Origins

I haven't a clue as to why some folks presume Shaman took a bit of a dump after André Matos left and everyone but guitarist Ricardo Confessori followed suit. I personally haven't heard the material, nor can I say "Origins" deserves to be their essential album, but I'm quite sure this must be one of Shaman's highest achievements. Shaman's similarities to groups like Angra (some of the current and ex-members of Shaman played in Angra, actually) are absolute, but musically the band is on another wavelength, channeling everything from burning power metal which flies like a rising phoenix to moonstruck numbers based on acoustic guitars and emotive might, baptized in the essence of progressive music, yet overloading with originality and charm. Everything about "Origins" is superb overall.

"Origins" almost has a cinematic feel to its progression: the album rockets into a handful of blistering power metal tunes before entering an atmospheric, ethereal void of ballads and tracks deeply inspired by progressive movements, and eventually coming full-circle on the album's peculiar themes without missing a beat. Thiago Bianchi's singing immediately clicks with the characteristics that define André Matos' voice. Bianchi's performance is pure gold, no other way to put it. As a vocalist, he reaches notes higher than the sky with ease and loads Shaman's creation with life. As I said, "Origins" takes the listener on a different path than most releases, breaking into an unpredictable mesh of uppity rockers and warming ballads, amongst the band's other tricks.

Here's another reason why "Origins" rules: phenomenal song writing. Every track is deep, layered, forceful, catchy, and whatever positive adjective you can think of. There are several fantastic riffs throughout the record, but seemingly many scattered throughout each track as well; it's just an example, but Confessori really did great finding room to keep his music interesting and fresh without looking forced or messy. The fast, heavy numbers are the album's undisputed strength, with "Lethal Injection," "Inferno Veil," and the masterful rhythms of "No Mind" splitting Shaman's MVP award. The two parts of "Ego" contribute a unique, sorrowful ballad that soon evolves into Shaman's bursting pack-a-punch of power metal magnificence; another gripping slice of greatness. That isn't to leave out the other songs, which are likewise incredible and have equal importance to the album's general success.

Shaman has climbed to one of the most highest points a band can reach with "Origins." The pristine edge of progressive music coating the band's natural relationship with balls-out power metal never looks bland or disabled, even though the album goes through a vacuum of different situations, a feat few can master. Bianchi's voice gives the record its spiritual power, and the remaining members of Shaman show compositional skills which easily surpass the basics of both power and progressive metal. This isn't a new god of the mixture which intertwines Shaman's fundamental approaches , but it's about as close to one as you can get, and if ears could talk, they'd tell you to buy "Origins" immediately.

This review was written for: www.Thrashpit.com