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.
Avantasia is a German supergroup metal opera project created by Tobias Sammet, vocalist of the band Edguy. It has been characterized as a rock opera, as it features the contributions of various vocalists and musicians and it consists of concept albums. The name is a blend of the words Avalon and fantasia ('fantasy') and describes "a world beyond human imagination".
The Metal Opera is the first full-length album by Tobias Sammet's German supergroup project, Avantasia. It is a concept album and a rock opera. The album is followed by the sequel The Metal Opera Part II. Both were written over the course of a year, starting in the last quarter of 1998, and both were produced from October 1999 to June 2000, with the works being interrupted for some weeks so Sammet could produce The Savage Poetry with his other band Edguy.
Kai Michael Hansen is a German musician who is the founder, lead guitarist and vocalist of power metal band Gamma Ray. He is also one of the co-founders of another power metal band Helloween, which he rejoined in 2016. He is a prominent figure in power metal and has sold millions of albums worldwide. He is regarded as "the godfather of power metal", having founded two seminal bands in the genre. In 2011, he joined the band Unisonic featuring former Helloween vocalist Michael Kiske. Hansen and Kiske reunited with Helloween in 2017 for a world tour with all current members, celebrating the 30-year anniversary of release of the albums Keeper of the Seven Keys Parts I and II.
Gamma Ray is a German power metal band from Hamburg, founded and fronted by Kai Hansen after his departure from power metal band Helloween, in 1989. He is the band's lead vocalist, guitarist and chief songwriter. Between 1990 and 2014, Gamma Ray recorded eleven studio albums.
Shaman was a Brazilian progressive and power metal band assembled in 2000 by three musicians who left the band Angra – Andre Matos, Luis Mariutti and Ricardo Confessori. The band was completed with guitar player Hugo Mariutti.
André Coelho Matos 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 2012, he was ranked No. 77 at the list of 100 Greatest Voices of Brazilian Music by Rolling Stone Brasil.
Ricardo Confessori is a Brazilian drummer and a former member of the Brazilian power metal band Angra.
Rebirth is the fourth album by the Brazilian heavy metal band Angra, the first since a major restructuring of the band's line-up. In 2019, Metal Hammer ranked it as the 15th best power metal album of all time.
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, 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.
Fireworks is the third studio album by the heavy metal band Angra. It was released in 1998 on Lucretia Records. It was their last album to feature Andre Matos on vocals and Luís Mariutti on bass, and the last to feature drummer Ricardo Confessori until Aqua in 2010.
Land of the Free is the fourth studio album by German power metal band Gamma Ray, released in 1995. It is considered a concept album, telling a story of rebellion of Good against Evil. Continuing a trend that would conclude with the band's fifth studio release, the lineup for the album was different from the previous one, as Land of the Free was the first Gamma Ray album to be released since the departure of Ralf Scheepers, leaving guitarist and founder Kai Hansen to take up lead vocals. While not his first stint as a vocalist, it would be the first time he had performed lead vocals exclusively in 8 years.
The Metal Opera Pt. II is the second full-length album by Tobias Sammet's German supergroup project, Avantasia. It is a concept album and a rock opera. The songs carry on the story begun in The Metal Opera, with the same characters. Both albums were written over the course of a year, starting in the last quarter of 1998, and both were produced from October 1999 to June 2000, with the works being interrupted for some weeks so Sammet could produce The Savage Poetry with his other band Edguy.
Aurora Consurgens is the sixth studio album by the power metal band Angra. It was released in October 2006 by Paradoxx Music in Brazil and SPV label Steamhammer in the rest of the world. This is the last album to feature drummer Aquiles Priester.
Reaching Horizons is a demo-tape by the Brazilian power metal band Angra released in 1993 through Limb Music. The original cassette contained six songs, with some re-recorded for their debut album Angels Cry. In 1997, the record-company re-released the album, adding three bonus tracks. It is the only release by the band that features Antunes on drums before he was replaced during the sessions for their debut album.
Interlude is an EP by the German power metal band Iron Savior, composed of five live tracks, four new songs, and one cover. The live tracks were recorded at the 1998 Wacken Open Air festival during the tour promoting their first album, Iron Savior. The new songs return to the ongoing science fiction story that began on the debut album and continued on the band's second album Unification. "Desert Plains" is a cover of Judas Priest's song from the album Point of Entry. It is the first release to feature drummer Thomas Nack.
The Metal Opera: Pt 1 & 2 – Gold Edition is a box set by German band Avantasia, released through the band's former label AFM Records on March 6, 2008. The set contains Avantasia's first two albums on two gold CDs, a 44-page booklet with the storyline, rare photos, liner notes, and an interview with project mastermind Tobias Sammet; all inside a luxury leather box.
Aqua is the seventh full-length studio album by Brazilian progressive/power metal band Angra. It was released on August 11, 2010 and August 17, 2010 in Japan and Brazil, respectively. It is their last recording to feature Edu Falaschi on lead vocals, and their only studio album on which drummer Ricardo Confessori returns.
Best Reached Horizons is the first 'Best-Of' album by the Brazilian power metal band Angra, released on October 24, 2012, via SPV/Steamhammer. This compilation marks the 20th Anniversary of the band and the idea behind the name's choice is based on the first demo released by Angra in 1992, entitled Reaching Horizons.
Secret Garden is the eighth full-length studio album by Brazilian progressive/power metal band Angra, released on 17 December 2014 in Japan and with a release date of January 2015 in Brazil and Europe. It is band's first album with singer Fabio Lione and drummer Bruno Valverde, as well as the last to feature lead guitarist Kiko Loureiro, who left to join Megadeth. The album also features lead vocals by rhythm guitarist Rafael Bittencourt and guest performances by Simone Simons from Epica and Doro Pesch.
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