Rafael Bittencourt
    Rafael Bittencourt: Rafael Bittencourt is a Brazilian guitarist with international recognition, singular sensibility, technique, style and founder of the world acclaimed band Angra, one of the first symphonic metal bands in the world with over 5 million albums sold. In all, Rafael has a discography of 24 titles released worldwide, including singles, CDs, EPs and DVDs.
    Polyvalence
    Polyvalence: Besides Angra, Rafael created Bittencourt Project showing his versatility as a composer exploring many other styles and sounds besides heavy-metal. He also acts as a teacher, band coach, lecturer, social media influencer, singer, arranger, music producer and entrepreneur.
    Style
    Style: Bittencourt has unmistakable musicality and creativity, combining Brazilian music and rock with his erudite background. In Angra's compositions, besides striking riffs and solos, he stands out for the group's melodies, lyrics and concepts. Rafael has consolidated himself within the world heavy metal as a virtuous composer with thousands of influences.
    The beginning
    Beginning: Early in his talent, he composed at the age of 17 songs that appear in Angra's first demo-tape, such as Reaching Horizons, which guaranteed Angra a contract with the Japanese label JVC. He created the original concept of Angra with his transforming vision and interest in angels. The group's first album, "Angels Cry", full of compositions and concepts created by Rafael, reached gold record in Japan and until today is a great success worldwide with more than one million copies sold.
    Inspiration
    Inspiration: His Catholic formation and questioning character inspire his lyrics that approach in an innovative way themes such as theology, spirituality, existential reflections and anthropology; always constructing with sensitivity phrases that reveal the pains of the human soul. Almost three decades have passed and, besides having driven the career of many musicians who have passed through Angra, Rafael continues to influence many aspiring musicians.
    Businessman
    Businessman: In 2019, Rafael invests in Strategic Design mentoring with Daniel Quintana Sperb and conducts an 18-month training in Design Driven Innovation. As a result, Rafael delivers a robust business model with diversified solutions in products and services for different customer segments, a large team of strategic partners and new relationship strategies with his audience.
    The revelation to the world with the innovative power metal of "Carry On", combinations of Brazilian music in "Never Understand", pop in "Wuthering Heights" and classical music in "Lasting Child" and "Stand Away". Recorded at Kai Hansen's studio, it has received a gold record in Japan, being desired by power metal lovers and good music in general. Existential themes, angels, theology, Brazilian reality among others are presented in this incredible debut album. Release date: 1993.
    A tribute to Terra Brasilis. We were confident to mix melodic metal with Brazilian music. The theme about the discovery of Brazil explains to the world that the fusion between the erudite and Brazilian music were the result of our own origin. We are descendants of European families eventually mixed and influenced by Amerindian and Afro-Brazilian cultures. It was a laboratory of composition and improvement. Release: 1996.
    The great change of direction. Recorded in London, with a more "raw" production, we changed the erudite pomp and the striking Brasility for the sound of the heavy and rock bands of the 70s and 80s that marked our adolescence. Without frames, we surprised fans and contradicted the "formulas" of melodic metal. Fireworks is an authentic and passionate album that rescues the influences that inspired us without losing the authenticity and musicality. Release: 1998.
    The great trial. Would we be able to be reborn? We gave life to the angel with 3 new members and rescued the original ideas of the band impressing the world scene by the quality and high emotional content. A group of survivors to the destruction of the world rebuilds the foundations of society bringing messages of hope and optimism. An autobiography in metaphors and songs about the moment of separation and reconstruction that the band itself lived. Release: 2001.
    Released worldwide, it mixes songs from the album Rebirth and other classics marking the band's history. Force, overcoming, talent, harmony and happiness define the new team. Everyone in the band was curious to know what would be the reaction of São Paulo audience, always heated and demanding and, for me, the high point is the participation of the audience that approves the "new era" of Angra keeping the high energy from the beginning to the very end. What a moment! Release: 2003.
    My maturity as a composer, writer and art director. Rafael & Kiko's productive partnership with Edu's creative input and the powerful Felipe and Aquiles rhythm section were confirmed. It was the opportunity to go deep into my religious and theological themes with a lot of biblical, historical, apocryphal, cabalistic and esoteric study. Mysticism and speculations mark this album. Who knows, one day this story will be told. Release: 2004.
    An intense and disconcerting album that deals with the fragility of the human mind before the world we build. The pathologies of the psyche are increasingly severe, uncertain and close to us. The title, Aurora Consurgens, was borrowed from the mysterious book of the fifteenth century, attributed to Saint Thomas Aquinas. The texts and metaphorical illustrations were studied by Carl Jung, who defined the concept of collective unconscious. Release: 2006.
    Very personal and original statement that mixes progressive rock, Brazilian and Latin regional music, pop-rock, erudite music and heavy-metal. Eclectic album, full of unusual fusions and great versatility. Brainworms I is a musical journey through my creative universe. It has the participation of important musicians such as Amon Lima, Kiko Loureiro, Felipe Andreoli, Ricardo Confessori, Marcell Cardoso, Fernando Nunes, Frank Johnny, Nei Medeiros among others. Release date: 2008.
    Inspired by the comedy The Tempest of Shakespeare, the album brings back the return of Ricardo Confessori and deals with the element water, representing the transformations that occur during the play and, metaphorically, the internal transformations and the line-up that Angra went through. The songs tell about some passages and characters from the classic Shakespearean book. Some songs stand out like Lease of Life, The Rage of the Waters, Ashes and A Monster in Her Eyes among others. Release: 2010.
    Celebration of Angels Cry's 20th anniversary, which made the band a world icon of symphonic metal. The album shows the band's good moment in 2013, with Fabio Lione on vocals, Rafael Bittencourt and Kiko Loureiro on guitars, Felipe Andreoli on bass and Ricardo Confessori on drums. Release date: 2013.
    Besides the renovation with one of the best metal singers nowadays, Fabio Lione, the album marks the debut of Bruno Valverde, a prodigy musician of the same age as the band. Special participation of Simone Simons and Doro Pesch in duet with me, makes this album unique. The songs tell the story of a neuroscientist who, after an accident that took his wife's life, is visited by angels and spirits. Silent Call was a divine gift. Release: 2014.
    Incredible moment composed by musicians of the highest level who make an original mix of styles and sounds. The different themes are chapters of a diary of my own life. Participation of Marcelo Pompeu (Korzus), Alírio Netto, Michel Leme, Ricardo Confessori, Bruno Valverde, Felipe Andreoli, Edu Ardanuy among others. With the support of PROAC it is the only musical event that counted on the simultaneous support and sponsorship by crowdfunding and the State. Release: 2017.
    ØMNI, a new beginning. With the departure of Kiko to Megadeth, I became the only member of the classical line-up. It marks the arrival of Marcelo Barbosa to the band and consolidates the 3rd great formation. I created a science fiction with mature songs in epic, symphonic, virtuous, progressive, Brazilian, ethnic and percussive moments. Great acceptance, it has given us the opportunity of a tour of 115 shows in several continents. Again, I transformed obstacles into creative inputs. Release date: 2018.