Holy Land is the second album by Brazilian metal 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 and folkloric influences taken from Brazilian music, but also includes classical arrangements symbolizing Europe at the time.
| Holy Land | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 23, 1996[1][2] | |||
| Recorded | 1995–1996 | |||
| Studio | Various (Germany and Brazil) | |||
| Genre | Power metal, folk metal, progressive metal | |||
| Length | 56:59 | |||
| Label | JVC Victor/Paradoxx Music/Gravadora Eldorado | |||
| Producer | Charlie Bauerfeind and Sascha Paeth | |||
| Angra chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
The opening track "Crossing" features a rendition of O Crux Ave by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. 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, for whom this album marked his studio debut with the band, 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.[4] His band mates heard it and soon joined in to create the rest of the song, including the single-note opening riff.[4]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Crossing" | (instrumental) | Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina | 1:57 |
| 2. | "Nothing to Say" | Andre Matos | Matos, Kiko Loureiro, Ricardo Confessori | 6:24 |
| 3. | "Silence and Distance" | Matos | Matos, Loureiro | 5:35 |
| 4. | "Carolina IV" | Matos, Rafael Bittencourt | Bittencourt, Loureiro, Matos, Confessori, Luis Mariutti | 10:37 |
| 5. | "Holy Land" | Matos | Matos | 6:28 |
| 6. | "The Shaman" | Matos | Matos | 5:25 |
| 7. | "Make Believe" | Bittencourt | Bittencourt, Matos | 5:55 |
| 8. | "Z.I.T.O." | Bittencourt | Bittencourt, Loureiro, Matos | 6:06 |
| 9. | "Deep Blue" | Matos | Matos | 5:50 |
| 10. | "Lullaby for Lucifer" | Bittencourt | Loureiro, Bittencourt | 2:42 |
| Total length: | 56:59 | |||
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11. | "Queen of the Night" | Bittencourt | Bittencourt | 4:37 |
| Total length: | 61:36 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Angels Cry" | Matos, Bittencourt | 9:55 |
| 2. | "Chega de Saudade" | Antonio Carlos Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes | 2:56 |
| 3. | "Never Understand" | Matos, Bittencourt | 6:22 |
| Total length: | 19:13 | ||
Personnel
edit- Angra
- Andre Matos – lead vocals, piano, orchestral arrangements, keyboards, organ
- Kiko Loureiro – guitars, backing vocals, additional percussion on "Holy Land"
- Rafael Bittencourt – guitars, backing vocals, additional percussion on "Holy Land"
- Luís Mariutti – bass
- Ricardo Confessori – 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) – Pixu Flores
- Viola – Ricardo Kubala
- Whistle, tamborim and percussive effects – Castora
- Double bass – Holger Stonjek
Recording information
edit- Recorded at Hansen Studios in Hamburg, Big House Studios in Hannover and HG Studio in Wolfsburg, 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
- 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, Brazil, August/October 1995.
- Flute solo on "Carolina IV" is a citation/variation from "Bebê", a theme by Hermeto Pascoal.
- 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".[5]
Charts
edit| Chart (1996) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Japanese Albums (Oricon)[6] | 17 |
References
edit- ^ "Holy Land, Angra - Shop Online for Music in Australia". Archived from the original on 2014-07-23. Retrieved 2012-12-05.
- ^ "FYE: March Madness 2010 - Holy Land Angra / CD / 1995". Archived from the original on 2013-01-23. Retrieved 2012-12-05.
- ^ https://www.allmusic.com/album/r314072
- ^ a b "Angra Drops #2 - Nothing to Say". YouTube (in Portuguese and English). Google. 11 January 2014. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
- ^ "Angra – Holy Land (1996, CD)". Discogs.
- ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.