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I’m writing yet another review, partly disappointed by the analyses I’ve just read, considering that it’s been a while since I’ve seen an Angra review on DeBaser’s homepage. I’ll make up for it with two reviews of unknown bands that nobody will notice J
A UNIQUE BAND
Angra???
"Ah, those Brazilians who did progressive/ethnic power metal in the mid-'90s?" This is the faded memory of some friends of mine that might also match yours as you read. I am writing to describe one of their albums from 2004. After processing the departure of their leader and singer André Matos, the carioca, four years ago, returned to the market with a work titled "Temple of Shadows".
Attributable to the more progressive, reflective, orchestral metal vein (and only partly dedicated to power), they have a sound easily recognizable in the melting pot of the melodic heavy genre as they often stray from the usual 4-minute songs with obsessive chorus repetitions and so on to have instrumental breaks and tempo changes. Allow me to say that if the banal power with dragons and muscular heroes on the cover, photographed with gruesome lyrics and the usual guitar riffs and shrill voices, is a McChicken or BigMac at the fast-food, Angra are a dish at a restaurant to be savored with due calmness.
THE ALBUM
The warm and intriguing classic-style cover leaves an indelible mark just like the committed lyrics. This time the Brazilians attempt a concept album centered on the figure of an 11th-century crusader who, while fighting, repents for his actions and redeems himself by beginning a process of ethical evaluation of his deeds. The process is easily recognizable in the tracklist of the work without flashbacks which, in fact, begins with the stormy and battle-hardened opener "Spread Of Fire" and concludes with the reflective notes of "Late Redemption". (Gate XIII is a separate piece: a beautiful and entertaining instrumental moment that in an elegant collage makes us relive the key pieces of the album).
With "Temple Of Shadows" Kiko Loureiro takes André Matos' place concerning the songwriting phase and the singer Edu Falaschi shows more personality, avoiding, as partially happened in Rebirth, to emulate or imitate his cumbersome predecessor.
REALLY SPECIAL GUESTS
The overall result is truly remarkable also thanks to the integration of top-notch special guests who tackle tracks crafted specifically to highlight their diverse peculiarities.
Kai Hansen. The king of modern power with Helloween and Gamma Ray, comes to contribute to the most explosive and openly power and easy-listening track of the entire album called "Temple Of Hate". A memorable gallop, strategically placed between two completely different songs, in which the voice plays second fiddle to the refrain and instrumental phases designed to ignite the crowd live.
Hansi Kursch. The historic frontman of Blind Guardian lends his services in "Wings Of Destination" and instead of the usual rough singing, he also offers us an emotional and unusual vibrato. A complex and long song with many counter-tempos by Priester and endowed with a splendid interlude that very slowly leads us towards the orchestral ending to close the circle.
Sabine Edelsbacher. The charming singer of Edenbridge enriches the classic and explosive opener "Spread Your Fire" and duets with Edu in the sweet ballad "No Pain For The Dead".
Milton Nascimento. This carioca legend with its strong Brazilian tint rewards us, sailing into his seventies, by expressing in a soulful singing the redemption of our crusader in the grand finale of the album ("Late Redemption").
MUY BUENO
To all this, we add noteworthy tracks like the changeable "Angels And Demons" which bares its teeth in the break only to give in to a pompous finale; the reflective "Waiting Silence" with heavy symphonic inserts and great bass work which has a hypnotic effect and is capable of capturing us from the first careless listen; while "Morning Star" leaves one in awe for its unexpected and delightful hardening of the sound. Everything is muy bueno, but the true masterpiece of Temple of Shadows in my opinion is "The Shadow Hunter" and it is no coincidence. When the lyrics and the story have meaning and are genuinely heartfelt, it is fitting that the peak is reached in the crucial moment of the story: that of repentance in this case.
The acoustic guitar with an ethnic arpeggio opens in the best possible way to progressively give way to a majestic riff. The paced timing frames Eduardo's sweet entrance. In a flash, we stand before a long chorus with delightful backing vocal insertions. When in the lyrics, redemption crashes against his old ideals, the break begins with two questions launching into a long and pleasant moment of reflection which explodes, with a deliberately contested solo, the crusader’s turning point. The finale is a triumph to be savored by simply cranking up the volume.
CONCLUSIONS
From a technical standpoint, drummer Priester’s use of double pedal, counter-rhythms, and absolute precision impressed me just as much as Kiko Loureiro did. This guitarist (without taking anything away from Rafael Bittencourt) is not only irritatingly clean in the tapping phase, but he is impeccable even with the acoustic guitar and writes solos different from the usual scales and does not seek speed at all costs.
In conclusion, the outstanding sound production, the comprehensive technical skill of the lineup, the excellently planned contributions from the "guests", the goodness of the highly varied tracklist, the depth of the lyrics, and the intriguing cover make "Temple of Shadows" one of my best purchases from 2004 to today.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Spread Your Fire (04:25)
EDU: Woke up to life not long ago
You think your mind is in control?
God will take it back someday
It's not so hard to understand
They say the world has good and bad
Father Universe brings Love and Hate
Glorious - You'll lead the way
To free the world from these chains
Glorious - Your story now begins, Oh!
Fire!
Unleash the angel of the Light
Thank him for bringing us to life
Lucifer is just a name!
We are the only ones to blame
Just look around, I'm not insane!
Satan is a child of our God
Glorious - Don't be afraid
To lead the way with thy sword
Glorious - You are the chosen one. Go!
Spread your fire
SABINE: Salve ara, salve victima
EDU: Spread your fire
SABINE: De passionis gloria
EDU: Spread your fire
SABINE: Qua vita mortem pertulit
EDU: Spread your fire
SABINE: Et morte vitam reddidit
Glorious - Don't be afraid
To lead the way with thy sword
Glorious - You are the chosen one. Go!
SABINE: Salve ara, salve victima
EDU: Spread your fire
SABINE: De passionis gloria
EDU: Spread your fire
SABINE: Qua vita mortem pertulit
EDU: Spread your fire
SABINE: Et morte vitam reddidit
05 Wishing Well (03:59)
Close your eyes, what do you see?
Takes a while to believe
Feel the wind kissing your chin
Hold your cries make your wish
Dream away, breath...
Why did it take so long to understand?
Black sheep of the flock will soon be banned
Don't lose your hope, wish away
(Journey to the sacred
ground of Dreamland)
To one's heart's content I'll be free again
(Visions telling secrets on the Dreamland)
And my fortune ends
in the Wishing Well
Close your eyes what do you feel?
Hold your cries keep it still
Where am I? Why am I here?
Reasons where
Reasons why
(Journey to the sacred
ground of Dreamland)
To one's heart's content I'll be free again
(Visions telling secrets on the Dreamland)
And my fortune ends
in the Wishing Well
Oh! Who knows the truth
in this world?
(Journey to the sacred
ground of Dreamland)
To one's heart's content I'll be free again
(Visions telling secrets on the Dreamland)
And my fortune ends
in the Wishing Well
Close your eyes,
what do you see?
Make your dreams
come true again
Where am I? Why am I here?
Dreaming is believing,
your wishing well
06 The Temple of Hate (05:13)
Nations battle on the field across the lands
Ruthless - stealing territories from our hands
Anger throwing down the victims to the ground
Cold blood younger soldiers weeping with no sound
Revolution striking down right now!
Blind fools fighting for the power to command
Flag poles threading down the freedom of our men
Innocence dying by the fury of the sword
Poor men falling before saying their last words
Revelation code eleven
Striking over us
Sounds of revolution
Freedom is proclaimed
Bells announcing changes for the better
in the temple of hate
The Temple of Hate!
Satan awaits!
Revolution we have waited
Burning down our souls
Sounds of revolution
Freedom is proclaimed
Bells announcing changes for the better
in the temple of hate
Satan awaits!
The Temple of Hate!
08 No Pain for the Dead (05:05)
EDU: Standing by his coffin
Thoughts have gone astray
Life is just a burden
Carry yours away
Wipe the tears that fall
Moments recalled in the
Child's eyes
Watch the world go by
Flying through the stars
Won't hide the scars
Always
Mourning cries
Wasted in this world
I'd never realized
Smiles in the falling rain
Wash the tears away
Face the angel of death
Soon your time will be over
Your salvation is ahead
That's why I said
There is no pain for the dead
Dying now
Hourglass counts down
Laeaving this world
Your destination is
Hiding mourning time
Face up to the world
Another day passes by
Living our minutes in vain
Wipe the tears away
SABINE: Triumph for the martyrs of the war
Fallen for the causes of the others...
Worth the sacrifice?
Heroes are dying now
Hearing their mothers cry
Heaven is a metaphor
Free your mind and spirit
E: Mother Earth, do you part take my
soul, oh no!
Water, wind and fire...
Will take our spirits away
SABINE: (Victims of Sacrifice)
EDU: Face the Angel of Death
SABINE: (Struggling to survive)
EDU: Soon your time will be over
SABINE: (Revolution remains)
EDU: Your salvation is ahead
BOTH: It's not so sad
EDU: There is no pain for the dead
SABINE: (Struggling to survive)
EDU: Liberation of soul
BOTH: It's not so sad
EDU: There is no pain for the dead, oh!
...No pain for the dead
09 Winds of Destination (06:56)
HANSI: Blood is flowing on the ground
Like a river branching red lines
Anguish is all around
Hope yielding to despair
EDU: Life is a circumstance
Any minute slips away
God, please look upon us all
Do you give a damn?
EDU: Dancing in the air
HANSI: Spinning leaves in circles giving
pleasure to my eyes
EDU: Sadden my delight
HANSI: When the joy is over laying scattered
on the ground
EDU: Oh! The sun will rise
The beginning of creation
HANSI: Oh! Into the skies
On the Winds of Destination
Carry us away...
EDU: Secret ark of Solomon
Hidden in the temple wreck...
for the king
Many years and centuries
Till seven knights from the order
EDU: Down the tunnels of the past
Learning from the undisclosed...
all the way!
Holding dreams on zealous hands
All those archives
Lost and wasted
Somewhere in the battle fields
EDU: Farewell to common world
Templars are watching
and guarding the scrolls
Shields of faith the knights behold
All Manuscripts of the sacred
laws are there
HANSI: Dancing in the air
EDU: Spinning leaves in circles
Giving pleasure to my eyes
EDU: ...arise!
HANSI: Oh! The sun will rise
The beginning of creation
EDU: Oh! Into the skies
On the Winds of Destination
Carry us away
Old leaves will be falling
Old trees will remain
Whirlwind carries you away
For tomorrow be the same
12 Late Redemption (04:55)
EDU: You wasted all your chances
To find yourself lost and lonely
Were so foolish
You were selfish
Much too blind to realize
You messed up your own life...
MILTON: Eu vou contando os dias
E já, já não tenho medo
Eu lhe peço
Eu imploro
QUando a minha hora chegar
Meu descanso minha paz
MILTON: Cante uma canção desconhecida
EDU: Posioning with hope
the hearts around you
MILTON: Plante mais lembranças na sua vida
EDU: Death is calling you
(Now or never!)
MILTON: Nada além do amor é o que parece
EDU: Please the ones you love
before you miss'em
MILTON: Toda a minha dor na minha prece
EDU: Win my chances back cause
Life is short but it's never late!
(Tempo que passou)
It's time to find Redemption
(Não vai mais voltar)
Only love defies the Resurection
(Tudo que se foi)
Mark my words: God's abandoned this
world!
EDU: Would I live again?
What's the new religion? Yeah!
And what shall be the bread?
Really I don't give a damn!
never wanna live again
In this vain emotion
Over for me!
Sing a lullaby now I remember
(Tempo que se foi e não se esquece mais)
Memories are twisting in my mind
Win my chances back
Cause life is short but it's never late
(Tempo que passou)
It's time to find Redemption
(Não vai mais voltar)
Only love defies the resurrection
(Tudo que se foi)
Mark my words: God's abandoned this
world!
(Toda a minha dor)
My destiny is over
(Nunca vai voltar)
And this hope above your
comprehension
(Tempo que se foi)
Is the love you've been dreaming so
long
Over for me.
Nunca...
...tudo se acabou.
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Other reviews
By dying_sun
Temple of Shadows is sincerely promoted and deserves the purchase.
Angra has shown bravery and been rewarded, and as a result, so are we.
By emanuele
Great artists are recognized in difficult moments, during which one must prove their worth and be able to emerge from a heavy situation that has weighed on the band.
"Temple Of Shadows" is a turning point for our musicians, steering towards more power-oriented coordinates with an aggressive vocal style and complex rhythms.
By Dreamtheater
"With this album, I changed my mind: it’s really well done, there’s everything... variety of instruments, good melodies, high-level metal tracks, skilled musicians."
"A CD with a thousand faces and colors, varied and enjoyable... an excellent CD for lovers of the genre."
By Dreamtheater
"Truly well done, it has everything... variety of instruments used, good melodies, metal tracks up to par, skilled musicians, rhythm changes, and naturally... references to Brazilian sound."
"A CD of a thousand faces and colors, varied and pleasant. Maybe there is too much shift from power to melody... but this is a typical characteristic of Angra, otherwise an excellent CD for fans of the genre."
