It is yet another new era for Angra.
Just over 2 years ago the band had yet another bunch of high-profile departures from the band. Longtime vocalist Edu Falaschi and drummer Ricardo Confessori both left the band casting Angra’s future in doubt again since Andre Matos’ departure in 2000. But this is Angra, one of the key players in the progressive power scene and have consistently been on the top of their game. Why quit when there is still a lot of life left in you?
As ‘conveniently’ Rhapsody of Fire had been thrown into a bit of turmoil through a split, prolific frontman Fabio Lione’s schedule was now fairly open to assist the band on a few tour dates as a temporary frontman. It obviously clicked, and along with new drummer Bruno Valverde. Here we have ‘Secret Garden‘, Angra’s first record in 4 years and the dawn of a new era.
The album kick’s off with a prolonged ambient intro to the opening track ‘Newborn Me’, which builds some serious anxiety for the album…prolonged intro’s in wide-opinion are foreshadows of relatively boring albums – but alas, the track storms in with some mid-tempo chunking and almost instantaneously the progressive brilliance of Angra is realised. The album does not kick off in a typical power metal double kick explosion, but opts to demonstrate all of Angra’s mature abilities including the vocal dynamics of Fabio Lione. What’s to come on the album is exemplified in this very track – powerful choruses, choirs, technical riffing, hooks, and progressive breakdowns that seamlessly flow from the heaviest of build-ups to the sweetest of acoustic melodies.
The album does continue incorporating the typical power metal styles that we have come so accustomed too with Angra, such as the track ‘Black Hearted Soul‘ which is power metal in it’s truest form, but evidently makes heavy on the prog this time round featuring such tracks as ‘Final Light‘ that is reminiscent of the ‘Celestial Entrance‘ era from Pagan’s Mind. Angra have made the utmost effort to create an ambience for the ‘Secret Garden’, and while featuring so many elements on the album can make it difficult for it to be consistent, the vocals of Lione certainly provide the anchor that erases all doubts of consistency.
If perfectly executed progressive musicianship isn’t enough for your ‘Secret Garden‘ experience, the album also features a plethora of guest vocalists such as Simone Simmons of Epica providing a sweet vocal line for the epic ballad track ‘Secret Garden‘ and Doro Pesch on the track ‘Crushing Room‘ that will surely get your head banging.
‘Secret Garden‘ is nothing short of stunning, arguably this is their best release since 2004’s ‘Temple of Shadows‘. Apart from Fabio Lione’s vocals providing an epic Rhapsody-esque atmosphere, Angra are still showing us that they are still in it to be one of the top bands of their genre, if not the top. The band written with a more progressive mindset, yet the power metal is still there. Be warned, it might just blow you away!
