Soulfly is an American metal band formed in Phoenix, Arizona in 1997. The o… Read Full Bio ↴Soulfly is an American metal band formed in Phoenix, Arizona in 1997. The original lyrical content revolved around spirituality, political and religious themes, with later albums encompassing other themes including war, violence, aggression, slavery, hatred and anger. Soulfly is led by former Sepultura frontman Max Cavalera, who formed the band after he left the Brazilian group in 1996. To date the band has released twelve studio albums, one tour EP, twenty-three singles, one video album, and twelve music videos. Their debut album, Soulfly, was released on April 21, 1998, while their most recent album, Ritual, was released on October 19, 2018.

Soulfly incorporates many styles of metal with Brazilian tribal and world music. All of their first six studio albums debuted on the United States Billboard 200, with a peak position at number 32 for their second album, Primitive. Soulfly has been certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. The band has gone through numerous line-up changes, with Cavalera being the only constant member. In an interview with Max in 2015, it is revealed that the band's name was taken from the song "Headup" by Deftones, a song that Max collaborated on.

Studio albums
Soulfly (1998)
Primitive (2000)
3 (2002)
Prophecy (2004)
Dark Ages (2005)
Conquer (2008)
Omen (2010)
Enslaved (2012)
Savages (2013)
Archangel (2015)
Ritual (2018)
Totem (2022)

Resistance
Soulfly Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Brethren, arise, arise
Strike for your lives and liberties
Now is the day and the hour
Let every slave throughout the land do this
And the days of slavery are numbered
You cannot be more oppressed than you have been
You cannot suffer create cruelties than you have already
Rather die free men then live to be slaves

Let your motto be:
Resistance

Resistance
Resistance

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Soulfly's song Resistance convey a powerful message of empowerment and resistance against oppression. The opening lines call upon brethren to rise up and fight for their lives and freedom. This could be interpreted as a call to action for marginalized communities who have been oppressed for far too long. The lyrics go on to state that the days of slavery are numbered, indicating a sense of hope for a better future.

The next lines suggest that although the oppressed have already suffered greatly, they should not give up their fight for freedom. The lyrics encourage individuals to value their own lives and dignity over being enslaved, and to continue to resist even at the risk of death. This embodies a spirit of resilience and determination to fight against injustice, no matter the cost. The chorus of the song repeats the word 'Resistance' three times, emphasizing the importance of this message.

Line by Line Meaning

Brethren, arise, arise
Hey, everybody wake up and pay attention

Strike for your lives and liberties
Fight for your right to live free and have autonomy

Now is the day and the hour
This is the moment we've been waiting for

Let every slave throughout the land do this
All oppressed people everywhere, join in and stand up for your rights

And the days of slavery are numbered
The end of oppression is approaching

You cannot be more oppressed than you have been
You've already been through the worst - there's nothing left to lose

You cannot suffer create cruelties than you have already
The cruelty you've experienced cannot be topped

Rather die free men then live to be slaves
It's better to die on your feet than live on your knees

Let your motto be: Resistance
Our rallying cry is Resistance

Resistance
We will resist injustice and tyranny

Resistance
We will fight for our freedom and our rights