Written by:	AndMetalForAll
Published:	April 19, 2012

Pandora 101 are not very well known to fans of metal music. Formed in 1999 in Brazil by lovers of music, professors, students and postgraduates with over 25 years of combined touring experience even before the band existed, Pandora 101 has been working for 10 years on behalf of art. Nowadays one of the few bands that has the ability to mix diverse styles such as progressive, rock, thrash, heavy and speed metal with amazing quality.

"The idea of Pandora 101 was born in 1999, when Nando Moura (Vocals, Guitars) and his brother Gugo Moura (Bass), influenced by bands such as KISS and Blind Guardian, decided to do their own band. What used to be only amusement and a few cover songs gigs became a complex music project which explores the soft and the aggressive, using the reflection of life, of human state and of melancholy to create its own identity."



All of the band's songs have a purpose; all the tracks define their thoughts about themes like death, life, reflection and mind. All band members have experience and musical degrees, the band is mainly formed by music teachers, music producers, maestros and postgraduates. They have officially released three full length studio albums (2007, 2009, 2011) and two singles (both in 2008).




Although, Pandora 101 are an extremely talented band, commercially they are not known to the general fans of the metal style, like I said above. If you google the band's name you won't find much information about the band. Of course the official website and myspace will show up but in terms of technical reviews or critics nothing will be shown. Brazil is a great "factory" of heavy music with bands such as Angra, Korzus or Sepultura, the three of them with great commercial success.

The origin of the name Pandora 101:

"Pandora, from Greek mythology, the one who has all the gifts. She was the first woman of the word and was sent to Epimeteu as a gift from Zeus. However, she carried a box with her that would be used as a punishment, for having Epimeteu's brother Prometeu stolen the secret of fire from the skies. Epimeteu opened the box for curiosity setting free all the evils of the world, putting an end in the golden age of humanity as a consequence. Nevertheless when he finally was able to close the box the only thing that didn't get out was Hope, which was in the bottom of the box.

Pandora 101 represents the reopening of Pandora's box, since 101 is the representative number of the opposites: opened/closed. To reopen Pandora's box."



In my opinion the best album of the band has to be the 2009's epic Hourglass, that defines the thought about people and life. The only official music video released by the band is above entitled "Nothing Will Remain".


Hourglass track list:
1. The Box
2. Out Of Silence
3. I Hope
4. Nothing Will Remain
5. Ryu´s Theme
6. On Melancholy
7. Redemption
8. At The Gates Of Solitude
9. Sandglass
10. Into The Abyss
11. Wizard Of Tempest
12. Inside of my Thoughts
13. Hourglass



Hourglass has the ability to be heavy, sad, depressive and progressive?it's just amazing. Technically perfect, played by true men of music, the solos are heavy, fast and sick; drum parts are off the charts. All the album is very concise with no filler tracks, in my opinion. Great work with the bass and voice. Nowadays Pandora 101 consists of Nando Moura (Guitar and Vocals); Gugo Moura (Bass); Marcello Pacheco (Guitar); Claudio Stabile (Drums). All the elements I described above can be heard in what is, in my opinion, the best song of the album: "Inside My Thoughts". Check it below:



To the real fans of the band, Pandora 101 is described as a mix between Pantera, Metallica, Dream Theater, Iron Maiden and Iced Earth. The 2006 album, Sealed Penance, is also a very good demonstration of the band's talent, but that talent is improved in the 2009 album. Rhymes Of Man, released in 2011, is considered by some fans to be better than the previous, but in my opinion the band hits their peak in the album above, Hourglass.

Pandora 101 is a very talented band formed by people that love music and really understand it. They define music as the supreme art of realization and they show it in every single record they release. Commercially they need backup but that doesn't erase the fact that they have a technically exquisite quality and are in my view the future of Brazilian Metal!!

Official Website: http://www.pandora101.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/pandora101
Band members website:
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