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.[1] It is their last recording to feature Edu Falaschi on lead vocals, and their only studio album on which drummer Ricardo Confessori returns.

Aqua
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 11, 2010 (Japan)
August 17, 2010 (Brazil)
RecordedFebruary – May 2010
GenreProgressive metal, power metal
Length49:15
LabelJVC/Victor, SPV/Steamhammer
ProducerAngra, Brendan Duffey and Adriano Daga
Angra chronology
Aurora Consurgens
(2006)
Aqua
(2010)
Secret Garden
(2014)

Overview edit

The album features returning drummer Ricardo Confessori, who had left the band with Andre Matos and Luís Mariutti in 2000 and had been since then replaced by Aquiles Priester.

According to guitarist Rafael Bittencourt, the album was based on William Shakespeare's The Tempest.[2] Bittencourt also states that:

Besides all the qualities of the text, we found out that the element 'water' is one of the main characters of the history. It transforms itself during the cycles and changes the things around. It represents the rage of high tides and tempests, and then the forgiveness and wisdom in calm. Everything happens after a violent storm that occurs in the sea, in an island hill. While the wild waters come from up and down, a ship and the entire crew are fighting for surviving. As from this point, we developed one very interesting narrative that will get the attention of the listeners.[2]

Aqua was released through major labels internationally, but in Brazil the band decided to self-release it, so that they can keep control of everything related to the album, says vocalist Edu Falaschi.[2]

Reception edit

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic     [3]
Danger Dog[4](4.75/5)
BW&BK[5](7/10)
Black Wind Metal     [6]

Track listing edit

No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Viderunt te Aquæ"(instrumental)Rafael Bittencourt0:59
2."Arising Thunder"Edu FalaschiFalaschi, Kiko Loureiro4:52
3."Awake from Darkness"Felipe AndreoliFalaschi, Bittencourt, Andreoli5:54
4."Lease of Life"FalaschiFalaschi4:33
5."The Rage of the Waters"BittencourtBittencourt, Ricardo Confessori, Andreoli5:33
6."Spirit of the Air"FalaschiFalaschi, Loureiro5:22
7."Hollow"AndreoliBittencourt, Andreoli5:30
8."A Monster in Her Eyes"BittencourtBittencourt5:15
9."Weakness of a Man"Bittencourt, LoureiroBittencourt, Loureiro6:12
10."Ashes"LoureiroLoureiro5:05
Total length:49:15

Japanese bonus track edit

No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
11."Lease of Life" (different remix)FalaschiFalaschi5:34
Total length:54:49

Double digipack limited edition edit

Disc 1 edit

No.TitleLength
1."Viderunt te Aquæ""1:01
2."Arising Thunder"4:52
3."Awake from Darkness"5:55
4."Lease of Life"4:34
5."The Rage of the Waters"5:43
6."Spirit of the Air"5:23
7."Hollow"5:31
8."A Monster in Her Eyes"5:16
9."Weakness of a Man"6:13
10."Ashes"5:12

Disc 2 (bonus disc: Edu Falaschi era) edit

No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Nova Era"Bittencourt, AndreoliFalaschi, Loureiro4:52
2."Rebirth"BittencourtLoureiro, Bittencourt5:15
3."Hunters and Prey"BittencourtAquiles Priester6:29
4."Spread Your Fire"BittencourtLoureiro, Falaschi4:25
5."Wating Silence"BittencourtLoureiro, Bittencourt4:55
6."The Course of Nature"FalaschiFalaschi, Loureiro4:31
7."Salvation: Suicide"BittencourtLoureiro4:22

LP edit

Side one edit

No.TitleLength
1."Viderunt te Aquæ""1:01
2."Arising Thunder"4:52
3."Awake from Darkness"5:55
4."Lease of Life"4:34

Side two edit

No.TitleLength
5."The Rage of the Waters"5:43
6."Spirit of the Air"5:23
7."Hollow"5:31

Side three edit

No.TitleLength
8."A Monster in Her Eyes"5:16
9."Weakness of a Man"6:13
10."Ashes"5:12

Side four (bonus tracks) edit

No.TitleLength
1."Nova Era"4:52
2."Spread Your Fire"4:25
3."The Course of Nature"4:31

Personnel edit

Additional musicians edit

  • Amon Lima – violin on #01, 03, 06, 07, 08
  • Yaniel Matos – cello on #01, 03, 07, 08
  • Guga Machado – percussion on #03, 04, 05, 06, 08, 09, 10
  • Maria Ilmoniemi – piano on #04, 08, 10; hammond organ on #04
  • Fabrizio di Sarno – keyboards and orchestration on #05
  • Nei Medeiros – keyboards and orchestration on #01, 08
  • Felipe Grytz – keyboards and orchestration on #02, 04, 06, 10
  • Fernanda Gianesella – choirs on #01, 06, 09
  • Miriam Chiurciu – choirs on #01, 06, 09
  • Gisela Freire – choirs on #01, 06, 09
  • Isa Elisabetsky – choirs on #01, 06, 09
  • Katya Delfino – choirs on #01, 06, 09
  • Zuma Duarte – choirs on #01, 06, 09
  • Luiza Gianesella – choirs on #01, 06, 09
  • Debora Reis – choirs on #10
  • Annah Flavia – choirs on #04
  • Tito Falaschi – choirs on #01, 06, 09
  • Zeca Loureiro – choirs on #01, 09
  • Rodrigo Ninrod – choirs on #01

Technical edit

  • Angra - producer
  • Brendan Duffey – producer, engineer, mixer
  • Adriano Daga – producer, engineer, mixer
  • Thiago "Hóspede" – engineer
  • Maor Appelbaum – mastering

Charts edit

Chart (2010) Peak
position
French Albums (SNEP)[7] 147
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[8] 22

References edit

  1. ^ "Anime Friends – Successful Performance". Angra's official website. 23 July 2010. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  2. ^ a b c "Angra: New Album Details Revealed". Blabbermouth.net. 5 July 2010. Archived from the original on 13 August 2010. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  3. ^ https://www.allmusic.com/album/r1956531
  4. ^ "Music Review : Angra Aqua :: Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock :: CD Album Music Review : Craig Hartranft". Dangerdog.com. 2010-08-16. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
  5. ^ bravewords.com. "> Hardwares > ANGRA – Aqua". Bravewords.com. Archived from the original on 2012-10-02. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
  6. ^ "Review: Aqua". Black Wind Metal. Retrieved 4 August 2011.
  7. ^ "Lescharts.com – Angra – Aqua". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  8. ^ "アクア | Angra" [Aqua | Angra] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 7 December 2021.