Temple of Shadows
Encyclopedia
Temple of Shadows is a concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
by the power metal
Power metal
Power metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
band Angra
Angra (band)
Angra is a Brazilian metal band from São Paulo, Brazil known for its symphonic interludes, highly technical instrumental playing and Brazilian regional elements.- Biography :...
and was released in 2004 by Paradoxx Music in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and SPV
SPV GmbH
SPV GmbH is an independent German record label.Founded on January 1, 1984, it has slowly grown to be one of the largest independent distributors and record labels worldwide....
label Steamhammer in the rest of the world. SPV also released a limited edition containing a bonus DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
with the complete video material of the concert that was previously released on their album Rebirth World Tour – Live in São Paulo.
Track listing
- "Deus Le Volt!" (Kiko LoureiroKiko LoureiroKiko Loureiro is a Brazilian Heavy metal guitarist who has worked with bands such as Angra, Silent Moon, and Blezqi Zatzas....
) – 0:52 - "Spread Your Fire" (Edu Falaschi, Rafael BittencourtRafael BittencourtRafael Bittencourt is a Brazilian guitarist, composer and co-founder of the band Angra.-Biography:With a very broad formation, Bittencourt studied with the best guitar teachers in Brazil and other countries...
, Loureiro) – 4:25 - "Angels and Demons" (Falaschi, Bittencourt, Loureiro) – 4:11
- "Waiting Silence" (Bittencourt, Loureiro) – 4:55
- "Wishing Well" (Falaschi, Bittencourt) – 4:00
- "The Temple of Hate" (Bittencourt, Loureiro) – 5:13
- "The Shadow Hunter" (Bittencourt, Loureiro) – 8:04
- "No Pain for the Dead" (Bittencourt, Loureiro) – 5:05
- "Winds of Destination" (Bittencourt, Loureiro) – 6:56
- "Sprouts of Time" (Bittencourt, Loureiro) – 5:09
- "Morning Star" (Bittencourt, Loureiro) – 7:39
- "Late Redemption" (Bittencourt, Loureiro) – 4:55
- "Gate XIII" (Falaschi, Bittencourt, Loureiro) – 5:04
Story
The 13 tracks tell a story written by guitaristGuitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Rafael Bittencourt
Rafael Bittencourt
Rafael Bittencourt is a Brazilian guitarist, composer and co-founder of the band Angra.-Biography:With a very broad formation, Bittencourt studied with the best guitar teachers in Brazil and other countries...
about the life of a crusader in the 11th century - known as The Shadow Hunter - questioning the ideals of the Catholic Church.
- Deus Le Volt!, Spread Your Fire: The story starts as a man, later named the Shadow Hunter, is chosen by God as a Jewish Rabbi tells him his fate.
- Angels and Demons: As he accepts his destiny, the Shadow Hunter goes off to spread a new belief, against the teachings of the Catholic Church, who define him as a hereticHeresyHeresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
.
- Waiting Silence: As time passes, the Shadow Hunter falls in love with a Muslim lady and has two sons. He is conflicted by his choice between filling out his destiny or living a normal life. As his anxiety builds, the Crusaders of the Roman Catholic Church attack the city the family lives in.
- Wishing Well: Completely separate from the coming battle, this vignette carries through the Shadow Hunter's mind, as the Rabbi's voice constantly replays itself, telling him "No matter where you throw your coins, whether it be in a church or a well, it's your faith! If there is a God, he has no home: He is everywhere!"
- Temple of Hate: Jerusalem is stormed by an army of the Holy Roman Church, in correspondence with the real event occurring in July 1099, and overcome with their zeal for Christianity, annihilate every single inhabitant. The Shadow Hunter's wife and two children are killed in this attack. The Reign of Jerusalem was founded upon the fanatic, intolerant and ignorant ideals of The Temple of Hate, against the will of those who lived in the Holy Land before their invasion.
"The entire population of the Holy city was put to the sword, Jews as well as Muslims, 70,000 men, women and children perished in a holocaust which raged for three days. In places men waded in blood up to their ankles and horsemen were splashed by it as they rode through the streets. Weeping, these devout conquerors went barefoot to pray at the Holy Sepulcher before rushing eagerly back to the slaughter." - Desmond Sweard, The Monks of War.
- The Shadow Hunter: The Shadow Hunter continues his travels and runs across a Gypsy prostitute. Instead of giving him pleasure, she reads him cards, telling him love will drag him from his path. The Shadow Hunter, seeking answers to questions that plague him, is even more baffled by the woman. At this point, he also discovers the death of his family.
- No Pain for the Dead: Continuing from the previous song, The Shadow Hunter buries his family, overcome with loss and sadness, but is comforted by knowing they are free from mortal suffering and emotions. He then questions whether all this has been worth doing.
- Winds of Destination: Some time passes and he ends up in the assault of Xerigordon Fortress, held up by Kilij Arslan. During the conquest of Xerigordon Fortress, The Shadow Hunter is injured and has to run away to escape from the troops of Kilij Arslan. Losing blood, he collapses before getting back to Constantinople. While unconcsious, he dreams about the lost scrolls hidden in the ruins of the Temple of Solomon and inside lost caves by the Dead Sea.
- Sprouts of Time: The Shadow Hunter starts a new religion, gathering people around him to spread the truth revealed for him. Words of peace and love were sown like seeds in the hearts of the wise, but fruitlessly dropped on the rocky soil of the hearts of the blind. The future is a consequence of what we do now. The present exposes the Sprouts of Time to everyone. It is unclear whether this actually happens, or if he is hallucinating this event, as the next song states that he is just waking up.
- Morning Star: When he wakes up, two Muslim men are carrying him away on a type of hammock hanging on a long piece of wood. Weak and frightened, he can't react. Right above his head, while the sun is dawning, the Morning Star shines in the new day's sky. The six-pointed star presents a cross and the trident together as one. He understands the first sign given to him by the Rabbi as the wolves are howling. At that very moment, the first prophecy is accomplished. He will find out later that the two men are brothers. Inside, their sister, named Laura, will tend to his wounds. As he finds strength to move again, the Shadow Hunter waits for dawn as it seemingly seems the Morning Star is giving him the chance to decide whether he lives or dies.
- Late Redemption: On his deathbed, whether it is immediately after this or some time in the future, the Shadow Hunter is still in doubt about the long journey which has brought him here; he remains beset by the questions: "Was I right? Was I wrong?" Memories and thoughts twist his mind. As death approaches, the Hunter is visited by angels - or are they demons? Who knows? How can the purest heart judge evil? The Angel of Death stretches his arms and offers a comfortable eternal silence. The Shadow Hunter delivers his body and soul, sure of his Late Redemption.
Gate XIII is an orchestral instrumental, reprising riffs, progressions, and other musical themes from many of the other songs, symbolizing that as life lives by taking the lives of others, one life ends, more life begins. The snake eats its tail.
Personnel
- Eduardo FalaschiEduardo Falaschithumb|250px|Edu Falaschi in guitarEduardo "Edu" Falaschi is a Brazilian singer best known for his work as lead singer and songwriter with the São Paulo based band Angra...
- Vocals - Kiko LoureiroKiko LoureiroKiko Loureiro is a Brazilian Heavy metal guitarist who has worked with bands such as Angra, Silent Moon, and Blezqi Zatzas....
- Guitars, Backing Vocals - Rafael BittencourtRafael BittencourtRafael Bittencourt is a Brazilian guitarist, composer and co-founder of the band Angra.-Biography:With a very broad formation, Bittencourt studied with the best guitar teachers in Brazil and other countries...
- Guitars, Backing Vocals - Felipe AndreoliFelipe AndreoliFelipe Andreoli is a heavy-metal bassist known for playing in bands like Angra, Karma and Almah.In 2006, along with Angra and Hangar's members, he participated in Fábio Laguna's Freakeys project....
- Bass, Backing Vocals - Aquiles PriesterAquiles PriesterAquiles Priester is the drummer of the Brazilian power metal band Hangar. In 2006, Aquiles participated in Fábio Laguna's Freakeys project. He is a former member of Angra.-Biography:Aquiles Priester was born in Otjo, South Africa...
- Drums
Guest appearances
The album is featured by several guest musicians:- Fábio LagunaFábio LagunaFábio Laguna is a keyboardist most famous for playing with Angra since 2001 and for being a member of Hangar band since 2002. In 2006 he released his last solo album called Freakeys along with members of both bands.-Biography:...
- Keyboards - Sabine Edelsbacher of EdenbridgeEdenbridge (band)Edenbridge is a symphonic metal band from Austria.-History:Edenbridge was formed in 1998 by guitarist and keyboardist Lanvall, his girlfriend - vocalist Sabine Edelsbacher - and bassist Kurt Bednarsky. The line-up was completed when drummer Roland Navratil joined the band...
sings on Spread Your Fire and No Pain for the Dead. - Kai HansenKai HansenKai Michael Hansen is a power metal guitarist and vocalist.Hansen is the founder, lead guitarist, and vocalist of power metal band Gamma Ray, and the co-founder and former member of German metal band Helloween. He is a prominent figure in power metal, and has sold millions of albums worldwide...
of Gamma RayGamma Ray (band)Gamma Ray is a power metal band from Hamburg, northern Germany, founded and fronted by Kai Hansen after his departure from the German power metal Helloween. Hansen is the current lead vocalist, guitarist as well as the chief songwriter of Gamma Ray. The band is known as one of the most prominent...
& Ex-HelloweenHelloweenHelloween is a German power metal band founded in the mid 1980s by members of Iron Fist and Powerfool. The band was a pioneering force in the European Power Metal movement and their second and third studio albums, Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt...
on The Temple of Hate. - Hansi KürschHansi KürschHans Jürgen Kürsch, better known as Hansi Kürsch is a German musician, the lead vocalist and lyricist of power metal band Blind Guardian. Together with André Olbrich, he is also the principal songwriter for the band. He was also the bassist in Blind Guardian until the 1998 album Nightfall in...
of Blind GuardianBlind GuardianBlind Guardian is a German power metal band formed in the mid-1980s in Krefeld, West Germany. They are often credited as one of the seminal and most influential bands in the power metal and speed metal subgenres...
on Winds of Destination. - and famous Brazilian singer Milton NascimentoMilton Nascimento-Biography:Nascimento's mother was the maid Maria Nascimento. As a baby, Milton Nascimento was adopted by his mother's former employers: the couple Josino Brito Campos, a banker employee, mathematics teacher and electronic technician; and Lília Silva Campos, a music teacher and choir singer...
on Late Redemption.
Additional information
- Gate XIII is a bonus track on some releases, but considered an official part of the album.