Ritual

I found this band by accident on YouTube, and they are incredibly good. Part straight-ahead hard rock, part symphonic metal, part melodic rock (think "Ten"), and 100% awesome! I wonder how many other world-class bands have been largely overlooked in Brazil?

very good

When 3 members left Angra, it was bitter news for metal fans, but Ritual actually made me welcome such news. While the new Angra released an uninspired Rebirth, the new band Shaman released a masterpiece called Ritual that is the true successor of Angra's Angels Cry and Holy Land.Here singer and main composer Andre Matos is at his best, singing with passion, variation and feeling, and composing songs that will make you sing from the start. Bassist Luis "Jesus" Mariutti is the rock solid base as always and drummer Ricardo Confessori an example that metal drumming is more rythm, feeling and variations than speed. But the keynote speaker is guitar Hugo Mariutti, whose guitar shows a perfect balance of Toni Iommi/Adrian Smith inspired riffs and bases and Judas Priest-like simple and great solos. Hugo alone delivers more than Angra's guitar duo and is the utmost responsible for Ritual sounding like a great Angra album should, but even better.Ritual starts with 1 of the 3 best intros in metal history, ANCIENT WINDS (the other 2 being Angra's Unfinished Allegro and Crossing, both composed by Andre Matos). Just listen. Show opener HERE I AM has a fast catchy riff triggering a fast melodic metal with a chorus that makes everyone sing "But now...Here I Am". DISTANT THUNDER, the best song, opens with a melodic guitar piece followed by a galloping classic metal riff, making you jump as you singalong the initial verses. FOR TOMORROW is the typical great Angra-complex song like Never Understand, but now using Peruvian flutes. TIME WILL COME starts with a sad piano theme, but it evolves into a bombastic, melodic, fast metal where galloping riffs, fast vocals and emotional perfect choruses blow you away. OVER YOUR HEAD alternates gallpoing drumming, (very) heavy riffs, weird intimate keyboards, slow verses and heavy screamed choruses, again a great song. FAIRY TALE is the ballad, the worst song here, even soundtrack for a Brazilian soap opera about vampires (in other words, skip it). BLIND SPELL has a great hard rock feeling, from the initial riffs to the chorus and solos, adding variety and feeling. It's so easy to love this song. RITUAL has a weird but catchy keyboards leading a hard rock-like riff, all followed by pauses, evolving choruses and slow solos. PRIDE is the party song, a mix of Living After Midnight, Sanctuary and Iron Maiden. Heavy and fast riffs, speed metal drumming, chaotic screamed vocals by Matos duets with Edguy's Tobias Sammett, seasoned by Hugo's roars.Awesome ending that makes you beg for more. And more means checking Shaman's newest release, Reason, another great album. If you are into metal, Shaman is a pleasure you can't deny yourself.

Once upon a time there was a painfully good Brazilian power-metal band by the name of Angra. Sometime near the dawn of the new millennium, the band split, and those who kept the name Angra continued to craft mediocre and forgettable songs that lacked the folklore that kept albums like 1996's Holy Land at the top of enthusiast's metal collection.Then, hidden under the rubble that used to be songs about castles and dragons, we find a gem. So it turned out that the remaining members of Angra who did not continue the path to oblivion formed another band by the name of Shaman, incidentally also a song on Holy Land. The result: a perfect mix.The album starts off with the ultra-melodic "Ancient Winds", which blends the folk elements that we heard in songs like "Z.I.T.O" and "The Shaman" with Sascha Paeth's symphonic diligence. While most power metal bands start us off with a 1-2 minute intro, this one breaks three minutes of glorious melody.Then a slump. Strangely enough, the second and third tracks ("Here I Am" and "Distant Thunder") don't live up to the standard set by the album's intro. In fact, they fall dangerously short. The embody the mediocre power metal that I criticized earlier. However, we continue listening until we reach the brilliant "For Tomorrow", which combines medieval humility with a slow, but powerful guitar crunch. With wailing harmonics and Andre Matos' piercing voice, the song redeems the previous two.Then the album only gets better. "Time Will Come" is perfect. It's neither predictable nor does it depart too far from power-metal's technically limited arsenal. In fact, with today's endless supply of bands, it's very difficult to pinpoint what makes a power-metal song truly stand out. But whatever it is, this song has it. "Over Your Head" has its moments, but it is unfortunately sandwiched in between "Time Will Come" and -- "Fairy Tale". This is one of the album's two absolutely remarkable tracks. It is elegant, charming, seductive and epic all neatly woven into a superb 7-minute concoction. It begins with two female singers, continues to a beautiful piano line and Matos' soft voice, and then explodes into a mysterious ballad. The song is extremely similar to Angra's "Deep Blue", but with an added gothic flare. I can't praise this song enough.Of the remaining three tracks, I approve of all but strongly recommend the triumphant closer, "Pride". Enlisting the help of fellow power-metalhead Tobias Sammet (Edguy), the band really packs the "power" into their genre, one vein at a time. It is another superb example of a power-metal song well done.The album is splendid. I love it. Shaman, along with Kamelot, are quite possibly the only bands keeping this genre's heart beating. It's quite the responsibility, but someone has to do it.See also: Angra - "Holy Land", Masterplan - "Masterplan"

Sounds like Angra, basically it's Angra vocalist Andre Matos and rhythm section Luis Mariutta and Ricardo Confessori, with Hugo Marietta on guitar, essential for fans of Angels Cry, Holy Land & Fireworks era of Angra.

Good

Grande por siempre, André. El debut y mejor disco de la banda.

新生ANGRAの「REBIRTH」や「HUNTERS AND PREY」を聞いて、確かに昔のANGRAだと思いつつも、あれ？何かが足りないなと感じた人は、これを聞けば、やっぱり足りないのはこれだったのか！と実感するはず。やっぱりマトスの歌声はしびれます。昔のANGRAファンは、一度これを聞かなければ損をしますよ！

私は低くて重みのある声が好きなせいか声でアウトでしたANGRAも同じタイプの声質ですね。。