Angra "Angels Cry (Japan, Victor Entertainment, VICP-5314)"

Angels Cry is the debut album of Brazilian metal band Angra. It was released in 1993 and recorded in Germany at Kai Hansen's studios in Hamburg.

The opening track is a short rendition of the first movement of Franz Schubert's "Symphony No. 8", commonly known as his "Unfinished Symphony". In addition, the title track features a brief arrangement of "Caprice no. 24" by Niccolò Paganini, whereas "Evil Warning" features a brief arrangement of "Winter" by Antonio Vivaldi. The opening of the track "Never Understand" features a brief arrangement of the song "Asa Branca" by Luiz Gonzaga. The opening section of the closing track "Lasting Child", entitled "The Parting Words", is an adaptation of the theme of Felix Mendelssohn's "Variations sérieuses", Op. 54.

When commenting on the production and recording of the album, vocalist Andre Matos said that recording the album was difficult due to the inexperience of him and his bandmates, and also due to the difference of musical influences between them and the producers. He also referred to the recording as "an exile":

We were there for months old until the album was taking a final shape. And it was kind of creepy also. [...] we were recording this album at Kai Hansen's studio in Hamburg, the Gamma Ray studio. And it happened that the studio sat inside a Second World War bunker. There were no windows, there was no air, there was no light. So it was a strange atmosphere for this first album that we did in Germany, but in the end everything went out okay.

Producer Charlie Bauerfeind was not confident that drummer and co-founder Marcos Antunes would be skillful enough for the music he expected to put in the album, so he told the band they could either fire him and hire Alex Holzwarth as a session musician or use electronic drums - or otherwise he would leave the project. The band decided to do as he said and replaced Antunes with Holzwarth, a decision Matos regards as being very difficult.

One of the songs, however, was performed by a different drummer: Kate Bush cover "Wuthering Heights", played by then Gamma Ray drummer Thomas Nack. Matos said Nack was a big fan of Bush and "could play those lines perfectly".

The inlays and photo shoots for the album display drummer Ricardo Confessori, but he would only join the band after its recording. Antunes appears on the back sleeve and inlays of the Japanese first press of the album instead of Confessori.

Tracklist:

1. Unfinished Allegro 01:14
2. Carry On 05:03
3. Time 05:56
4. Angels Cry 06:49   
5. Stand Away 04:56   
6. Never Understand 07:49  
7. Wuthering Heights (Kate Bush cover) 04:41  
8. Streets of Tomorrow 05:03  
9. Evil Warning 06:42  
10. Lasting Child (Part I: The Parting Words / Part II: Renaissance) (Instrumental) (01) 03:36
11. Lasting Child (Part I: The Parting Words / Part II: Renaissance) (Instrumental) 01:01  

Time:  52:50

Original drummer Marco Antunes appears in the inlay photos for this Japanese release only, but did not play on the album.

Unfinished Allegro is part of the Schubert's 'Unfinished Symphony 8º'

Orchestral arrangements by Sascha Paeth.

Official music videos:

- Carry On

- Time

Recording information:

Recorded at Kai Hansen Studios, Hamburg, Germany, July/August 1993.

Additional recordings and mixed at Horus Sound Studio, Hanover, Germany, August/September 1993, except tracks 1 and 6 mixed at VOX Klangstudio, Bendestorf, Germany, September 1993.

Piano recordings on tracks 7 and 10 at VOX Klangstudio, August 1993.