Year : 2021 (Japan Edition)
Style : Progressive Symphonic Power Metal
Country : Brazil
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 202 mb + 6 Gb
Bio:
Angra is a Brazilian metal band formed in 1991 that has gone through a number of line-up changes since its foundation. They have released eight regular studio albums, five EPs and three live CD/DVDs to date. Led by Rafael Bittencourt, the band has gained a degree of popularity in Japan and Europe.Angra was formed in November 1991 by Santa Marcelina Music College students vocalist Andre Matos and guitarists Rafael Bittencourt and André Linhares. They were joined by Bittencourt's former bandmate Marcos Antunes (drums) and bassist Luís Mariutti (ex-Firebox).This line-up composed a number of the earliest songs, with Rafael Bittencourt and Andre Matos emerging as the main songwriters. Two of the first songs written were "Time" and "Angels Cry", which both featured on the band's first album. The song "Queen of the Night", composed by Matos and Bittencourt, was originally titled "Rainha" ("Queen") and had been one of the songs from Bittencourt and Antunes previous band. The song "Carry On" was composed by Andre Matos and brought to the band. In the beginning of 1992, André Linhares was replaced by André Hernandes. His stay was equally brief and Kiko Loureiro joined the band in late 1992. It was during Hernandes' time in the band that the song "Evil Warning" was written. Finally they added "Reaching Horizons" by Bittencourt. These six songs resulted in a demo-tape Reaching Horizons that was released in 1993 through Limb Music in Germany.
Album:
By revealing to the world the album Ømni, in February 2018, Angra surprised with a solid and inspired album, going against what was imagined after the troubled period experienced in the previous work. Secret Garden came out in early 2015, in a period when the band didn't have a defined vocalist (Fabio Lione, who sang on the album, was hired a few months later), and, to make things even more undefined, Ømni ended up being the first album in Angra's career without guitarist Kiko Loureiro, who went to Megadeth.But Angra is strong and knows how to get out of complicated situations. Just look at the past and see the resurgence in Rebirth (2000), and it happened again. Marcelo Barbosa took over from Kiko, the album was very well received by critics and fans and the guys went around the world playing their songs. The result of all this process is Ømni Live, the quintet's new live album.Announced in February, Ømni Live had its release delayed and arrived on the market only now, at the beginning of August. The reason was the attempt to reach an agreement - or the dispute, call it what you want - between Angra and Edu Falaschi, its ex-vocalist, who are involved in a fight over copyrights. The first chapter was the non-launching in Brazil of Falaschi's live DVD/CD Temple of Shadows In Concert, because there was no agreement in relation to the songs' rights. Edu's "change" came in Ømni Live, which had its tracklist announced in February but had to have the song list changed, with the withdrawal of three songs written by Falaschi: "Nova Era" (with participation of Lima Family"), "Heroes of Sand" (with participation of Sandy) and the anthem "Spread Your Fire". One more chapter of a story that frays the relationship not only between the musicians, but that ends up hurting both sides a lot.Ømni Live is Angra's third live album and was recorded during the Ømni tour at Tom Brasil in São Paulo in 2018. The album is a double album and comes with 17 tracks. The production was signed by the band itself in partnership with João Milliet (who played in Andre Matos' solo band). The CD comes in a fancy and "fat" digipack edition, with a twenty-page booklet full of photos and a poster. Everything very well done and with great graphic production, what will please in full the fans.Musically, the band succeeded in delivering a tracklist focused on the current phase, generating live versions for songs that had not yet been released in this format. So, we have all tracks from the last album, two from Secret Garden ("Newborn Me" and "Upper Levels"), two from Rebirth ("Running Alone" and "Rebirth" itself) and one from the classic Holy Land ("Carolina IV"), besides a drum solo by Bruno Valverde entitled "Green Tales".Although contested by the nostalgic fans, it is undeniable that the current Angra line-up has technically impeccable musicians, keeping the band's tradition. Rafael Bitencourt has bassist Felipe Andreoli as his right-hand man and main partner in the task of carrying on the legacy and history of one of the biggest names in Brazilian metal. Fabio Lione is a vocal colossus, with an impressive power, and even though his arrival caused some surprise in the beginning, more than six years later it has been time not only for the singer to adapt to the sound of the band but also for the fans to accept that Lione is the frontman of the group, carrying on the story that counted with the remarkable passages of Andre Matos and Edu Falaschi. Marcelo Barbosa has the talent to take Kiko's place without any demerit, at the same time that he finds a more prominent stage. And Bruno Valverde is a prodigy on the drums who has won the endorsement even from one of his predecessors, the always polemic Aquiles Priester.The performance is impeccable on Ømni Live, and the decision of focusing the tracklist on songs of the last two albums was a great success. Even though some tracks don?t work as well live, like "The Bottom of My Soul" (with Rafael on vocals), the result is very positive. Lione takes over the guttural parts originally recorded by Alissa White-Gluz, from Arch Enemy, in "Black Widow's Web", and flies high in the duet with Sandy, proving once again the versatility of his voice. The other special participation is by the Lima Family on the duet "Magic Mirror" and "Always More", bringing to the stage the classical and erudite appeal that has always been in Angra's DNA. The repertoire of the last album is responsible for some of the great moments of the concert, mainly in "Light of Transcendence", "Travelers of Time" and "Caveman", besides the already mentioned "Magic Mirror" and "Black Widow's Web" - this last one already approaching the status of a modern classic of the group. It is also worth mentioning the strength of the duo "Newborn Me" and "Upper Levels", both of them coming straight from Secret Garden, album that a part of the fans still don't seem to have completely digested. The visit to the past, with Lione in charge of classics that every Brazilian headbanger has had the pleasure of listening to.One must regret, no doubt, the absences of the trio "New Era", "Spread Your Fire" and "Heroes of Sand". The inclusion of these three compositions, which are at the top of the group's repertoire since they were released, would make the album even better. But even without them, what we have in Ømni Live is a solid and very competent record of the present moment of what is, for many, the biggest metal band Brazil has given to the world.In my personal ranking Ømni Live surpasses Rebirth World Tour: Live in São Paulo (2003), the live of the debut tour of the then new line-up and that sinned for the still early integration of the musicians and for bringing a very irregular production, and is close to the level presented in Angels Cry 20th Anniversary Tour (2013), which won extra points for the practically flawless repertoire. If we put the EP Holy Live (1997) on the account, the post of best live record of Angra's career will remain in the hands of the only album with the classic line-up. But, without a doubt, Ømni Live is one of the great live records of Brazilian metal and has all the merits for that.
Line Up:
Fabio Lione - Vocals (2013-present) - See also: Alexander Koller's Salvator, Eternal Idol, Lione/Conti, Steel Seal, Vision Divine, ex-Symmetry, ex-Hollow Haze, ex-Labÿrinth, ex-Rhapsody of Fire, ex-Kamelot (live), ex-Athena, ex-J. Storm
Rafael Bittencourt - Guitars, Vocals (backing) (1991-present) - See also: Bittencourt Project, ex-Almah (live)
Marcelo Barbosa - Guitars (2015-present) - See also: Khallice, Rec/All, ex-Almah, HeavyPop, ex-Dark Avenger, ex-Projeto Brasil Guitarras
Felipe Andreoli - Bass, Vocals (backing) (2001-present) - See also: Freakeys, Kiko Loureiro, One Arm Away, Rec/All, Bittencourt Project (live), Fábio Laguna (live), ex-Firesign, ex-Karma, ex-Di'Anno, HeavyPop, ex-Almah, ex-Paul Di'Anno, ex-Projeto Brasil Guitarras, ex-Vox
Bruno Valverde Drums (2014-present) - See also: Kiko Loureiro, HeavyPop
Tracklist:
CD1:
01. Newborn Me
02. Angels and Demons (bonus)
03. Running Alone
04. Light Of Transcendence
05. Travelers Of Time
06. Black Widow's Web
07. Insania
08. The Bottom Of My Soul
09. War Horns
10. Caveman
11. Green Tales (Drums Solo)
CD2:
01. Magic Mirror
02. Always More
03. ØMNI - Silence Inside
04. Spread Your Fire (bonus)
05. Heroes Of Sand (bonus)
06. Upper Levels
07. Carolina IV
08. Rebirth
09. Nova Era (bonus)
10. ØMNI - Infinite Nothing
DVD: (MEGAUPLOAD cca 6GB)
01. Newborn Me
02. Angels and Demons
03. Running Alone
04. Light Of Transcendence
05. Travelers Of Time
06. Black Widow's Web
07. Insania
08. The Bottom Of My Soul
09. War Horns
10. Caveman
11. Green Tales (Drums Solo)
12. Magic Mirror
13. Always More
14. ØMNI - Silence Inside
15. Spread Your Fire
16. Heroes Of Sand
17. Upper Levels
18. Carolina IV
19. Rebirth
20. Nova Era
21. ØMNI - Infinite Nothing
22. ØMNI Talk (Mini Documentary)
Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/
