Angra – Cycles Of Pain
Reviewed By: Denis Bridger
Review Score: 9.0
The comedian Richard Prior once said “pain is comedy.” Meaning, without a load of pain in our lives, what would we have to find funny or write about? I think that can be said of all forms of art – that pain can induce so much emotion that art is created from that, which, in turn, is a healthy way to get through the pain. This couldn’t be more true of Brazilian band Angra‘s forthcoming album, Cycles Of Pain. It’s a journey through pain, despair, anguish and loss, but also a time of hope, positivity, and character building. All of these descriptors can be heard, and felt, on this record.
Angra have been in existence since about ’91, and are one of the first metal bands to come out of South America. As such, they are considered to be true legends in many parts of the world. Cycles Of Pain is the band’s tenth release, and their first on Atomic Fire Records. It is immediately clear that these power metal legends have crafted an album that takes the listener on an emotional journey. Rafael Bittencourt (guitarist), sadly lost his father in 2019, while also losing former singer Andre Matos (who also passed in 2019).
It was these dark moments that the band reflected about life and the never-ending circle of birth, life and death. But things aren’t all doom and gloom, as there is a clear message of positivity on the album and an obvious living-here-and-now vibe. This is an incredibly musical album with lots of great melodies, classic metal vocals, fantastic bass work, and, of course, killer guitars and intricate drumming. If that weren’t enough, the album also has some decidedly non-metal moments that are bound to surprise.
Cycles Of Pain begins with the track ‘Cycles Doloris’. An interesting song that has a very cathedral sounding intro piece that lasts for about forty-eight seconds. This leads straight into ‘Ride Into The Storm’, with the first half of the song being intensely power-riff driven, which is then followed by a beautifully melodic chorus and a screaming solo. Of course, this is what one would expect to hear in their power metal, but then it goes into some insane time changes with more melody and then some crazy-mad guitar and bass work that will most certainly blow your mind. Finally, the song gives the listener a bit of a mellow reprieve before, once again, going full-on power until the end. Phew!
Second song, ‘Dead Man On Display’ is where the album really kicked in for me, becoming more progressive and more introspective. It’s quite obvious that the lyrical theme of the song speaks of death and losing those we love, along with the pain that comes with that. This is definitely a stand out track; though, to be perfectly honest, there are quite a few stand out tracks on this record. Again, the riffs are excellent, and let’s not forget to mention the crazy-ass bass stuff going on. I also can’t end this without saying how much I love the chorus, which has a real sing-along vibe to it with some incredible vocal work. Just like the previous track, the mid-section of this song goes absolutely crazy. It’s obvious that these guys think about composition A LOT… those time changes! There is a lot going on with this track. Things just get better and better from here on out.
Next we have the tracks ‘Tide Of Changes – Part 1’ and ‘Tide Of Changes – Part 2’. The first of the two being a beautiful bass and vocal piece (which could possibly be an intro to part 2) that feels very positive but also quite melancholic (not dissimilar to ‘Dead Man On Display’). At just over a minute, the listener is hit with the perfect solo that segues into ‘Tide Of Changes – Part 2’. The second of the two songs is about getting through the rough stuff and coming out the other side. It’s a very positive sounding song with the lyric “I will rise again”. There is some great bass guitar work on this track and some incredible guitar interplay. This is already one of my favourite tracks, which made me long to have the lyrics in front of me to have a good old sing along. These two songs, if I were to compare, come across as a heavier, more powerful ‘Silent Lucidity’. An incredible duo of songs that I am sure are going to sound killer live!
The album then graces us with ‘Vida Seca’, a song that I particularly like. It starts with a very non-metal, more traditional-sounding Brazilian vibe. At some point, a very nice riff comes in and the combination of the Brazilian-vibe and this give the song a very unique and special feeling. The song title literally translates to ‘Barren Life’. Again, we are struck with a very mournful feel, with the lyric “The angels are falling” being proof of this. Even though it is melancholic, it is presented in a very positive way. Brazilian singer-songwriter Lenine also guests on the track. This proves that the band aren’t afraid of stepping out of their comfort zone and trying something different.
The next track, ‘Gods Of The World’, is another big song with a great melody that surges throughout. It is a true power metal tune with blistering solos and some great backing vocals. This is just a fantastic song, quite simply put.
Now, for the title track, ‘Cycles Of Pain’. From the start, one gets the feeling of a deep, emotional, complex piece of music that is sure to take you on a journey into true progressive territory. If you are like me, you’ll long for the chorus, but the band will leave you hanging a bit longer, slowly building and building. When that chorus finally comes, it is filled with the emotion that the band must have personally felt in their very own ‘Cycles Of Pain’. In epic fashion, the band deliver a very emotional guitar solo on this track, which, at some points, is very dreamy. As quickly as that dream state came, it all comes crashing back down to the reality of pain. The last few words of the song “but I’ll survive” are a clear indication of its theme.
‘Faithless Sanctuary’ starts off by putting the listener in the middle of the Amazon for a moment. This is then followed by a magical, blistering riff while the bass rumbles and throbs. The track has a classic progressive thing happening, yet, at any given moment, it feels like it all could change. It should also be noted that there is a slightly darker tinge to the song. I truly love the drumming on this track (and throughout the record), which utilizes some traditional Brazilian percussion. Very cool.
The track ‘Here And Now’ sees some beautiful guest vocals from Brazilian singer Vanessa Moreno (she also appears on ‘Tide Of Change – Part 2’). Vanessa’s lines “Open your heart” and “We’re living in the here and now” point to this being a very positive song. This is another great song, something I can’t seem to say enough about this album.
For fun, I’ll leave one track ‘Generation Warriors’ as a surprise for the readers of this (no spoilers!) and jump to the last track, ‘Tears Of Blood’, which sees pianist Juliana D’Agostino guesting, as well as guest vocals by American singer-songwriter, Amanda Somerville. A fantastic finale to a fantastic album.
To sum up, I think both fans and newcomers of Angra will be easily impressed by this piece of work. It is emotional, dark, light, heavy, soft, powerful and musically excellent with complex songs that take the listener on a musical journey that is bound to evoke thoughts of life and death. Though the theme of this album might center around death, the music and lyrics are very positive. The album art, depicting a Pagan angel (titled ‘The Combination Of Elements’), was created by Erick Pasqua. The album was recorded in Brazil and was mixed and mastered in Germany by long-time Angra partner, Dennis Ward (D.C Cooper, Pink Cream 69, Place Vendrome). Very well done, Angra.
Cycles Of Pain drops on November 3rd via Atomic Fire Records.