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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Folk, Power and Speed - Amazing Album, February 7, 2005
This monumental release from the Brazilian power-metal act is a profound improvement over their debut, Angel's Cry. Absolutely blazing and intense, the album is true symphonic power metal with Brazilian folk instrumentation.
The album begins with the most unexpected introduction to a power-metal album - a soft, ambient passage with a female opera singer vocalizing in the background followed by a storm - and then the anthemic "Nothing to Say" begins. With amazing riffs, a memorable chorus and impressive classical interludes (very similar to the pauses in Rhapsody's "Emerald Sword", which would come later), this song is the perfect opener for a stellar album. "Silence and Distance" begins with singer Andre Matos' soft, almost infantile croon, only to kick into overdrive with his brutal wail. Each song on this album is indispensable, from the Brazilian influences in "Holy Land" to the rapid-fire rhythms of "Z.I.T.O" to the sweet delicacy of "Deep Blue", a delightful ballad.
The symphonic elements are never over-the-top, nor are they too subtle - they work very well to compliment each song. The two best tracks stand out quite nicely. The 10-minute "Carolina IV" is the album's culmination, with everything from a choir to unforgettable symphonic pauses and accompanying orchestrations. The idyllic "Make Believe" is beautiful in every respect - the lyrics are undeniably emotional and the music is almost playful. The album is a monument to power and with its listener-friendly ballads and symphonic interludes, Holy Land proves to be an album worthy of greatness.
See also: Aina - Days of Rising Doom, Rhapsody - Symphony of Enchanted Lands
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Mostly complete, April 9, 2007
I think it's great that you can pick up Angra's first two studio albums in one relatively inexpensive package, but before you buy it you should be aware that while it's true that you get both albums in full, you won't get the three bonus tracks that were included on the US version of Angel's Cry. Those tracks consisted of an alternate version of "Evil Warning" and remixes of "Angels Cry" and "Carry On". That's probably not a big deal to most people, but some metal fans tend to be a bit obsessive about owning all of a band's material. If you're one of those types (and I definitely fall in that category), you may want to buy Holy Land and Angels Cry separately. The truly daring may even try tracking down the elusive Holy Box.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
A brilliant way of introducing yourself to this band, November 6, 2006
OK, I've reviewed both these albums individually and am not going to write the same two reviews here. Instead I'm just going to say that on their own I gave each of these albums four stars and so to be able to get them both as a mid priced package is just awesome.
Sometimes these sort of compilations are money grabs by record companies but in this case it's just a brilliant opportunity. The genre Angra plays is melodic power metal, particularly on disc 1 which is the album Angels Cry. They had some progressive twinges and those really exploded into fruition on the second disc of this set, the ablum Holy Land.
This is the perfect opportunity to explore this bands early years, get two of their three full length studio albums and is should also be noted that two of their EP's - those being Freedom Call and Unholy Live were also released as a 'double team' in some territories just like this package so the lucky punter could perhaps get pretty much the whole early Angra story (excepting Fireworks) with just two purchases. Great stuff and well worth your money - and I'd direct you to peruse the reviews written about these two albums on their individual listings for more specific info. Hopefully it will help you make up your mind whether to explore a new band.
And for fans who arrived later on in the Angra story this is a great way to fill the gap in your collection.
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