Sepultura – Roorback (2003) | Album Overview, Artwork & Legacy
Roorback is the ninth studio album by Brazilian metal band Sepultura, released on May 27, 2003 through SPV Records. It was recorded during 2002–2003 and produced by Steve Evetts and the band. Roorback continued the groove and alternative metal direction Sepultura had been developing with vocalist Derrick Green.
Album Details
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Title: Roorback
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Artist: Sepultura
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Release Date: May 27, 2003
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Genre: Groove metal / nu metal / alternative metal
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Label: SPV — Universal (Brazil)
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Produced by: Steve Evetts & Sepultura
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Length: ~56:44
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Studio: AR Studios (Rio de Janeiro) & Guilas Studios (São Paulo)
The album’s title refers to the concept of a false or slanderous story used for political advantage, known as a roorback forgery.
Musical Style & Themes
Roorback blends heavy, groove‑oriented riffs with aggressive vocals and socially charged lyrics. Themes explored on the album include political corruption, rebellion, propaganda and societal unrest.
This release represents Sepultura’s attempt to maintain intensity and relevance in the post‑Max Cavalera era (with Derrick Green on vocals), balancing the heavier side of their sound with the world‑music and groove elements introduced on albums like Roots and Nation.
Track Listing
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Come Back Alive
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Godless
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Apes of God
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More of The Same
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Urge
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Corrupted
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As It Is
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Mind War
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Leech
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The Rift
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Bottomed Out
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Activist
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Outro
Bonus (in some editions): “Bullet the Blue Sky” (U2 cover) and video track
(Limited digipak editions also include the Revolusongs EP on a second disc.)
Singles & Videos: “Mind War” and the U2 cover Bullet the Blue Sky were released as singles with music videos.
Personnel
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Derrick Green – vocals
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Andreas Kisser – guitars
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Paulo Jr. – bass
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Igor Cavalera – drums & percussion
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João Barone – guest appearance
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Additional credits: Steve Evetts (producer/engineer/mixing), George Marino (mastering), Derek Hess (illustrations), Jacob Bannon (graphic design).
Cover Art – Design & Credits
The Roorback cover art is illustrated and designed rather than an existing painting or a reused image:
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Artwork by: Derek Hess — an artist known for bold graphic work and illustrations.
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Graphic design: Jacob Bannon worked on layout/design elements.
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The art for Roorback was specifically created for the album, reflecting the tone and themes rather than being pulled from a pre‑existing piece.
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While there isn’t a widely published official explanation from the band about each symbolic element, the artist’s role and credits make clear that this was a commissioned visual identity for the album, not a stock image or generic graphic.
This aligns with the band and design team collaborating to produce artwork that matches the record’s darker, aggressive, and politically charged subject matter, fitting the band’s image and era.
Reception & Sales
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Roorback received positive critical reviews, with some critics calling it “the band’s strongest effort in years,” noting energy and consistency compared to earlier post‑Max albums.
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Commercially, sales were lower than earlier releases, but it still charted and sold steadily, making a presence on the Billboard Independent Music Chart.
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By 2007, U.S. sales were reported above 75,000 copies.
Fun Facts
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The word roorback originates from a political term for a false story used against opponents in a campaign. Sepultura used this concept to reflect the album’s themes of corruption and propaganda.
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The Revolusongs EP — a collection of cover songs — was packaged with some versions of Roorback, offering additional tracks and a music video as a bonus.
Trivia
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“Bullet the Blue Sky,” originally by U2, was chosen as both a single and a video track on the Roorback digipak editions — an unusual but bold move for a heavy metal band interpreting a rock classic.
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This album continues the post‑Cavalera era, featuring Derrick Green’s vocals and marking one of the key transitional releases in Sepultura’s late‑career evolution.
Did You Know?
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Roorback includes a hidden track after “Outro” on certain versions, featuring silence followed by extra audio — a common easter‑egg style for albums of that era.
