In a statement released today (June 12) to the Brazilian media, Igor attributed the split to "artistic incompatibility" with his Sepultura bandmates — guitarist Andreas Kisser, bassist Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr. and vocalist Derrick Green.

"I believe my mission in Sepultura has come to an end," Igor said in the statement. "I am very proud of everything we have done, but I feel that the group's current formation no longer lives up to my expectations as a musician and a person. Since my last European tour with Sepultura, which took place in December 2004, I have sensed that my ideas were not compatible with those of the rest of the band."

Igor, who hasn't performed with Sepultura since 2005, noticed that his personal ambitions were worlds apart from those of the other members of the group and he felt slightly detached from the creative process of Sepultura.

"After working in a band for so many years, the relationship between me and the rest of the group wore itself out and I feel that there is no longer a compatibility of thoughts and ideas between us," he said. "I tried to make this clear to the other guys and suggested that we take a break. However, their priority was to continue playing despite my position on this issue."

As a drummer and musician, Igor will carry on and says he us looking forward to incorporating new sounds and influences — such as hip hop, hardcore, tribal percussion and electronic music — into his future projects to produce something authentic and real, similar to what SEPULTURA once represented in his life.

According to Igor, the decision to leave Sepultura was one of the most difficult in his career, since he — as one of the band's co-founders — dedicated most of his life to it.

"I would really like to thank all of the fans that supported me and continue supporting our music," he said. "I would also like to thank everybody that worked to make SEPULTURA the band that it had become."

Igor announced earlier in the year that he was taking a break from the group's touring activities to spend time with his second wife and their new son (who was born in January). Filling in on drums during the band's European tour with In Flames was Roy Mayorga, who played with Igor's brother Max in Sepultura for several years in the late '90s and again in 2001-2003.

Igor is the second Cavalera to leave Sepultura. In 1996, Max Cavalera exited the group after the rest of the band fired Max's wife Gloria as Sepultura's manager.

Sepultura have now officially selected Jean Dolabella (ex-Udora) as their new touring drummer following Roy Mayorga's decision to join Stone Sour as a full-time member.