Review by Rexorcist for Angra - Holy Land (1996)

Angra is effectively a power metal equivalent to Sepultura.  They proved that Brazil's metal can be just as capable as American metal, and that they have a lot to add.  And Angra does just that.  It's true that their debut, Angels Cry, was a typical power metal album despite being a good one, so Angra needed their own edge, and Holy Land gave them just that.  Not only are their melodies healthiewr than before, but they incorporate elements from around the classical / progressive spectrum so as not to sound generic again.  Songs like the eleven-minute "Carolina IV" include mild Brazilian folk influences to keep the theme of Brazilian history authentic, and ever ysong offers something a little new.

Despite clever songwriting and a good sense of diversity, I felt that each "type" of song they wrote was already perfected by other bands, and that the heaviness of the album needed a little improvement.  On top of that, a couple of songs were drawn out, like "Nothing to Say" for example, and that's a real shame because that was the first song after the classical intro.  But if you don't need your metal to be death-style heavy, then you should check out Holy Land.  It's probably the most melodic power metal album I can think of.