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Rating:
Someone has decreed the death of quality power, of style. After the departure of the Stratovarius from the world of "honest" musicians and after witnessing the banality of bands like Rhapsody, Blind Guardian, and similar stuff, we can say that maybe it's true. Rising from those now stagnant waters are the Brazilian Angra, who, with their ups and downs, give their best in this Temple of Shadows, a concept album with all due respect.
If it's true that a theme about crusaders might seem overused in this genre, it's equally true that Angra does it with care, paying attention to the duality between lyrics and music, embellishing this album (which is power in its own right) with some prog interludes.
The content varies: it alternates between very fast tracks ("The Temple of Hate") and more acoustic or at least calm moments, reaching its apex with "No Pain for the Dead" (excellent performance by Sabine Edelsbacher), the most progressive of all, and "Late Redemption," which particularly struck me with its warm parts sung in Portuguese (Milton Nascimento takes care of the backing vocals).
Without going on too long, I have to say (as a “good” detractor of power) that I did not expect such a show of strength, especially considering how modest Rebirth was. Thanks to the aforementioned alternation of heavy parts, ballads, and orchestral breaks (whose highlight is undoubtedly the instrumental "Gate XIII") and due to a concept executed to the brink of perfection, Temple of Shadows is sincerely promoted and deserves the purchase. Angra has shown bravery and been rewarded, and as a result, so are we.
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