On a tour dedicated to Temple of Shadows , the vocalist brings to life the anthems that made him famous.
In the grand scheme of things, that's exactly what happens. The Cavalera revisit Sepultura . Phil Anselmo brings 50% of his set to Pantera . Even Blaze Bailey relives his brief stint in Iron Maiden (and those who look closely can easily find more recent examples). For better or worse, revisiting the past seems to be a sign of the times. At least in metal, one fact remains: until someone does it better, they will be reviving the works that redefined their and our lives. The equation applies perfectly to the now veteran (who would have thought!) Edu Falaschi , who, adding to his career the laborious 15th-anniversary tour of Temple of Shadows – the great classic of Brazilian metalheads created by the Manchete network – the vocalist vehemently acknowledges the passage of time in a celebratory tone. March 16th marked the second time the musician performed this album in its entirety in the capital of Rio Grande do Sul – the other time was in 2005, during the first incarnation of the Temple of Shadows World Tour , fronting the band that made him famous.
The trio of millennials accompanying him are making their way up online, while the infamous "original members from that era" are Aquiles Priester , who continues to exploit his old nickname of "octopus," and Fábio Laguna (an original member of Hangar , along with Aquiles), who only now seems to be receiving the spotlight that the fantastic quintet couldn't give him in his glory days. Alongside these experienced musicians, the trio of newcomers truly impresses: Diogo Mafra showed he's doing his homework, while Raphael Dafras (bass) and Roberto Barros (guitar), these two machines of technique and instrumental delivery, delivered a heavy-hitting performance on the Opinião stage. The lineup also includes a string quartet that I would love to praise, had it not been a waste to place them alongside the sonic interference of the exuberant drummer from Rio Grande do Sul, who mercilessly vents his discontent with the industry that treats musicians like fools on his instrument.
The band took the stage around 8 PM, performing the classic album track by track, starting the set with "Spread Your Fire" and "Angels and Demons" with crystal-clear, virtuosic sound, absolutely faithful to the original arrangements. Edu, continuing his turbulent comeback, immediately shows that the past is history, demonstrating total control over his pitch, his Achilles' heel (hehe). It's worth remembering that the week of the performance was the kick-off of the tour, which began the previous night in Caxias do Sul. The vocalist brings life to the choruses immortalized at the beginning of this century, and at the cost of some visible effort, doesn't miss a single note.
The show continued with the opulent architecture of "Waiting Silence," which roused the robust audience at the Opinião bar. For the delicate ballad "Wishing Well," Edu pulled out a Takamine 12-string guitar, bringing the repertoire even closer to the classic sound. Following that, a moment anticipated since the event's publicity: Edu Falaschi introduced who, in his words, is one of the best vocalists in power metal, referring to the former vocalist of Hibria .
Iuri Sanson took the stage and satisfied the longing and desire of the fans from Rio Grande do Sul to see him in action again. The vocalist not only brought his best characteristics to the lines sung by Kai Hansen on the album, but stole the show with a vocal performance that still impresses with its expression, even leaving Edu speechless. A high point, which was paused for the next song, in which the spotlight fell on Barros with the complex themes of "The Shadow Hunter". The guitarist, acclaimed and nicknamed by the audience "Safadão! Safadão!" (in reference to Wesley Safadão, with whom he seems to share some features), showed technical versatility and delighted those present with a confident and sumptuous touch on the classical guitar, which, incidentally, sounded very good through the PA system.
From this point on, the show, already partially composed of "new faces," took on the air of a "talent contest," with space opened for the participation of local musicians in parts recorded on the album by singers such as Hansi Kürsch ( Blind Guardian ) and Sabine Edelsbacher ( Edenbridge Ariana Gatto 's short excerpt in "No Pain For The Dead" truly convinced that there was criteria in the selection, while Douglas Marques delivered a great performance on the lines immortalized by the great German vocalist in "Winds of Destination." The end of the album was approaching, and as expected, the audience filled in the gaps left in "Late Redemption" by Milton Nascimento , who continues to refuse to reunite with the former Angra vocalist for a DVD with the original performers of the album.
Without a pause, the vocalist took a deep breath and continued with a short second act, composed of a fundamental classic (“Rebirth”), a cult b-side (“Live And Learn”, much appreciated by those present) and two original tracks released with this lineup that pleased the audience. “Glory of the Sacred Truth” brought the singer to very high notes and sounds much better live, while “Streets of Florence” also entertained. The vocalist, with a slightly less “Knights of the Zodiac” persona than he once had, proves to be in a great phase in his career and technique, seeking the original notes and exploring his classic timbre “wisely” while exceptionally maturing his solid relationship with the fans.
Aquiles sets aside his enormous drum kit to highlight the vocalist and address his "fellow countrymen" with more intimacy. The band finished the set with "Nova Era," basically giving the audience everything they had promised. Edu Falaschi appears reinvigorated, reaping the rewards of past successes. He is forging an honest path with substance in the present. May they end the tour with the excellence with which they began, providing nostalgia, art, and melodic metal for all who have the chance to appreciate it.
Text by: Rust Costa Machado
Photos: Daniela Cony
