Angels Cry
Angra
1993
Rankings
Why This Album Matters
Angels Cry marks the vibrant debut of Angra, one of the most prominent Brazilian power metal bands. Initially released in Japan in 1993 and subsequently in the rest of the world in 1994, the album quickly established the group with its distinctive and ambitious sound. The work stands out for its innovative fusion of classical elements and touches of Brazilian music, elevating the genre to new heights. The album's musical richness is evident in the incorporation of erudite arrangements into its compositions. The title track, for example, skilfully inserts a brief excerpt from Paganini's "Caprice no. 24", while "Evil Warning" surprises with a passage from Vivaldi's "Winter". This sonic experimentation culminates in "Never Understand", which reverences national culture by introducing a brief arrangement of Luiz Gonzaga's "Asa Branca", demonstrating the boldness and unique identity that Angra proposed from its very first work.
Recording
The recording of Angels Cry was a complex and challenging process, as reported by vocalist Andre Matos, who described the experience as an 'exile'. Difficulties arose from the musicians' inexperience and discrepancies in musical influences between the band and producers Charlie Bauerfeind and Sascha Paeth, who were responsible for the recording. One of the most difficult moments of the production involved the drums. Producer Charlie Bauerfeind questioned the skills of co-founding drummer Marcos Antunes, offering the band the choice between replacing him with a session musician, Alex Holzwarth, using electronic drums, or he would abandon the project. The band opted for the difficult decision to replace Antunes with Holzwarth, who recorded the drums on most tracks. The exception was the cover of Kate Bush's "Wuthering Heights", which featured a performance by Thomas Nack, then-drummer of Gamma Ray, due to his familiarity with and passion for the original work. Interestingly, although the photo sessions and album cover feature Ricardo Confessori, he would only join Angra after the completion of the recordings. The album was recorded between July and August 1993 at Kai Hansen Studios, in Hamburg, Germany, with additional recordings at Horus Sound Studio in Hanover and piano recordings at VOX Klangstudio in Bendestorf. The mixing was carried out in the same studios, predominantly at Horus Sound Studio. The album cover, in turn, depicts an angel statue from Cemitério São Paulo, set in a wheat field under a reddish sky, an image assembled by Alberto Torquato and Paulo Caciji. There was a dispute over the authorship of the concept, with Andre Matos and Rafael Bittencourt claiming the original idea.
Songs
The songs on Angels Cry demonstrate a rich musical tapestry, highlighting Angra's boldness in blending power metal with erudite elements and Brazilian cultural references. The title track, "Angels Cry", stands out for incorporating a concise arrangement of Paganini's "Caprice no. 24", a choice that underscores the classical training of some members and the group's musical ambition. Similarly, "Evil Warning" surprises by integrating a passage from Vivaldi's "Winter", reinforcing the bridge between metal and classical music. The lyrical and compositional diversity is also notable. While most of the lyrics were written by Andre Matos, song number 5 was authored by Rafael Bittencourt. The album also includes a striking interpretation of Kate Bush's "Wuthering Heights", which became a highlight due to its adaptation to the band's style. One of the album's most unique moments is the inclusion of a brief arrangement of Luiz Gonzaga's "Asa Branca" at the beginning of the track "Never Understand", a tribute to Brazilian popular music that cements Angra's multifaceted identity.
Tracks
Credits
Antonio Pirani
Charlie Bauerfeind, Sascha Paeth
Kate Bush
Angra
Andre Matos
Luis Mariutti
Ricardo Confessori
Kiko Loureiro, Rafael Bittencourt
Andre Matos, Charlie Bauerfeind, Sascha Paeth
Sascha Paeth
Charlie Bauerfeind
J. Alberto Torquato
Andre Matos
Fernando Souza Filho, Paulo Caciji
Rui Mendes
Podcasts
The Metal Exchange Podcast guys discuss Angra's debut album from 1993, "Angels Cry". Justin's recommended track: Angels Cry Chris' recommended track: Lasting Child Listen to "Angels Cry": https://open.spotify.com/album/1VYp1m8Eo4AApycV8S44a7 http://www.angra.net/ https://www.facebook.com/AngraOfficialPage/ Other Band Mentions Trees of Eternity - https://www.facebook.com/treesofeternity P
Silêncio no Estúdio Podcast · Silêncio no Estúdio
O maior disco de power metal nacional nasceu num período de entressafra das grandes bandas do estilo. Com o Angels Cry, o Angra debutava na cena revolucionando todo o conceito com elementos de brasilidade e música clássica. Após quase 30 anos, o álbum continua sendo um item indispensável na prateleira dos grandes nomes do metal. Nesse episódio, Brunno Lopez liga a máquina de Raio-X para falar sobr
Tomar Uma Para Falar Sobre... · Rafael Araujo e Iúri Moreira
Abrindo o MARÇO ANGRA, mês temático aqui no canal para comemorar os 30 anos da banda, temos o disco de estreia ANGELS CRY. O álbum é considerado por muitos o melhor do Angra até hoje, pois conta com o clássico absoluto "Carry On", além de outros como "Time", "Stand Away", "Never Understand" e a homônima "Angels Cry". A banda era formada por Andre Matos (vocais), Kiko Loureiro e Rafael Bittencourt
Videos
ANGRA - ANGELS CRY I REVIEW I REVIEW I ANALYSIS I CLASSIC ALBUM
Ajeno al Tiempo
CONHEÇA A VERDADEIRA ESTÁTUA DA CAPA DO ANGELS CRY
Ibagenscast
Resenha | ANGRA - Angels Cry (1993)
HELLASER ⚡️RECORDS
ANGRA - ANGELS CRY 1993!!!!SOB A LUPA.EP 01.
Rogério Lacerda ( Roger-U )
Magic Metal Mondays Episode 52: Angels Cry by Angra Album Review
WaterDive122 Productions
Angra: Angels Cry / Holy Land (reaction review)
U.U.U Patreon & Requests
Books
Os 500 Maiores Álbuns Brasileiros de Todos os Tempos
Ricardo Alexandre · 2022
The largest Brazilian music election ever conducted: 162 specialists, spanning journalists, critics, musicians, producers and podcasters, each nominated 50 essential albums, supported by a masterlist of more than 2,000 works. Led by Ricardo Alexandre with tabulation by Sérgio Jomori, it was published in December 2022 as a 200-page hardcover book with graphic design by Fernando Pires.
HERÓIS DA GUITARRA BRASILEIRA
Leandro Souto Maior , Ricardo Schott · 2014
Based on interviews and unreleased testimonies, journalists Leandro Souto Maior and Ricardo Schott present captivating biographical profiles of the greatest Brazilian guitarists. Kiko Loureiro, Angra's guitarist at the time of 'Angels Cry', is one of the most prominent names on the scene, and this book would certainly discuss his contribution to the album in depth, it being his debut work with the band.
Analyses
Angels Cry – Wikipedia
Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia
Angra - Angels Cry - Reviews - Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives
metal-archives.com
The library of Brazilian power/prog band Angra is a bit of an unusual one, and there seem to be several different "moods" that the group settles into on various albums, which re-occur later in their career. Both Fireworks and Holy Land demonstrate qualities that later would crop up in Aurora Consurgens and Aqua, and if this is the case, the band's self-title 1993 debut Angels Cry is the ...
Angels Cry - Review by A Friendly Observer - Encyclopaedia Metallum ...
metal-archives.com
Although Angra would later find a more polished, traditional vocalist, the singing on 'Angels Cry' is more memorable, hitting highs that recall other power metal favorites of mine, like early Power Quest. This album made a fan of early Angra out of me.
Angels Cry (1993): o nascimento de uma lenda chamada Angra
collectorsroom.com.br
More than three decades later, Angels Cry remains a monumental work. An album that combines virtuosity, sensitivity, and identity, and which endures as one of the absolute milestones of Brazilian metal and an undeniable classic of the genre worldwide.
Clássicos: Angra - "Angels Cry" (1993) - Mundo Metal
mundometalbr.com
With 'Angels Cry', they gambled on a musicality that was on the rise in the market and did very well. Basically all the songs on the album are an ode to technique, but everything is done without that incredibly boring sonic masturbation.
