Angra is a power/progressive metal band from Brazil, formed in 1991 by vocalist/keyboardist André Matos, guitarists Rafael Bittencourt and André Linhares, bassist Luís Mariutti and drummer Marco Antunes. The band changed a few members before recording its demo album, Reaching Horizons, in 1992, followed by its first full-length album, Angels Cry, in 1993, with Linhares being replaced by André Hernandes, who was replaced by Kiko Loureiro shortly after. Antunes left the band prior to the recording of the debut album; future Rhapsody of Fire drummer Alex Holzwarth recorded the drum parts. Following the completion of the album, Ricardo Confessori replaced Antunes as the band's long-term drummer.
After a successful tour through Brazil and Europe, Angra returned to the studio in 1996 to record its sophomore album, Holy Land, a concept album about the European settling of Brazil. Later that year, the band toured Japan and released the EP Freedom Call, which provided the name of a certain German power metal band.
1998 saw the release of both the EP Lisbon and the full-length album Fireworks. This would be the last album featuring the band's lineup at the time. One year later, Matos met Edguy vocalist Tobias Sammet on tour; Sammet later chose Matos to sing as "Elderane the elf" on ''The Metal Opera'' albums by Avantasia.
Angra lost over half its members in 2000; Matos, Mariutti and Confessori all left. These three formed power metal band Shaaman along with guitarist Hugo Mariutti, brother of Luís Mariutti. Bittencourt and Loureiro searched for replacements, and in 2001 vocalist Edu Falaschi, bassist Felipe Andreoli and drummer Aquiles Priester joined the band. The comeback album Rebirth was released that same year.
Temple of Shadows, the band's second album with its new lineup, was released in 2004. This album tells the story, written by Bittencourt, of a crusader known as "The Shadow Hunter" and his quest to break free of the Catholic church and start his own religion. This album was followed in 2006 by Aurora Consurgens, in which the lyrics are written about various mental disorders.
Angra went on hiatus from 2007 to 2009 due to management issues. During this period Priester left the band and former drummer Confessori returned to the fold. By this time Shaaman was defunct; Matos and the Mariutti brothers had left to form their own band, which performs under the name André Matos. Matos has stated that this band is not his "solo project" but that the band members all decided to use Matos' name as it is well-known. Former Angra guitarist André Hernandes joined this band as well.
Current Members:
- Rafael Bittencourt - rhythm guitar, backing vocals, keyboards (1991-present)
- Felipe Andreoli - bass, backing vocals, keyboards (2001-present)
- Fabio Lione - lead vocals (2012-present)
- Bruno Valverde - drums (2014-present)
- Marcelo Barbosa - lead guitar (2015-present)
Past Members:
- André Matos - lead vocals, keyboards (1991-2000) (died 2019)
- Edu Falaschi - lead vocals (2001-2012)
- Luís Mariutti - bass (1991-2001)
- André Linhares - lead guitar, backing vocals (1991-1992)
- André Hernandes - lead guitar, backing vocals (1992)
- Marco Antunes - drums (1991-1993)
- Ricardo Confessori - drums (1993-2000, 2009-2014)
- Aquiles Priester - drums (2001-2007)
- Kiko Loureiro - lead guitar, backing vocals, keyboards (1992-2015; joined Megadeth)
Discography:
- Reaching Horizons (demo, 1992)
- Angels Cry (1993)
- Evil Warning (EP, 1994)
- Live Acoustic at FNAC (live, 1995)
- Eyes of Christ (demo, 1996)
- Holy Land (1996)
- Freedom Call (EP, 1996)
- Holy Live (live, 1997)
- Fireworks (1998)
- Acoustic... and More (EP, 1998)
- Rebirth (2001)
- Hunters and Prey (EP, 2002)
- Rebirth World Tour - Live in São Paulo (live CD/DVD, 2002)
- Temple of Shadows (2004)
- Aurora Consurgens (2006)
- Aqua (2010)
- Secret Garden (2015)
- ØMNI (2018)
This band provides examples of:
- Accent Upon The Wrong Syllable: "Nova Era": healing whispers of the angels bring the sunrise a-gain...
- Ascended Extra: Marcelo Barbosa. After Loureiro left, Barbosa has been playing live with the band since 2015 and tracked guitars on ØMNI.
- Concept Album: Holy Land, Temple of Shadows
- Darker and Edgier: Secret Garden is noticeably heavier and more aggressive than any of the material preceding it.
- Grief Song: Averted in "No Pain for the Dead" in which the Shadow Hunter realises that the dead can simply rest and no longer have worries.
- Humans Are Special: Averted in "The Course of Nature".
- Large Ham: Both André Matos and Edu Falaschi, who were prone to a Incredibly Long Note.
- Last Note Nightmare: "Waiting Silence" Fate is gonna take your soul!
- Lyrical Cold Open: "Wishing Well"
- Medley: "Gate XIII"
- One-Steve Limit: Two guitarists with the first name André joined the band but did not remain for long while André Matos was the singer. Kiko Loureiro, who did not share a first name with any other band members, has remained in the band to this day.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: Kiko Loureiro's given first name is Pedro.
- Peaceful in Death: "No Pain for the Dead" is specifically about this trope.
- Performance Video: Just about every official Angra video is this.
- Power Ballad: "Rebirth," "Wishing Well"
- Power Metal
- Progressive Metal
- Redemption Equals Death: "Salvation Suicide".
- Religion Rant Song: Most of the songs from Temple of Shadows are this in one way or another, usually as Type 2 in-universe.
- Shout-Out: In "Angels Cry," chain, chain, chain, reference to Aretha Franklin's "Chain of Fools"
- The Cover Changes the Gender: Averted in the cover of "Wuthering Heights", in which Matos sings as Cathy begging for Heathcliff to come home.
- The Power of Love: Averted in "Waiting Silence" as the Shadow Hunter could not escape his fate by falling in love. Fate is waiting for your soul!
- Played straight in "Late Redemption" from the same album, where love is the one universal truth that finally redeems our protagonist.
