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As the curtain falls on an extraordinary career spanning more than four decades, SEPULTURA are preparing to close their final chapter at the end of this year. With over 40 years of band history, 14 gold records, and performances across more than 80 countries, Sepultura stand as Brazil’s uncompromising emissary to the global stage and one of today’s most influential metal bands.

While they currently still bring their pioneering sound to audiences worldwide on the “Celebrating Life Through Death” farewell tour, the question arose: how should Sepultura mark the end of such a monumental journey? The answer came naturally: By capturing a final creative moment and preserving it for posterity.

In 2024, Sepultura welcomed 23-year-old American drummer Greyson Nekrutman into the fold. A prodigious talent with a broad musical vocabulary, Nekrutman quickly proved to be a powerful catalyst within the band. Together, this final incarnation of SEPULTURA toured across North America, Europe, and Latin America, delivering a career-spanning set that celebrated the band’s four-decade legacy. Guitarist Andreas Kisser felt compelled to document this unique chemistry before laying SEPULTURA to rest. Thus, the idea for one final EP was born.

“We were always jamming - between tours, during soundchecks,” Andreas explains. “Greyson constantly brought new ideas to the table, which sparked riffs and directions. I also had a few demos left, nothing complete, just ideas. But we wanted to record something with Greyson before the end.”

The band chose Miami’s legendary Criteria Studios, a historic space that has hosted countless iconic recordings across genres, as the setting for this final chapter. Produced by longtime friend and collaborator Stanley Soares, the EP took shape organically over ten days in the studio.

“We arranged everything directly in the studio,” Andreas recalls. “There was no pressure! No release date, no album title, no song names. We just wrote and played. On one track, we leaned into Greyson’s jazzy influences, which brought a new dimension to our sound. It was an incredible experience, and I’m proud that in our final year we can release something this spontaneous and honest - and play it live on tour as well.”

The result is “The Cloud of Unknowing”, one of Sepultura’s most diverse and emotionally resonant releases. Across four tracks, the EP serves as a bittersweet farewell, showcasing the full spectrum of the band’s creativity. From the direct, driving force of “All Souls Rising,” which erupts into moments of orchestral grandeur, to the introspective power ballad “Beyond the Dream” with its clean vocals, the EP reflects both the ferocity and depth that have defined Sepultura’s legacy.

Vocalist Derrick Green elaborates on the themes behind ‘All Souls Rising’:

“The core idea was inspired by a book by Madison Smartt Bell about the slave rebellion in 1780s Haiti. On a broader level, it speaks to what’s happening in society today - how much can be changed when we come together beyond race, religion, and politics. It’s also about the changes we can make within ourselves.”

A similar sense of social reflection underpins the slowly evolving track “The Place.”

“This song deals with immigrants who have come to a place seeking refuge and start a new life.

Once assimilated into a false sense of security and relentlessly propaganda they began to act out against what they hate about themselves. The transition begins to escape from the self hatred and the lashing out against people who believed in the same ideas. I feel the lyrics truly follow the transitions of the song. Starting with disappointment and arriving at anger.”

“The Cloud of Unknowing” stands as a final statement. Unfiltered, fearless, and deeply human. It is SEPULTURA at their most reflective and free, offering one last powerful testament before the curtain falls.