from BW&BK
Brazilian bashers ANGRA are preparing to unleash their new album, Rebirth, an aptly titled release considering only two of the founding members, guitarists Rafael Bittencourt and Kiko Loureiro, remain on the roster. In place of singer Andre Matos, who is making his way these days with both Virgo and Shaman, is Edu Falaschi, a man who is well known on the Brazilian metal scene as a talented singer that almost snagged the coveted position behind the microphone for Iron Maiden back in 1994.
"I'm a huge Iron Maiden fan," Falaschi says of his decision to send a demo tape to the band. "I didn't think I had much of a chance, but I sent a tape to the band anyway. I had nothing to lose by doing it. I received a letter some months later saying that they had chosen me as one of the finalists, and I couldn't believe it. It was like... oh my God! But they decided not to pick me because I was too young - only 22 - and inexperienced. It was incredibly exciting, though."
Falaschi isn't dwelling on past glories or thoughts of what could have been. Nor is he dwelling on the fact that, now with Angra, he is replacing a singer with a legion of fans in his own right. Falaschi is confortable and relaxed in his new position as Angra's frontman, but not arrogantly so.
"When I went in to record the vocals for Rebirth, I couldn't copy Andre Matos' style; that wouldn't be fair to his fans or to me. I have my own style, my own way of singing, but at the same time I can't forget Angra's past. In my last band, Symbols, my style was a little bit more powerful than what you hear on Rebirth; my voice was very dry. In Angra, I know that sort of thing isn't possible. So, when I sang the new songs I tried to make a mix of both styles because it was very important to keep the essence of Angra's past."
