Forty years in, and Sepultura still have firsts left to give. On Friday, March 20, the Brazilian metal institution kicked off the Australian leg of their "Celebrating Life Through Death" farewell world tour at Metro City in Perth — and delivered something no audience had witnessed before: the live debut of "The Place," a track from their upcoming and final EP, The Cloud of Unknowing.
Fan-filmed footage from the Perth show captures the moment clearly: a band with nothing left to prove playing exactly as if they still have something to say. Because they do.
The EP That Closes the Book
The Cloud of Unknowing arrives April 24 via Nuclear Blast Records and marks the final studio recording of Sepultura's career. Recorded with 23-year-old drummer Greyson Nekrutman — who officially replaced Eloy Casagrande in February 2024 after Casagrande departed to join Slipknot — the EP spans four tracks and stands as the only document of this final lineup in the studio.
Tracklist:
- All Souls Rising
- Beyond the Dream
- Sacred Books
- The Place
Guitarist Andreas Kisser has spoken about how the EP came together organically, with no label pressure and no deadline. Following the band's appearance on the 70000 Tons of Metal cruise in January 2025, they found themselves in Miami with studio access and ideas ready to go. "It was very spontaneous," Kisser explained. "No pressure from labels, no due date… We did it in our time with no rush… It's great. Because of the farewell tour idea, we can do that as well."
The result, according to Nuclear Blast, is "one of SEPULTURA's most diverse and emotionally resonant releases" — a four-song statement that "serves as a bittersweet farewell, showcasing the full spectrum of the band's creativity."
What 'The Place' Is Actually About
Vocalist Derrick Green broke down the lyrical core of the song when the single released in February: "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 relentless 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."
Politically charged, personally observed, and delivered with the kind of conviction that's kept Sepultura relevant through decades of lineup changes and genre shifts. This isn't a band coasting to the finish line. The Perth audience heard that.
The Perth Setlist
The March 20 show was a 22-song marathon pulling from across Sepultura's catalog — front-loaded with Beneath the Remains and Arise era material, but making room for the new. "The Place" appeared at position four, early enough to hit while the crowd was still finding its footing, late enough to let the classics set the tone.
Full setlist per Setlist.fm:
- Beneath the Remains
- Inner Self
- Desperate Cry
- The Place (live debut)
- Kairos
- Propaganda
- Attitude
- Means to an End
- Choke
- Phantom Self
- Kaiowas
- Guardians of Earth
- Escape to the Void
- Dead Embryonic Cells
- Agony of Defeat
- Orgasmatron (Motörhead cover)
- Troops of Doom
- Territory
- Refuse/Resist
- Arise
- Drum Solo
- Ratamahatta
- Roots Bloody Roots
The Motörhead cover has been a fixture on this farewell run — a nod to a band that, like Sepultura, defined a generation of heavy music and closed on their own terms.
The Australian Run
The Perth show opens a short six-date Australian run that includes a sold-out night in Sydney. Dates and venues:
- Mar 20 — Perth @ Metro City
- Mar 23 — Adelaide @ The Gov
- Mar 25 — Melbourne @ Northcote Theatre
- Mar 26 — Sydney @ Liberty Hall
- Mar 27 — Sydney @ Liberty Hall (SOLD OUT)
- Mar 29 — Brisbane @ The Tivoli
Tickets through Destroy All Lines for remaining dates.
The End Is São Paulo
Kisser has made clear where the final chapter closes. "The idea is to do it around October 2026 in São Paulo, Brazil," he said. "A big SEPUL-fest type of show, a party with bands that are important." That includes an open invitation to every musician who has ever been part of the band's history — including Max and Igor Cavalera, who left under fractious circumstances in the late '90s but whose names come up in every conversation about closure. "Let's jam for the fans, to ourselves, to our families," Kisser said. "It's totally irrelevant to discuss the past."
Whether or not the reunion materializes, the arc is already remarkable. Forty years. Fourteen gold records. Performances in over 80 countries. And now, on a Friday night in Perth, a room full of Australian fans watching a four-decade-old band play a brand-new song for the very first time.
That's not a farewell tour. That's a band going out properly.
Pre-order The Cloud of Unknowing on Amazon or stream it April 24 via Nuclear Blast. For North American tour dates and tickets, check Ticketmaster.
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