"Beneath the Remains" is the third studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura. It was released on April 7, 1989, by Roadrunner Records. The album was a significant turning point in the band's career as it presented a marked evolution from their death metal roots towards a more refined thrash metal style.
The album was recorded in December 1988 at Nas Nuvens Studio in Rio de Janeiro, with renowned producer Scott Burns. This was Burns's first case of working with a non - North American band, and his proficiency with the genre was pivotal in capturing the raw energy of Sepultura in such a polished manner.
"Beneath the Remains" was received positively by critics and fans, and it is often considered one of the band's best works. It was a commercial success, too, with over 600,000 copies sold worldwide.
Lyrically, the album represents a move away from the Satanic themes of their earlier work towards socio-political issues. Tracks like "Inner Self" and "Mass Hypnosis" deal with themes of alienation, the manipulation of masses, and social unrest, reflecting the band's observations of the political climate in their home country, Brazil.
Despite being released over three decades ago, "Beneath the Remains" continues to be influential. Its unbridled aggression, technical prowess, and socially conscious lyrics laid a blueprint for extreme metal bands that followed.
