Why Max Cavalera & Chino Moreno Buried Soulfly’s Debut Tape On Native American Land

In a striking new interview with Alternative Nation, Max Cavalera reveals why he and Chino Moreno buried Soulfly’s debut master tapes overnight on Native American land, unpacking the ritual, the photo of Moreno with a shovel and what it means for the album’s legacy.

Since the release of Soulfly’s 1998 self titled debut, one puzzling image has lurked in the liner notes, Chino Moreno of Deftones holding a pickaxe. Now the band’s founder, Max Cavalera, has finally pulled back the curtain. In a new chat with Alternative Nation, Cavalera confirms that he and Moreno buried the master tapes for Soulfly’s debut on indigenous land, deliberately.

Cavalera explains, “We buried them in Indigo Ranch [Studios, in Malibu, California].” He continues: “We knew there was a burial ground there, like, Indian burial ground from 300 years ago. So I wanted to capture the essence of the land, of the indigenous power. So, me and Chino from the Deftones, we dug big holes, put the tapes there. We closed it, let it spend the night. The next day, dug them up. It was cool. It was kind of crazy, but fun at the same time.”

That bizarre bit of folklore explains the strange photo of Moreno with a shovel. “That’s why in the album, there’s a picture of Chino with a shovel, … Because we’re digging holes in Indigo Ranch, in the Malibu hills.” For fans who’ve long wondered why Moreno is holding a spade, the mystery is solved, though the ritual remains curious.

Fan Reactions

Reactions from the fandom were swift and mixed. One Redditor remarked, “This would be like throwing holy water on the tapes and claiming they are blessed with the spirit lmfao. F***ing religious nut jobs.” On X, some joked the move might have done more harm than good: “Maybe it got cursed instead,” one user wrote.

Maybe it got cursed instead

— A Davis (@Rockvegas698) October 24, 2025

From a perspective rooted in the alternative metal world I’ve traversed, the move is vintage Cavalera, turning music making into ritual, blending tribal energy with heavy riffage. It fits Soulfly’s ethos of merging spiritual resonance with earth shaking grooves. That said, it’s a bold stunt and invites serious questions, was this simply art performance, or did it tread into cultural territory without full reflection? Either way, the story adds a weird, potent layer to the debut’s legacy.

So yes, the tape burial actually happened, and now you know the story behind the shovel.

Missed our recent interview with Max? Check it out below:

Story source: Loudwire!