Andre Matos

“Time To Be Free”

Label: SPV

“Time To Be Free” is the first album of Andre Matos’s band named after him, a band and not a solo project as Matos himself clearly says.

This time Matos has taken with him the Mariutti borthers, Luis and Hugo on bass and guitars who he has worked with in the past in Shaaman, ex-Angra guitarist Andres “Zaza” Hernandes, Fabio Ribeiro on keyboards – also an ex-bandmate in Shaaman - and finally Eloy Casagrande on drums.

The album includes typical Andre Matos forms: melodies, some folk elements and a lot of power metal. The compositions vary as someone can find dynamic and really intelligent melodies, which to be honest are quite a lot, and also some mediocre parts and even just a couple of boring and unimportant moments. The album begins powerful, charming the listeners with tracks such as “Letting Go”, “Rio”, and “Remeber Why”, but the level falls dramatically after the title track “Time To Be Free”. Of course, if you own the japanese edition, the bonus track appears to relieve and lift you up again: a wonderful cover of the classic Journey “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)”, one of the best covers I’ve ever heard. Two top producers and musicians, Roy Z and Sascha Paeth, are responsible for the production and by that it is totally realized that a conscientious work has been done.

In general, power metal is not the only one definition to describe the album with but it certainly is the main source and strength that lies underneath. Andre Matos has proved that counting on well known values he can as well experiment - latest example is the “weak” “A New Moonlight” from this album.

I am sure that despite whichever weaknesses, fans will love “Time To Be Free” while the rest will have the chance to hear one more good record from the new band of a multi-talented musician, composer and singer.