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On disc: André Matos



Time To Be Free - Claudia Ehrhardt - 8 stars
Mentalize - Claudia Ehrhardt - 9 stars
Mentalize - Philip Thelen - 9 stars


www.andrematos.net







Mentalize

Mentalize
(SPV - 2010)


Everybody who knows Andre Matos, will recognize his extraordinary voice -reminds me a lot of Tobias Sammet, but I might be wrong.... (Well, Andre released with Viper his first demo in 1985, so he was active years before Tobias Sammet - Claudia). He's known for his work with his former band Angra as well as for some projects. And he was one of the top 3 candidates as the successor of Bruce Dickinson in the late 90's - the others were James LaBrie of Dream Theater and Blaze Bayley who finally got the job as the singer of Iron Maiden. I have to confess that I know his name and the bands / projects he was involved in, but never heard anything til now. But it's just great that he took part in AinaDays Of Rising Doom and AvantasiaThe Metal Opera Pt 1 & 2! And now I'm here, listening to his solo album Mentalized in 'heavy rotation'. But how to start? First of all.... Fantastic sound! The album has a well balanced and differentiated sound. The arrangements fit and are well done! Someone really put some brain work into it. Matos has his own style which can be described as classical power metal. If you listen to the album you get a lot variety, so it won't get boring, coz Matos uses every element to enthrall the listener - like a best-seller novelist playing tricks to grab the readers attention. One of the advantages he has due to his studying of composing and conducting. Right at the start you get the powerful metal tunes Leading On and I Will Return which will give you an idea what to expect. Like I said before, there is a lot variety. But you'll also get some balladesque ones like Back To You and the power ballad When The Sun Cried Out.
My resume: Great album which is a must-have for every fan of Matos, melodic and / or power metal! Beside that everybody who likes metal with classic influences and great melodies should check it out! I recommend: Leading On, I Will Return, Someone Else, Shift The Night Away, Mentalize, Mirror Of Me, Violence - or any other song of this album!


9 stars

Philip Thelen
(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt
 

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Mentalize

Mentalize
(SPV - 2010)


Most will know Andre Matos as the singer of Angra, Viper or Shaman. Since 2006 he is pursuing a solo career and now he presents his 2nd album. After Time To Be Free it's now Mentalize he offers his fans. Japan got the album last September and finally European fans get it.
With Leading On he kicks off, a fast melodic rocker. In a way Andre Matos continues what he started with Time To Be Free, but offers a larger sound spectrum. Drummer Eloy Casagrande is forcing them ahead and shows complex drum patters, but Matos managed to create a song which is easy to get into. A song which sounds more mature, but which also has all the elements you expect. So the song offers a soaring melody, powerful backing vocals and surprise you with twists and turns. Great guitar play by Andre Hernandez and Hugo Mariutti. With a choir they kick off I Will Return, a guitar-driven tune with up-tempo parts and mid-paced passages where they focus on Matos vocals. The song has a symphonic edge... Quite catchy, this one will soon haunt you! Reminds me a bit of his past with Angra... Heavy riffs and drums open up Someone Else. In a way a duet between Andre Matos and his alienated voice - cool idea. This one had me right from the start!
They storm off with Shift The Night Away, even the fast parts are melodic. Very expressive vocals and the backing vocals are a bit Queen-ish... But the song is too fast, too heavy to recreate the bombastic sounds of the English. A riff-based fast one is Mentalize which is a bit more aggressive, but also offers slower passages and a part with spoken words which are kinda steam rolled by the guitar after a few moments. Drums lead you into The Myriad, then guitars join in, while the guitar riffs seem to push forward the keyboard melody stays on top of it. But all in favor of the vocals, especially when they slow down a bit. When The Sun Cried Out is an epic, symphonic piece - kicking off slowly, it picks up speed, then stops dead when vocals and piano join in. A beautiful tune with expressive vocals, enchanting. After Mirror Of Me its time for Violence, which starts symphonically, but then sharp riffs take over and dominate the song. If you expect an aggressive, angry tune, then they will proof you wrong! Actually it's neither the fastest nor the most aggressive song, even if it has fast parts. But more important the vocal line will hook you up and the piano parts will enchant you. And with A Lapse In Time you get a piano-based ballad. Just piano and vocals and it shows one more time that Andre Matos is an extraordinary singer. The closer is called Powerstream, a quite fast, but highly melodic track. Kudos!
Andre Matos and his friends sound more mature, more divers this time. They will surprise you and they will enchant you! Check out: When The Sun Cried Out, Someone Else, Mentalize and Mirror Of Me.


9 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 

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Time To Be Free

Time To Be Free
(Steamhammer - 2008)


Fans of melodic speed metal know André Matos through his work with Viper, Angra and Shaaman as well as for his participation on Avantasia albums. Lately he played the main character in The Who's rock opera Tommy in São Paulo.
After Shaaman split up in 2006 he decided to start a solo band, but has some long-time pals accompanying him. Luis Mariutti was with him in Angra and Shaaman, Luis' brother Hugo (Henceforth) joined Shaaman as well as keyboarder Fabio Ribeiro. With Eloy Casagrande he hired one of the most talented young drummers from Brazil and with guitarist 'Zaza' Hernandez (ex-Angra) he teamed up again.
That the album kicks off with Menuett, a classical inspired intro... The first moments a bit like an orchestra checking before starting their performance.... It leads into the first song Letting Go which is a fast, melodic tune with a catchy bridge and refrain. More symphonic then early Angra, but in the vein of his former band, even if there are some other elements, too. The biggest surprise is probably the end of the tune where André is only joined by Fabio Ribeiro's keyboard for a moment, but then the band return to the refrain. The following Rio shows the Brazilian singer a bit darker and with a dash aggression, heavy riffs and partly some ethnic drum patterns. Remember Why shows another facet of the Matos sound with varying speed. Electronic sounds open up How Long (Unleashed Away), but soon the guitars take over and force this one ahead. Highly catchy refrain.. This one will stay with you for awhile! A bit balladesque it gets with Face The End... A kind of power ballad with touching vocals. The title track first reminded me a bit of Paradise Lost at Draconian Times, but that was mainly the keyboard... André's vocals are different and the song is quite symphonic. Starts slowly, but speeds up and is more based on heavy riffs then, just to slow down again. The slower part towards the end has some art rock sounds included.... Which is followed by some guitar solo and returns to melodic speed metal. As the songs is about 8 min. long it's a good idea to vary sounds and speed to keep the attention of the listener. Well done!
The album shows André Matos' different musical sides and is also a kind of portfolio of his career. He gathered some excellent musicians and especially 16-year old Eloy Casagrande shows impressing craftsmanship, even if I personally don't like the drum sound, but the drumming is brilliant. A very entertaining album which shows variety within the limitations of the genre. Check out: Letting Go, Looking Back, A New Moonlight, Reason and Face The End.


8 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 

           ©2008-2010 by Claudia Ehrhardt • E-Mail: contact@ice-vajal.com


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