Angra - Secret Garden (2015)

Angra, one of most influential power metal band from the Latin continent, is back on business with their eight full lengths album. When Angra on their heyday Angels Cry to Temple of the Shadow era, they are on top of the game with unique power metal. Their style was highly captivating, power-metal, neo-classical, power-ballad (think "Wuthering Height" song), Latin infused rhythm, and of course progressive elements with lots of guitar mastery duet between Kiko and Rafael. Different era has passed since, different Angra member jump in. As Kiko Loureiro remarks, musical changes is un-avoidable because they change as persons as well. Quite a words. Fabio Lione is now with Angra. One may feel excited, because un-officially, Angra (well, back then), is also regarded as the Latin representative of Rhapsody-of-Fire style of power metal. Most of their album (back then..) come with similar template, symphonic instrumental track ("Unfinished Allegro","In Excelsis"..) and many more symphonic-power references to the style they shared with Rhapsody of Fire. So, Fabio Lione is one of interesting moment we like to hear from Angra.

Good news is, in this new album called "Secret Garden", we kind of meet some of core Angra stuffs for sure. "Newborn Me" is the first track, after a brief prelude we get a strong strong with catchy guitar riffs, interesting bass-effect and keyboards, and also the Latin beat is there once again. The middle interlude is strong and very progressive. If you are looking for quality song writing in one power metal song, this is it. "Black Hearted Soul" is also strong one, the intro is a power chorus and then continued to catchy double beat power metal song. This time Fabio really added Angra elements to his own port-folio, where Rhapsody of Fire and Vision Divine meet them. "Final Light" is heavier stuffs, Latin infused beat and progressive elements played the big role here. "Storm Of Emotions" is traditionally Angra's story telling slow song, another interesting moment in the album, you'll easily find "old-times" Angra vibes on this one. Then when everything seems like to repeated themself, comes Simone Simons to save the situation. She is on featuring voices in "Secret Garden", one song that surely written with female vocals on mind since this is not typical Angra stuffs. Then also comes Doro Pesch for one more duet song "Crushing Room". Instead of slow ballad as in Simone songs, this is heavier one to fit Doro's characteristic.

Overall Secret Garden really brings back Angra. This is a solid album with careful song writing that incorporated most of core Angra stuffs, and blended it with new progressive metal idea. Vice versaly, Angra also added Fabio Lione to their legacy, where previously two charismatic singers already on board, Andre Matos and Edu Falaschi. Secret Garden is Angra album with level up song writing. Excellent new drummer Bruno Valverde continuted the Latin beat inducted to his drumming. Kiko and Rafael has enough guitars parts to keep their guitar fans happy. In the end, great power metal album to close 2014 in glory.


Favorite songs: Newborn Me, Black Hearted Soul
Metal Harem class: *********** nine stars out of ten

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Angra - Secret Garden (2015) 

1. Newborn Me
2. Black Hearted Soul
3. Final Light
4. Storm Of Emotions
5. Violet Sky
6. Secret Garden - feat. Simone Simons
7. Upper Levels
8. Crushing Room - feat. Doro Pesch
9. Perfect Symmetry
10. Silent Call

Angra:
    Fabio Lione - vocals
    Rafael Bittencourt - guitar, vocals, artwork co-conception
    Kiko Loureiro - guitar
    Felipe Andreoli - Bass
    Bruno Valverde - Drums

Technical staff:
    Jens Bogren - producer, recorder
    Roy Z - pre-producer
    Rodrigo Bastos Didier - artwork conception and creation