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Angra - Temple Of Shadows review



Reviewer:
9.0

672 users:
8.65
Band: Angra
Album: Temple Of Shadows
Release date: September 2004


01. Deus Le Volt!
02. Spread Your Fire [feat. Sabine Edelsbacher]
03. Angels And Demons
04. Waiting Silence
05. Wishing Well
06. The Temple Of Hate [feat. Kai Hansen]
07. The Shadow Hunter
08. No Pain For The Dead [feat. Sabine Edelsbacher]
09. Winds Of Destination [feat. Hansi Kürsch]
10. Sprouts Of Time
11. Morning Star
12. Late Redemption [feat. Milton Nascimento]
13. Gate XIII

I'm a fan of Angra, since the beginning and I must admit that their "split" if I can use this word was a really big disappointment for me. Their first album through the new area of the band "Rebirth" wasn't a good one for me, not because of the new musicians, but it was just uncoloured in comparison of the others albums of the band. But on the other hand, I totally understand that it's not easy to release a great and amazing album just after a real turnover in the line-up of a band. Then, I was waiting a lot this new album "Temple Of Shadows", and damn that's totally different... Yeah I must say it, this time I just took a big good nice kick in my ass? "Temple Of Shadows" is just an amazing and beautiful album?

"This record describes - in a few words - the saga of a knight crusader known as The Shadow Hunter, who joins the army of the Pope on the late XI century". This little sentence says it all, the new Angra is a concept album, a pure book of History which relate stories about crusaders during the XI centuries. This time of course, no Andre Matos for all the writings, but three men, Falaschi, Loureiro and Bittencourt for the music and the lyrics. With in addition of course we can't forget the two others members Felipe Andreoli for the Bass [he is very good you will see it with some really excellent fretless solos], Aquiles Priester on the Drums, and a legion of guests, Mr Hansi Kursch & Kay Hansen, Mrs Sabine Edelsbacher, Denis Ward and even Milton Nascimento [a very famous Brazilian singer?].
I think that Angra choose two follow two different lines this time. On a side, "Temple Of Shadows" sound certainly more Power Metal than before, but don't worry that's good Power Metal not a pale poor copy like we have every time these days, and on the other side, this album is certainly more Progressive. If some songs like the great "Spread Your Fire" or the excellent Winds Of Destination [with Hansi] really sound Power Metal, some other songs like "The Shadow Hunter" with his fantastic Flamenco arpeggio or "Sprouts of Time" with an excellent Salsa break and "Late Redemption" which it touches of Bossa clearly sound more Progressive and avant-gardist. Believe me that's good sometime to forget a bit the frozen plains of the north to have some good songs born in the moistness of the Latin lands. Of course some songs are in the pure vein of the old Angra a bit more classic, but in fact this album is complete you have a lot diversity in it and that's really good.
Angra musicians are all very good, the two guitarist will impressed you with their very technical solo, and even Edu Falaschi with his voice which is a lot deeper than the one of Andre Matos, is not bad at all? Then of course that's hard to compare him to one of the best singer ever, but if he was not convincing on Rebirth, this time he is clearly more than ok, and I have the feeling that he is really taking self assurance, that's a good point for the band.
The production of the album is really good too, even if sometime all that is a bit over-produced on some songs but well honestly we are near of the perfection and I don't talk about the booklet and the cover?
Well my only regret with this album is maybe the fact that we don't have any real killer songs, don't misunderstand me, this album is great and all the songs are more than good and catchy, but we don't have any "Carry On", "Carolina VI", or "Nothing to Say" ? Of course I suppose that the band don't want this kind of comparison, but well WE the fans can't avoid it? These songs are Angra songs after all?

But anyway, this new album is a really good one, and I can only recommend it to all the fans of great Heavy Metal and also to all the ones who, like me, was disappointed by their precedent album. If "Rebirth" wasn't a real [or good] rebirth [if I can say that?] this time with this "Temple Of Shadow", Angra is definitely back. Then you know what you just have to do, go to your records shop and buy this "Temple Of Shadow". Me, well I already have it, then I'm just waiting impatiently the next gigs of the band which will be all over the world next year for its new tour?

Written by Jeff | 06.12.2004



Guest review by
Talvi
Rating:
10
Sometimes I should eat my own words. Why do I go talking about an album being the best? Because I believed nothing could prove me wrong. When you love a song or album so much nothing can make you change. And I thought I wasn't going to change.

I did. Well, maybe I will. Because even I said Voimasta Ja Kunniasta was the best metal album, or at least the one I loved the most, now I may change my opinion. This, my friends, is the best metal album. Or maybe I just should stop talking shit and just say that any album I rate as perfect (you won't find a lot of them) can be my favorite.

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published 09.10.2006 | Comments (18)


Comments

Comments: 20   Visited by: 158 users
25.06.2006 - 22:09
Pianoman
Account deleted
The second best of all Angra's album! The best of course is Holy Land!
But this is a masterpiece too. With progressive touch this album is so much better than Rebirth that is a good album too but is not a masterpiece like this one. This album has everything: is symphonic, progressive, has beauty ballads and power songs.

Highlights: Angels and Demons, Waiting Silence, No Pain For The Dead, Sprouts of Time and The Shadow Hunter.
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28.06.2006 - 23:56
Baz Anderson

yes - this album is definatly better then 'Rebirth'
i really love this album - one of the best power metal albums i can think of
i would probably say this was my favorite Angra album as well, over the first two
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08.07.2006 - 10:53
Zendrian
Account deleted
I really admire the lyrics of this album they tell a fantastic story whit a message
hidden in the complex story.
I enjoy reading the lyrics almoust like listening this exelent album.
Each song lyric has an introduction that will guide you through the story.:idea:

Highlights:Spread Your Fire,No Pain For The Dead,The Shadow Hunter.
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02.09.2006 - 08:32
Cloud Strife
Account deleted
For me, it is the best Angra's album.
It is perfect.
It is heavy.
It is beauty.
And, of course, it is metal.
A more progressive metal. More than any other Angra's album.
More heavy musics, more beauty lyrics.
This is, at least for me, THE ALBUM.

My favorite songs: Deus Le Volt / Spread Your Fire, The Shadow Hunter and Morning Star
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24.09.2006 - 18:46
Rating: 6
Talvi

No highlights? Of course. When an album is perfect, nothing shines more than a sun
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My account on other musical pages:
http://www.last.fm/user/Pozito/
http://rateyourmusic.com/~Talvi
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04.10.2006 - 23:25
Kanon
Account deleted
This album is amazing, one of the best albums of angra and one of the best power metal albums forever.

Highlights: Spread Your Fire, Angels and Demons, Temple of hate, Winds of Destination and The Shadow Hunter
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23.10.2006 - 10:52
marillionfan
Account deleted
One word: Masterpiece. A must have for all power metal and progressive metal fans.
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29.10.2006 - 19:10
FFC
Account deleted
The best music album of all time
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14.12.2006 - 04:49
Rating: 6
Talvi

Written by Guest on 02.09.2006 at 08:32

For me, it is the best Angra's album.
It is perfect.
It is heavy.
It is beauty.
And, of course, it is metal.
A more progressive metal. More than any other Angra's album.
More heavy musics, more beauty lyrics.
This is, at least for me, THE ALBUM.

My favorite songs: Deus Le Volt / Spread Your Fire, The Shadow Hunter and Morning Star


Well dude, at least we agree on something. But I would add some more songs are favorites xD
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My account on other musical pages:
http://www.last.fm/user/Pozito/
http://rateyourmusic.com/~Talvi
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18.06.2007 - 21:04
Rating: 10
Infurnace

All the songs on this album are highlights. It's definitely the best Angra album.
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28.06.2007 - 22:02
Arcaliz666
Account deleted
With the participation of Kai Hansen, Hansi Kursch and Sabine Edelsbacher.

Best tracks : Angels And Demons, Wishing Well, The Temple Of Hate, Winds Of Destination.

Killing Track : Spreed Your Fire

One of the best Works of Angra. !!!
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26.07.2007 - 16:37
king of fools
Account deleted
The songwriting is impeccable, the individual performances don't stand out because they all blend into something truly great
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05.10.2007 - 06:47
Pianoman
Account deleted
A great album but for that i followed angra from the Angels Cry album I would say that this album is kind of overrated. Holy Land was the album that took this band to the next level with progressive and folk elements. The music is great, the lyrics are just fine. For me great conceptual albums are scenes from a memory of dream theater and operation mindcrime. Is the best angra album from the second era but i have the feeling that they arent inovating anymore. The last album is their worst work but still ok.
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10.03.2008 - 19:51
BloodTears
ANA-thema
After so much praising I feel like I should get this.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29

Like you could kiss my ass.


My Instagram
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11.03.2008 - 02:51
Rating: 9
Evil Chip

Great album with great songs and concept.
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27.11.2008 - 16:42
Rating: 8
Powerslavex
Alexskywalker
Brillient album Angra's best, i like nearly all of the tracks, once again the way Angra mixes different styles is great
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11.04.2009 - 11:44
Uirapuru
Liver Failure
Exellent work.
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member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/
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03.09.2010 - 11:38
Rating: 8
MeTalRea|istiK

B4 this album,holy land is the best angra album for me..but now temple of shdow has win my heart..1st day i buy this album i already listened 7 times(marathon over and over again with darklyrics website in my computer)..and i still remember my mom shouting 'turn off the radio.i'm boring with that music..turn somthing new!!!)

angra 4eva!!!
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23.02.2011 - 23:48
Rating: 10
BlankFile

The best album of Angra ever! From start to finish, its intense and magnificent!
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31.12.2020 - 01:14
Rating: 10
4look4rd
The Sasquatch
Essential power metal album. Hard to pick between this and Holy Land but both are up there in the top 10 power metal albums of all time.
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