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Un capolavoro, altre parole non possono venire all'ascolto di uno di quei dischi destinati a cambiare la musica per sempre, lasciando un segno tanto profondo quanto gradito: 'Angels Cry' è tutto questo.
Prodotto nel lontano 1993, il disco si fece notare per vari fattori, primo dei quali la band che lo suonava, gli Angra, band carioca che prese il nome dall'antica dea del fuoco brasiliana: formata da Andre Matos (una delle più belle e cristalline voci che l'heavy metal abbia mai conosciuto), Rafael Bittencourt e Kiko Loureiro (una delle più forti coppie chitarristiche del panorama odierno) e anche Luis Mariutti e Ricardo Confessori alla sezione ritmica, i sei scoinvolsero il mondo grazie all'elevatissimo tasso tecnico/melodico che riuscivano a creare nei loro pezzi, che si presentavano si complessi strutturalmente e difficilmente suonabili da persone "normali", ma erano (e sono) anche ricchi di parti melodiche e volendo anche easy-listening.
L'album si apre con l'incompiuto di Schubert (Unfinished allegro), qui leggermente riarrangiato dalla tastiera, che ci conduce direttamente al primo vero pezzo del disco, nonchè uno dei più grandi capolavori musicali partoriti da mente umana, Carry On: un riff di chitarra di ispirazione progressiva da inizio alle danze, andandosi ad unire con un basso pulsante nel fondo e una batteria che tiene tempi imperdibili; ma ecco che dopo qualche secondo appare la voce di Matos, che eleva a massimo capolavoro la traccia, andando a prendere tonalità assolutamente fuori dalla norma (sentite fino ad oggi solo con l'italianissimo Michele Luppi). Altro pezzo forte della song è sicuamente la parte solistica che risulta essere particolarmente raffinata e gustosa.
A seguire troviamo invece un altro classico Angra: Time, introdotta da un arpeggio di chitarra classica alla quale ancora una volta, l'immancabile Matos si unisce andando a prendere note leggermente più basse, ma sicuramente molto più emozionali. Eccellenti i cori che ricordano qualche cosa della produzione Queen. Dopo la prima parte più calma, la canzone esplode in un pezzo prog/power estremamente trascinante e sentito, che ci conduce all'ascolto della title-track, uno dei pezzi più squisitamente riusciti dell'intero panorama metal; parti veloci, spezzate da frenate decise, melodia e tanta tecnica vi accompagneranno per oltre 7 minuti di vera musica.
Ancora un intro di chitarra classica si ritrova con Stan Away, la traccia sicuramente più profonda e sentita dell'intero album: l'interpretazione vocale diventa qui la vera protagonista, dividendo tonalità strillate con vette vocali assolutamente non umane (specialmente quando Matos pronuncia le parole "This Fire Still Burn") ed altre più basse e corpose; ad aggiungersi a ciò, va detto che troviamo una sezione ritmica particolarmente pregiata, che va a comporre parti serrate alle quali si legano tempi più controllati. Percussioni folk, basso e chitarre ci introducono al pezzo più easy, ma anche più prog, dell'album: Never Understand, traccia ricca di melodie fresche (volendo esagerare un poco, anche estive) alle quali bene si lega la voce "da sirena" (non fraintendete, si sente che è una voce maschile) dell'onnipresente vocalist. La track si sviluppa poi in un esercizio tecnico/melodico di dimensioni elevate, presentandosi ricca di cambi di tonalità e tempo, accellerazioni e assoli a non finire.
Si arriva così alla cover del disco: una delle migliori cover mai realizzate, Whuthering Heights dell'angelica Kate Bush, reinterpretata da un Matos ultraterreno, in maniera fantastica. Days Of Pounding Emptiness: streets of tomorrow... la traccia più power del disco, la più veloce e la meno melodica dell'album, forse un pò scontata ma non per questo meno bella: unico difetto oltre la scontatezza è anche una certa staticità musicale e un'eccessiva facilità schematica, senza raffinatezze eccessive.
La chiusura dell'album è invece affidata ad un altro punto forte dell'intera produzione dei carioca: Evil Warning è un pezzo rapido, che non da vie d'uscita all'ascoltatore, che lo lascia sempre attaccato con l'orecchio alle casse, presentandosi ricca di solos pirotecnici, parti ritmiche fuori dalla norma, vette vocali non comuni e tanta tanta passionalità.
Il disco termina così, ma trovo doveroso spendere alcune parole anche su una produzione, che si presenta veramente di elevata qualità, professionale ed azzeccata per il tipo di album, che non smetterò mai di dirlo è uno dei più grandi capolavori in ambito metallico.
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02 Carry On (05:03)
Simple minded brain
For now you succumb
Nothing changes your way
This world insists to be the same
Based on our mistakes
The flowers fade along the road
Don't blindfold your eyes,
So loneliness becomes the law
Of a senseless life
Follow your steps and you will find
The unknown ways are on your mind
Need nothing else than just your pride
To get there... [Go!]
Now you have to face another day
You won't be alone
This life is forcing us to stay
- For how long?
Cold is the wind and thunder struck
On a stormy night
But can't you see, I'm by your side
We are marching on!
Follow your steps and you will find
The unknown ways are on your mind
Need nothing else than just your pride
To get there...
So, carry on,
There's a meaning to life
Which someday we may find...
Carry on, it's time to forget
The remains from the past, to carry on
Follow your steps and you will find
The unknown ways are on your mind
Need nothing else than just your pride
To get there...
So, carry on,
There's a meaning to life
Which someday we may find...
Carry on, it's time to forget
The remains from the past
So, carry on,
There's a meaning to life
Which someday we may find...
Carry on, it's time to forget
The remains from the past
Carry on, it's time to forget
The remains from the past, to carry on
The remains from the past, to carry on
The remains from the past...
03 Time (05:55)
[Matos, Bittencourt]
This time I wanna know what life means...
... to live it again
I'm looking forward, feel the light shine in my eyes
And now I know, my instincts were not wrong
And many things can be done
I don't believe now
That I'm dreaming alone
Oh, we're searching for the love
that everyone's got, but can't see
Oh, beyond the flesh and blood
there's so much hidden behind
as so much more we've gotta give...
Sanity brings up the sadness
that keeps your illusions locked in a little box
Fright comes, you find yourself lonely
in a cage of conclusions crowding your mind
You sit back bowing your head
Every answer - yes
Why don't you trust me and shed out your fears,
Running over the tears you've contained
now cover up your eyes
- Is it good for you?
I will be here when fire burns!
Welcome on board
over here is the ship of your life
So rotten that will cast away
I'll be your sweet lullaby all the night
And if you get lost you can hold my hand...
And I'll be here when fire burns
(Inside your heart)
Climb up the hills and mountains,
don't forget what you've learned!
Life makes us feel the time we cannot hold
Time makes us live a tale already told
Time makes us heal a feeling inside
a feeling that lies in our heart
that we stole away...
And I'll be here when fire burns
(Inside your heart)
Climb up the hills and mountains,
don't forget what you've learned!
Life makes us feel (life makes us feel)
The time we cannot hold
Time makes us live (time makes us live)
A tale already told
Time makes us heal (time makes us heal)
A feeling inside
a feeling that lies in our heart
that we stole away...
04 Angels Cry (06:49)
Cry in the night of angels
For that light that never shines
With their hearts so full of sorrow
Muddy waters all around
The curtain falls for helpless souls
How they suffer swept aside
And the raging streams are flowing
with so little hope inside
(It's like)
Angels crying
Can't take no more
Angels dying
Captured in the fall
Try to see this misery
your future is not what you wished it to be
So try to fly, the answer lies
in the angry darkened skies
(angry darkened skies)
You just keep on standing in these fields all your life
You sow the seeds that never grow
No harvest comes such a strain to feed the few
Still you're waiting, it's in vain...
The change must come right now!
Oh, see the sun in the sky
(From the dawn of destruction)
Free, free this chain from my heart...
(chain, chain, chain)
Hear the cry of angels
from that life you cannot hide
The change may come tomorrow
for the solemn weeping eyes
(Like)
Angels crying
Can't take no more
Angels dying
Captured in the fall
Try to see this misery
your future is not what you wished it to be
So try to fly, the answer lies
in the angry darkened skies
(angry darkened skies)
You just keep on standing in these fields all your life
You sow the seeds that never grow
No harvest comes such a strain to feed the few
Still you're waiting, it's in vain...
The change must come right now!
Angels are crying and dying
There must be some way
endless you stray, still you pray for a better life
Nobody sees when a glimpse
of your target lies behind you,
Like steps of the pilgrims unshined!
SOLO: Kiko
05 Stand Away (04:55)
Stand away the dreaded burning life
Will leave its mark for those with no desire
Stand in front of the whole creation
Face the people starved like worms
Still I'm begging for comprehension
From the ones who rule us all
Is this field the dying embers soul
All around we mourn
Oh, here they come again
(Now they're coming more agressive tearing down our only chances)
The stars can't find the purple sky
(Loneliness will find its reason treasured seeds for every season)
Long for the day be back someday
And the church
(Church is selling consolation, killing Jesus for salvation)
Don't let us die
(Taking all in desperation, leave me now to rest in peace)
Let me rest in peace
Away, a while
Our smile taken from
The hearts of brokens souls
Stand away from the fire
Destined by the fate
Let those sinners pay how they steel
For on the judgement day
How they yield
Stand in front of the whole creation
Face the people starved like worms
Still I'm begging for comprehension
From the ones who rule us all
Is this field the dying embers soul
All around we mourn
Oh, here they come again
(Now they're coming more agressive tearing down our only chances)
The stars can't find the purple sky
(Loneliness will find its reason treasured seeds for every season)
Long for the day be back someday
And the church
(Church is selling consolation, killing Jesus for salvation)
Don't let us die
(Taking all in desperation, leave me now to rest in peace)
Let me rest in peace...
06 Never Understand (07:49)
Never Understand
[Matos, Bittencourt]
White gold, a morning came
Sunny cold, reflecting light
Unknown songs Fresh water gush licks the lime
Sprinkling crowns of silence
The face wet from the moistened dew Wind takes the sight
Around the meadow
Playing kindly Silver dropped wine
That flows inside
a sleeping hand... Desperation fills the air
(In your heart lies the dust of the anger)
Madness knocking on my back
(Chiming bells have announced the new day) My courage lies someplace
where time forgot to send me
(now where are you going?)
(now where are you going now?)
Someday they'll mark your sins
like torture on your back
I wonder why
My mind is tight
Like stormy weather
And so it seems
That little steps
would take forever Oh, never understand...
We're like mad horses
heading for the bend
This place I'm standing here
Made it on my own
Moored my life to never let it go... I wonder why
My mind is tight
Like stormy weather
And so it seems
That little steps
would take forever Never understand...
We're like mad horses
heading for the bend
This place I'm standing here
Made it on my own
Moored my life to never let it go... All my life I'll be the way
I won't forget
All my life is never understand
07 Wuthering Heights (04:40)
[Originally performed by Kate Bush]
Out on the wiley, windy moors
We'd roll and fall in green
You had a temper, like my jealousy
Too hot, too greedy
How could you leave me?
When I needed to possess you
I hated you, I loved you too
Bad dreams in the night
They told me I was going to lose the fight
Leave behind my wuthering, wuthering
Wuthering Heights.
Heathcliff, it's me, Cathy come home
I'm so cold, let me in-a-your window
Oh it gets dark, it gets lonely
On the other side from you
I pine alot, I find the lot
Falls through without you
I'm coming back love, cruel Heathcliff
My only one dream, my only master
Too long I roam in the night
I'm coming back to his side to put it right
I'm coming home to wuthering, wuthering
Wuthering Heights
Oh let me have it, let me grab your soul away
Oh let me have it, let me grab your soul away
You know it's me, Cathy
08 Streets of Tomorrow (05:03)
(Matos)
Days of pounding emptiness
Just do far away, no regret
to live beside the danger
Running out of carelessness
Still unliked the tips of a bridge
That gets no one to nowhere
Let me run away
Free from lies, I won't forget
Escaping from these chains
I'll meet my love
Once again flying
Cloud from heaven
So, now?
Tell me how
To walk the streets of tomorrow
Someday, somehow, then we'll know
How things went wrong
And how?
Show me now
To live in peace no forever
The moment remains
And flows... don't let it go!
How do you stay
Down and pray
Let me know
The things you've done on your own...
(tell me right now, baby...)
How do you stay
Down and pray
Let me know
The things you've done on your own...
Let me run away
Free from lies, I won't forget
Escaping from these chains
I'll meet my love
Once again flying
Cloud from heaven
So, now?
Tell me how
To walk the streets of tomorrow
Someday, somehow, then we'll know
How things went wrong
And how?
Show me now
To live in peace no forever
The moment remains
And flows... don't let it go!
SOLO: Kiko
09 Evil Warning (06:41)
Evil Warning
[Matos, Bittencourt]
[INTRO]
Miles away
You're heading for the unknown
and there's no way to get back
Time to complain
Nobody is telling the truth
To live in the crowd
sick of my own vanity
Dead scattered petals around
Hymns of betrayal
calling you back for attack
Evil warning
Grown fast, too high
so sorry
Ends up the time
To cry and feel the pain
In the morning
start up the fight
so lonely...
with no fore-sight
until another day!
Run, don't wait the sun,
ride down the hill
Don't look behind
the evil crimes are chained
Until the end!
[SOLO]
[INTRO]
Evil warning
Grow fast, too high,
so sorry
ends up the time
to cry and feel the pain
Run, don't wait for the sun,
ride down the hill
Don't look behind
the evil crimes are chained
Until the end!
Don't let your pride
make your blood flow in vain
Until the end...
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Altre recensioni
Di metaldiablo
Un album dalla maturità impressionante, cosa che pochi altri gruppi sono riusciti a fare.
Ogni volta che ascolto la sua interpretazione in 'Carry On' mi vengono i brividi.
