Ritual [Import]

Shaman | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 23, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Import [Generic]
• ASIN: B00006IRND
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,635,362 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Ancient Winds

2. Here I Am

3. Distant Thunder

4. For Tomorrow

5. Time Will Come

6. Over Your Head

7. Fairy Tale

8. Blind Spell

9. Ritual

10. Pride

Editorial Reviews

2002 release for band comprised of ex-Angra members. Symphonic speed prog metal! Ten tracks. Icarus. 2003. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 4.5 stars - Angra: Version 2.0, August 26, 2003

By 

Justin Gaines (Northern Virginia) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ritual (Audio CD)

And to think I was worried when Angra split up at the end of the millennium. Had I known that it would result in not one, but two fantastic metal bands, I would have taken the news a whole lot better. Angra went on to greater heights with the addition of some new blood, most notably vocalist Edu Falaschi; and the departing members, led by vocalist Andre Matos, formed Shaman.

While I think that the new Angra is the better band (thanks to the truly amazing Rebirth album), Shaman is also quite excellent. If you enjoyed Angra at all during Matos's tenure with the band, then you're sure to enjoy Shaman. Their debut CD Ritual is an excellent offering of Brazilian-influenced power metal. It is reminiscent of the Holy Land album, which remains my favorite of the Matos-era Angra discs. It has some great melodies, excellent production (courtesy of the famous Sascha Paeth and Miro), and the vocals are superb. Andre Matos has one of the most recognizable voices in metal, though he has often been criticized for singing too high at times. He reins it in a bit on Ritual though, which gives the album a bit of a harder edge than the old Angra albums had. He does hit some really high notes on Pride, the albums closer, which might make the listener cringe a little. Standout tracks on this disc include Distant Thunder and Blind Spell, but all the songs are quite good.

I'd recommend Ritual not only to Angra fans, but to any fans of melodic power metal. If you enjoy bands like Gamma Ray, Helloween, and Freedom Call, then you owe it to yourself to check out this great debut from Shaman.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars YAY!, June 14, 2003

By 

Robert (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ritual (Audio CD)

Andre Matos is one of the best singers ever!! This album rules so much!! It's like Holy Land, but heavier. Any fan of old school Angra needs this.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More Angra than Angra............, September 16, 2002

By 

"deathpito" (Santiago, Region Metropolitana Chile) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ritual (Audio CD)

We all know the story, so I'll keep this part of the review very short. Main composer Andre Matos left his own creation, legendary Brazilian heavy metal nad Angra, because of management problems and diverse bureocratic issues. Fellow musicians Luis Mariutti (bass) and Ricardo Confessori (drums) joined Matos, and alongside Hugo Mariutti (guitar, Hugos's brother) they formed Shaman. Angra currently continued to exist, and they shortly released the Rebirth album, a magnificent display of European heavy metal, but not quite an Angra album. Shaman was the band to follow if one wanted the same power and Brazilian influences the old Angra had. But let's get this straight: this is not a band that copies their old setlist, Ritual is an impressive disc that has obvious influences from Angra's past catalogue, especially Holy Land, but also shows how these musicians have improved both technically and in terms of composing. Matos has improved greatly his voice, evolving far beyond his usual high pitched screams, he now has a much raspier voice, more manly in many aspects. And new guitarrist Mariutti completes the task of covering two spots, with killer riffs and acceptable solos (if you want excelent guitar solos, check Angra's Rebirth). Luis Mariutti and Confessori continue showcasing their best chops, especially the latter (if you get to see Confessori live you'll realize what I'm talking about).
The songs, are simply excelent. All of them are good. There are usual power metal type (Here I am, Time Has Come, Pride), more ethnic oriented songs (For Tomorrow, Blind Spell, Ritual), the usual ballad (Fairy Tale) and many others. I personally liked very much Over Your Head, Time Will Come and Blind Spell, but all of them are good. Get this and Angra's Rebirth, and then you'll se who should be carrying the Angra name......