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Rating: It seemed strange to me that no one had yet reviewed this latest album by our dear Brazilians, so as a good newcomer, I decided to write something.
'Aurora Consurgens' was released at the end of October 2006 -I believe- and was the subject of discussions because of the change Angra had undertaken starting from their second to last album with the arrival of the new vocalist Edu Falaschi. So out of curiosity, I went to the ever-reliable Sound Cave to buy the CD, and I must say with some suspicion of being disappointed.
Once I listened to it thoroughly, I could only confirm what had been said by reviews -both positive and not- read here and there on the internet. The band has undergone strong changes, there's no denying that. You can see it right away from the opening track "The Course Of Nature" and, mind you, Angra certainly haven't completely lost their impeccable style, despite having evolved. In this -excellent- opening track, the intro turns out to be very suggestive and attractive, and when the formidable Kiko-Rafael guitar duo attacks with sharp riffs, I am not disappointed at all. Next comes "The Voice Commanding You", incredibly engaging, well-orchestrated, and markedly aimed at speed; the keyboards add a touch to everything and Falaschi's voice adapts to this new exciting performance. Excellent. Let's move on to "Ego Painted Grey" where Angra unleash all their dramatic flair in the lyrics: another important change in expressing themselves. The track is very prog, varied, but above all dark, and never have I heard the band propose a sound so full of variations. But it remains a crucial point for the CD. The fourth track is "Breaking Ties"... slow ballad, sweet, quite delicate... Catchy chorus... I would almost say excellent but certainly not a masterpiece. The following two tracks, "Salvation: Suicide" and "Window To Nowhere" are the most disappointing -forgive the rhyme- and lack innovation, just simple power tracks of recycled material. Very interesting is "So Near So Far" with a strong oriental flavor, the chorus is extremely engaging; a quick take-off from the rough landing made by the previous tracks. Thank goodness!... The third-to-last track "Passing By" is another experimentation of electronic keyboards and various loads of effects. The penultimate track "Scream Your Heart Out" struggles to proceed, the sounds are too cumbersome, the enthusiasm degrades quite a bit... But Angra should stop proposing too many changes or they risk jeopardizing their career. Fortunately, the farewell track "Abandoned Fate" is simple and at the same time fantastic: the structure is genuine, a true outburst of acoustic guitar and the melody of Edu's voice -even if it can't compete with our Matos- stands out remarkably.
In short, Angra have managed to propose numerous and significant changes, sometimes deviating too much from their traditional patterns, and have reached an almost decent level but certainly not up to their previous works -and enough with these rhymes-. They didn't disappoint me, but from a band like theirs I expected something decidedly more impactful.
-The rating is 3.5 but I round up-
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 The Course of Nature (04:31)
Across the ages the world has been
Changing, it's drifting in space
The rest of you that still remain
Guarding your memories, now sleep
Running fast you're only
A flash inside the pan
Life will never, never be the same
Time runs over
The course of nature's way
Spinning around you
Millions of screams
Deafen all your sanity
Fast decay, no delay
Minutes are lost in sublime
Running fast you're only
A flash inside the pan
Life will never, never be the same
Time runs over
The course of nature's way
All day you feel lonely
Cause you know
The years have gone by
They'll never come again
Life is overrated
But who will ever know
Life will never, never be the same
Time runs over
The course of nature's way
03 Ego Painted Grey (05:38)
I feel the pain but I'm afraid to cry
All the time, desperate hiding tears
My life is boring and I count the days
On and on, woe is here to stay
Only if God would show a sign for me
Oh... Only if God could hold my begging hands
This endless torture's building up my rage
Holding on, hide my agony
I'm getting weary just to be alive
All I want is help!!!
So, you dove into the dark beyond yourself?
Lost your way to find the surface once again
Insomnia will kill all your solemn nights... Oh!
Haunting your despair!!!
Sorrow made your life a living hell
Lights are fading
Caught inside the black-holed inner-self
Ego painted grey...
Insomnia will hold pleasures in a shell
And your defiant stare!!!
Sorrow made your life a living hell
Lights are fading
Caught inside the black-holed inner-self
Ego painted grey...
05 Salvation: Suicide (04:22)
Wishing to be dead when hope is gone
Depreciating life when the days are looking bad
Sick of being alive when everyone is vain
Lost your hopes and now you fight against depression
Cause life's hard for everyone just look all around you
So why squander all you power on self-destruction
Too proud to make amends
Your faith, it all depends - hold on tight...
Too scared to be alive?
Salvation suicide calling me!
A long way to hell
My spoiled paradise has met this dead end
Cause I live my life all on my own with pride
Too proud to make amends
Your faith, it all depends - hold on tight...
Too scared to be alive?
Salvation suicide haunting me!
Get out of my way!
Get out of my way!
On my way to hell
06 Window to Nowhere (06:02)
No doubts!
You're the result of the chances you take
Face the circunstance!
Have you become who you wished to be?
Resigning to what you loved and cared
There's no way out!
Memories will come to reming you some day
How it could have been
Through every door you will step in
Another choice you're stuck between
Don't look back, just make your way ahead
A window to nowhere
The void in which i stare
Now that i've come so far where do i go from here?
Decision just came in time
A new door is open
You have to go again...decide!
You finally realize
The whole world you're facing
The window of your life...good bye!
A window to nowhere
Wide-eyed in great despair
Now that i've come so far where do i go from here?
Life is drowned in fears
The river of my tears
Please hold my trembling hands before i go insane all again
07 So Near So Far (07:09)
Look at my face
Scars won't deny
Alone again
I start to cry
Staring at me
Too blind to see
Open arms
For all I give
For all I take
Inside of your heart
So near so far
I'm just a boy... like you
Oh! Father I pray
For your charity
Wisdom for life
Was all I needed
Was all I wanted
To share with you
You know my heart
Was not disguise
Waiting for you
So stay with me
I'm now a man! You know!
Come! Take a chance
And give it all
No harmful winds
To whisper for
Life is short, you know
We can regret
Healing wounds always help us to redress
And with you I learned to live
Come! Take a chance
And give it all
No harmful winds
To whisper for
Our time is short, you know
Must we still regret?
Healing wounds always make time to redress
And I love you more each day
08 Passing By (06:33)
Home you go tonight
To break the sound of tears
Life's fading
To keep the world away
Is not enough to ease the pain
Time is passing by
Time is passing by; i see it in your eyes
Fire burns inside
A light that's caught between
Night and day
Sun's been set to die
Hit supernova in your mind
Time is passing by
I see it in your eyes (repeat)
Time is passing by
I see it in these eyes(repeat)
They tell me all!
You can't deny
It's in your eyes
Visions disappear
Memories of a dream
Surrender
Give them to the wind
Deny your sorrow, live again
Time is passing by
I see it in your eyes (repeat)
Time is passing by
I see it in these eyes(repeat)
They tell me all!
Time is passing by
I see it in your eyes (repeat)
Time is passing by
I see it in these eyes
I see it in your eyes
You tell me all
You can't deny
You know you tell me lies
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