2010年09月30日
2010年09月01日
ANGRA/Whiplashによる"AQUA"レビュー後半部分
CD REVIEW
それでは本題のレビューを始めよう。
ANGRAは、
"Arising Thunder"を、シングル曲に選定し、
ニューアルバム"AQUA"の一番目の曲として、持ってきているのだが、
その次の曲"Awake from Darkness"を聴けば
リスナーは、アルバムの第一印象が、予想していたものと
違うということに気がつくだろう。
"Arising Thunder"は、グレイトで、ロックで、
本当にエキサイティングな曲なのだが、
ツーバスとへヴィなギターリフの続く、
典型的なメロディックスピードメタルの曲だ。
"Arising Thunder"が"AQUA"に
収録された曲すべてを代表する曲ではないことは、
"Awake from Darkness"を聴くとはっきりする。
３曲目（"Awake from Darkness"）より
パーカッションのリズムとともに、
ブラジル民族音楽テイストが、この分野のスペシャリストである、
Ricardoのドラムによって、待望の復帰を遂げる。
それは、FelipeのベースとKikoとRafaelのギターによって
一層重みが増している。
曲の中間にあるピアノとヴァイオリンの演奏部分は
驚嘆を覚える。
"The Rage of the Waters"は、"Awake from Darkness"と
同じフィーリングを感じさせる曲だ。
ブラジル北東部の民族音楽の要素、
特にBahia（バイ-ア）州から、
Pernambuco（ペルナンブーコ）州のエリアは、
アフリカ系ブラジル人の伝統的な音楽とリズムの中心地なのだが、
その音楽的要素とへヴィメタルの要素が融合したような曲だ。
そして、曲は次の場面へ移る。
※取り急ぎ、後半部分の日本語訳の途中までを掲載します。
遅くなってすみません、残りは後ほど追加します。
下に英文を全文を掲載します。
CD REVIEW
So, let's talk about what's really important, the music. The band has chosen
"Arising Thunder" as the first single and as the first album's track, but as
one listens on, with the third song "Awake from Darkness" it already becomes
clear, that the first impression was not so true. Don't understand me wrong,
"Arising Thunder" is a great song, it rocks, it is really exciting! But it's
a quite typical speed / metal melodic piece with double bass and wild heavy
guitar riffs. "Awake from Darkness" makes it clear that "Arising Thunder"
doesn't come close to representing the rest of "Aqua". The 3rd song begins
with the long-awaited comeback of Brazilian ethnic elements, with the
percussion's rhythms, thanks to Ricardo, the guru of this subject. Having
the bass guitar parts by Felipe which make it heavier and the guitar hooks
by Kiko and Rafael, right in the middle the song surprises with the
interlude of piano and violin. "The Rage of the Waters" brings the same
feeling, mixing elements of northwestern music (from the Nord-West of
Brazil, mainly, the states Bahia and Pernambuco, the center of traditional
afro-brazilian rhythms) with typical heavy metal base. Then the game changes.
（※ここまで翻訳しています）
＞After the intro with some technological effects, "Hollow" brings
this classical and nervous thrash metal riff. At least, one Angra song on
every CD is like that. But being tired with all these moments of violence,
it finds an harmonic opportunity to open some space for the crystal clear
guitars. The atmospheric "Spirit of the Air" reminds "The Shadow Hunter". It
begins with some Spanish chords, then going to metal killer sound and
returning back to ballad, it walks chorus-wards, to a pompous epic break and
finishes with an Arabian theme. But the stuff which could sound in a very
eclectic way is, on the contrary, perfectly integrated.
"Aqua" even has its proper "Make Believe" - the perfect "Weakness of a Man".
I mean, it's a song created without fear to flirt with the pop music
inspiration and, I dare to say that it even has moments that can be
considered as dancing ones. But, whatever traditional headbangers could
think, it doesn't make "Weakness of a Man" less heavy metal. Even the nice
ballad "Lease of Life" which seems to break the rhythm of "Aqua" a bit
continues to be pretty interesting, especially in its guitar parts, almost
rock'n'roll ones until the solo, and pretty close to bossa nova after it.
But maybe the most courageous song of the album is "A Monster in Her Eyes"
which presents one of the most varied performances of Edu. He starts like a
bard, nearly reciting in a Medieval style and then, catching the courage he
presents very aggressive parts full of fury which reminds his typical manner
in Almah.
Another excellent moment, "Ashes" finishes the CD. It begins with dreadful
and dark, almost horror-movie-like keyboard parts, which give the first
impressions about what will follow. The vocalist uses the opportunities of
the lyrics which represent the last act of the play to come up with elevated
style performance with sorrowful atmosphere, a kind of opera-rock. Perfect!
"Aqua" is the kind of album which deserves to be listened attentively at
least 2-3 times. It's not a type of work to be easily defined, to put a
label on or to tell if it's metal because of this or that. At most, it's
possible to say that Angra returned to its best conditions, sounding like
classical Angra. And so this is much more than a positive fact.
Translation Irina Ivanova, Andrei Koulikov for www.edufalaschi.com.br
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☆ANGRA New Album "AQUA" 発売中！
http://www.jvcmusic.co.jp/-/Artist/A006979.html
ANGRA オフィシャル・サイト
http://www.angra.net
Edu Falaschi オフィシャルサイト
http://www.edufalaschi.com.br/
Edu Falaschi 英語版オフィシャルサイト
http://www.edufalaschi.com.br/eng//
Edu Falaschi オフィシャルフランス版ブログ
http://edufalaschifrenchblog.blogspot.com/
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