Guitarist said he was “very surprised” by the drummer’s decision: “we had been working on the farewell tour for two years […] and he decided to leave three weeks before the start.”
The entry of Eloy Casagrande for the Slipknot represented not only a great glory for the drummer — and the fans, who celebrated as if it were a victory for them too — but also a problem for the Grave. The Brazilian drummer had been part of the band since the end of 2011 and only announced his departure in February, on the eve of the start of their farewell tour Celebrating Life Through Death. The American Greyson Nekrutman took over the position.
Casagrande has explained in interviews that he only announced his decision “at the last minute” because the American group demanded secrecy. Even so, his former colleagues seem to have been upset — as the guitarist Andreas Kisser discussed the matter a few times in the press.
The most recent occasion took place in an interview with Overdrive.ie (via Blabbermouth). Kisser was asked if Casagrande decided to leave because the group is about to end activities. He replied:
“I have no idea, man. You have to ask him. We were very surprised by his decision. We had been working on the farewell tour for two years — with him involved — and three weeks before the first show, he decided to leave out of the blue. It was very strange. And he decided three weeks before the first date that we had been working for two years to happen, with his approval and everything — we were discussing the setlist and all the effects and everything — but he decided to go at that point and left.”
The least of the evils: the name of Greyson Nekrutman was soon remembered by Andreas, as he had known the drummer’s work on the networks. He highlighted:
“Greyson came to my mind immediately because we were following him. My son, Yohanshowed me your videos, Derrick [Green, vocalista do Sepultura] saw him playing with Suicidal Tendencies in Los Angeles. And it came to my mind immediately. And I called him, and 48 hours later, we were together. [Risos]”
Kisser also pointed out that the “musical chairs” in the drums of Sepultura, Slipknot and Suicidal Tendencies “may have been better for everyone”. Namely:
- Eloy Casagrande left Sepultura to join Slipknot, replacing Greyson Nekrutman;
- Greyson Nekrutman left Suicidal Tendencies to join Sepultura, replacing Eloy Casagrande;
- Jay Weinberg He was fired from Slipknot (giving way to Eloy Casagrande) and joined Suicidal Tendencies (replacing Greyson Nekrutman).
What Eloy Casagrande says
In an interview with See SP (via Igor Miranda website), Eloy Casagrande explained his side of the story. The drummer highlighted that, yes, he agreed to audition for Slipknot because Sepultura was already on its way out — the band is not expected to live past 2026.
“I received the invitation to audition after the tour was announced. The big thing, the reason I agreed to audition, was the ending of Sepultura. The band was going to break up, and I didn’t want to stop playing drums at 33 years old. There was a chat with Slipknot, I asked about their schedule, if it would be possible to combine the two bands, but they said no, there was no way, I would be exclusive. So it was my decision to end Sepultura.”
However, the agreement with Slipknot was only passed on to Sepultura’s colleagues at the beginning of February — which created a not very pleasant situation. He said:
“It was complicated, I informed them when I had closed the agreement, on the 5th or 6th of February. That day I called a meeting and explained the situation. That was it, an individual decision.”
The reason for the end of Sepultura
Motivations that go beyond the events of the Grave are linked to the end. In an interview with Loud TV (via Blabbermouth), Andreas Kisser Said his wife’s death, Patriciainfluenced the option for closure. She was 52 years old and passed away from colon cancer.
The musician says:
“Yes, definitely, definitely [o fim do Sepultura está associado à morte de Patricia]. […] The process was very painful and difficult, but it has been an open-ended experience: getting to know myself, my family, new opportunities to talk about life because of death.”
In the view of Andreas“Brazil is one of the worst places to die”, since “many people are forgotten by society”. Therefore, he made the decision to create the movement Mothertriciawhich, in his words, “inspires and encourages people to talk about death in many aspects” — including topics such as euthanasia, assisted suicide and palliative care.
“We had the privilege of giving my wife palliative care, because of the health plan, but most people in Brazil don’t have that. We started this movement and a music festival [Patfest] which recently had its third edition, raising funds for people who receive and provide palliative care in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro.”
With the loss of Patricia, Andreas Kisser started to see the end differently. The Sepultura guitarist emphasizes that death is his greatest teacher.
“I’m learning a lot about life because I respect finiteness. We can’t control this. We are all going to die. You will die. The camera will die. [Risos] Any electronic device will stop working. We cannot choose. What we can choose is to live in the moment. The intensity of the present is much more intense if you respect finiteness.”
Even in other fields, finiteness is important. The guitarist comments:
“If you go to the cinema and it has no end, there is no meaning, there is no message. A book, a job, this interview… anything you do in your life has to end. We think in phases: beginning, cause and effect; beginning, middle and conclusion. It’s life. Let’s respect that. Let’s not try to live forever, with AI and robots and all that stuff. Let’s be human and respect finitude, respect death.”
Her own Patricia discussed death openly, according to Andreas. She even made requests that previously sounded like a joke, but were respected.
“People have this idea that if you talk about dying, bad things will happen and things like that. It’s totally the opposite. THE Patricia used to talk about dying: ‘When I die, please don’t forget my pillow. Don’t forget my blanket. And put my pajamas and socks on my feet because I don’t want to get cold.’ We all laughed at the time, but when she died, we did it. I can’t explain in words the feeling of fulfilling a wish for your loved one. It’s simple things. And it brings you peace, understanding and a feeling of gratitude for having been part of our lives for so many years. I have three children [com ela] and many of Andreas that I used to be died with her. But I’m discovering another one that’s emerging from that.”
Pelé’s curious reaction when meeting Sepultura musicians
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Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
