Almah (band)

Almah
Origin São Paulo, Brazil
Genres Progressive metal, power metal, neoclassical metal, thrash metal
Years active 2006–present
Associated acts Angra
Members Edu Falaschi
Marcelo Barbosa
Marcelo Moreira
Raphael Dafras
Diogo Mafra
Past members Casey Grillo
Lauri Porra
Emppu Vuorinen
Felipe Andreoli
Paulo Schroeber
Gustavo di Padua

Almah is a Brazilian metal band. It was initially established in 2006 as a side project of former Angra’s singer Edu Falaschi. Since 2006 Almah has released three albums and has turned from a solo-project into a band with regular activities.[1] The band released its third album entitled "Motion" in October 2011. "Motion" was recorded at Norcal Studios in São Paulo, Brasil between May and June 2011. The album was mixed and mastered by Jochem Jacobs at Split Second Sound Studios in Amsterdam in July 2011.

Biography

The first self-titled Almah was released in the second half of 2006 (Japan/Victor-JVC and Brazil/Laser Company) / in March 2007 (Europe/AFM Records). Besides singing, Edu Falaschi also produced the record, composed all the songs and wrote all the lyrics. He recorded acoustic guitars and keyboards and created all the arrangements for every instrument, including orchestrations. The album was recorded in Finland and Brazil with the following musicians: Emppu Vuorinen (guitars – Nightwish), Lauri Porra (bass – Stratovarius) and Casey Grillo (drums – Kamelot) and special guest appearances: Mike Stone (guitars – Queensrÿche), Edu Ardanuy (guitars – Dr. Sin) and Sizão Machado (bass – Tom Jobim, Chico Buarque and others) among others.[1][2]

Edu Falaschi: I was searching for a name – easy name to remember and to pronounce in all languages and I find out that Almah with «h» in Hebrew means virginity and purity but at the same time I find out in the bible many religious people say what it means the opposite it means malice and perversion then I thought – ok two opposite meanings it’s very interesting and this two sides I can use this idea to make lyrics – I decided to talk about human feelings in a whole album - and human feelings can be good and bad – like liberty like love ore we can feel like freedom we can feel envy and greed – bad feelings. That’s how I decided to wrote about human feelings. But about the name again – Almah, the sound «Alma» in Portuguese is soul and the soul in Spanish is soul as well and I am always finding different meanings of this word – always good meanings. [3]

The debut album got good reviews in many rock magazines and websites worldwide.[1] Edu Falaschi was called one of the best singers by Burrn! magazine readers (Japan).[4]

The second album Fragile Equality was released on September 24 in Asia/Brazil by JVC and Laser Company Records and on October 17 in Europe/USA/Canada by AFM Records. Since in June 2007 Angra took a break for two years, Edu concentrated on Almah. The solo project month by month was turning into a real band with stable line-up.[1]

Edu Falaschi: Angra really stopped in 2007 in July. And then when I released the first album, it was the solo album, I knew that maybe in the future Almah could be a band. And when Angra really stopped, we didn’t know about Angra future and we didn’t know when we would come back with Angra. I decided in December 2007 to create a new Almah album, but as a real band, as a full time band. [5]

Besides Edu, who is handling the vocals, his Angra's mate Felipe Andreoli on bass has participated in the band. Guitar player Marcelo Barbosa from Khallice joined the band before its first tour in August 2007. During pre-production stage of Fragile Equality the drummer Marcelo Moreira (Burning in Hell) and the second guitarist Paulo Schroeber entered Almah.[6] All members have contributed actively to the songwriting process of Fragile Equality, with Edu Falaschi and Felipe Andreoli being responsible for the production as well.[2] CD was recorded in Norcal Studios (São Paulo) in the summer 2008.[7]

The 2nd Almah album Fragile Equality lyrical concept is about "the balance between all the elements of the universe" based on a book that Edu is the co-writer for. The book "Fragile Equality - Equinox-Book 1" (done in manga style) is to be released sometime later, with a karaoke CD of the Fragile Equality album.[2]

In Brazil the first press of the album was sold out during the first day of official sales.[8] According to the magazine Roadie Crew the album became of the best-selling albums in Brazil.[9] By the readers of Brazilian Metal Magazine, Roadie Crew[10] and by the contributors of the Brazilian metal website Whiplash and the Brazilian metal website Rock Underground [11] Almah and Fragile Equality were recognized as THE BEST BRAZILIAN BAND 2008, THE BEST ALBUM 2008, THE BEST ARTWORK 2008 among other nominations awarded to Almah musicians.

Fragile Equality in mass media: Metal Temple website (Greece) 4.5/5 (excellent)[12] Novo Metal website (Brazil) 9.0/10 [13] Lords Of Metal website (Holland) 80/100 [14] Rock Eyez website 4.5/5 [15] Pavillon 666 website (France) 9/10 [16] Whiplash (Brazil) 9/10 [17]

The tour started in São Paulo in November 2008 and finished in April 2009 in Rio de Janeiro.[18] In July and August 2008 ALMAH played on the main stage of musical festivals PÍAUI POP [19] and PORÃO DO ROCK.[1]

In January 2009 Almah launched the new video clip Beyond Tomorrow. It was filmed in December 2008 in the capital of Brazil - Brasília by Rodrigo Gianetto who works also for MTV Brazil. The clip is available on the band’s official Myspace and YouTube channels.<ref name="Almah: confira vídeo clipe da música "Beyond Tomorrow">Macedo, Eduardo (2008-01-13). "Almah: confira vídeo clipe da música "Beyond Tomorrow"" (in Portuguese). Whiplash. Archived from the original on 26 April 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-26.</ref>

The band has its own fan clubs all around the world, in Europe, Japan and even in Russia and in Brazil.[20] In March 2009 the band released its first Internet single All I Am (with acoustic version of this song) through its Brazilian Equality Fan Club.[21]

Angra returned to the high activities in March 2009 but Almah announced the start of composing songs for the follower of Fragile Equality.[22]

In September 2011, Edu Falaschi and Felipe Andreoli went to Japan to promote the album release by making various interviews for the local press.

In October 2011, Paulo Schroeber left the band due to health issues. He had played his last show with the band in July 2011.

The band also played a few concerts with Sepultura in late 2011.

In April 2012, the band played at the "Metal Open Air" festival in São Luís. This was the first concert of the new guitarist Gustavo Di Padua replacing Paulo Schroeber.

In May 2012, Felipe Andreoli announces his departure from Almah to fully dedicate himself to other projects and his main band, Angra. On the same day, Edu Falaschi announces his departure from Angra on an open letter, to fully dedicate himself to Almah.

Lead singer Edu Falaschi recently said that he have 20 new songs for an upcoming Almah album, to be released in 2013.[23]

Band members

Current members
Former members
Touring musicians
Guest musicians

Discography

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Almah, Official website (2008). "Almah official Bio" (in Portuguese). Almah Official website. Archived from the original on 23 March 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 AFM, Records (2008-10-16). "Almah Bio by AFM Records". AFM Records. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  3. ↑ Khorina, Ksenia (2009-07-08). "Edu Falaschi's interview for DarkSide Ezine 2007". DarkSide Ezine. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  4. ↑ Macedo, Eduardo (2007-03-25). "Edu Falaschi é destaque na revista Burrn" (in Portuguese). Whiplash. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  5. ↑ Khorina, Ksenia (2009-07-08). "Edu Falaschi's interview for DarkSide Ezine 2009". DarkSide Ezine. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  6. ↑ Macedo, Eduardo (2008-03-08). "Almah anuncia formação para novo álbum" (in Portuguese). Whiplash. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  7. ↑ Macedo, Eduardo (2008-05-07). "Angra: Andreoli fala sobre gravações do novo Almah" (in Portuguese). Whiplash. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  8. ↑ Macedo, Eduardo (2008-10-03). "Almah: esgotada primeira prensagem de Fragile Equality" (in Portuguese). Whiplash. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  9. ↑ Macedo, Eduardo (2008-01-22). "Almah: “Fragile Equality” entre os mais vendidos no Brasil" (in Portuguese). Whiplash. Archived from the original on 3 May 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  10. ↑ Macedo, Eduardo (2008-03-17). "Almah: entre os melhores do ano da revista Roadie Crew" (in Portuguese). Whiplash. Archived from the original on 21 April 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  11. ↑ Macedo, Eduardo (2008-03-17). "Almah: nos melhores do ano no Rock Underground" (in Portuguese). Whiplash. Archived from the original on 21 April 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  12. ↑ Dimitris, K. (2008-10-15). "Fragile Equality Review At Metal Temple (Greece)". Metal Temple. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  13. ↑ Rocha, Edson (2008-09-21). "Fragile Equality Review At Novometal" (in Portuguese). Whiplash. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  14. ↑ "Lords Of Metal (Holland)". Lords Of Metal. 2008-10-15. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  15. ↑ Rademacher, Brian (2008). "Fragile Equality Review At Rock Eyez". Rock Eyez. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  16. ↑ "Fragile Equality Review At Pavillon 666 (France)" (in French). Pavillon 666. 2008. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  17. ↑ Okabayashi, Letícia (2008-11-13). "Fragile Equality Review At Whiplash (Brazil)" (in Portuguese). Whiplash. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  18. ↑ Fontes, Monica (2008-04-10). "Circo Voador, Rio de Janeiro, 05/04/09" (in Portuguese). Whiplash. Archived from the original on 26 April 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  19. ↑ Macedo, Eduardo (2008-03-26). "Almah: confirmada presença no Piauí Pop 2008" (in Portuguese). Whiplash. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  20. ↑ "Almah Equality Fan Club" (in Portuguese). Equality Fan Club. Archived from the original on 10 May 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  21. ↑ "Almah Equality Fan Club News" (in Portuguese). Equality Fan Club. Archived from the original on 8 May 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  22. ↑ "It's Official - ANGRA Return!". Bravewords. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  23. ↑ "Almah New Song Available For Streaming". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2014-01-11.

External links