After calling in a herd of mersh-metal guest stars on the previous Soulfly album, Primitive, singer/guitarist Max Cavalera goes back to basics on the band’s third disc. Producing by himself for the first time, he continues to buffer the vehemence he cultivated as the original frontman of Brazilian thrash kings Sepultura with a healthy dose of indigenous sounds from his native land. But as the album’s venomous first single, "Seek ’n’ Strike," attests, the band are more interested in leadfooted power riffing than in radio play this time around.

Which is not to say they’ve forsaken pop: Ill Niño singer Cristian Machado gets spiritual with Cavalera on "One," the prettiest song here. Cavalera saves his most vicious grooves for the disc’s twin tirades against rock-star bullshit, "L.O.T.M." and "Four Elements," and the series of mellow percussion interludes that punctuate the album give it a stoner-rock vibe. The band’s willfully eclectic approach is summed up by the two cover songs: "One Nation," by American cult thrashers Sacred Reich, and "Sangue de Bairro," by Brazilian rock legend Chico Science. Cavalera’s vision doesn’t make for the most cohesive albums, but he continues to excel at creating metal that’s both challenging and accessible.

(Soulfly open for Slayer on Saturday August 17 at the Palladium in Worcester. Call 800-477-6849.)