this is what i wrote about "The Temple of Shadows", as the album of the year 2004.
(and "Rebirth" is "the album of my whole life")
i would say it's a masterpiece. i loved rebirth too much so i wondered if i could love more what would come next to it before purchasing in last sep. .. but the worry turned out to be a
groundless apprehension.
i also love the theme of this album. This album is based on the strory of a knight crsader "The Shadow Hunter" by Raphael Bittencourt. When I first listened to the whole album, without reading any linernotes, just listening to the sound made me felt like I finished watching one long and good movie like Lord Of the Ring. Reading the lyrics and linernotes by Rafael afterwards, I think I could know why I felt in that way.
There are some good guest appearances on this album, and I loved Milton Mascimento's part best. His vocal sounds fully expressing deep and hopeless grief yet calmly.
I was most surprised by Edu's matureness this time. I think he successfully portraited many aspects of emotion through his voice, like Shadow Hunter's conviction, doubt, anger, sorrow, in the different style from what he showed us in "Rebirth".
Angra has been brave to get the "different" elements in their music and i think they succeed this time also.
it's not very "metal" if you seek aggresiveness into it, having a lot of brazilian and jazz element here and there. but i could feel the passion that they want to make a good one, not only for the listener but also for themselves and that's what i like most of this album...
(please excuse me if you can't understand what's written here because of my poor english)
