''Holy Land'' is the second album by Brazilian

metal A metal (from Greek μέταλλον ''métallon'', "mine, quarry, metal") is a material that, when freshly prepared, polished, or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electricity and heat relatively well. Metals are typicall ...

band Angra. It is a concept album whose theme is centered on the Brazilian land by the time it was discovered in the 16th century (from a European perspective), as depicted in the art surrounding the album release. Once fully opened, the cover illustration turns out to be an old 15th-century map. Title track "Holy Land" contains many

indigenous Indigenous may refer to: *Indigenous peoples *Indigenous (ecology), presence in a region as the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention *Indigenous (band), an American blues-rock band *Indigenous (horse), a Hong Kong racehorse ...

and

folkloric Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, ranging fro ...

influences taken from Brazilian music, but also includes classical arrangements symbolizing Europe at the time. The opening track "Crossing" features a rendition of O Crux Ave by

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina ( – 2 February 1594) was an Italian composer of late Renaissance music. The central representative of the Roman School, with Orlande de Lassus and Tomás Luis de Victoria, Palestrina is considered the leading ...

. The following songs deal with life in the "holy land" prior to its colonization by the Portuguese and subsequent changes Brazil underwent upon their arrival. According to drummer

Ricardo Confessori Ricardo Confessori (born January 25, 1969) is a Brazilian drummer and a former member of the Brazilian power metal band Angra. After leaving the Brazilian thrash metal band Korzus, Confessori was invited for assume the post of drummer of Angra ...

, the track "Nothing to Say" was developed around a drum riff he created around 1994 at a small rural property owned by guitarist

Rafael Bittencourt Angra is a Brazilian power metal band formed in 1991. They have released nine regular studio albums, five EPs, and three live CD/DVDs to date. Led by Rafael Bittencourt, the band has gained a degree of popularity in Japan and Europe. History ...

. His band mates heard it and soon joined in to create the rest of the song, including the single-note opening riff.

Track listing

Personnel

;Angra *

Andre Matos Andre Coelho Matos (14 September 1971 – 8 June 2019) was a Brazilian singer and musician. He was involved in the heavy metal bands Viper, Angra, Shaman and Symfonia. Since 2006, Matos had been dedicating his time to his solo career. In 20 ...

– lead vocals,

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keybo ...

, orchestral arrangements,

keyboard Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Musi ...

s, organ *

Kiko Loureiro Pedro Henrique "Kiko" Loureiro (born 16 June 1972) is a Brazilian guitarist. He has been a member of several heavy metal bands, including Angra and Megadeth. Career Loureiro began studying music and playing acoustic guitar at age 11. He stud ...

–

lead guitar Lead guitar (also known as solo guitar) is a musical part for a guitar in which the guitarist plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs and chords within a song structure. The lead is the featu ...

backing vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are ...

, additional percussion on "Holy Land" *

– rhythm guitar, backing vocals, additional percussion on "Holy Land" *Luís Mariutti – bass *

– drums, percussion on "Holy Land" ;Guests *Alto vocals – Mônica Thiele *Soprano vocals – Celeste Gattai *Bass vocals – Reginaldo Gomes *Conductor – Naomi Munakata *Choir – The Farrambamba Vocal Group *Computer, keyboard programming and orchestral arrangements – Sascha Paeth *Flute – Paulo Bento *Strings (

berimbau The berimbau () is a single-string percussion instrument, a musical bow, originally from Africa, that is now commonly used in Brazil. The berimbau would eventually be incorporated into the practice of the Afro-Brazilian martial art ''capoeir ...

) – Pixu Flores *Viola – Ricardo Kubala *Whistle,

tamborim A ''tamborim'' ( or ) is a small, round Brazilian frame drum of Portuguese and African origin. The frame is 6" in width and may be made of metal, plastic, or wood. The head is typically made of nylon and is normally very tightly tuned in orde ...

and percussive effects – Castora *Double bass – Holger Stonjek

Recording information

*Recorded at Hansen Studios in

Hamburg (male), (female) en, Hamburger(s), Hamburgian(s) , timezone1 = Central (CET) , utc_offset1 = +1 , timezone1_DST = Central (CEST) , utc_offset1_DST = +2 , postal ...

, Big House Studios in

Hannover Hanover (; german: Hannover ; nds, Hannober) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Lower Saxony. Its 535,932 (2021) inhabitants make it the 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-largest city in Northern Germany ...

and HG Studio in

Wolfsburg Wolfsburg (; Eastphalian: ''Wulfsborg'') is the fifth largest city in the German state of Lower Saxony, located on the river Aller. It lies about east of Hanover and west of Berlin. Wolfsburg is famous as the location of Volkswagen AG's he ...

, Germany 1995. *Vocal, piano and organ recordings at Vox Klangstudio, Bendestorf, Germany 1995-1996. *Mixed by Charlie Bauerfeind at Vox Klang Studio and Hansen Studios, January 1996. *Engineered by Charlie Bauerfeind and

Sascha Paeth Sascha Paeth (born 9 September 1970 in Wolfsburg, West Germany) is a German guitarist, bassist, musical producer, and mixer known for working with heavy metal bands such as Avantasia, Edguy, Angra, Shaaman, Rhapsody of Fire, Kamelot, After ...

*Brazilian, Latin percussion parts and percussion (congas, djembe, timbales, claves, triangle, repinique, toms) production by Tuto Ferraz *All guest performances recorded at Djembe Studio,

São Paulo São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for ' Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the Ga ...

, Brazil, August/October 1995. *Flute solo on "Carolina IV" is a citation/variation from "Bebê", a theme by

Hermeto Pascoal Hermeto Pascoal (born June 22, 1936) is a Brazilian composer and multi-instrumentalist. He was born in Lagoa da Canoa, Alagoas, Brazil. Pascoal is a significant figure in the history of Brazilian music, mainly known for his abilities in orches ...

. *Taiko excerpts & sounds on track 5 taken from the album "Ondekoza New". *Speech & sounds on "The Shaman" taken from the album "Musica Popular do Norte n°4".

References

External links

www.progarchives.com/
{{Authority control 1996 albums Angra (band) albums Albums produced by Charlie Bauerfeind Concept albums