Andreas Kisser (guitar, 1987 - present)
Derrick Green (vocals/guitar, 1997 - present)
Paulo Jr. (bass, 1984 - present)
Jean Dolabella (drums, 2006 - present)

Wagner Lamounier (vocals, 1984)
Max Cavalera (vocals/guitar, 1984-1996)
Igor Cavalera (drums, 1984 - 2006)
Jairo Guedes (guitar,1984 - 1987)

Sepultura was formed in Belo Horizonte in 1984 by Max Cavalera (rhythm guitar), his younger brother Igor Cavalera (drums), Paulo Pinto (bass), and Jairo Guedes (lead guitar). Sepultura signed to Cogumelo Records after a few years of performing. Lamounier left the band without recording on a demo due to differences in idelogies. Max took over as vocals later on. Their first EP was Bestial Devastation, a split with Overdose's album on the flipside. Their first LP was Morbid Visions (1986), which included the moderate hit "Troops of Doom" that attracted the band some attention. Both albums are nowadays regarded as early milestones in the establishment of death metal. After Morbid Visions, Jairo Guedes left the band for another thrash metal venture and Sao Paulo based guitarist Andreas Kisser replaced him. Their second full-length album was Schizophrenia, which was a critical success that led to a contract with Roadrunner Records.

With Roadrunner distributing Schizophrenia worldwide, Sepultura reached new audiences of metal fans. This was cemented by 1989's Beneath the Remains, which is hailed as one of the best thrash albums of the late 1980s. It was followed by a long European and American tour. Their first US show was October 31, 1989 at the Ritz in New York City, opening for King Diamond. By the time they released 1991's Arise, Sepultura were located in Phoenix, Arizona and had become one of the most critically-praised metal bands of the time, in spite of a lack of mainstream success.

This was changed by Chaos A.D. (1993), which saw a departure from the traditional thrash style, now mixing it with groove metal elements. Though generally regarded as a sell-out by thrash fans[citation needed], the album helped form the groove metal genre and saw Sepultura achieve recognition beyond the thrash metal community. They continued with this on 1996's Roots, in which the band further innovated by experimenting with elements from the music of Brazil's indigenous peoples and traditional thrash, with a slower, downtuned nu metal sound. The title track is probably the band's best-known song, and often a staple at live shows.

In parallel, in 1994, Max and Igor, aided by Alex Newport of Fudge Tunnel, recorded a more industrial LP, Point Blank, under the signature Nailbomb. Nailbomb played a full set live only once, mostly the same tracks as on the album, and the performance was released as Proud to commit commercial suicide. Nailbomb also played selected tracks live on Sepultura's 1994 tour with guests Fudge Tunnel.

In 1996, Sepultura played on the Ozzfest main stage alongside Ozzy Osbourne, Slayer, Danzig, Biohazard, and Fear Factory.

At the height of Sepultura's fame, however, a series of events broke the band apart. Just after the album "Roots", Sepultura decided to fire their manager, Gloria, Max Cavalera's wife.

It was rumoured that there was some intra-band tension throughout the latter half of 1996, and at the end of a successful tour of Britain later that year, at Brixton Academy on 16th December 1996, the band told Max they would not renew Gloria's management contract. Max Cavalera left the band, and subsequently formed a new one, Soulfly. The others announced that they would continue under the Sepultura name and were searching for a replacement.

A recording of Max's last show with the band was later released as a live album, 2002's Under A Pale Grey Sky by their former record label Roadrunner Records, against the wishes of the band. Derrick Green from Cleveland wound up filling the frontman spot, and the band released Against in 1998. Against was commercially less successful than its two predecessors, as was the follow-up Nation. These releases saw Sepultura move away from their previous approach of the thrash metal sound - a process already in motion in such releases as Roots, and aided by Max's departure - and this led to widespread criticism from the band's original fanbase. Subsequent releases have had a pos