Angra - Aurora Consurgens review
Band: | Angra |
Album: | Aurora Consurgens |
Release date: | October 2006 |
01. The Course Of Nature
02. The Voice Commanding You
03. Ego Painted Grey
04. Breaking Ties
05. Salvation: Suicide
06. Window To Nowhere
07. So Near So Far
08. Passing By
09. Scream Your Heart Out
10. Abandoned Fate
11. Out Of This World [Japanese bonus]
Finally, "Aurora Consurgens" the new album of the Brazilian combo Angra is out. And well for their 15th anniversary and despite a radical band members turnover in 2000, our guys are still happy to play music, and still able to write great songs. If "Temple Of Shadows" was probably one of the best releases of the year 2004, it was not so easy for the band to release something similar for their new album but before that we even try to expect something specific, Angra cut the grass under our feet and simply changed its musical orientation? "Aurora Consurgens" will be really surprising for you?
"Temple Of Shadows" was a pure album of Power Metal (and a great one of course, we will all agree on this point) with evidently the Brazilians touches that we have the luck to listen to in the music of the band since a lot of years now. And it was a direct album, with a lot of great Metal anthems, some real "in your face" hits perfectly written for the live performance but "Aurora Consurgens" is definitely different.
Inspired by a secret book written by Saint Thomas d'Aquin, "Aurora Consurgens" is not a new concept album but the lyrics will mainly deals with human being and society problems. You'll have to know also that this album is a lot more complex than the previous works of the band and well, even if the bands claims that "Aurora Consurgens" is their heavier one I have to add also that it's is their finest complex and technical work of their whole discography. But of course on a side it's heavier. First, the voice of Edu is still beautiful but you'll be able to see that he is able to sing with a voice a bit more "Heavy". I'm not talking about Death Metal vocals of course, but you'll see, his voice is not always "sweet" on the new album. Also, to give you an example, the guitar break of "The Course Of Nature" is not so far away of Thrash. No, "Aurora Consurgens" doesn't lack of heavy music, but its main difference with "Temple Of Shadows" is that it's not anymore a pure album of Power Metal.
But hey, it's not a big problem if "Aurora Consurgens" doesn't basically follow the road of "Temple Of Shadow", at the opposite, this is a good way to show to the audience that the band is able to do different things and that they're not simply living on their acquired experiences. "Aurora Consurgens" is a lot more progressive and complex but also a lot more intimate and it will maybe be a problem for some of you I think. First, don't expect any real mega hits on "Aurora Consurgens" and second in general the rhythms are cooler than on "Temple Of Shadows" so the songs are not easy of access, they're complex with a lot of variations but with this pleasant little complex aspect that we can find in Progressive music. Also, you'll be able to find on the release the best performances of Kiko and Rafael and they will also be a real confirmation of the enormous talent of Edu, Aquiles and Felipe. "Aurora Consurgens" is special for an Angra album but it gives something new and different and well, if you take some time to listen to it, I'm sure that you'll like it a lot.
As we say, we never change a team of winners, so this is again Isabel de Amorin who worked on the design of the album and Dennis Ward who mixed and recorded the album. Be sure that the sound will be perfect one more time and that the booklet will be full of beautiful drawings and images. On the other hand, you'll not be able to find any guest musicians on the new album but if you need to have something "new" just remember that the album is probably the first real "meeting" of all the musical ideas and influences of all the musicians so for sure you will be able to discover new musical orientations on "Aurora Consurgens".
"Aurora Consurgens" is a beautiful album but you'll have to remember also that it is a bit different than "Temple Of Shadows". Angra didn't follow quietly the road that they started to use with their previous release and this change, this way to take some risks is a great thing in my opinion. "Aurora Consurgens" is maybe not so easy of access at the end but still, this is one of the best album of the band without any doubt. Don't miss it!
Rating:
8.0
8.0
Rating: 8.0 |
When I first heard this album, and still now when I'm writing this review 18 months later I am very confused - my brain has never felt so split about any album before! All this time I haven't been able to decide wether this album is totally awesome or a complete letdown. And the reason is spelled 'Temple Of Shadows'. That album still is one of my all time favourite albums in any category simply because it's such a totally complete masterpiece. 'Aurora Consurgens' is not. So first I will try to explain why this not a worthy follow up to it's ancestor. Read more ›› |
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