Sepultura The Cloud of Unknowing (EP)
Early read based on 2 professional reviews. Sepultura's The Cloud of Unknowing (EP) reads like a deliberate, dignified valediction from a band that has long defined heavy music's outskirts. Critics note a clear throughline of finality and legacy across the EP, where melancholy and sheer heaviness coexist with moments of unexpected experimentation and instrumenta
“All Souls Rising” is the standout for its relentless drums and complementary guitar that make it an unforgettable opener.
Shared criticism is still limited across the current review sample.
Best for listeners looking for farewell and legacy, starting with The Place and All Souls Rising.
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Full consensus notes
Sepultura's The Cloud of Unknowing (EP) reads like a deliberate, dignified valediction from a band that has long defined heavy music's outskirts. Critics note a clear throughline of finality and legacy across the EP, where melancholy and sheer heaviness coexist with moments of unexpected experimentation and instrumental craftsmanship.
Across two professional reviews the record earned an 82.5/100 consensus score, with reviewers consistently praising the opener “All Souls Rising” as a bruising statement of intent and one of the best songs on the EP. “The Place” is singled out as a six-minute tour de force, drenched in foreboding ambience and inventive riffing, while “Beyond the Dream” repeatedly surfaces as a highlight for its haunting, bittersweet menace and a standout Andreas Kisser solo. Critics also flag “Sacred Books” for rewarding repeated listens, its muscular, angular surprises tempered by a piano passage that some found unsettling.
Reviewers balance affection with clear appraisal: praise centers on the band’s ability to marry progression and experimentation to their signature heaviness, producing moments that feel like a purposeful farewell rather than a retreat. While one review leans more celebratory and the other more measured, the critical consensus suggests The Cloud of Unknowing (EP) is a powerful coda—an essential listen for those tracking Sepultura's legacy and anyone curious about the best tracks on the record.
Deeper reviews below unpack how these four standout songs crystallize the EP’s themes of legacy, melancholy, and final creative restatement.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
The Place
1 mention
"the closing, six-minute tour de force of "The Place" that hits the bullseye"— Blabbermouth
All Souls Rising
2 mentions
"This EP opens with “All Souls Rising,” a punch-to-the-face of a song from the very first note."— The Spill Magazine
Beyond the Dream
2 mentions
"In the power ballad “Beyond the Dream,” the vocals from Derrick Green are haunting and beautiful."— The Spill Magazine
This EP opens with “All Souls Rising,” a punch-to-the-face of a song from the very first note.
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
All Souls Rising
Beyond the Dream
Sacred Books
The Place
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What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 2 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
On The Cloud of Unknowing (EP), Sepultura deliver a heartfelt goodbye, with the best songs proving both muscular and melancholic. The opener “All Souls Rising” is described as a punch-to-the-face, driven by Greyson Nekrutman’s drums and Andreas Kisser’s complementary guitar work, making it one of the best tracks on the EP. The power ballad “Beyond the Dream” emerges as another highlight, its haunting vocals and dream-like instrumentals marking it among the best songs on the record. Even the near-perfect “Sacred Books” is praised for Kisser’s interesting guitar, despite a piano section that unsettles the mood.
Key Points
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“All Souls Rising” is the standout for its relentless drums and complementary guitar that make it an unforgettable opener.
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The EP succeeds as a melancholic, lovingly made farewell that highlights strong instrumentals and striking vocals.
Themes
Bl
Critic's Take
In a tone both affectionate and unsparing, Sepultura close their career with The Cloud of Unknowing (EP), and the best tracks on the record are unmistakable. The opener “All Souls Rising” arrives like a well-aimed elbow - brutal, thrilling and top-tier in its intensity, while “The Place” is the six-minute tour de force that hits the bullseye, drenched in foreboding ambience and wildly inventive riffing. Between them, “Beyond the Dream” supplies bittersweet menace and a standout Kisser solo, and “Sacred Books” rewards deeper listening with muscular, angular surprises. The reviewer frames these songs as proof that even in a farewell the band remain a fearsome force for heavy metal greatness.
Key Points
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The Place is the standout closing epic for its progressive structure and finale.
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The EP's core strengths are concentrated songwriting, inventive riffing, and emotional breadth despite being a brief farewell.