Vera Cruz (album) explained

Vera Cruz
Type:studio
Artist:Edu Falaschi
Cover:edu falaschi vera cruz.jpg
Alt:artwork with a ship sailing across a dark ocean under a large seal with a medieval knight kneeling at the center
Recorded:November 2020
Studio:Nas Nuvens Studios, Rio de Janeiro
Genre:Power metal
Language:English, Portuguese
Label:MS Metal Records
Producer:Edu Falaschi, Roberto Barros, Thiago Bianchi
Prev Title:Temple of Shadows – In Concert
Prev Year:2020
Next Title:Eldorado
Next Year:2023

Vera Cruz is the third solo album by Brazilian heavy metal singer Edu Falaschi, the first with all-new material,[1] [2] [3] [4] released initially on May 12, 2021 in Japan via MS Metal Records,[5] digitally to the rest of the world on May 18, 2021. The album was then released physically, first in Brazil on May 31, 2021 and then to the rest of the world on June 15, 2021.[6] [7]

Released to celebrate the 30 years of his career,[4] it is a concept album[7] [8] that tells an adventure story between Brazil and Portugal around the time of the discovery of Brazil and that features several guests, such as Elba Ramalho and Max Cavalera (who hadn't guest performed in the past 25 years).[9] [10] [11] [12]

Background

Vera Cruz is the first solo album featuring new material only by Falaschi (outside of his project Almah). It comes after two cover albums (Moonlight (2016) and Ballads (2017)), one EP featuring two new songs and some live performances (The Glory of Sacred Truth) and one live release (Temple of Shadows – In Concert) in which he performed Temple of Shadows in its entirety (an album he had released in 2004 with his now former band Angra.[8] It is a work in which he recovers some vocal techniques he used to apply in his time with Angra, but which he temporarily lost due to voice issues.[1] [13]

Production

The album was created at a cost of approximately R$ 100,000, recorded in November 2020[11] [13] at Nas Nuvens studios in Rio de Janeiro and produced by Falaschi himself alongside Roberto Barros and vocalist Thiago Bianchi (ex-Shaman).[7] [8]

The cover (in a vertical format) and the title were revealed in December 2020, together with the announcement that the album would be released in May 2021 and that the it was available for pre-order on the 4fan website.[5] [14]

Plot

The album's plot, which begins in 1492 in the Portuguese city of Tomar, follows Jorge, a Portuguese child abandoned soon after birth with a birthmark related to the Ordem da Cruz de Nero (Order of Nero's Cross). As an adult, he goes to Brazil, marries an indigenous woman and join the remaining natives to defend the land from other Portuguese invaders. Falaschi researched the history of the Crusades in order to write the album, drawing inspiration specifically from the fact that some Templars traveled to Brazil.[4] [13]

Falaschi said that since the beginning he knew the album's themes and sound could generate comparisons with Angra, specifically with the album Holy Land, which also discussed the History of Brazil in its lyrics. According to him, however, the similarities are "natural" since he and two of the supporting musicians (keyboardist Fábio Laguna and drummer Aquiles Priester) worked with the band for years.[13]

Release and promotion

The album was released in conventional formats and also in a special box with a digibook, a CD, a DVD, a booklet with the plot summary, the lyrics, some pictures, a T-shirt and a mug.[5] [12] [14]

Personnel

Per sources.[7] [8] [11] [12] [13] [15]

Session musicians

Guest performances

Technical personnel

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sousa. Denor. 30 July 2021. TMDQA! Entrevista: Edu Falaschi celebra 30 anos de carreira com o incrível Vera Cruz. 29 August 2021. Tenho Mais Discos Que Amigos!.
  2. Web site: Coppi. Leandro. 18 May 2021. EDU FALASCHI: "Vera Cruz" disponível em todas as plataformas digitais. 29 August 2021. Roadie Crew.
  3. Web site: Assis. Marcelo de. 24 May 2021. Edu Falaschi lança o novo álbum "Vera Cruz". 29 August 2021. Terra. Telefônica Brasil.
  4. Brunetti. Itaici. 18 May 2021. Edu Falaschi lança disco solo com participações de Max Cavalera e Elba Ramalho: 'Música não tem limite' [ENTREVISTA]]. 24 August 2021. Rolling Stone Brasil. Grupo Perfil.
  5. Web site: Miranda. Igor. 22 December 2020. Edu Falaschi anuncia novo álbum 'Vera Cruz' e libera capa e vídeo em estúdio; confira. 19 April 2021. Igor Miranda.
  6. Web site: 11 May 2021. Edu Falaschi faz lançamento mundial do álbum "Vera Cruz". 29 August 2021. Correio do Povo. Grupo Record.
  7. Web site: Igor. Miranda. 10 November 2020. Edu Falaschi começa a gravar novo álbum solo no Rio de Janeiro; veja vídeo em estúdio. 22 August 2021. Guitarload.
  8. Web site: Ferreira. Mauro. 9 November 2020. Edu Falaschi grava no Rio o primeiro álbum solo com repertório inédito. 22 August 2021. G1. Grupo Globo.
  9. Web site: Schlindwein. Manoel. 15 February 2021. Elba Ramalho ataca de roqueira em nova produção. 22 August 2021. Veja. Grupo Abril.
  10. Web site: Ferreira. Mauro. 15 March 2021. Max Cavalera participa de disco de Edu Falaschi enquanto prepara álbuns das bandas Soulfly e Go Ahead and Die. 23 August 2021. G1. Grupo Globo.
  11. Web site: Ferreira. Mauro. 16 February 2021. Elba Ramalho canta em álbum solo de Edu Falaschi, ex-vocalista da banda Angra. 23 August 2021. G1. Grupo Globo.
  12. Web site: Coppi. Leandro. 22 March 2021. EDU FALASCHI divulga tracklist e foto promocional do álbum "Vera Cruz". 23 August 2021. Roadie Crew.
  13. Web site: Miranda. Igor. 12 May 2021. Edu Falaschi: em exclusiva, ele conta tudo sobre "Vera Cruz", seu 1º álbum solo. 29 August 2021. Whiplash.net.
  14. Web site: Ferreira. Mauro. Edu Falaschi, ex-vocalista da banda Angra, revela capa e título de álbum solo. 2021-04-19. G1. Grupo Globo.
  15. Web site: 17 April 2021. Edu Falaschi: Conheça As 10 Participações especiais No Álbum Vera Cruz. 29 August 2021. Rock Bizz.