Band:	Angra
Album:	Cycles Of Pain
Style:	Progressive power metal
Release date:	November 2023

01. Cyclus Doloris
02. Ride Into The Storm
03. Dead Man On Display
04. Tide Of Changes - Part I
05. Tide Of Changes - Part II
06. Vida Seca
07. Gods Of The World
08. Cycles Of Pain
09. Faithless Sanctuary
10. Here In The Now
11. Generation Warriors
12. Tears Of Blood

Do these progressive power metal veterans actually introduce Cycles Of Pain through this latest offering, I wonder?

The Brazilian progressive power metal group Angra are perhaps one of the biggest names in the world of power metal, gaining most of their recognition during the early 00s, particularly from their most critically acclaimed album Temple Of Shadows from 2004. Having formed back in 1991, Angra have now been on the scene for a staggering thirty-two years, and as is often the case for so many bands that have been around for this length of time, they have gone through several line-up changes, with founding member Rafael Bittencourt the only original member remaining; curiously though, latest album Cycles Of Pain is their first since 2006's Aurora Consurgens to feature an unchanged line-up compared with its predecessor. At just shy of an hour in length and with twelve tracks in total, this tenth album from Angra is quite a lengthy effort; however, lengthy albums are nothing new to Angra's discography, and for a band with such an impressive record of quality releases behind their belt and a currently stable roster, there's no reason to expect anything but quality again this time around.

Rafael Bittencourt once again provides his expertise both in the vocal department, along with lead vocalist Fabio Lione, and also on guitar, where he is paired alongside Marcelo Barbosa, as the duo once again provide some exceptional twin guitar work. The vocals and guitars are once again helped along by the rhythm section of Bruno Valverde (drums) and Felipe Andreoli (bass). Joining this quintet, you have seven guest vocalists, as well as guest pianist Juliana D'Agostini. Such use of guest vocalists is not a new feature, as big names such as Hansi Kürsch, Kai Hansen, and Alissa White-Gluz have joined the band's ranks on previous records. Orchestral symphonic arrangements have always remained a strong feature of their previous work as well, and Cycles Of Pain is no exception whatsoever in this regard.

With the personnel in place, the album kicks off with a short sub-minute intro titled "Cyclus Doloris", which eases the listener in with a classic symphony and choir before suddenly bursting into "Ride Into The Storm". This opener is driven by a great traditional melodic riff, powerful bass, and rolling drums. Lione then brings forth his powerful voice, and is soon accompanied by Bittencourt's backing vocals as an epic chorus rings out in memorable fashion. The choir and symphonic arrangements add such a dynamic effect to the overall songwriting and structure, and all of these elements are able to shine through due to an exceptional standard of production. So, we're off to a great, even if all too familiar start, and "Ride Into The Storm" turns out to be one of the album's most memorable tracks.

Following the opener, and over the course of the album, Angra show glimpses of their finest capabilities, from the upbeat and traditionally melodic "Gods Of The World" and "Faithless Sanctuary", to the ballad-like title track "Cycles of Pain". This latter track, I have to say, is one I find most striking; it begins with classic acoustic and piano melodies and soft vocals, before the galloping riffs and rhythm section kick in, but the most memorable moment is undoubtedly the great guitar solo towards the end. The final track "Tears Of Blood One" finishes the album as strongly as it begins, and is one of the best examples of the band's excellent symphonic arrangements and great songwriting capabilities. The piano is featured heavily on this track, more so than any other, and goes hand-in-hand exceptionally well with the classic female and male operatic vocal performances.

Once again Angra shows us why they're valued in such high regards alongside Avantasia, Stratovarius, Symphony X and Rhapsody Of Fire. Cycles Of Pain is absolutely a successful record, as it delivers all the goodness that previous releases managed to provide. The symphonies are superbly arranged, the production and overall sound quality is unparalleled, and the performances from each musician involved are more-or-less faultless. The songwriting may not match the quality of albums such as Angels Cry, Holy Land or Rebirth, and falls clearly short of Temple Of Shadows, but out of their ten releases to date, it's far from their worst effort, and over time enter many listeners' top five Angra album lists.