GRANDE ESPÍRITO

Well I prefer the album "Farol da Liberdade", as well as a great part of "SAGRADO CORACAO DA TERRAS", but this progressive album has got an enormous impact on the light symphonic progressive bands in South America, being characterized by many classics and usual songs by SAGRADO.

Before getting this album someone whispered in my ears that "Grande Espírito" wasn't in the same level of previous "Farol Da Liberdade" and that I should be disappointed - well, after many hearings my impressions are quite different.

"Grande Espírito", the 4th SAGRADO studio album is in fact much more sorrowful and somber, sometimes really obscure while their 2 previous albums are joyous and uplifting. The mystic factor spreads throughout the tracks, making this work a conceptual album per se.

Noticeable for the fans and listeners, especially the prog-heads is the ever- growing band's progressiveness index, their wonderful musicianship and the addition of a new singer, Bauxita, very tuned, with sharpen voice, a bit haunting, more synchronic with the prog scenario. This album, neatly symphonic indeed, could also fall in the 'eclectic' categorization due to the so many blendings perceived along its tracks: folk, classical, rock, pop, etc.

'Kian' opens the album in a soft and quasi-neo-prog way, the apparently glad atmosphere hides a powerful and sad mantra-like choir, repeating miserere nobis like a prayer altogether with a mesmerizing musical arrangement. 'Libertas' is a great song, hitting directly in the Brazilian hearts, where New Testament words are mixed with fine poetry and remembrances of the deeds of heroes of the nation - poignant and emotional, even being hard to be understood if you're not part of the landscape.

'Human beans' is one of the tracks sung in English which flows in a rocky style interchanging with some pop and agreeable tunes. The short 'Eldorado' brings the guest voice of the giant Milton Nascimento, who is able to transform a single song into a magnificent serenade. A great moment encapsulated in a narrow passage of the time, like a delicate perfume in a little flask.

Titletrack 'Grande espírito' is where the mystical moments appear more intensely. The song itself is odd and not easily palatable, although saved by the fine band action and the exquisite vocals. 'Sweet water', the other track sung in English, is a gorgeous, peaceful and romantic-like song, very pleasant to hear even not showing any different and bombastic playing which is a typical SAGRADO signature.

'Rapsódia cigana' (Gypsy rhapsody), au contraire, is thunderous and frantic, with that clear band footprint. The 'gypsy' content is set to add a plethora of folk and Eastern tunes, which provide a weird taste to the song, making it very enjoyable to listen to. 'País dos sonhos' (Dreamland) is the album's epic and where SAGRADO exercise the plenitude of their abilities, influences and enchantment. One word to classify it: unique.

SAGRADO CORAÇÃO DA TERRA discovered a new horizon and carried us through new musical lands and possibilities with "Grande Espírito", making this truly a great work and wholeheartedly an excellent addition for anyone's music collection.

This is an album that, musically and lyrically, makes me feel the grandeur of things bigger and more important than myself. "Grande Espirito" is too humble to be called pompous, too earnest to be called pretentious, and too significant to be called too earnest. It is not a religious album per se, yet its devotion rings from every corner of both channels...in fact, please listen to this with headphones at least once. You will believe yourself haunted by the "sacred heart of the earth".

Although this album features mostly songs rather than instrumentals, most tracks take their orders from Marcus Viana's instrumental contributions, in particular the violin. He manages to convince this listener that the violin is the most versatile of instruments, whether it is used in a dialog with guitars and Firmino Cavazza's cello in the pan-eastern "Rapsódia cigana", in the rock context of "Human Beans", as a critical part of the majestic and powerful symphony that is the title track, or as a sentimental yet jazzy accompaniment to the emotional vocals of "Sweet Water", Viana asserts himself again and again. This alone would be enough, even if the songs weren't masterfully written and arranged, if the other instrumentalists weren't supremely talented, and if Bauxita wasn't an expressive vocalist with a wide range in every direction. But they all are.

One could argue that "Human Beans", as one of only two English sung pieces on the album, has weaknesses inherent in the band abandoning their native tongue, but that cannot explain why the other anglophile piece "Sweet Water" can make a stone heart melt, or that the final track "País dos sonhos verdes" might be a bit too big a mouthful, and shows a distinct Mike Oldfield influence in the latter part. But it's pretty hard to find glaring weaknesses when you have such strong melodies as "Grande Espirito" , "Kian" and "Libertas" in your corner.

"Grande Espirito" is a totally modern symphonic progressive rock with no holes barred, possessing every quality hated by critics of the genre, and with twice the vision needed to dodge the opposition. My highest recommendation.