Vera Cruz is the third solo album by Brazilian heavy metal singer Edu Falaschi, the first with all-new material,[2][3][4][5] released initially on May 12, 2021, in Japan via MS Metal Records,[6] digitally to the rest of the world on May 18, 2021. The album was then released physically, first in Brazil on May 31, 2021, and then to the rest of the world on June 15, 2021.[7][8]
| Vera Cruz | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | May 12, 2021 | |||
| Recorded | November 2020 | |||
| Studio | Nas Nuvens Studios, Rio de Janeiro | |||
| Genre | Power metal | |||
| Length | 59:39[1] | |||
| Language | English, Portuguese | |||
| Label | MS Metal Records | |||
| Producer | Edu Falaschi, Roberto Barros, Thiago Bianchi | |||
| Edu Falaschi chronology | ||||
| ||||
Released to celebrate the 30 years of his career,[5] it is a concept album[8][9] that tells an adventure story between Brazil and Portugal around the time of the discovery of Brazil and that features several guests, such as Elba Ramalho and Max Cavalera (who hadn't guest performed in the past 25 years[5]).[10][11][12][13]
Background
editVera Cruz is the first solo album featuring new material only by Falaschi (outside of his project Almah). It comes after two cover albums (Moonlight (2016) and Ballads (2017)), one EP featuring two new songs and some live performances (The Glory of Sacred Truth) and one live release (Temple of Shadows – In Concert) in which he performed Temple of Shadows in its entirety (an album he had released in 2004 with his now former band Angra.[9] It is a work in which he recovers some vocal techniques he used to apply in his time with Angra, but which he temporarily lost due to voice issues.[2][14]
Production
editThe album was created at a cost of approximately R$ 100,000, recorded in November 2020[12][14] at Nas Nuvens studios in Rio de Janeiro and produced by Falaschi himself alongside Roberto Barros and vocalist Thiago Bianchi (ex-Shaman).[8][9]
The cover (in a vertical format[15]) and the title were revealed in December 2020, together with the announcement that the album would be released in May 2021 and that the it was available for pre-order on the 4fan website.[6][15]
Plot
editThe album's plot, which begins in 1492 in the Portuguese city of Tomar, follows Jorge, a Portuguese child abandoned soon after birth with a birthmark related to the Ordem da Cruz de Nero (Order of Nero's Cross). As an adult, he goes to Brazil, marries an indigenous woman and join the remaining natives to defend the land from other Portuguese invaders. Falaschi researched the history of the Crusades in order to write the album, drawing inspiration specifically from the fact that some Templars traveled to Brazil. [5][14]
Falaschi said that since the beginning he knew the album's themes and sound could generate comparisons with Angra, specifically with the album Holy Land, which also discussed the History of Brazil in its lyrics. According to him, however, the similarities are "natural" since he and two of the supporting musicians (keyboardist Fábio Laguna and drummer Aquiles Priester) worked with the band for years.[14]
Release and promotion
editThe album was released in conventional formats and also in a special box with a digibook, a CD, a DVD, a booklet with the plot summary, the lyrics, some pictures, a T-shirt and a mug.[6][13][15]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Burden" | 2:00 |
| 2. | "The Ancestry" | 5:50 |
| 3. | "Sea of Uncertainties" | 4:54 |
| 4. | "Skies in Your Eyes" | 4:25 |
| 5. | "Frol de la Mar" | 0:58 |
| 6. | "Crosses" | 4:40 |
| 7. | "Land Ahoy" | 9:40 |
| 8. | "Fire with Fire" | 6:39 |
| 9. | "Mirror of Delusion" | 5:28 |
| 10. | "Bonfire of the Vanities" (featuring Tito Falaschi) | 3:29 |
| 11. | "Face of the Storm" (featuring Max Cavalera) | 7:30 |
| 12. | "Rainha do Luar" (Queen of Moonlight (featuring Elba Ramalho)) | 4:06 |
| Total length: | 59:39[1] | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 13. | "Skies in Your Eyes" (Acoustic Version) | 4:21 |
| Total length: | 63:52 | |
Personnel
editPer sources.[8][9][12][13][14][17]
- Edu Falaschi – vocals
Session musicians
edit- Diogo Mafra – guitar
- Roberto Barros – guitar
- Raphael Dafras – bass
- Fábio Laguna – keyboards
- Aquiles Priester – drums
Guest performances
edit- Max Cavalera – vocals on "Face of the Storm"
- Elba Ramalho – vocals on "Rainha do Luar"
- Tito Falaschi – guitar solo on "Bonfire of the Vanities"
- Federico Puppi – cello on "Bonfire of Vanities" and "Rainha do Luar"
- Tiago Mineiro – piano on "Land Ahoy" and "Rainha do Luar"
- Adriano Machado – strings arrangements and conducting
- Rafael Meninão – accordion on "Rainha do Luar"
Technical personnel
edit- Dennis Ward – mixing and mastering
- Pablo Greg – orchestrations
- Fábio Caldeira – plot co-writing
- Carlos Fides – cover art
References
edit- ^ a b "Vera Cruz". Spotify. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
- ^ a b Sousa, Denor (30 July 2021). "TMDQA! Entrevista: Edu Falaschi celebra 30 anos de carreira com o incrível Vera Cruz". Tenho Mais Discos Que Amigos!. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
- ^ Coppi, Leandro (18 May 2021). "EDU FALASCHI: "Vera Cruz" disponível em todas as plataformas digitais". Roadie Crew. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
- ^ Assis, Marcelo de (24 May 2021). "Edu Falaschi lança o novo álbum "Vera Cruz"". Terra. Telefônica Brasil. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
- ^ a b c d Brunetti, Itaici (18 May 2021). "Edu Falaschi lança disco solo com participações de Max Cavalera e Elba Ramalho: 'Música não tem limite' [ENTREVISTA]". Rolling Stone Brasil. Grupo Perfil. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
- ^ a b c Miranda, Igor (22 December 2020). "Edu Falaschi anuncia novo álbum 'Vera Cruz' e libera capa e vídeo em estúdio; confira". Igor Miranda. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
- ^ "Edu Falaschi faz lançamento mundial do álbum "Vera Cruz"". Correio do Povo. Grupo Record. 11 May 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
- ^ a b c d Igor, Miranda (10 November 2020). "Edu Falaschi começa a gravar novo álbum solo no Rio de Janeiro; veja vídeo em estúdio". Guitarload. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
- ^ a b c d Ferreira, Mauro (9 November 2020). "Edu Falaschi grava no Rio o primeiro álbum solo com repertório inédito". G1. Grupo Globo. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
- ^ Schlindwein, Manoel (15 February 2021). "Elba Ramalho ataca de roqueira em nova produção". Veja. Grupo Abril. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
- ^ Ferreira, Mauro (15 March 2021). "Max Cavalera participa de disco de Edu Falaschi enquanto prepara álbuns das bandas Soulfly e Go Ahead and Die". G1. Grupo Globo. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
- ^ a b c Ferreira, Mauro (16 February 2021). "Elba Ramalho canta em álbum solo de Edu Falaschi, ex-vocalista da banda Angra". G1. Grupo Globo. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
- ^ a b c Coppi, Leandro (22 March 2021). "EDU FALASCHI divulga tracklist e foto promocional do álbum "Vera Cruz"". Roadie Crew. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Miranda, Igor (12 May 2021). "Edu Falaschi: em exclusiva, ele conta tudo sobre "Vera Cruz", seu 1º álbum solo". Whiplash.net. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
- ^ a b c Ferreira, Mauro (14 December 2020). "Edu Falaschi, ex-vocalista da banda Angra, revela capa e título de álbum solo". G1. Grupo Globo. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
- ^ "「ヴァラクルス」 | King Records". キングレコード | King Records (in Japanese). Retrieved 1 September 2021.
- ^ "Edu Falaschi: Conheça As 10 Participações especiais No Álbum Vera Cruz". Rock Bizz. 17 April 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.