HOLY LIVE

This EP is the first live release by Angra. The first four numbers (including the playback of the track "Crossing") are from the great Holy Land album, while the last two tracks are from the Angel's Cry album. This is not a bad album but it could have been much better. First of all, it should have been a full-length live album, there are many great tracks that would have been really nice to hear them live on record: "Silence and Distance", "The Shaman" and "Time" for example. Also, although the overall performance is quite good (specially the vocal work by Andre Matos is outstanding), there are some dodgy moments in the rendition of Carolina IV and this is such a pity, they should have put a tighter version of that song from other show. In conclusion, despite the facts this is a nice live EP and a couple of tracks are the only live versions available of them so far, so this record has its value.

Angra's first live album is a good live album. They made it too early, however. They could only use songs from "Holy Land" and "Angel's Cry". So the inventors of Progressive Prog Metal can't be convincing. It all seems calculated to make everything look perfect. Despite this, "Holy Live" is an honest, unpretentious EP, though, if not to please the fans. But it sounds cold. For the rest, the production is excellent and it is really a pleasure to listen to these excellent musicians. In the end what remains after listening is just that and I can't really enjoy this "Holy Live".

It was recorded at the Aquaboulevard in Paris, France in 1996, during the Holy Land tour. It has 6 songs and 35 minutes of music from the greatest South American power prog metal band. Reports say that Angra played more than 10 songs that day, but due to bad recording, some songs were not used for this album. All the songs here are performed well live. Andre Matos was in top form during those days. The charismatic late singer had an awesome interaction with the excited audience, A very fine live EP. I recommend it to all fans of this great band from Brazil.