In 2001, Angra was undergoing a restructuring after the departure of three members: vocalist Andre Matos , bassist Luís Mariutti , and drummer Ricardo Confessori . Joining the group at that crucial moment made all the difference for Aquiles Priester , as he told The Wikimetal Happy Hour .
During the conversation, the drummer reminisced about his friendship with Edu Falaschi since the recording of Rebirth (2001) and how that period remained in the memory of fans. “The metal audience ends up associating the person who recorded the album with the music, so it’s natural that people who lived through that era of Rebirth and Temple of Shadows are used to Edu singing those songs,” he continued. “They want to see the little German guy flipping his shoulder-length hair back; it became a trademark of the music.”
Despite the turbulent departure from the band, the drummer sees a positive outcome from the entire experience. “It’s undeniable how important my time in Angra was because it catalyzed my work. If I had played the same things I played in Rebirth in a smaller band, it would never have had the same impact as being in a big band, where people wanted to know what was going to happen,” he commented. “It leaves an unknown: 'What will happen now? How will Angra come back with three new people?' (…) The time I spent there was very well used.”
Priester acknowledges the magnitude of the impact a change in vocalist and drummer has on a band. "It's those two ends that really change the sound of a band," he analyzed. "Just think of Clive Burr and Nicko McBrain in Iron Maiden . You take The Number of the Beast , it's a hell of an album, and Piece of Mind too, but completely different."
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