision. The band, rounded out by longtime bassist Javi Exile and guitarist Austin Shadowsill, delivered a killer set. You’d never know it was Hannah’s first time playing with the band, and the SoCal fans welcomed their opening set with enthusiasm.

Washington D.C.’s Genocide Pact was up next, delivering sheer brutality over their 40-minute set. Bathed in red lights, vocalist/guitarist Tim Mullaney, drummer Connor Donegan, and bassist Nolan ripped through songs from their three-album discography. Their crushing sound and relentless energy proved that younger bands are carrying the torch for the next wave of death metal.

Veteran band Prong took the stage at 8:00 PM, led by vocalist/guitarist Tommy Victor (who also plays guitar in Danzig). They opened with “For Dear Life,” and Victor was fired up, strutting across the stage and blasting out his iconic riffs. Prong, melting faces since 1986, delivered fan favorites like “Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck,” which had the capacity crowd headbanging in unison. The aggressive circle pits were non-stop, and the set ended with the fast-paced “However It May End” from 2017’s Zero Days. Victor hinted at new Prong music in 2026—fingers crossed!

The crowd didn’t mind staying out late on a “school night” as the stage was set for Fear Factory to take over and destroy Anaheim. Vocalist Milo Silvestro, now over two years into his tenure with the band, has reinvigorated their live performances. His powerful voice brought new life to the band’s classic bangers, making the set a treat for fans.

Still celebrating 30 years of Demanufacture, the band opened with seven songs from the groundbreaking album that helped shape a new sound in heavy music. Dino Cazares’ razor-sharp riffs were perfectly in sync with Pete Weber’s blasting drumbeats. Filling in for bassist Tony Campos (currently on tour with Static-X) was Ricky Bonazza of Butcher Babies, who bridged the thunder between Cazares and Weber.

Silvestro shone on vocals, nailing both guttural growls and clean melodies. The crowd was amped up for “Martyr,” and the set ended with “Linchpin.” Fear Factory remains a monster of a band in 2025, and anticipation is high for new music, hopefully arriving in 2026.

At 10:20 PM, the lights dimmed, and video screens on each side of the stage played tributes from peers like Shane Embury of Napalm Death and Todd Jones of Nails, praising the influence and brutality of Chaos A.D.. The band then took the stage and launched into “Refuse/Resist,” igniting the crowd into a frenzy.

Max Cavalera looked fantastic—slim, fierce, and as active onstage as he was in 1993. The band mixed up the order of the Chaos A.D. tracks, but the viciousness of each song remained intact. The crowd was more active than ever, keeping the security team busy.

Iggor Cavalera was a monster on drums, his hard-hitting rhythms and grooves forming the backbone of the early Sepultura material. Igor Amadeus Cavalera brought youthful energy to the live delivery with his thumping bass, while guitarist Travis Stone (of Pig Destroyer) shredded riffs and leads with precision.

Hearing songs like “Biotech Is Godzilla,” “Slave New World,” and “Propaganda” live was euphoric. Max’s voice remains as powerful as on the original recordings, and his joy in performing was palpable.

The band paid tribute to Ozzy Osbourne (R.I.P.) and Black Sabbath with a killer cover of “Symptom of the Universe” before closing the night with “Territory” and a reprise of “Refuse/Resist.”

It’s special to see the Cavalera brothers destroying venues and honoring their roots with this classic set. Max Cavalera continues to reinvent himself and remains the God of Heavy Music. The Chaos A.D. tour is one not to be missed. The tour heads to Texas next, ending with three shows in the Lone Star State.

For all tour dates and anything Cavalera, visit Cavalera Conspiracy.