Ranking alongside SEPULTURA as Brazil's biggest Hard Rock export. Angra, for many years fronted by erstwhile VIPER vocalist Andre Matos, boast complex Progressive Rock with a definite Metal touch. Angra, titled after an ancient fire goddess, was convened during 1991 and saw Matos joined by the ex-SPITFIRE duo of guitarist Rafael Bittencourt and drummer Marco Antunes, former FIREBOX bassist Luis Marutti and second guitar player Kiko Loureiro. This unit debuted with the grandiose Reaching Horizons demo.
The Angels Cry album, which boasted an adventurous cover version of KATE BUSH's Wuthering Heights, was recorded at Gamma Ray's guitarist Kai Hansen's studios in Hamburg, Germany. Both Gamma Ray's guitarists Kai Hansen and Dirk Schlächter contribute solos, as does HEAVEN'S GATE's Sascha Paeth. Studio drums are by SIEGES EVEN man Alex Holzwarth. Shortly after recording Antunes would make way for new drummer Ricardo Confessori.
The album, issued in Brazil during 1993, proved a runaway success and in Japan alone succeeded in shifting over 100'000 copies. Videos for Time and Carry On would remain on heavy Brazilian MTV rotation for many months. Angra would dominate the polls of the leading Brazilian 'Rock Brigade' magazine scooping awards for 'Best new band', 'Best album', 'Best singer', 'Best album cover' and 'Best keyboard player'. In Japan a special EP titled Evil Warning was issued comprising of remixed versions of Evil Warning, Angels Cry, Carry On and Wuthering Heights. Angels Cry would be licensed to Europe through Dream Circle, and C.N.R. in France, the following year reaping yet further praise.
Angra formed part of the package billing for the inaugural Brazilian 'Monsters Of Rock' festivals, sharing the stage with KISS, BLACK SABBATH and SLAYER. Touring Brazil proved equally successful for the band, selling out the enormous Sao Paulo Aeroanta venue for two consecutive nights in the process. By May of 1995 Angra hit the road in Europe.
The 1996 Holy Land album, an ambitious concept involving choirs and orchestration once more produced by Sascha Paeth and Charlie Bauerfiend, saw increased sales on mainland Europe and in Brazil. The Japanese Victor release included a bonus track Queen Of The Night. The mini album of the same year Freedom Call included a cover version of Judas Priest'sPainkiller. Holy Live, recorded in Paris, sustained the momentum into 1997.
1998's Fireworks was produced by Chris Tsangerides. A lengthy world tour opened up with Brazilian headline shows before the band's debut Japanese shows then an appearance at the Buenos Aires 'Monsters Of Rock' festival. 2000 bowed in with European shows with Italian act TIME MACHINE as support then co-headliners with STRATOVARIUS. At their Milan gig Lucretia Records, Angra's Italian distributor, gave out 1'000 free CD's with two tracks by Angra and two from TIME MACHINE. 1998 also witnessed the issue of The Holy Box, a lavish limited edition box set released by Lucretia Records and including exclusive acoustic tracks.
Angra split in two during mid 2000 with Matos, Mariutti and Confessori all bailing out. Matos reportedly began work on a solo project Virgo in Germany. Later announcements had the entire trio working together, in league with guitar player Hugo Mariutti and BLEZQI ZATSAZ keyboard player Fabio Riberio, under a new band name of Shaman. Loureiro took time out to produce the debut album from countrymen THOTEN.
As 2001 dawned it emerged that Loureiro and Bittencourt were endeavouring to persevere as Angra drafting former SYMBOLS vocalist Eduardo Falaschi and drummer Aquiles Priester, the latter being from the PAUL DIANNO band. A latter recruit was keyboard player Gunther Werno who has previous credits with Norwegian act CONCEPTION. Meantime, former Angra bassist Felipe Andreolli would join KARMA in 2001. Angra's resurrection opus Rebirth won over fans in consumate style and by February of 2002 the album had shifted over 100'000 copies. European headline dates commenced in Nancy, France on the 26th February. A mini album, Hunters And Prey, arrived in May of 2002 including acoustic takes plus a cover version of Mama originally by GENESIS. Live dates found Angra in Japan during June with appearances at the 'Rock Machine' festival in Spain, the famed 'Wacken Open Air' event in Germany and the Atlanta, Georgia 'ProgPower' festival. The band would also lay clai to the honour of being the very first South American Rock band to play Taiwan, playing a show in Taipei on June 14th.
Kiko Loureiro would guest session on the 2002 BLEZQI ZATSAZ album 'The Tide Turns', paradoxically the project band of Shaman keyboard player Fabio Riberio.
A double cd album titled Rebirth World Tour - Live in São Paulo was released in 2002, featuring the live performance of the new lineup. Reviews and critics about Edu Falaschi as the singer of Angra were excelent.
Angra had their version of 'Kashmir' included on the Locomotive Music LED ZEPPELIN tribute album 'The Metal Zeppelin — The Music Remains The Same'. Edu Falaschi also came to attention outside of his priority band activities, portraying the character "Sultan Oddyfer" for a Daniele Liverani 2004 GENIUS outing 'In Search of The Little Prince'.
Angra commenced recording of a new album at Mosh Studios in São Paulo in January of 2004. PINK CREAM 69's Dennis Ward would be manning the production desk.
