Kiko Loureiro tells about "Ashes"

The band Angra is about to launch its seventh studio album "Aqua".

Now, Angra's musicians periodically release their impressions about each track from "Aqua".

This time, the guitarist Kiko Loureiro clarifies some aspects of the tenth track from "Aqua", "Ashes".

" I made this song a long time ago during the composition process of "Aurora Consurgens".

It was not ready to enter the album, but for Aqua I had more time to finish it and make changes to present it in a good way.

As main idea, I started imagining Nocturnals and Preludes of Chopin. I initially composed it as an instrumental piece on piano. In part A there is a Dm scale which leads to a deep sense of introspection like in Requiem of Mozart, for example.

The harmonic structure brings to a romanticism atmosphere. Bridge and chorus are lighter as a metal ballad. Bridge and pre-chorus bring the listener to other scales before bring back to the original one, creating a very intersting harmonic motion.

In the middle, before guitar solo, there's a classical mouvement. The idea is to induce the listener to an ethereal and dream feeling while a female voice begins a speech that would be Prospero's consciousness. Since this is the lsat song of the album, lyrics uses the last act of the play where Prospero reflects on what he did and forgive to all the island.

He realizes that his behavior and his way of thinking are not a peaceful way of life and that forgiveness is the only way. Then, he leaves his books of magic and starts a new life. Lyrics ends with the last sentence from "The Tempest". "We are made from the same essence as our dreams". "

Kiko Loureiro.

For more news : Whiplash

Felipe Andreoli : new bass Condor signature

Felipe Andreoli introduces his new bass Condor signature ! He played for the first time on stage with his new bass at Angra's show in Salvador Bahia (Brazil) on past August 28 !

All these pics are taken from the gallery of Felipe Andreoli on Flickr :



















For more news : Felipe Andreoli Flickr / Official Twitter

Felipe Andreoli tells about "Awake From The Darkness"

The band Angra is about to launch its seventh studio album "Aqua".

Now, Angra's musicians periodically release their impressions about each track from "Aqua".

This time, the bassist Felipe Andreoli clarifies some aspects of the third track from "Aqua", "Awake From The Darkness"

"This song was born from the introduction riff brought by Edu. he also had verse and pre-chorus, and then Rafael and I started working on the rest of riffs and music parts, including chorus, intrumental parts and piano interlude.

The lyrics describe the moment when Prospero realizes while he is in a small boat in the dark with Miranda, that he was betrayed by his brother and friends, and there's no exit. He wonder how he can reverse the situation and accepts his fate. Then he realizes that in the darkness, there is a breath of light : his good and faithfull friend Gonzalo left him food, clothes and his books of magic. Then, Propsero reaches the island, and takes up the hope of overcoming their condition."

Felipe Andreoli.

For more news : Whiplash

"Aqua" on Myspace

Angra has made available on his Official Myspace all the songs from his new album "Aqua" , before its release in Europe and USA !

- Aqua tracklist :

1. VIDERUNT TE AQUAE
2. ARISING THUNDER
3. AWAKE FROM DARKNESS
4. LEASE OF LIFE
5. THE RAGE OF THE WATERS
6. SPIRIT OF THE AIR
7. HOLLOW
8. A MONSTER IN HER EYES
9. WEAKNESS OF A MAN
10 ASHES

The brand new album of Angra “Aqua” has already saw the light of day in South East Asia (JVC Victor) and Brazil (Angra/Voice Music). According to Angra’s partner in Europe and North America SPV, the following release dates are scheduled for this territory:

* Germany: September 24th, 2010
* Europe : September 27th, 2010
* USA/Canada: October 12th, 2010

For more news : Angra Official Myspace

Angra : show Salvador Bahia

Angra plays today at Bahia Café Hall in Salvador, Bahia (Brazil), from 7.pm (Brazilian time) for a show celebrating the Brazilian launching of its new album "Aqua".

For more news : Dendê Produções

Edu Falaschi : interview Universo Do Rock

Here is the new interview of Edu Falaschi for Universo Do rock website. The English translation was made by www.edufalaschi.com.br and you can check the original text in Portuguese here : http://www.universodorock.com/entrevistas/entrevista.asp?cod=308.

In the interview, Edu tells about many interesting details of Aqua, the current moment of Angra, the upcoming World Tour and the future of Almah.


Universo do Rock : - What's your impression about the new CD?

Edu Falaschi : I believe that this album really saves the spirit of Angra. "Aurora Consurgens" is a good CD, but it loses the main conception of the band a little bit, and then "Aqua" rescues it. It has a pinch of "Rebirth" because the songs are simpler, and some partly melancholy prog hue in the vein of "Temple of Shadows", but it's different from Dream Theater, and it has nothing to do with weariness. The term prog in this case means that it has various parts, diverse types of atmosphere. This album also rescues a part of old Angra, "Holy Land", and "Temple of Shadows" itself.


Universo do Rock : - Was the composing process managed according to the fan's expectations or independently from them?

Edu Falaschi : It's clear that with such a long experience we have an idea what our fans would like to hear and we put it together with what we want ourselves. We wouldn't do any album for the others, if we couldn't join it. We try to play what we want, making a balance with what people want to hear, but we?re always finding the way to incline it to our side, otherwise it would look forced. I try to sing in the way I like, they give me this kind of freedom and I do it in my way.


Universo do Rock : - Felipe told that you had an opportunity to be involved in all the activities in relation with this CD, how did you find it?

Edu Falaschi : I believe that this album has been done involving the whole band, as never before. With "Rebirth" I entered the band when everything had been half-done. Then, working at "Temple of Shadows", we were closer, but Rafael already had the whole concept in his head, and he wrote all the lyrics. And while making "Aurora Consurgens", all the band was really tired, it was after a huge tour, we didn't work so much at the songs as we could have, and due to all these circumstances the result was not so great in comparison with the others. "Aqua" has the lyrics from the whole band and everyone participated in composition, including Ricardo. Everybody read The Tempest, we discussed the text. It's more a CD done by the whole band than ever before.


Universo do Rock : - What kind of fans' reaction do you expect?

Edu Falaschi : I think they need to pay attention and understand that Angra is back to the roots.


Universo do Rock : - Have you read opinions about the CD?

Edu Falaschi : Yes, from many people in the Internet already. Everyone has his own impression: some people hear the prog, others find that the album is more direct. I would only want people to listen to it several times, since it's not a CD which is understandable from the first listening, and then to make their own conclusions. But I believe that this CD is a significant album in Angra's history and it has everything to be among the great classics.

Universo do Rock : - Are you going now to Brazilian tour and then abroad?

Edu Falaschi : We are going to begin with the shows here, in Brazil. In October we are going to Japan, Taiwan, then - back to Brazil to play more concerts. In January we are going to USA and then we should go down to Mexico and to a few countries of Latin America. And maybe in February we'll go to Europe.

Universo do Rock : - Will it be only Angra or with some other band?

Edu Falaschi : We received an invitation to play with Stratovarius and Helloween, it would be a real power metal trio. We are checking the possibility, maybe it will work.

Universo do Rock : - How do you feel about the band?

Edu Falaschi : I'm quite satisfied. Everyone has been working hard and it hasn't been easy, because we have five gurus with many ideas. I came up with about 15 songs for this album, but it couldn't be only my CD, so you can understand that it's difficult to choose a little from everyone, right? It's difficult to work when everybody is so prolific, isn't it? The good side is, the band is able to do really much and we are happy.

Universo do Rock : - You stayed in the countryside for some time, did you compose songs there?

Edu Falaschi : We stayed in the house of Confessori where we did all the pre-production and arrangements, we rehearsed the songs there and prepared everything for the recording.


Universo do Rock : - You have another band Almah, how are you going to manage both things now, when Angra is back for 100 per cent?

Edu Falaschi : It's clear that now Angra is a priority, but if some opportunity for Almah appears, we will use it. We played in Belo Horizonte and Brasilia this year. When Angra was back, I talked about it with the guys, explaining that we had to take a break and they understood. Moreover, we have already done a lot of things, so it's time to stop for a while and to compose songs for the new album. I'm going to perform with Angra, but I'm already writing new songs for the new Almah.


Universo do Rock : - And how much time will it take to launch the CD?

Edu Falaschi : I don't know yet. We are collecting ideas, we are composing, and then we'll decide when the right moment comes.


Universo do Rock : - Leave a message for the fans of Angra.

Edu Falaschi : I would like to thank you a lot for all the patience and love, we haven't released any album for 4 years, but you haven't given us up. The latest shows were sold out, we came back and our public was back as well, and all what I can do now is say - thanks a lot!


For more news : Universo do Rock / Edu Falaschi Official website

Rafael Bittencourt tells about “Viderunt te Aquae”

The band Angra is about to launch its seventh studio album "Aqua".

Now, Angra's musicians periodically release their impressions about each track from "Aqua".

This time, the guitarist Rafael Bittencourt clarifies some aspects of the first track of tha album “Viderunt te Aquae”:

"I composed this song in Kiko's house. We were working i the last arrangements before going in Ricardo's house. It's a typical harmony that you can find in video games and other soundtracks.

Technically it's a minor chord melody with a diminished fifth. Simple, but it sounds great for me and my partners. To develop it and make it unique, I made an arrangement for five voices in conterpoint.

The Bible has inspired much Shakepeare and I reread some passages. The lyrics are from Psalm 77 of the Bible in Latin. it's one of the psalms dedicated to the masters of the ancient Hebrew people. 'Viderunt te Aquae' means something like"The waters saw thee" and is about a man who loses his faith, but after its recovery.

In Psalm 77 waters represent the changes in the monologhes of this man and changes his point of view. Just like the main character, Prospero."

Rafael Bittencourt.

For more news : Whiplash

Angra : Aqua's review on Whiplash

English translation by Irina Ivanova and Andrei Koulikov for www.edufalaschi.com.br

"One of the most important Brazilian rock and metal webzines Whiplash came up with the album review. Here you can check the most significant parts of the journalist's impressions. The original review in Portuguese is available here: http://whiplash.net/materias/cds/113282-angra.html

The CD review was done after a pre-listening party and firstly musicians of Angra clarified the new album's details:

"With this CD we intentionally returned and re-forced the use of ethnic elements, since Ricardo came back and this is a natural thing for his sound, with Angra or without", explained guitarist Rafael Bittencourt. "But this is also an organic thing which always exists inside us and in our sound".

Besides the ethnic sound "Aqua" has the unique conception like it has happened with all the previous CDs since "Rebirth". In case of "Aqua" The Tempest, the very last play of William Shakespeare has been chosen as the album idea. (...)

Speaking about the team work, the vocalist Edu Falaschi expressed the opinion of everyone that after almost ten years since "Rebirth" it has been improving every day more and more. "Every time we understand each other better and better. We already know what to do with the arrangements, which stuff fits the whole thing and which stuff doesn't", confirmed the bassist Felipe Andreoli. (...)

Although a big part of the fans were afraid that the participation of the members in various side projects such as Almah, Bittencourt Project, Freakeys, Karma and others would mean the end of the band, the musicians disagree. According to them, this type of activities just helps them to get the new experience and the new sound for Angra, their main activity. "We are not only Angra's members. We are musicians. Our friends are musicians as well. We are the persons who enjoy playing music. It's not only work for us, but also is a hobby. And for us, to play also means to stay with friends, with people we like. When I don't play in Angra, I do it with Kiko, Rafael, Edu and others", explains Felipe. (...)

Angra admits that still there are questions of the fans and the media about the previous line-up of the band with Andre Matos as a frontman, but they don't consider it as a negative thing. "There will always be the memory about the old line-up, but we are not going to pretend that this part of the history of the band has never existed", - tells Edu, the eternal target of comparisons with Andre Matos. In his opinion such examples when the fans were divided between two frontmen like it happened in case of Ozzy x Dio (Black Sabbath) or David Lee Roth x Sammy Hagar (Van Halen) just prove the fact that every period is no less important than the other. And one vocalist doesn't overshadow the talent of another. "A vocalist characterizes a band quite a lot, there's no other way", - tells Rafael. "This is a part of our history, we can't forget it". Felipe agrees: "You see, we always play old songs and we don't have any intention to take it out from our set-list. It's our history and it's a good history". (:)


CD review :

So, let's talk about what's really important, the music. The band has chosen "Arising Thunder" as the first single and as the first album's track, but as one listens on, with the third song "Awake from Darkness" it already becomes clear, that the first impression was not so true. Don't understand me wrong, "Arising Thunder" is a great song, it rocks, it is really exciting! But it's a quite typical speed / metal melodic piece with double bass and wild heavy guitar riffs. "Awake from Darkness" makes it clear that "Arising Thunder" doesn't come close to representing the rest of "Aqua". The 3rd song begins with the long-awaited comeback of Brazilian ethnic elements, with the percussion's rhythms, thanks to Ricardo, the guru of this subject. Having the bass guitar parts by Felipe which make it heavier and the guitar hooks by Kiko and Rafael, right in the middle the song surprises with the interlude of piano and violin. "The Rage of the Waters" brings the same feeling, mixing elements of northwestern music (from the Nord-West of Brazil, mainly, the states Bahia and Pernambuco, the center of traditional afro-brazilian rhythms) with typical heavy metal base. Then the game changes. After the intro with some technological effects, "Hollow" brings this classical and nervous thrash metal riff. At least, one Angra song on every CD is like that. But being tired with all these moments of violence, it finds an harmonic opportunity to open some space for the crystal clear guitars. The atmospheric "Spirit of the Air" reminds "The Shadow Hunter". It begins with some Spanish chords, then going to metal killer sound and returning back to ballad, it walks chorus-wards, to a pompous epic break and finishes with an Arabian theme. But the stuff which could sound in a very eclectic way is, on the contrary, perfectly integrated.

"Aqua" even has its proper "Make Believe" - the perfect "Weakness of a Man". I mean, it's a song created without fear to flirt with the pop music inspiration and, I dare to say that it even has moments that can be considered as dancing ones. But, whatever traditional headbangers could think, it doesn't make "Weakness of a Man" less heavy metal. Even the nice ballad "Lease of Life" which seems to break the rhythm of "Aqua" a bit continues to be pretty interesting, especially in its guitar parts, almost rock'n'roll ones until the solo, and pretty close to bossa nova after it. But maybe the most courageous song of the album is "A Monster in Her Eyes" which presents one of the most varied performances of Edu. He starts like a bard, nearly reciting in a Medieval style and then, catching the courage he presents very aggressive parts full of fury which reminds his typical manner in Almah.

Another excellent moment, "Ashes" finishes the CD. It begins with dreadful and dark, almost horror-movie-like keyboard parts, which give the first impressions about what will follow. The vocalist uses the opportunities of the lyrics which represent the last act of the play to come up with elevated style performance with sorrowful atmosphere, a kind of opera-rock. Perfect!

"Aqua" is the kind of album which deserves to be listened attentively at least 2-3 times. It's not a type of work to be easily defined, to put a label on or to tell if it's metal because of this or that. At most, it's possible to say that Angra returned to its best conditions, sounding like classical Angra. And so this is much more than a positive fact. "

For more news : Edu Falaschi Official Website / Whiplash

Kiko Loureiro tells about "Weakness Of A Man"

The band Angra is about to launch its seventh studio album "Aqua".

Now, Angra's musicians periodically release their impressions about each track from "Aqua".

This time, the guitarist Kiko Loureiro tells about the song "Weakness Of A Man" :

"This song came out of a jam between me and Rafael many years ago. We were two guitars playing in different ways and using different techniques, not only as harmonic instrument, but also as a percussion instrument.

After the session of free inspiration, began to gather a good material. We had 30 minutes on a disc full of ideas to work upon one or more songs. Introduction, verse, chorus everything was there in a way so crude that only two of us would know how to develop all. So when we began to gather ideas for the composition process of 'Aqua' album, we decided to use those old tapes that we started around 2004.

Rafael took a long time listening to and organizing the mess. But when they finally redid the arrangement, we kept the same atmosphere of Metal for the song 'Weakness Of A Man', just as we started doing in the tappings.

'The Tempest" shows a man looking his attitude among the rest, and Prospero looking inward and facing his weakness as a man and human being. 'The evil destroyed his trust' describes the moment when his brother betrays him, and then, he becomes selfish, ruthless, always testing the character of those around him. He realizes he was wrong and that love doesn't happen to everyone. The lyrics describes the duality that he is facing, such as anger and compassion, blessing and curse, and love and hate."

Kiko Loureiro.

For more news : Whiplash

Angra on Play TV

Source : Angra Official Website

"ANGRA will be participating on “Combo: Fala + Joga”, a TV show that will be broadcast by Play TV (SKY channel 86), Net Brasília (channel 13), TV Oi Belo Horizonte (channel 30) and Oi DTH (channel 430) next Monday 23th, at 10:00 PM. The show will also be available for streaming and on demand on the website www.playtv.com.br.

Rerun: August, 24th and 28th at 06:30 AM, midday and 5:00 PM."

For more news : Angra Official Website / Play TV

Angra : interview Metrópolis

Here is an Angra's interview (in Portuguese) broadcasted on Metrópolis (TV Cultura) on past August 18.

Angra speaks about the last play written by William Shakespeare, "The Tempest", which inspired the concept of his new album "Aqua".

“Aqua” will be released in Germany on September 24th and in the rest of Europe on 27th.



For more news : Metrópolis (TV cultura)

Angra, Pocket Show Manifesto Bar : set-list and pics

Here are set-list and pics of Angra's acoustic pocket show at Manifesto Bar (São Paulo, Brazil) on past August 19 !

According to Whiplash website, the show was "short, but the presentation was impeccable" !

** Set-list :

- Wishing Well
- Heroes of Sand
- Arising Thunder
- Bleeding Heart
- Nova Era
- Lullaby for Lucifer
- Late Redemption
- Rebirth


** Pics from the great Brazilian photographer Alexandre Cardoso (to watch all the pics in full size, visit the gallery of Alexandre Cardoso on Flickr) :












































































** Pics from another great Brazilian photographer, Danilo Palange (from ObaOba website)

































For more news : Alexandre Cardoso on Flickr / Danilo Palange on ObaOba / Whiplash