Andre Matos Solo

After departing Shaman in 2006, Brazilian vocalist and pianist Andre Matos — already celebrated for his work as a founding member of Angra and later Shaman — launched a solo career built around a backing band featuring longtime collaborators Hugo Mariutti (guitar), Luis Mariutti (bass), Andre Hernandes (guitar), and keyboardist Fabio Ribeiro. His debut solo album, Time to Be Free, arrived in October 2007. It was followed in September 2009 by Mentalize, a more polished and progressive power metal record featuring a young Eloy Casagrande (later of Sepultura) on drums. His third and final solo studio album, The Turn of the Lights, was released in August 2012, leaning into the melodic, guitar-driven heavy metal sound reminiscent of his classic Angra work. Throughout this era, Matos also pursued parallel projects, including a stint with the European supergroup Symfonia, while continuing to tour internationally. In 2018, he reunited with Shaman for new material and touring. Andre Matos died suddenly on June 8, 2019, at age 47, from an apparent heart attack, shocking the global metal community. His legacy endures through his instantly recognizable voice, his compositional contributions to landmark albums like Angels Cry, and a body of solo work that let him fully express his artistic vision on his own terms.