ALBUM REVIEW: Cycles Of Pain – Angra
It’s been 30 years since ANGRA’s debut and in that time the band have morphed almost beyond recognition. The current ANGRA represents a “Mark III” of sorts for the band, perhaps most easily recognisable by ever-present founding member and driving force Rafael Bittencourt and ex-RHAPSODY OF FIRE singer Fabio Leone. Having been together for the best part of a decade, this version of ANGRA has seen the Brazilian outfit lean into their progressive tendencies while also dipping into heavier waters. With Cycles Of Pain, ANGRA’s continual evolution has materialised into one of the strongest records of their career.
The course for Cycles Of Pain is quickly set out by opener Ride The Storm. Beginning with dramatic choirs and orchestral stabs, there are flashes of symphonic metal as Leone’s theatrical vocals kick in. But by the time it hits the chorus, it’s all sewing-machine drums, palm-muted, jigging guitar leads and rousing power metal singing a la early HELLOWEEN. As the track drives on, odd time signature shifts, heavy riffs and instrumental technicality take the centre stage before a final uplifting vocal bridge and chorus end the scene. It’s a goosebump-inducing ride – not only kicking off the record, but also acting as a microcosm for the genre-flexing and organic flow that defines the rest of the album.
Dead Man On Display provides some slight reprieve with its slower beginning, but quickly picks up pace with discordant riffs and duelling guitar leads aplenty. The intensity abates briefly for a melodic chorus built on spinning synths, before the band delve into instrumental passages that flit between heavy triplets and mind-boggling rhythms. It’s clear ANGRA are at their best when they’re pushing their own boundaries, and slow burning two-parter Tide Of Changes only cements it. Part I is quiet and introspective, with the tapped bass work of Felipe Andreoli providing a relaxed-yet-virtuosic backdrop to Leone’s ominous vocals. As the song segues into Part II, metal elements are slowly introduced, eventually tapping into the aggressive, off-kilter vibe of Awake-era DREAM THEATER in its punchy chorus.
On the other hand, Vida Seca sees ANGRA make a stylistic shift only they can pull off. Its calm and peaceful introduction sees the band put the world music inspirations that shaped some of the Andre Matos-era at centre stage. The lilting rhythms of the guitars, the tranquil sway of the percussion and the serene vocals have a sun-kissed warmth to them that you’ll rarely hear on a metal album. But then, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, ANGRA introduce palm-muted electric guitars to build on the same melodies and pull the song in to a more metallic space. It’s a song that gradually progresses with something sinister bubbling under the surface, ANGRA deftly taking you through both melancholic and joyful moods throughout. Comparatively, follow-up Gods Of The World is more traditional power metal fare, its more traditional structure providing a useful reset for the ears.
The peak however is Cycles Of Pain’s title track, an example of ANGRA at their most moving. Opening with haunting piano lines and delicate vocals, its stripped back first half sees both instrumentation and intensity slowly and carefully build into an emotional chorus. Its dreamy, languorous bridge has more in common with the sweeping orchestral-tinged misery of latter-day MANIC STREET PREACHERS than it does modern metal, setting up a perfect refrain of the impactful chorus.
You’d think at this point ANGRA would have used everything in their tank, but the final act of the album remains just as compelling. With its rhythmic percussion and bouncing bass-lines counterpointed by lightning-fast guitars and major-key vocals, Faithless Sanctuary feels like a nod to the band’s sound at the turn of the century – there are flashes of both Fireworks and Rebirth throughout. Here In The Now is the record’s mellowest moment, where modern metal guitar lines are balanced out with expressive drumming, and melancholy swings to euphoria. Generation Warriors might be the least remarkable moment of the album, but assuages any doubts that ANGRA can still bang out classic power metal with the best of them. Closing the show is the unexpected Tears Of Blood – a haunting power ballad that sees Leone duet with the inimitable Amanda Somerville.
Since inception, ANGRA have always felt like a breath of fresh air compared to their contemporaries, never content to be hemmed in by the genre boundaries projected on to them. Thirty years later, Cycles Of Pain shows ANGRA flying the same flag – unwilling to be just what’s expected of them, they march on as songwriters and musicians honing their craft in new and exciting ways. As a result, Cycles Of Pain is a rich and diverse record that brags both memorable, well-written songs and the technical talents of some of metal’s greatest players. Striking that balance is no easy feat, but ANGRA have devised an instantly enjoyable album that will leave you with plenty of details to unpick on repeated listens.
Rating: 9/10
Cycles Of Pain is set for release on November 3rd via Atomic Fire Records.
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