Published on May 9, 1999
You’ve all heard the old saying that appearances can be
deceiving, right? Well, let me add on to that: expectations can be
deceiving as well.
I had heard a bit of a buzz about the Brazilian metal band
Angra, both in the press and from our readers. So when their latest
disc
Fireworks arrived in the mail, I was expecting a headbanging
tour de force…
Imagine my surprise when the disc hit the player, and what I
heard was what you could describe as progressive metal! This was
also a shock, seeing what label they were on – a label I knew from
my college days as being one of the early purveyors of
grindcore.
It took me several attempts to get through
Fireworks, and several listens to really get what this band
was trying to do. And while
Fireworks didn’t live up to my expectations, it is a solid
album that should open the eyes of many naysayers who claim that
metal is dead.
The group – vocalist Andre Matos, guitarists Kiko Laureiro and
Rafael Bittencourt, bassist Luis Mariutti and drummer Ricardo
Confessori – reminds me a lot of the style of music that
Queensryche played in their glory days, with just a touch of thrash
thrown in for good measure. If anything, Angra could be Royal Hunt
with a tougher edge to the music and no reliance on keyboards.
Musically, Angra is a tight unit. Matos’s vocals are strong and
clear throughout the album, and he’s not afraid to stand out in the
metal world as a singer, not a screamer. On tracks like “Speed,”
“Paradise” and “Fireworks,” his vocals ring out, almost becoming a
unique instrument that blends with the guitar work of Loureiro and
Bittencourt – as well as an orchestral section fleshing out the
band’s sound.
But if you’re looking to be blown back through the wall by
breakneck speed, with rare, momentary exceptions,
Fireworks may disappoint you – at first. However, after
numerous listens, the technical craftmanship and musical precision
of tracks like “Metal Icarus” and “Lisbon” will win you over.
Especially noteworthy is the nearly eight-minute opus “Paradise,”
which will hold your interest throughout. (I also wanted to note
the cool drum licks provided by Confessori on “Metal Icarus”.)
Angra is a band that has been overshadowed by one other band
from Brazil – the legendary Sepultura, even though the musical
styles of the bands are different. Angra does have its feet firmly
planted in metal, no doubt about that – but if they were to set
themselves apart by pushing the progressive style they have
embraced, it could bring them some well-deserved attention.
The only negative is that it takes so long to really get into
this album. Had I written this after one full listen, I would
probably have written them off. But knowing that some readers saw
something in this band that I didn’t see on the first approach
convinced me to give them a second chance – and a third, for that
matter. I just wonder how many consumers would be willing to give
an album like this at least three listens to really appreciate
it.
Fireworks is a solid effort from Angra, and is one that
should put them on the map for their own contributions to the
genre. But be warned: if you do pick this one up, be prepared to
spend a lot of time with it.