Rebirth indeed! After a well-publicized split, guitarists Kiko Loureiro and Rafael Bittencourt recruit a new lineup, and Angra returns to their roots after the more traditional 'Fireworks'. The sound is once again a trademark blend of Helloween-style Euro Power Metal with Progressive elements, and in a nod to the band's second release, 'Holy Land,' traditional Brazilian tribal rhythms make another appearance. The result is a very strong release, falling just short of the band's first two.
"Nova Era," "Running Alone," and "Millennium Sun" are all standard Euro metal, with the exception of the beautiful piano/vocal intro to the latter. The aforementioned tribal rhythms show up on "Judgment Day," "Unholy Wars," and "Acid Rain". The second of these is classic Angra through-and-through, and the third is the album's highlight. The intro sounds like a chorus from the Omen movies, and it leads into a biting main riff and the most intricate arrangement on the album. The title track is an excellent piece that will take fans back to 'Angels Cry,' clearly showing that Eduardo Falaschi was the right choice to take over vocal duties. "Visions Prelude" is a haunting ballad based on Chopin's famous "Op. 24 Prelude in C Minor" - if you don't recognize the title, you'll more than likely recognize the theme.
Don't go out of your way to find the import version with the bonus track, as it adds little to the album, and "Visions Prelude" wraps things up beautifully in its absence.

TRACK LIST:
1. In Excelsis
2. Nova Era
3. Millennium
4. Acid Rain
5. Heroes of Sand
6. Unholy Wars
7. Rebirth
8. Judgement Day
9. Running Alone
10. Visions Prelude
11. Bleeding Heart (Bonus track)

Review by Dave Sobecki