Short Reviews [Angra - 2023 - "Cycles Of Pain"]

Originally formed all the way back in 1991, Brazilian power metal act Angra have long been regarded as one of the finest within the genre, something they have managed to maintain even though they have had a few different musicians and singers through their ranks during that period. However, they have been stable since 2015, with the line-up consisting of Fabio Lione (vocals), Rafael Bittencourt (guitars – the only remaining founder), Marcelo Barbosa (guitars), Felipe Andreoli (bass) and Bruno Valverde (drums). ‘Cycles of Pain’ is their tenth studio album, their first since 2018’s ‘Omni’ where Marcelo Barbosa joined to replace Kiko Loureiro, who had departed for Megadeth. I have all their releases, as there is always something special and uplifting about their style of power metal which has high-pitched harmony guitars, powering melodies and great songs which often see them moving far more into the symphonic genre and away from power metal. The music is always melodic, often quite theatrical, with the band somehow always producing a sound which far outweighs the number of performers involved. The same is true here, and while the album as a whole is a blast, the final song, “Tears of Blood” sounds as if it has come from a different place altogether as it is one of their most theatrical numbers to date, and with the orchestrations one could almost imagine this being from “The Phantom of the Opera”. The first time I heard this wonderful duet I sat back and revelled in something which could easily have been composed by Clive Nolan. There is a depth and polish within their music which is often sadly missing from many, yet it is never sanitised and instead we have the feeling that here is a band at the very top of their game, and more than 30 years since their inception they show absolutely no sign whatsoever of slowing down yet. One for fans of symphonic, melodic, and power metal.