Brazil’s Amazon have been rolling along for nearly ten years, and this is the brand new follow-up to their 2004 debut Victoria Regia. Musically they flow through the hinterland between Nightwish, Sonata Arctica, melodic rock/metal and pomp rock. Blonde Brazilian beauty Sabrina Todt has a versatile voice that moves from pop-rock to deep semi-operatic to full on Tarja mode to a sweet higher register depending on the music, like having four different singers in one attractive package. The production gives the whole affair a lively live vibe, as if you are listening to the band playing live through a top notch hi-fidelity PA system, with the soundman keeping a perfect balance. This means that you can clearly hear Frazão bashing his drums and crashing his cymbals, so often the poor drummer either gets lost in the mix or ends up sounding like a robot. Renato Angelo is not only a skilled guitarist who provides plenty of tasty licks, but he’s also pretty nifty on the keys, with some super Moog work, he’s really put in a most splendid double shift. They have obviously spent the last 6 years writing cracking tunes, a sample of their wares includes the anthemic ‘Conceived’ with a touch of Nightwish and some great synths, the delightful duet ‘Lake of Dreams, the galloping ‘Falling’, the dramatic epic ‘Heretic’, the swaying lighter waver ‘Whoever You Are’ and the melodic rocker ‘The Poem and the Eden’. This is a record that will appeal to the massive melodic rock/metal crowd as well as symphonic metallers.

Best of all, you can paddle away with this opus for free from their Website, http://www.amazon.mus.br/, a most gratifying 8.5/10 .

(Reviewed by Phil)