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1. What's your favorite song by 14?
Arida Vortex - When Tomorrow Comes

2. How did you get into 20?
Mandragora Scream
Прочитала рецензию на их первый альбом, привлекло внимание то, что у вокалистки низкий голос. Решила послушать)

3. Who is your favorite member in 8?
Mechanical Poet
Конечно же Лекс, который сочиняет эту безумную музыку=)

4. What's your favorite lyric by 29?
Pain of Salvation - "Undertow"

5. Have you ever seen 22 live?
Tarja Turunen
Да, трижды)

6. What's your favorite album from 10?
Threshold - "Subsurface"

7. Do you own any merchandise from 3?
Epica
Нет. Пока)

8. What is a good memory you have of 7?
Kiko Loureiro
Я заказала через Союз альбом No Gravity, но его очень долго не везли. А потом, после посиделки в Белфасте по случаю моего ДР, шестое чувство повело меня в Пурпурный Легион, где этот альбом оказался в наличии. Счастью не было предела))

9. Is there a member of the same age as you in 2?
Nightwish
Нет.

10. When did you first get into 1?
Helloween
Года три назад, наверное.

11. Who likes 4 along with you?
Within Temptation
Очень много кто%)

12. Which song did you first hear from 15?
Nevermore
Кажется это была "Believe In Nothing" на каком-то сборнике.

13. What song made you fall in love with 5?
Kamelot
Стала тотально заслушиваться после после "Wings Of Despair".

14. Which song do you not like by 18?
Evanescence - "Cloud Nine"

15. Why do you like 16's songs?
Shaaman
Таких аранжировок я больше нигде не слышала, вроде бы ничего особенно сложного, но затягивает)

16. Where did you first hear 6?
Andre Matos
Я люблю Angra и Shaaman, поэтому знакомство с сольным творчеством произошло как-то само собой. Скачала альбом, залила в плеер...

17. How long was 19 a musician before you liked them?
Vanishing Point
Дебютник у них вышел в 1997, а слушать я начала через десять лет после этого.

18. Does 13 have a song that gives you a bad memory?
Ольви
Нет, с этой группой не может быть связано плохих воспоминаний)

19. When did you get into 17?
Avantasia
В конце 2006 года.

20. How long have you been into 39?
Revolution Renaissance
В начале этого года. Собственно, и группа совсем новая.

21. If 9 have a concert 300 miles away, would you drive there to see them?
Эпидемия
Они достаточно часто играют в Москве) Насчёт 300 миль не знаю, а вот в Ярославль на концерт ездила)

22. How many CDs do you own of 11?
Blackmore's Night
Все номерные альбомы и сборник баллад "Beyond The Sunset"

23. Does 21 have a song that makes you cry?
Stream of Passion
Для меня это скорее умиотворяющая музыка. Под неё можно погрустить, но не до слёз.

24. Does 27 have a song that makes you happy?
Stratovarius - "Hunting High And Low"

25. Does 23 have a song that makes you smile?
Firewind
Наверное такой песни нет. Firewind вообще нельзя отнести к "happy-happy power".

26. What's the last song you've listened to from 28?
Blind Guardian - Goodbye My Friend

27. Is there a song by 32 that you've listened to more than 30 times?
Europe
На компьютере не успела столько наслушать)

28. What is a song from 50 that you've only listened to once?
Nocturnal Rites
Судя по библиотеке это "Strong Enough" и "Tell Me", но я слушала и точно больше раз.

29. Is there a song you are sick of hearing by 24?
Sonata Arctica - "8Th Commandment"

30. What song got you into 40?
Angra - "Carry On"

31. What is your favorite single by 37?
Kingfisher Sky - "November"

32. If 49 hated you, what would you do?
Ambeon
Это будет печально, но я переживу)

33. Would you say if 42 or one of the members from 42 asked you out?
Evergrey
Затрудняюсь ответить)

34. Would you care if 41 had a boyfriend/girlfriend?
Bittencourt Project
Параллельно)

35. Who has the best voice in 30?
Shadow Gallery
Mike Baker, без вариантов.

36. Do you think 26 is/are good looking?
Арда
Я с трудом представляю, кто сейчас играет в Арде и как они на данный момент выглядят.

37. How many times have you listened to your favorite song by 36?
Everlost
Библиотека говорит, что 8 раз ("Твой Враг"), но на самом деле гораздо больше раз и совсем другую песню))

38. How many CDs do you own of 31?
Seventh Wonder
Ни одного, но планирую.

39. Is there a song from 38 that makes you mad?
Cain's Offering
Нет, таких нет)

40. Which member from 33 do you want to see go solo?
Nickelback
Ryan Peake - сольный альбом послушала бы с удовольствием, по-моему у него хороший голос.

41. What does your favorite song from 48 remind you of?
Karma
Каких-то особенных песен наверное нет.

42. Did you hate 43 at first?
Ария
Не сказала бы.

43. Does your best friend also listen to 12?
Flёur
Да, тут у нас вкусы сошлись))

44. Do you think your parents would like 46?
Oleg Izotov
Вряд ли)

45. Does 47 have a song that makes you want to dance?
Catharsis - "Песня про Зайцев")))

46. Have you ever seen 34 in person?
Ayreon
Ну вот например Sharon den Adel, которая пела на одном из альбомов, я лично видела)

47. Do you like 44's name?
Hans Zimmer
Имя как имя)

48. Is there someone in 25 that you want to go out with?
Killing Touch
Нет.

49. Do you know anyone that hates 45?
Andi Deris
Подозреваю, что ненавистников у него много.

50. Have you ever danced to a song from 35?
Allen-Lande
Не было подходящего случая, хотя у них есть хорошие медляки))

(publicado originalmente no site Metal Rise, 15/jun/09)



A moçada do Planeshift liberou, em primeira mão para o Metal Rise, a audição de seu álbum de estréia Fate Breed - e o resultado me agradou demais, mesmo eu não sendo exatamente fã de prog metal, dada a qualidade do trabalho deste quinteto campineiro ser de tão alto nível.

Começando pelo lado técnico, a produção ficou a cargo do Ricardo Piccoli, que cada dia mais firma seu nome entre os melhores profissionais disponíveis no mercado: já gravou inúmeras bandas da região (em estilos variados: Ariel n' Caliban, ADRAMMA, Thriven, Under Death, Kamala, o próprio Laconist em que toco) em seu Piccoli Studio, e o resultado é sempre de cair o queixo… produção cristalina e pesadíssima, nivelamento perfeito, dá pra falar fácil que é produtor gringo operando a mesa. A parte gráfica, embora só tenha apreciado na tela do PC pois não tenho CD prensado, é de autoria do tecladista Kevin Fontolan: uma arte de bom gosto, capricho e beleza ímpares - dá pra conferir uma amostra disso no layout do MySpace da banda, e estas mesmas qualidades se repetem em abundância quando se coloca o disquinho pra rodar.

Como disse na abertura da resenha, não sou fã do estilo que o grupo domina, nem tenho condições da avaliar tão a fundo quanto um expert em prog, mas coincidentemente um fator ajudou muito na melhor assimilação de suas músicas: fazia mais de mês que eu estava escutando só metal extremo no PC do trampo, sem alternar com estilos mais leves como normalmente faço, e meus ouvidos andavam um tanto maltratados (no bom sentido, claro). Assim sendo, os sons deles serviram pra eu relaxar e poder desfrutar melhor a obra… são muitas minúcias, abundância de arranjos caprichados, abordagens que vão do instrumental puro e quase-baladas a sons de fúria incontida.

Quem já viu qualquer banda prog ao vivo sentiu que 2 características imperam: desenvoltura instrumental apuradíssima e, se não houver cuidado (o que geralmente acontece, infelizmente), tédio devido à exibição gratuita e desnecessária de técnica. Espertos, os caras do Planeshift fazem bonito no 1º e passam beeeeem longe do 2º, acredito até que por uma característica marcante: não se metem a besta de fazer o que não sabem, evitando escorregadas embaraçosas. No vocal, então, isso é praticamente lei no Brasil: aparentemente, nunca vão aprender que só existe UM Dickinson, UM Kiske, UM Andre Matos, UM Coverdale. E, justamente nessa, a belíssima voz de Eduardo Albert acerta em cheio: seu timbre soa extremamente agradável aos ouvidos, não se esganiça (apesar de atingir notas realmente altas) e tem ótima pronúncia em inglês - só por aí já ganham muito no diferencial, pois o vocal invariavelmente arruina prog metal com chororôs e gralhas arrogantes.

Além de dominar a arte digital, o Kevin faz um trabalho não menos que exemplar com suas camas de teclados, alternando com sabedoria temas climáticos de fundo e soltando solos afiados, complementando o desempenho sempre excepcional de Mike Rossinholi nas seis cordas. Gabriel Vacari na bateria e o baixista Jonathas Peschiera (que parece muito mais à vontade aqui que no Exordium) formam uma cozinha que agrada em cheio aos fãs de Dream Theater e afins: mais quebradeira que na Bolsa de Valores de NY em 1929, precisão e entrosamento rítmicos muito fortes. Resumindo, é um time pra ninguém botar defeito, demonstrando enorme técnica, segurança - e o melhor, sem um pingo de pretensão.

As 9 faixas agradam em cheio, mas podem eventualmente cansar o ouvinte regular - como eu, não acostumado com o estilo - devido à sua grande extensão (a mais curta, fora a intro, tem 5:14!): só que os apreciadores de prog metal vão gozar litros com as músicas apresentadas. Difícil apontar um destaque, mas a longa faixa que dá título ao debut, Blindfold e as duas partes de Cage têm um brilho peculiar. Originalidade e talento a toda prova coroam este grande lançamento, que desde já consta como item obrigatório entre os melhores plays de 2009, independente do gosto musical do leitor. Recomendadíssimo a quem aprecia MÚSICA de verdade, e não masturbação instrumental… vida longa aos caras!

Faixas:

1. In This Light (0:58)
2. Outcast (6:34)
3. Cage Pt.1: The Encounter (6:02)
4. Cage Pt.2: Serpents (7:02)
5. Death Of Our Days (5:14)
6. Blindfold (6:27)
7. My No (7:41)
8. Self Machinery (7:52)
9. Fate Breed (9:34)

Website - http://www.myspace.com/planeshift

ARTISTS I'VE SEEN:
Luciano Ligabue (x3)
Blind Guardian (x2)
(Gods of Metal 2007; Gods of Metal 2009)
Judas Priest (x2)
(Gods of Metal 2008; Priest Feast, Milano 2009)
Heaven & Hell (x2)
(Gods of Metal 2007; Gods of Metal 2009)
Edguy (x2)
(Milano 2009; Gods of Metal 2009)
Buio Pesto (x2)
(Liguria tour, Piana Crixia 2008; A-a reversa tour, Carcare 2009)
Lauren Harris (x2)
(Gods of Metal 2008, Gods of Metal 2009)
KISS (x1)
(Alive 35 tour, Verona 2008)
Iced Earth (x1)
(Gods of Metal 2008)
Iron Maiden (x1)
(Gods of Metal 2008)
Testament (x1)
(Priest Feast, Milano 2009)
Megadeth (x1)
(Priest Feast, Milano2009)
Andre Matos (x1)
(w/ Edguy, Milano 2009)
H.E.A.T (x1)
(w/ Edguy, Milano 2009)
Apocalyptica (x1)
(Gods of Metal, 2008)
Epica (x1)
(Gods of Metal 2009)
Dream Theater (x1)
(Gods of Metal 2009)
Tarja (x1)
(Gods of Metal 2009)
Queensrÿche (x1)
(Gods of Metal 2009)
Arthemis (x1)
(w/ Dragonforce, Metalfest Genova 2009)
White Skull (x1)
(w/ Dragonforce, Metalfest Genova 2009)
DragonForce (x1)
(Metalfest Genova 2009)

ARTISTS I'D LIKE TO SEE:
Gem Boy
Gem Boy + Cristina D'Avena
DragonForce (again and again!)
Children of Bodom
Blind Guardian (again and again!)
Domine
Rhapsody
Avantasia
Eizo Sakamoto
Anthem
Gamma Ray
Trick or Treat
White Skull
Galneryus
Europe

Andre Matos

It was the first time for Andre Matos in Finland, and of course for his band as well. Mariutti brothers were there, as well as the soon 18 year old drum sensation Eloy Casagrande. As predicted the show started with Menuett and Letting Go, followed by Rio, Have to admit that don’t remember the set list at all after that, cos’ the show was so fantastic that afterwards I felt just empty inside.

Well, luckily I remember most of the songs on the evening, and one of the biggest highlights was old Angra hit, Carry On, fuckin’ awesome live number. Same awesomeness was Nothing to say as well, I would never expected to gear Angels Crying live, but I did! Awesome again ! Of course it was great to hear some Shaman songs (Distant Thunder, Fairy Tale) as well as one old Viper song, Living For The Night.


Andre Matos

In the show there was a solo parts for the another solo guitarist Andre Hernandez and for the drummer boy. Hernandez solo was quite typical shredding, but still very enjoyable. The drummer Eloy seemed like a octopus when he was banging on and on, still quite typical solo from him as well.

All in all, Andre and band played for almost two hours, and the show was excellent even thought there was only the few people witnessing it. At the same time Sabaton was playing in the other side of the city, which seemed to took most of the power metal fans to Tavastia Club. Fortunately Andre promised that this wasn’t the last time in Finland, so those of you who miss it, will have another chance in future. Onrigado Andre and band, just bloody awesome end for the Finnish Metal Expo.

Andre Matos

Thu 8 Jan – Edguy, Andre Matos, H.E.A.T.

Edguy én Matos samen op tour?? Dat kon alleen maar goed nieuws zijn! Dus vol hoop werden de data afgewacht. En toen bleek dat ze wederom onze laaglanden over zouden slaan bleek dat wij ons heil moesten gaan zoeken bij onze geachte zuiderburen. Dit volk blijft me verbazen wat betreft hun wegennet. Zit je op de ring van Antwerpen, krijg je ineens een bordje 'einde ring!' Nou, dát mogen ze me nog eens uitleggen. Ik heb nog eens goed naar dat ding om mijn ringvinger zitten kijken, maar ik kon er een begin noch een eind aan vinden, het zal wel weer aan mij liggen...
Na de gebruikelijke verdwaalvertraging kwamen we aan in de Biebob toen H.E.A.T al bijna klaar was met hun set. We hebben nog 2 nummers kunnen horen, maar deze 2 nummers hebben mij wel overtuigd om eens meer te gaan ontdekken van deze band en vooral hun geweldige zanger!
De Biebob is en blijft, laten we maar eerlijk zijn, gewoon een ontzettende kutzaal voor dit soort optredens. Het is misschien leuk voor een stel hersenloze hatebreeders die niets liever doen dan een beetje op elkaar inbeuken, maar voor gewone metal...? Het blijft gewoon meer dan irritant dat je je jas om je middel moet knopen of in je tas moet doen, want een garderobe is er niet. Ook de condens die constant van het plafond afzeikt als een troosteloze regenbui werkt vrij snel op de zenuwen, dus mijn humeur begon mij al danig in de schoenen te zakken.
Maar toen Andre Matos eenmaal op kwam en begon met het eerste en voor mij het beste nummer Letting Go van zijn nieuwe album Time To Be Free, sloeg de zaak spontaan om. Al sinds zijn eerste jaren met Angra bewijst hij gewoon een van de beste zangers te zijn in deze tak van muziek. Andre & co geeft hier een uur lekkere no-nonsense power metal weg in de vorm waar ik mijn concerten het liefst in zie: "Niet lullen maar spelen!" Ook van Angra krijgen we nog wat mooie songs om onze oren geslingerd, zoals Nothing To Say en uiteraard het fantastische Carry On als toegave. Zelf ben ik erg blij met de nummers van Time To Be Free, die live toch stukken overtuigender klinken dan op cd. Vooral de cover van Journey, Seperate Ways gaat er bij mij goed in. Na een uur verdwijnt Matos alweer veel te vroeg van het podium. Mensen toch! We hebben het hier over het boegbeeld van de power metal scene! Die moet toch wat langer kunnen spelen om een mooie selectie van zijn indrukwekkende discografie ten gehore te laten brengen? Dit laat me dan ook achter met een dubbel gevoel... Enerzijds een geweldig concert, maar gewoon veel te kort.
Wat Edguy er die avond van zou gaan maken was bij mij nog 1 groot vraagteken . Het laatste live optreden wat ik van deze heren heb gehoord was de bonus disc bij Tinnitus Sanctus, welke bij mij toch een wenkbrauw deed fronzen. Zouden ze dit nog een keer flikken of zouden ze vanavond wel de zaken op een rijtje hebben en een goed concert weggeven? Het laatste bleek waar. Waar ik had verwacht dat ze met Ministry Of Saints zouden openen, gaven ze gelijk vol gas met Dead Or Rock, gevolgd door het indrukwekkende Speedhoven, en Nine Lives, alledrie van het nieuwe Tinnitus Sanctus, wat een dikke vooruitgang was op raketjerijden. Edguy heeft een grote gok gemaakt met de setlist. Want ineens kwamen ze met... Until We Rise Again van Vain Glory Opera! Nou, dit moest toch een heel goed voorteken zijn! De sfeer zat er dan ook gelijk dik in bij het publiek. Wat volgde was een bloemlezing van oude en nieuwe nummers, waarbij het machtige The Pharaoh van het album Mandrake mij toch wel het meest verbaasde en vooral verblijdde. Helaas werden enkele klassiekers zoals Vain Glory Opera en Tears Of A Mandrake achterwege gelaten, maar dat mocht de pret tijdens Headless Game en Out Of Control niet drukken! Helaas geen Dragonfly van het nieuwe album, hetgeen ik toch wel stiekem hoopte en ook wel verwachtte. Knikker dan Save me van raketjerijden eruit, of je belachelijke lavatory crapmachine, hoewel dit nummer het toch altijd goed schijnt te doen bij het publiek.. Mij krijg je er niet warm mee. Ook hadden ze wel wat mogen korten op de drumsolo. Na het Pirates liedje was het voor mij wel leuk geweest, in die tijd die je daarna nog volstampte kon nog een leuk nummer... Na King Of Fools was het dan toch ook weer echt afgelopen en de fabelachtige droom van de encore van Avantasia nummers met Andre Matos erbij bleef uit. Godverdomme! Geef me één reden waarom je die twee bands anders samen op een tour zet! Om zowel Andre én Edguy een veelste korte set te laten spelen? Een hoop mensen naast mijzelf zaten op de Avantasia encore te wachten, en hieronder hoogstwaarschijnlijk ook een hoop mensen die de Avantasia tour niet van dichtbij hebben mogen meemaken. Ik heb dit gelukkig wel van dichtbij gezien, maar een hoop mensen hebben Sammet en Matos nog niet samen op het podium zien staan. Wat lullig om ze dat gewoon door de neus te boren! Edguy begint trouwens hetzelfde probleem te krijgen als dat wat Matos (in veel ergere mate) had: tijd tekort! Jongens. Pak gewoon eens een lekkere solo tour met 1 opwarm bandje en speel zelf gewoon een vette 2 uur vol in plaats van de magere 90 minuten als het dat al was! Vain Glory Opera en Tears Of A Mandrake schrappen vind ik nog niet zo'n ramp dan, als je dan maar met Matos terug was gekomen! Al met al was er gewoon tijd tekort en hadden ze H.E.A.T misschien beter thuis kunnen laten, dan hadden ze er allebei een half uur bovenop kunnen doen.
Al met al een hoop goede bands, maar door de krapheid van de speeltijd toch gemengde gevoelens. Ik hoop dat beide bands terug komen op de zomerfestivals en, vooral in het geval van Edguy, zich dan meer op de klassiekers gaan richten. Ook gewoon een nummertje Avantasia. Dat hoort er gewoon bij!

Sat 10 Jan – Edguy, Andre Matos, H.E.A.T

Let's do this while it's fresh in my mind then. No idea how this is gonna turn out, I'm just going to start typing and hope it turns out vaguely readable. No pictures though, I know most people on lsat.fm fill their concert reviews with photos, but I don't waste my precious time at gigs by taking photos so this will be a pictureless rambling.

H.E.A.T had already started by the time I got into the venue. A result of my poor timing of trains, the gigs early start and the venue's inadequacy at actually getting people into the doors. The least rock'n'roll thing about that being that you end up in a queue outside trendy clothes shop 'Next' for maybe ten minutes. The image of mostly long-haired metalheads queuing outside a trendy clothes shop must be entertaining to anyone who just happens to be passing by though.

Anyway, H.E.A.T I'd never heard of before seeing the bill for this gig. The Swedish band seem quite young, and indeed they only formed as a band in 2007. Sound check must have gone very well for this band as I could hear every instrument and the vocals really clearly and the volume level was just right for the first band on the bill. I can't have missed much of H.E.A.T's show as they continued playing for about five or six songs after I arrived. Their music is basically melodic hard rock that would have been right at home on the airwaves of the late 80s, with keyboards, two guitars, catchy (fairly repetitive) songs with big choruses. Some of their songs reminded me of Unchain the Night or You Give Love A Bad Name. I can't really be sure of their set list, but they pretty certainly played There For You and Straight For Your Heart. The band's appearance was very tongue in cheek I noticed, one of the guitarists even sporting a very 80s looking perm, while the singer and the other guitarist both opted for cowboy hats with other cowboy elements worked into their stage costumes. Some of the guitar solos had some nice technical bits to them which came as a nice surprise, but then I think I also spotted some mistakes in the solos too.

After H.E.A.T, there was just time to get a beer in before Andre Matos. I had been plagued by a gut feeling that he for some reason wouldn't turn up despite being on the bill, but my fears were soon dispelled when his band started and Andre charged onto the stage dressed in a full dinner jacket with matching trousers and waistcoat. (Like a smaller, younger, healthier, more Brazilian version of Meatloaf.) The crowd were beginning to warm up by now and Matos seemed to receive a warmer crowd reaction than H.E.A.T, but the sound was badly off, at least to start with. Matos' band played louder and faster that HEAT, and for the entire first verse Andre was completely drowned out. (I think it was Letting Go.) I had thought before they came on that it hadn't been a very long gap between bands. I guess the mixing desk guy(s) must have spotted that though as the levels seemed to gradually sort themselves out as the set went on. Andre's stage moves with the mic stand were quite ambitious though and his bass player narrowly avoided being bludgeoned around the head with the end of the stand. In true professional style it didn't seem to bother any of the band members that they were never more than half the stage away from a wildly swinging mic stand that probably had the potential to cause them some real injury. Of course they played Nothing to Say, which sounded a lot heavier live than it does on cd. Nothing to Say was followed by a Journey cover, which Matos announced he had released as a Japanese bonus track only, but they play it live anyway since 'everybody knows it'. Of course when he asked the crowd "Are you fans of Journey?" there's an overwhelming positive response, but to be honest I didn't know it and I still haven't figured out what it was. Of course, as always Matos finished on Carry On, preceded by the tape of Unfinished Allegro which was great to see live. To start with Andre was hitting all the notes of the song perfectly, but by the second verse he was beginning to show signs of fatigue and there seemed to be a gradual slip from there. In all honesty, it would have been astounding if he could sing it live identically to the studio version, but the reality was close enough to still be very enjoyable. When he finished it almost felt like the headlining band had finished, or it did at the time but Edguy were going to milk the end of their encore for all it was worth later on.

It was a fair wait then before Edguy came on. Roadies paraded the stage thoroughly testing all the equipment including four microphones lined along the front of the stage. When they eventually came on, the volume levels immediately showed that the roadies sound test had been worth it in comparison to Matos' unequal sound levels. Tobi burst on stage to opener Dead or Rock (my second favourite from the new album) dressed in some sort of regal military uniform of some description, not totally dissimilar to the one he's pictured in on the back cover of The Scarecrow, only this one was adorned with well, something a bit like this:
Obviously an attempt to get on the good side of the British, though I'm not sure it went over that well with a section of the crowd behind me and to my right...not sure why, but they either had a slightly unusual way of cheering or were intent on booing just about everything that happened...it was kind of hard to tell for sure amidst all the people cheering properly though. I'm tempted to think that they just had a strange way of cheering though since they made the same noise in response to both announcements "We're going to play one of our old fast songs" and "We're going to play a song off th new album". Anyway, second in the set list was Speedhoven, my favourite track from the new album. So that was basically the two tracks I was hoping they would play from the new album done by the end of the second song.

As best as I can remember it, the setlist went something like:
- Dead or Rock
- Speedhoven
- Nine Lives
- Until We Rise Again
- The Pharaoh
- Ministry of Saints
- Drum solo
- The Pride Of Creation
- Save Me
- The Headless Game
- Superheroes

- Out of Control
- Lavatory Love Machine
- King of Fools

So, slight disappointment that they didn't bring Andre back out for a token Avantasia tune, but an extended version of The Pharaoh more than made up for that. It's like the Edguy equivalent of Rime of the Ancient Mariner, complete with two minute bass solo.

General comments though, Tobi is great at crowd interaction, after promising he wouldn't talk as much as usual on account of the venues odd 10pm curfew, he still managed loads of jokes and "I can't hear you on the left side...Oh right side they've outdone you" kind of things, particularly during Lavatory Love Machine, but I doubt it would make interesting reading for me to type out every line I can remember him saying between songs.

He did say something like this before Until We Rise Again though:
"Who here thought our last album was crap and wants us to go back to playing fast songs?"
[almost no response from audience]
"Oh that's right this is England and all those people are in Germany. Well we're going to play a fast song for you anyway."

To be honest, until the closing few minutes of The Pharaoh, the crowd were comparatively dead. It had seemed quite active at the time with people chanting the words to Dead or Rock and Speedhoven and general fist pumping and cheering, but compared to how the crowd changed during The Pharaoh, comparatively dead for the first four and a half songs.

Ok, that will have to do for your concert review. I've been writing this for long enough now.

Angra / "Carry On" / Angels Cry (2) / 1993

Artist: Angra
Original Album: Angels Cry
Track: Carry On

Most likely a disappointing entry rom the reader's point of view, this being the third pick from Angra, and picks being made less often these days I promised repetition of artists would be less frequent. I do have a bunch of other artists I want to talk about that I haven't yet, or haven't for a while, but right now I'm psycheing myelf up for Andre Matos's appearance supporting Edguy coming up on Saturday.

Sadly, neither Angels Cry, nor Holy Land have actually been added to lastfm's datbase, except as a double disc set together, but there's no way I'm tagging like that. Both of Angra's first two albums are very good, but it's hard to compare anything to Holy Land, which is just packed with a variety of ideas that all flow together so well, and Andre can reach such amazingly high notes, I can see now why so many fans were so concerned wen he decided to leave the band, especially as he seems to have over half the writing credits on Holy Land.

I'm hardly motivated to describe how Angra sound as I think I did that during the last two picks from them, but in short - great guitarists paying some sublime technical stuff, influences of classical and Brazilian rhythms, straddling the line of power metal and progressive metal almost perfctly.

To make up for repeating an artist here, I've got three interesting covers in mind for the next few Wednesdays as well as an oft covered track that will probably take you by surprise. Haven't decided on an order for these four possibilities, but I think they'll be pretty interesting. Should have a couple of fairly detailed NWOBHM entries for Fridays too, though I'll probably have to miss Friday 16th - sorry. I'll also try and decide on/remember one of the numerous 'new' artist selections I've got for the weekend.