MetalKings.com:
Well, it's alright. Can we follow to the questions, okey?
Edu
Falashi: Okey, okey.
MetalKings.com:
According to your website, you started as a guitarist and switched to
singing later. Do you still play guitar?
Edu
Falashi: Oh, I play guitar but just to compose the songs. I don't play
guitar on stage.
MetalKings.com:
That's one intersting thing about the stage, well, Andre Matos used to
be the live keyboardist in the past. Who will replace him on stage?
Edu
Falashi: You mean for the forthcoming Brazilian tour? Well, we're gonna
use keyboards and stuff like that and I believe Kiko (Louriero, guitarist
– ed.) will play them, he's a great keyboard player, you know. And I believe
Kiko will do some stuff on the stage, I suppose. We're now rehearsing,
you know.
MetalKings.com:
Of course, you live in Brazil and might have seen Angra before, haven't
you?
Edu
Falashi: Yes, yes, I was a kind of fan of Angra, you know. But not a big
fan, I don't know, Angra on the stage and I go to all the shows, not like
"OH THIS IS ANGRA!!!", not like this. But I love Angra and believe here
in Brazil all the bands like Angra, you know. Angra is great. Kiko and
Rafael (Bittencourt, another guitarist – ed.) and other guys like Confessori
(former drummer –ed.), Mariutti (former bass player – ed.) and Andre,
all these guys are great musicians, you know. So I believe that everybody
in Brazil likes Angra, I'm sick of all this death metal thing, I like
real heavy metal fans. I suppose here in Brazil Angra is famous in the
heavy metal world.
MetalKings.com:
Who personally invited you to the group? Who was the first man to come
upon you?
Edu
Falashi: It was Kiko, he called me and told what happened, about the split.
And so Kiko called me and said, "Hey Edu, would you like to make it best
in Angra?" And I said, "Of course, man!" (laughs) I don't remember the
time but maybe in 1998 even before the "Fireworks" Andre Matos wanted
to leave the band. So we did one rehearsal playing old songs and stuff,
just me, Kiko, Rafael, Confessori and Luis. But after all those things
Andre Matos decided to stay in the band and...
MetalKings.com:
... and they recorded one more album, yeah.
Edu
Falashi: Yeah, and they did "Fireworks" and after all that stuff Kiko
called me again and said, "Well, do you remember that guy who called you
before? OK, let's rehearse again and try it."
MetalKings.com:
Well, also your website says you participated in the Bruce Dickinson replacement
contest in Iron Maiden. What was the response from the band, did they
agree to work with you?
Edu
Falashi: It was in 1994. I had a band called Mitrium....
MetalKings.com:
Yeah, I know, one album with them, right?
Edu
Falashi: You know it? I can't believe it! Well, I sent this album and
some photos to Iron Maiden and after that a guy called, he was Dicky Bell,
producer. He called me and asked about possibility to replace Bruce Dickinson
in Iron Maiden and I said, "OK, I'm ready, I'm able to make it!" He said,
"We need to rehearse, we need to see if it's really possible." Bell called
me two times and I was waiting for two months and later I read in a magazine
that the new singer will be... oh, I don't remember the name... ah, Blaze
Bayley!
MetalKings.com:
Oh yeah, they ended with Bayley. By the way, what do you think of his
records with Iron Maiden?
Edu
Falashi: Well, I believe that Bayley is a great singer, you know. But
I think he doesn't fit into Iron Maiden. I've heard his album, the latest
one, it's a great album, you know, but in Iron Maiden I don't like his
songs. The melodies of that band are sometimes a little bit high like
in "Hallowed Be Thy Name". It was quite strange to see Blaze singing that
song. When I was at their concert here in Sao Paolo it was very, very
strange because he sang that song one octave lower. So it was like, "Boo
boo boo, boo boo boo, boo boo..." (laughs) It was strange, but I think
that he is a great singer anyway.
MetalKings.com:
Well, OK. The new album of Angra, "Rebirth", was done with Dennis Ward
as a producer. What do you think of him?
Edu
Falashi: I could say that Dennis Ward is a great, great producer. He is
very technical, very patient. I could say that it was really great for
me because with three new members, we never recorded an album with a producer
before. It was my first time. But it was great, because Dennis in the
studio is very professional, very serious like a typical German guy, he
goes like "Do this, sing that." This way very cool. He is very polite,
powerful, he doesn't scream, "OH, YOU, DO THIS!!!" He says, "Could you
do this way, okay?" But out of the studio in pubs and clubs he is very
funny like an American guy, you know, funny and happy. I could say that
Dennis was perfect. I would like to record more CDs with him.
MetalKings.com:
What are your personal impressions about the new album, what do you think
about it?
Edu
Falashi: Well, the new album... it's a little bit difficult to say about
myself. But I would say this is the most important album for me because
now I have the great opportunity to show my work and job around the world.
And I put my soul in this album, not just my voice. All other guys like
Kiko, Rafael, Aquiles (Priester, drummer –ed.) and Felipe (Andreoli, bassist
– ed.), they put their blood into this album. This album is very powerful
cause we were really happy to make it, it has good energy, you know. Well,
when you listen to this album you see, something is a little bit new in
it maybe because of my voice and I guess everyone would say, "Angra is
a little bit different now, it's more powerful but one thing is clear
- this is Angra!" This is very important for us that the essence of Angra
remains. I would not like to change the essence of Angra, you know. We
understand that we must keep the spirit of Angra.
MetalKings.com:
Actually I've heard this album today and, you see, I always thought that
Angra has Queen influences in its style...
Edu
Falashi: Sure, sure! I should say that I love Freddie Mercury like a singer
and I love that kind of course...
MetalKings.com:
Yeah, it's like you don't stick to one particular style and add something
new to your music, OK?
Edu
Falashi: (laughs) You are totally right! I could say that my main influence
as a singer is Ronnie James Dio. I don't like to copy anyone, you know,
but Dio is like an icon for me. That's because he's a great singer, he's
very powerful and very melodic also. And the main thing for me I believe
is that Dio loves his fans, I saw it in his eyes and that's very important
for me 'cause I love what I do, I love my fans, all the fans around the
world that like my work. So that's very, very important for me.
MetalKings.com:
And what is your favorite song from the album, which one do you like the
best?
Edu
Falashi: Oh, it's very difficult because like I said before this CD is
very special for me. Well, I could say that personally I like "Nova Era"
and as far as the melody is concerned I like "Acid Rain", I also like
"Millenium Sun". But at the same time I don't have one particular song
that I like, you know, I like all of them. I could say that I like "Nova
Era" cause that's the first song on the album, very powerful, it has a
lot of energy. That's why I like this song but I love all the albums.
MetalKings.com:
And will the Japanese edition have a traditional bonus track or not?
Edu
Falashi: Okay, we're gonna put one song as a bonus track.
MetalKings.com:
Is it an outtake or demo or what?
Edu
Falashi: No, no, it's a real song, no demo. It was a song we recorded
in the studio when doing the album. This song we didn't put on the album
but it will be used as a bonus track for Japan. The song is called "Bleeding
Heart", it's a ballad.
MetalKings.com:
Will there be a promo video to support the album or not?
Edu
Falashi: Yeah, we're intended to make a video but just next year because
we don't have time now, we're quite busy because the album will be released
on October 29 and then we're gonna make a big tour in South America in
November and December and we're going to shoot a video in February of
next year.
MetalKings.com:
Can you comment on the "Unholy Wars" track which has lots of traditional
influences on it?
Edu
Falashi: OK. In the beginning the song had a great
percussion which is called Maracatu.
This is a very traditional song in Brazil, we added some voices of women
in it. Those voices are like an anthem from Brazil, it is a traditional
thing that was created in the time when Brazil was colonized by Portugal.
And those women sing "We're a colony from Portugal, we're a beast..."
something like that, you know. And we put those traditional elements in
the song because it tells about holy wars like the one which is happening
now in Afghanistan. The song is talking about this kind of thing, the
wars, and you can hear Arabian influence in the end of the song, you know,
on the keyboards (sings the melody)
MetalKings.com:
Well, the major part of the new album was recorded in Germany. Why?
Edu
Falashi: We did drums, bass and some guitar stuffs in Germany. But here
in Brazil we recorded voice, all choruses, cello, percussion and as follows.
We decided to make it in Brazil ‘cause now there are very-very good studios
here. I don't think it's necessary to go to Germany to record the voice.
So we don't need to go to Germany to do the same thing we are able to
make here.
MetalKings.com:
Which Angra album produced more influence on people?
Edu
Falashi: I believe it is "Angels Cry", it was the first one. And most
of the people in Brazil prefer "Angels Cry" because it's a little bit
more heavy, a little bit more heavy metal. And "Holy Land" is a great
album but it's totally different, you know. In France all the people prefer
"Holy Land", because it's different, but in Brazil people like heavy metal
and that's why we decided to make the new album a little bit more heavy,
not so melodic. We wanted to make a heavy metal album and when you listen
to it you can say "This is an album from a heavy metal band!"
MetalKings.com:
Your personal website says you like the Discovery channel and stuff like
that. What is your favorite animal?
Edu
Falashi: Animal? (laughs) I like dogs.
MetalKings.com:
The official Angra website says all lyrics to the new album were written
by Rafael. Why?
Edu
Falashi: When I was invited to join the band Rafael told me about the
concept. The concept is about war that destroyed the world and now it's
time to reconstruct it and that's why we called the album "Rebirth". So
I said, "OK, you might write the lyrics so everyone could see the concept
more perfect." It's one person writing about one thing, you know. I prefer
this way but on the next album I believe we will write the songs together,
it might be a little bit easier.
MetalKings.com:
Before joining Angra you had a band called Symbols that made two albums.
Were they released anywhere outside Brazil?
Edu
Falashi: I'm gonna talk about my career, OK? I have been a professional
singer for some 10 years. My first band was called Mitrium, it released
an album in 1994 and in 1998 I joined Symbols. We released two albums,
one called just "Symbols" in 1998 and the second is "Call To The End"
in 2000. The second was also released in Spain by Arise Records (the company
that put out “Keepers Of Jericho – A Tibute To Helloween” – ed.), I believe.
We don't have many record companies here, they are not famous yet. But
now I'm here in Angra and people might be interested in my previous work
and that's why I created my own website. You see, Symbols was a great
band and very important for me.
MetalKings.com:
The last song on the album is called "Visions Prelude", it's adapted from
Chopin. Well, do you like classical music? And particular composers?
Edu
Falashi: Yeah, I love classical music. I like Bethoveen, Chopin, Stravinsky...
but I don't listen to this music a lot, I'm not so intellectual like Andre
Matos, you know. I know all the things, I'm differnt from Andre, I'm a
little bit straightforward, I'm not like an Englishman, I'm more like
a Russian or German guy who likes heavy metal. But I like classical music
for sure, of course.
MetalKings.com:
And do you know Andre Matos personally?
Edu
Falashi: I know him a bit, I met him two or three times. But I don't like
him so much like a person.
MetalKings.com:
Is it possible that you would record a solo album in the future?
Edu
Falashi: I don't think about it now, I need to sing in Angra, it's like
a beginning of a new era for me. But in the future, maybe in... 2010 or
2009 (laughs) it might happen...
MetalKings.com:
Well, the reason I'm asking about it is that I heard your songs with Venus
and I think it's different from Symbols and Angra, right?
Edu
Falashi: You know Venus? Really? You heard them? I can't believe it! Venus
was a side project, a band of friends from Brazil, they asked me to record
the album because they didn't have a singer. I agreed to make it but it
was like an experiment. But I like this album, it's great.
MetalKings.com:
Another thing I wanted to ask you is do you have any special musical education?
Edu
Falashi: Yeah, I do, I think all the singers need it. I began singing
at 15 years old in Brazil and when I was 18 years I studied in institute
classical songs and popular songs. And six years later I was singing heavy
metal, I needed to practice a lot and it's not so easy to sing heavy metal
stuff. And I learned with some teachers in Brazil which was very important
for me.
MetalKings.com:
OK, the last question.
Edu
Falashi: OK, we don't have much time left.
MetalKings.com:
Alright, would you like to play in Russia?
Edu
Falashi: In Russia? Yes, yes, yes, I would like to know Russia, I love
your culture, it's really great and beautiful. And I believe that there
are lots of heavy metal fans in Russia. So I hope to sing in Russia, maybe
next year, maybe in March. We're waiting for someone to invite us in Russia.
MetalKings.com:
So, Edu, it was a pleasure to talk to you about Angra and the new album
and we're waiting for you here in Russia so come out and play!
-- Dead Reaper, MetalKings.com
Edu
Falashi: Hi, It's Edu from Angra.