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Reviews
Angra: Aurora consurgens
14/06/07 || Global Domination
Let’s start with the truth as generally accepted by most of our GD brethren: power metal IS gay. There, I said it. I’m obviously not the first to mention it. In fact, here at this site, we probably mention it a few times per week, whenever power metal happens to be discussed, and whenever bromance comes up, which seems to be quite often. It’s not my intention to offend gay people with this piece, by the way. If you’re gay and happen to be reading this, and you do actually feel offended, you’re just plain stupid.
Gayness in metal is just different, is kinda wrong, it doesn’t go with the image. Remember that funny line from Tom Hanks in that girl’s baseball movie? “There’s no crying in baseball!!!”. Well, there shouldn’t be gayness in metal, but there is. It’s been there since the moment Mr. Halford ‘fessed up, Yngwie picked up his guitar and launched on his first solo, Michael Kiske first screamed a ridiculously high note, or the dudes on Manowar declared their willingness to take it up their butts for metal.
Now, back on to the power metal subject, let’s classify this on the slightly mathematical, logical sense. Imagine you’ve got the Metal Scientific Calculator in yer hand, you type a random comment off the top of yer head and press the equal to sign, and the following results should follow:
Helloween clone “I play really fast and sing really high” = Blatantly Gay
Manowar-type dudes in loincloths, fully lubed asses and “dying for metal” = Flaming Homos
Blind Guardian’s fairy loving, occasionally warlike, operatic power metal = Fantastically Gay
Original, well played and composed power metal = WTF?! System Error!! Does that exist? Angra? OK, just a bit gay!
Yes! The hypothetical calculator would be right, after the initial error and shock. The talented Brazilians from Angra do create an almost heterosexual version of power metal that is actually pretty good. They have been doing so for a while now, since their debut back in 1993, and on this 6th studio offering they continue their trend of composing very solid power metal records with a trademark entirely their own. Angra’s take on power metal has always been a crafty mixture of the classical bombast ever present in the genre with the Brazilian “flava”, that funkiness, rhythm and feeling that we Latin people have got in our blood. It works, let me tell ya. I barely pay notice to power metal, but these guys always have my attention whenever they decide to release a new record.
“Aurora Consurgens”, this latest effort, is quite enjoyable. I’m going to admit right away that I’m biased to these guys, because I like pretty much everything they have released. I’m also fair, and whenever a band I like releases a new record, I will always listen to it objectively, and if I like it, it will receive a lot of replay time. If I don’t like it, I’ll cry foul right away. This one has replay value, definitely. The songs are pretty good, memorable and stay away from the clichés of the genre for the most part. The funk, speed, flow, and the aforementioned Brazilian flavor are there, making the compositions catchy like some malaria from the Amazon rain forest. Some proggy tendencies are welcome too, to spice up things. There’s the mandatory bombastic keyboards, but thankfully they don’t overpower the songs, just add in the right places.
Despite the catchiness, the overtones you get from the album are decidedly darker than your run-of-the-mill power metal. The lyrics deal with madness, suicide and such, a theme that carries over and makes the overall atmosphere a lot less “happy-fairy metal”. I’d say this is a fucken respite from the senseless anthems to metal brotherhood, fairies, elves, dragons, yetis, bigfoots and whatever the hell Dragonfarce, Hammerfags and all those other clowns sing about.
The musicianship is top notch, as is almost always the case in this genre, but Angra doesn’t abuse of it. There’s no unnecessary wankery, despite Kiko Loureiro being one pretty awesome player. He and Rafael Bittencourt duel, riff and solo here with gusto, also adding some classic guitar touches here and there. Very accomplished duo, I must say. Some samba-like drum sections also give a much appreciated rhythm to the music. Aquiles Priester is a very original drummer, he beats the skins like he means it, and the variety and influences he brings into the compositions are crucial to differentiate the band from the generic. The basswork is pretty decent too, Andreoli does a good job and provides a strong backbone. Last but not least, Edu Falaschi’s vocals are one of Angra’s best assets. He’s got a great voice, very tempered, harmonious and melodic, yet rough when required, and able to soar whenever necessary. There’s no excessively high-pitched homo screams or wailing, au contraire, it’s a solid performance, powerful output all over from him here.
Recommended cuts here are the impressive “Ego Painted Gray”, an amazing, out of the ordinary and surprisingly dark tune,“So Near So Far” and “Scream Your Heart Out”, all very solid and well writen tunes. Also here’s my only gripe, ‘cause there a couple of songs that are a notch below, such as “Breaking Ties” and the mandatory ballad “Abandoned Fate”, which isn’t half bad. It’s like the calculator above said, just a bit homoerotic. It prevents the album from reaching greatness, dammit, it’s just too much to take!
Bottom line, these guys know how to compose and play enjoyable power metal which won’t have you doubting your sexuality when listened to. It won’t make you reach for your dwarf outfit or your loincloth, or the lubricant for that matter. It might make you actually pay a bit more attention, because as stale as the genre is, there’s a very small number of bands that still know how to make it a rocking and vibrant experience, and Angra is one of them.
8 hetero Brazilian dudes out of 10.
- Information
- Released: 2006
- Label: SPV Records
- Website: www.angra.net
- Band
- Edu Falaschi: vocals
- Kiko Loureiro: guitars
- Rafael Bittencourt: guitars
- Felipe Andreoli: bass
- Aquiles Priester: drums
- Tracklist
- 01. The Course of Nature
- 02. The Voice Commanding You
- 03. Ego Painted Gray
- 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