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An unexpected wealth of rock bands formed all around Latin America during the 70s, laying potential blueprints for Heavy Metal in the early 80s. Nowadays, every country has seen an explosion of bands, but back then things were a lot harder to come by. These early Metal artists pioneered not only a sound in their respective countries, but a true counterculture as well. However blue-collar and socially outcast Metal's origins were, the genre was a product of the wealthiest and most prosperous societies on Earth (Western Europe and the USA). Meanwhile, the fans and musicians of Latin America faced a very different reality.

See, in the region's nineteen countries, the 80s saw five civil wars (mainly in Central America, one regular war, foreign interventions, and ten military dictatorships (infamous for their brutality), along with high poverty and crime rates.

While significant differences between countries exist, the bottom line for the region is that hundreds of years of colonization, foreign intervention, corruption, racism, etc. resulted in weak governments, segregated societies, poverty, and rampant violence. When you wonder why the region struggles to this day (this 2012 map shows Latin America as the most dangerous region in the world outside of war zones) it may be summed up with this: a legacy of violence and repression.

But on to the main point: this primer examines the early Traditional Metal scene of varied Latin American countries. For places with large outputs, I'm sticking to material released or recorded before 1985. For the more obscure, latecomer scenes, I searched for the earliest bands I could find. Unfortunately, there's barely a thing to say on most of the bands because it's really hard to find information. This is a key point - due to poor documentation, a lot of information is sadly lost to time. All of the bands on this list released music in their native tongue - perhaps a factor in their limited exposure to the wider Metal scene.

I can't say there's a unifying theme among these artists, but a few of them (in line with Latin America's Nueva Canción movement), had a political/social theme, and most were seen with disdain and distrust from conservative circles of society. In some cases this resulted in beatings, venue raids, and imprisonment by the police. This is worth stressing again: several of these bands were true voices of a counterculture. Against the repressive hand of the church and murderous forces of the state, their lyrics actually meant something - if only for the few thousand people who stood behind this music.
Note: Read the Quick Listening Guide for a short summary of the best material. Essentials Strongly Recommended
Brazil and Argentina are probably thought of as the hotspots for the nascent Latin American scene, but Venezuela produced many quality bands at the same time. All of the following albums were released by the now defunct label Color. It deserves a mention for having the courage and far-sight to support Heavy Metal at such an early stage.

This band was a thing of beauty - a thing of might. Formed in 1977 (supposedly), they might be the second earliest Heavy Metal band to from in Latin America. Bad production and piss-poor cover design couldn't cast a shadow on this band's quality - but while they were respected in their own country, with live concerts and TV showings, they didn't reach the international success they deserved. To this day, they remain criminally underrated outside of their relative region. Part of what makes this band so fantastic is their quality musicianship and their wide variety of sounds and lyrical themes, while always maintaining the straight-in-your-face, gritty Metal sound. The closest comparisons I can think of are 70s Judas Priest, 70s Rainbow, and maybe early Raven, but Resistencia has a unique sound second to none.

On stage, the band had an energetic presence and looked more like 70s hippies than a Metal band. Their lyrics were quite diverse and sometimes even esoteric, with topics ranging from social protest to Dio-like prose blending history, occultism, and fantasy. Sadly, two crucial band members, Ricardo Escobar (drums) and Rodrigo Yoma (guitars) died several years ago. It's truly mind-boggling how none of their albums have been reissued in any format since they were released three decades ago.

Hecho en Venezuela (1981) - I've got so many things to say about this album that it's best for you to listen to it. It's strongly influenced by 70s Judas Priest and Rainbow, with rough and somewhat operatic vocals, interesting song structures, aggressive and galloping riffs, raw production, tight musicianship, great melodies... I could go on. Truly one of the best albums in the history of Metal (I'm fully aware of the implications of this statement and I stand by it). Essential

Estrategia Contra el Movimiento (1983) - This album is in the same as above, but a lot more progressive - somewhat Rush-like. Estrategia Contra el Movimiento has a more unique sound with a small infusion of traditional Venezuelan music. The folk elements, perhaps inspired by artists like Alí Primera, blend so well with the Heavy Metal sound that you probably won't distinguish them. Essential

Starting out in 1978 as the Hard Rock band Power Age, they changed to a more Heavy Metal-oriented sound in 1981 and are still active today, having gone through a few changes through the decades. The only original members still active are the Picozzi brothers on drums and guitar. Nowadays they play something more akin to Power Metal.

S/t (1981) - Arkangel's self titled album has strong Hard Rock residue with a raw edge. It's a great album that fans of Spanish bands like and are bound to enjoy. Essential

Rock Nacional (1982) - A testament to how well received heavy music was from the beginning, about half the songs on this album were recorded in front of cheering crowds. Recommended

Represión Latinoamericana (1983) - The band turned to heavy use of keyboards on this album. It's a shame that when people think of Latin American anthems, they go for vapid Reageton songs rather than this powerful reflection on the Cold War in Latin America. Recommended

After leaving his vocal duties in Arkangel, Paul Gillman formed his own solo band. A controversial figure, he's been criticized for siding with the Chavez and Maduro regimes. In 2017, he was banned from playing at Colombia's renowned Rock en el Parque Festival for his political views. Ironic and tragic how the passionate rebel who condemned the system all those years ago now supports another murderous and repressive regime - changing one authoritarian extreme for another.

Levántate y Pelea (1984)- The lyrics to opening track "Corazón de Rock Pesado", dealing with perseverance and the power of metal, are truly inspiring.

Formed in 1980, Grand Bite has been hard at it for four decades fighting along with their brothers in Arkangel to this day. Their style is pretty similar to the rest of their countrymen featuring mid-paced, hard-rock infused songs with passionate vocals front and center.

Al Borde del Precipicio (1985) is the band's debut album and their strongest effort. If you've enjoyed the bands in this primer so far, then this is bound to be another release you'll enjoy.

Kraken are not only Colombia's premiere classic metal band, but they are one of the biggest in all of Latin America. They originally formed in 1984 and immediately gripped the region with their gritty and spirited take on heavy metal.

Scythian's guitarist, Alex de Moller, wrote this excellent article a couple of years ago touching upon Kraken and the Colombian scene. A primer unto itself, this write-up is an excellent overview of the social and musical situation in Medellín, Colombia during the 80s. There isn't much to add that hasn't already been said by Alex here, but Kraken are titanic force in the Latin American scene that are still active to this day.

I want to stress this part from the linked article: "However 'evil' the pioneers of Norwegian black metal claimed to be, they were ultimately just middle-class teens lighting fires in a Scandinavian utopia. Their so-called evil paled in comparison with the everyday realities of Colombia, which produced a sound and lyrical approach that couldn't be faked or imagined." It's important for some bands and fans not to get lost with their first-world privileges. Kraken wrote their excellent and inspired brand of heavy metal in the face of sociopolitical struggle.

RIP Elkin Ramírez, Kraken's original vocalist - a tremendous talent.

Also hailing from Medellin, this little known band actually predated Kraken by a few years as one of the very first bands from Colombia. Their first release, a self titled EP, dates from 1983 and they're still active today having reformed in 2016. This NWOBHM inspired band is nothing outstanding, but they sure as hell don't slouch either. The vocals in particular are a highlight.

Relative to the rest of Latin America, Ecuador is a quiet country which managed to steer away from major conflicts. However, repression and poverty are still an every day thing in this place.

Spectrum originally formed in 1981 and, after going through a number of different name changes and periods of inactively, are still active today. The band toiled away in their early years and only managed to release a handful of singles in the 80s under the name Spectrum Line. This pair of singles features short, but high-energy tracks filled to the brim with a punk like demeanor reminiscent of Motörhead. They wouldn't release their debut album, A las puertas del deliri o, until 2005, but despite being a good album in its own right, it loses the aggression and grit of their singles.

Religiones en Conflicto (1985) - Punchy and dirty with a whole lot of attitude. Youtube says this is from 1983, but MA says it's from 1985. Either way, this punky Tank/Motörhead like single is one of Ecuador's first contributions to the metal world.

Bolivia is kind of a black sheep in the region - it's also the only country to have a majority indigenous population and is one of the continent's poorest nations. However, being the poorest country in South America didn't stop Metal fans from making a stand way back in the day. I was surprised to find these many bands with such decent output dating all the way back to 1982 - 1986.

Trueno Azul sound like a grittier, Spanish version of Heavy Load with falsetto vocals and lo-fi production. The band's only output unfortunately was a short 11 minute EP titled Mario in honor of a deceased band member. However, even with such a short and poorly produced release, this is still perhaps the best early release from Bolivia. It's catchy as hell and definitely one you'll want to revisit. Recommended

Stratus were a small band formed in 1982. Their only release is a short eight minute, hard rock inspired single titled Sígueme that they put out in 1985. Its vibrant cover is a throwback to the colorful rock album covers of the 60s and 70s. This laid back single won't change your life, but it's very fun and there are some pretty sweet bass lines here.

Trilogia are another small band that formed in 1982. The band released a lone self titled demo, but it's difficult to tell the exact year it was released due to lack of information. Metal archives lists it as 1985, but upload sources on YouTube cite as early as 1983. Either way, this release differentiates itself a bit from the rest of the bands here. Trilogia were a six piece outfit and one of the very few bands to have a full time keyboard player as part of their line up. As a result, the songs feature a constant keyboard accompaniment and we end up with a melodic, Glam-like sound.

Metalmorfosis, relative to some of the bands mentioned, are more aggresive. There's a bit of a US Power metal type of edge to their sound. Unfortunately, they only released one self titled single in 1986. The band itself is namedafter the legendary Spanish band Barón Rojo's album, clearly taking inspiration from the Spanish singing giants. Metalmorfosis also shared a vocalist with Trueno Azul, the band we mention above.

Bolivia's best friend and more famous neighbor suffers from similar conditions and an ongoing low-intensity conflict. Perú had a pretty unique Psychedelic Rock scene in the 70s which is being rediscovered by the internet in recent years with bands like Tarkus shining as standouts.

You can read about 80s Metal in Perú here. Much like the article mentioned earlier about Colombia, this is another primer unto itself. The article also includes a look at Perú's respected Extreme Metal bands, Mortem and Hadez. To avoid rehashing and sounding redundant, we'll only list our favorite band from the region and encourage you to take a look at that fantastic article for a deeper look at the Peruvian metal scene.
Oxido
Óxido are a high energy, NWOBHM-inspired band that sprung up in Perú in 1982 and remained active until 1985. During their brief initial lifespan as a band, they only released a singular demo in 1983 that's virtually impossible to track down. The band reformed in 2012 however and re-recorded many of their classic tunes with as much passion as their early days. The embedded YouTube link above is a 2012 re-recording, but Óxido more recently released a full length album in 2018 titled that features almost the entirety of their original material re-recorded with a couple of extra songs.

Brazil is a giant that has always been prolific in the metal world. You probably know of the infamous Cogumelo Records bands like Sepultura and Sarcófago and their legacy, but here are the ones that predated them. They all play raw, messy, and lo-fi Traditional/Speed. If the Warfare Noise EPs had a Heavy Metal side to them, several bands from this list could fit the bill.

Formed all the way back in 1977, Stress are one of the oldest metal bands from Latin America. Their early years were not unlike those of Sarcófago in terms of dealing with scarce resources, little support, and general opposition from society.

S/t (1982) - Stress's debut album is messy and aggressive; they claim their s/t to be the first true Thrash album, predating Kill 'Em All by a year. If you can get past the low budget lo-fi approach, you'll find interesting stuff here. Essential

Flor Atomica (1985) - Three years after their seminal debut album, Stress released a follow up with Flor Atomica. This album expanded upon the ideas on the debut and displayed a matured band, as a result the execution is tighter and it stands a bit above their self titled. Recommended

Yes that Vulcano! Vulcano are a staple in Brazil's extreme metal scene, but before they went in that direction they played traditional metal. They released a single EP in this style when they started out before moving in the more extreme direction. Om Pushne Nah isn't an amazing release, but it isn't nearly as poor as those on websites like metal archives might lead you to believe. This is an interesting tidbit in both the band's career and for very early Brazilian metal.

Excalibur are yet another one-demo band (with a rather unoriginal name!). Their lone demo however is over half an hour long and can be taken as a low budget album. The 1984 demo is similar to early NWOBHM bands such as Tygers of Pan Tang and Diamond Head with a little bit of Thin Lizzy thrown in. The art, featuring Merlin of course, is also fantastic for a demo like release.

Originally formed in 1981, Azul Limao released three demos up to 1984, which were later compiled in 2001, before arriving at their 1986 debut album Vinganca. Their sound gradually evolved from laid back, hard rock inspired metal and became more and more aggressive. By the time they arrived at the debut, they were playing aggressive and fast speed metal that brings to mind bands like Agent Steel.

Material from four bands: Salário Mínimo, Vírus, Centúrias, and Avenger. This is an interesting release early on in Brazil's metal history. The music varies from mid-paced anthems to upbeat, melodic NWOBHM-like bangers. Two of these bands, Vírus and Avenger, would unfortunately only release material for this split.

Paraguay has always been an interesting country. It's another black sheep in the region, with a particularly isolated and brutal history even by South American standards.

It's the "band for savages, who only play Rock & Roll." Metal Urbano are a pioneering metal band in Paraguay and the country's first. The earliest Traditional Heavy Metal recording I could find was this latter day compilation including their earliest recordings from 1986.

Here are the liner notes on a tribute concert to the history of Paraguayan Metal.

Uruguay is the most stable and liberal country in Latin America. Even so, they were still under military rule and suffered the consequences of US foreign intervention. As a result, bands there shared some similar struggles as their peers.

Ácido is yet another band with disagreement on release dates: Metal Archives has Ácido's first demo released in 1986, but a youtube video claims it's from 1983. Regardless of when Ácido's first effort was released, they are a band that sticks out because of their punk like attitude and memorable riffs.

Ácido EP (1986) - Dirty and anthemic with a sort of UK 82/Hardcore punk sound. This is one of my favorite discoveries of recent times. Recommended
Note: is supposedly the first band from the country, and while we want to discuss and share this band with you it is very difficult to find any recordings. They released a lone 7″ that has become a collectors item. In addition to being difficult to find material for this band, that physical 7″ sells for upwards of $150.
Possibly the best documented scene on this list; Argentine fans are well aware of their Metal history. Just like with Venezuela, it's worth mentioning the label Umbral Discos & Cintas, which released most of the early Argentinian Heavy Metal music from the bands that you'll read about below.

Riff are the OGs of Argentinian Metal. Founder and vocalist Pappo was a Rock music veteran by the time he formed Riff in 1979, having participated in other bands since the early 70s. Living up to his rocker image, he unfortunately died in a road accident while driving a Harley Davidson in 2005. Riff became a big hit in their country, and the conservative circles jumped right ahead to hating the "long haired street thugs clad in black leather".

Riff has even more of a Hard Rock sound than early Arkangel. The band pretty much sounds like AC/DC and Saxon worship ( Saxon's Wheels of Steel released in 1980; Riff's Ruedas de Metal released in 1981. Coincidence? I think not) with a heavy dose of blues.

"Enough with the hippies, enough with the begging - it's time for Metal!" The hypocritical power structures which terrorized its population just years before in the so-called Dirty War would condemn the Hard Rock/Heavy Metal crowd, particularly V8, as dangerous and unruly. Despised by the local music business for their attitude and Motörhead-induced sound (which they barely considered music), the band saw themselves as more comrades with the punks and were nearly jailed due to some issues with a studio. V8 aptly titled their first album Luchado por el Metal or "Fighting for Metal", for which we have titled this primer.

There's even a whole book written on the band's called which you can read here if you are interested in learning more background.

Luchando por el Metal (1983) - A Speed Metal classic, it bears resemblance to Motörhead and even Venom with how aggressive and dirty it sounds. Essential

Un Paso Más en la Batalla (1985) - Continuing the style of the debut, but further refining it, Un Paso expands on what Luchando did. The end result is an even tighter and more enjoyable release. Recommended

Members of the band went on to form other renowned projects like Hermética and Horcas.

A cult and sadly overlooked band, Bloke only recorded one album on Umbral Discos & Cintas before quitting in the early 80s. Unlike V8, this band was way more melodic and in line with Iron Maiden and 80s Judas Priest. The most memorable song, in my opinion, is "Bajo el Signo del Terror." The lyrics are an impressively well-written, anthemic condemnation of the Argentinian's military crimes against its own population. So many bands sing about being "Under the sign of [something]," but these guys truly lived "Under the Sign of Terror".

Hellion is yet another speed metal band in like this V8. I don't know why this style got so popular early on in Argentina, but I'm definitely not complaining. Supposedly Hellion released an independent demo in 1982 just like V8, making them one of the earliest metal bands from Argentina. Their self-titled debut album came out in 1984 and fits in nicely with Bloke and V8 despite not being on Umbral Discos & Cintas.

With Thor we have more of the mid paced, hard rock influenced heavy metal that was popular in Latin America. They released two independent cassettes in 1983 and are notable for having evil, Satanic lyrics before their peers were readily adopting them. Thor's story is a bit of a peculiar one. The band's debut album, El Pacto, was released in 1985 also under Umbral Discos & Cintas.

Infierno Rock Compilation (1987) - A split compilation of several bands. The earliest recordings are from the bands Feedback and Chronos in 1983 - 1984.

Rock Duro y Pesado Compilation (1985) - Another multiple artist compilation, this time all from 1985: Ekkos, Electroshock, Panchorreta, and Armamento. The only band that would eventually go on to release material of their own beyond this split was Ekkos, who put out a pair of albums titled La Maquinaria and La despedida in 1986 and 1990 respectively.

Relative to the rest of Latin America, there wasn't much going on here to my surprise. Unless I'm missing something I could only find two releases that fit the bill for this primer.

You can see from the above compilations that there were several artists active around the time period we're looking at, but they just were not so active in releasing stuff.

Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean

Aside from Brazil, Mexico is the most populous country in Latin America and combined with its relative proximity to the USA, a hotbed of heavy metal activity, led to the rise of their traditional metal scene.

Kuman (1984) - There's something interesting here that makes this particular release stand out compared to the rest of the primer. It's a Fantasy/Sci-Fi Rock Opera with a Tarzan-like story and geared towards a younger crowd. I can't tell if it's the bands own creation or an adaptation, but it was a huge hit back in the day and it's still hailed as a classic in Mexican Rock. They may have had the biggest outreach out of all these bands due to this performance.

Espadas de Acero (1986) - Their follow up to Kuman was far less dramatic, but still great. Don't let the third rate tattoo parlor aesthetics fool you, Espadas is an upbeat classic metal album with plenty of good riffs.

Cristal y Acero are a well regarded band which is still actually going today. They play a mix of hard rock, classic heavy metal, and early power metal. The band debuted in 1984 with their self titled album, but they are best known for their album Kuman, which formed the basis of a Fantasy Rock Opera.

Metal Caído del Cielo (1985) Representing the rebirth of Luzbel with a new vocalist, this EP is an excellent offering that shines as one of the best from Latin America. Its dark and foreboding cover accentuates the passionate and epic vocal performance found here. Each of the four tracks presents a different lyrical theme and slightly different style, ranging from the religious, doomy, and epic to the more carefree, blues-rock influenced, but it doesn't sound disjointed at all. The variety here is incredible. Despite being under 18 minutes long, this ambitious Metal Caído del Cielo is one of the best releases to come out of Latin America. Essential.

Pasaporte al Infierno (1986) - Pasaporte al Ifierno is the successful follow up to Luzbel's seminal Metal Caído del Cielo EP. Relative to its predecessor, this one picks up the pace and follows a more aggressive speed metal oriented mold.

Along with Cristal y Acero, Luzbel is probably the most known and best regarded 80s Metal Mexican band. Formed by guitarist Raúl Fernández Greñas, Luzbel grew to be one of the regions most influential bands. Raúl himself spent some time in the UK during the NWOBHM and even tried his hand at success there with the band RED, who only released one demo in 1981 before dissolving. Despite the lack of success in the UK, Raúl returned to his native Mexico with fresh ideas and Luzbel became a driving force in the country's metal scene.

Ramses formed as early as 1980, but wouldn't release their debut album titled Apocalipsisuntil 1985. Their debut was a rough around the edges and amateurish take on hard rock infused heavy metal. It wouldn't be much later until 1988 where the band would eventually find their groove with Guerroros del Metal. Clearly inspired by the early German speed power metal scene and American power metal, Guerroros sounds like a cross between Agent Steel and Helloween. It shows a band that was clearly able to grow and adapt new sounds to reach a height that they previously couldn't.

Broncco, also known as B'rock, starting all the way back in 1970 as a rock band named Thorns. They eventually settled on Broncco in 174, however, it wouldn't be until 1981 that we finally got a proper metal release with the 7″ No somos diferentes. Broncco's story is an inspiring one considering founding member Chente Sibrián has had polio since he was one-year old and is a self-taught guitarist. Broncco wouldn't officially release a debut album until all the way in 1996 with . For context on the brutal situation unraveling in this tiny nation when Broncco started out, watch the film Salvador, by Oliver Stone.

Unlike the 70s hard rock scene, which was a working class thing, Metal from Guatemala came from the better-off middle class. Drummer and singer 'Blacko' González (nicknamed thus because of his love of Venom and First Wave Black Metal) almost single-handedly started the Metal scene by importing international music and airing it on his radio show. The unique band Cuerpo y Alma had already laid the foundations for Metal with their Black Sabbath/Guatemalan folk mix as far back as '71 - '73, but their legacy (a classic tale of Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll set in a military dictatorship) remains more obscure than Blacko's.

Visión Satánica EP (1987) - Similar to Venom but with a Hard Rock, bluesy sound instead of a punk one. It might sound better than it actually is, but check it out if you like lo-fi rarities.

Serpiente Visión- I just want to shoehorn this band in here because they're my personal favorite from the entirety of Central America and Mexico. Formed by old-timers and scene veterans, their only recording didn't come out until 1995 and, in my opinion, has a totally unique, dark sound. While they toyed with the image of Mayan mythology, their music doesn't reflect that. Recommended

Blacko's first band, they considered themselves Black Metal because of their dark sound and Satanic themes. While Blacko became a born-again Christian and founded another band, Guerreros del Metal, Guitarist Charly Velásquez would go on to form the much superior and wonderful Serpiente Vision with other scene veterans.

Somehow skipping a civil conflict unlike every single one of its neighbors, Honduras still had to suffer through the terror inflicted by the CIA-backed Battalion 3-16 during the 80s and one of the highest poverty rates in Latin America.

By 1985, the lone Salvadorean band had released two singles, while Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama had nothing. These Hondurans were literally years ahead of their neighbors. With a spark of the ongoing dream for a unified Central America, their sole album, Forjado en Rocka, was recorded in El Salvador and was well received in both Guatemala and Nicaragua. Musically, it's a solid effort that sounds like a lower production value Arkangel.

After a number military dictatorships and civil wars, this country started making progress in the 80s.

Formed in 1983, Cygnus is the first Dominican and first Caribbean band in general.Their live shows were apparently a big hit and they made a lasting impact on the small Dominican scene. They wouldn't officially release any material until 1987's Estoy fuera de de control single and 1988's 3 track demo.

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Luchando por el Metal: A Look at Early Latin American Heavy Metal

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An unexpected wealth of rock bands formed all around Latin America during the 70s, laying potential blueprints for Heavy Metal in the early 80s. Nowadays, every country has seen an explosion of bands, but back then things were a lot harder to come by.

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https://www.quora.com/Why-is-Heavy-Metal-so-popular-in-the-Mexican-Alternative-Music-Scene

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https://www.pariahrocks.com/rocas-de-metal-latino-5-latin-metal-bands-rocking-the-world/

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In my research, I found that Metal is not just big in the United States, but it is HUGE in latin america. It is very popular in places like Mexico and South America in countries like Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Argentina and many more. Like many metal scenes in the world, metal is a way of bringing people together despite the image it may have.

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As the early stages of metal (in the UK) were a way for people to express their discontent with socioeconomic and political issues of their country, the same was true in Latin America. In the 70's the issues in latin america were the dictatorships in Chile and Argentina, Pablo Escobar in Colombia, racism, and other issues.  Many bands talk about things like growing up poor, to politics, to war, and any other controversial topics in their lives. It was a escape for people many people and a way to voice their frustrations. As best said by Max Calvera of Sepultura "The poverty, the violence of the country. We took hold of that music. It became something that we could count on it to get through. It was like a weapon."

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Metal is a type of music under the umbrella of rock. Metal began in the late 60’s/ 70’s in the industrial working class of England. Many people point to Black Sabbath as being the first metal band. Black sabbath was a group of young men in the UK who worked in factories, angry about their jobs and the socioeconomic situation in England at the time. Their sound was different to normal rock bands, their sounds consisted of elements like amplified, distorted guitars, heavy, loud drums, machine (or some would say like the sounds of metal in a factory)like sounds and intense power chord riffs, as well as gritty intense vocals.

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Though not from a country where Spanish is the official language, I felt it would be doing injustice to Latin metal/metal if I did not mention a band that impacted not only metal is in Latin/Hispanic community, but also the metal world as a WHOLE. That band is Sepultura. Sepultura formed in 1984 and are from Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The band original formed with brothers Max and Igor Calvera, along Igor on drums, vocalist Wagner Lamounier, and bassist Paulo Jr. (Max later would become the singer after various member changes). The band recorded their first full-length album, Morbid Visions, in August 1986, which got them noticed by many. In 1991, they release the album “Rise” gain LOTS of attention and begin to tour around the world (as well as relocate outside of Brazil to Phoenix, Arizona) However, the album that really put the band on the map and left a impact on the world, was their album “Roots”. “Roots” was an album that was not only a heavy metal album, but mixed elements of indigenous Brazilian percussion. It was something not seen in the metal world and an album that was unique in its own right. To the members of the band "Roots" was a way to honor the beautiful things about their home country and inspire people to go back to their own roots.

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Sepultura impacted music in a way bigger than they could have expected. According to the NPR podcast on metal in latin america, Sepultura helped kicked off the genre of "Nu-metal" (think of bands like korn and lincoln park)which was HUGE in the 90's. They also influence lots of people in metal/ rock like Dave Grohl of the Foo fighters, Slipknot, Korn, Hatebreed,and Code Orange amoung other bands. In Latin America however, they impacted bands like Puya of Puerto Rico, A.N.I.M.A.L. from Argetnina, and Krisiun also from Brazil. Sepultura helped but Latin metal and Latin america on the map.

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A.N.I.M.A.L is a from Argentina that dabbles in Nu metal, Heavy metal, and Thrash metal. They formed in 1992/1992 Andrés Gimenez, Roberto "el Polaco" Zelasek  and Anibal Alo. Originally they were named “Animals” but changed to “A.N.I.M.A.L” after member Zelasek left. In 1993 they released their self-titled debut album and opened for bands like Bad religion and Biohazard. In 1996-2000 was when they achieved mainstream success, they released the albums “El Nuevo Camino Del”(1996), “Poder Latino” (1998),”Usa Toda Tu Fuerza” (1999), and “Animal 6” (2001). During this time was when they changed their sound to more Nu-metal. From 2006-2015 they went on a hiatus but are currently back together as a band as of March 2015, they also had two sold out shows on March 29 and 31 at the Vorterix theater, in Buenos Aires.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A.N.I.M.A.L.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sepultura

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Sepultura - Roots Bloody Roots [OFFICIAL VIDEO]

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Puya is a progressive metal band from Puerto Rico. They formed in 1991 with members Ramon Ortiz(guitar), Eduardo Paniagua(drums),Harold Hopkins Miranda (bass), Sergio Curbelo (1992–2018, vocals), and Diego Romero (2018–present, vocals). Puya was successful in mixing the styles of salsa and Afro Caribbean beats/Rhythms with heavy metal. Puya released its first album which was self-titled in 1995. In 1999, they signed with the to MCA and released their second album “Fundamental” which was received well, that same year they were on Ozzfest and opened along with the band Slipknot. They have opened for many bands like Sepultura, KISS, Red hot chili peppers, and Pantera. There one of first Puerto Rican Rock bands to have international success.

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Heavy Metal's place within the taxonomy of music is as a subcategory of hard-rock, which in turn falls under the expansive denomination of rock. Heavy Metal - also just called 'metal' - is perhaps one of the most complex and controversial genres of music. The genre has simultaneously inspired die-hard fans and intense criticism, along with heaps of absurd and unbelievable stories. Metal is not a genre of moderation, but rather one of extreme excess, in terms of musical style but also in terms of the attitude, appearance, and the lifestyles of those who play it.

The impact heavy metal has had on the musical (and the social) landscape has been immense. Alongside the head-banging, heavy metal has also come to represent something deeper for many of its fans, something political even. But how did the heavy metal music revolution begin and what inspired it?
The Origins of Metal Music
Heavy Metal music originated from industrial, working class areas of the UK. Specifically in the midlands and northern England, where, coincidentally, there were a large number of factories processing actual metal, primarily steel. Members of some of the earliest metal bands have referenced the sound of the steel factories as a direct influence on their music: "You could always hear the steam hammers, there was always a steel mill within audible distance", remembers Glenn Tipton of Judas Priest.

Other than listening to the sounds of metal foundries, the pioneers of metal listened to British blues rock bands. In the early 60s the genre included the Rolling Stones, the Animals, and the Yardbirds. Meanwhile, the chunky guitar riff in The Kinks' song You Really Got Me, is said to have directly inspired Bill Ward (Black Sabbath).

Guitar legend Jimmy Hendrix also influenced the early development of the genre with the popularisation of lengthy, technically brilliant, highly distorted guitar solos, which became one of the defining a characteristics of metal music. Equally, Cream and the solos of Eric Clapton influenced the early sound of metal, perhaps even more so than Hendrix, because Cream also included repetitive riffs, heavy drums, and a psychedelic vibe, all of which would play an important role in early metal music.

Inspired by bands of the early 60s, heavy metal music began in its own right in the late 60s early 70s. By most accounts, the first metal band was Black Sabbath, with Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple sometimes sharing the title. Nitpicking aside, these three bands shared a characteristic style: a mix of big, thick, dense, and intense sounds. Through the use of amplified, distorted guitars, heavy, loud drums, and a machine-like quality to the power chord driven guitar riffs, these pioneering metal bands created the genre.

DJ Neal Kay pinpointed the importance of the electric guitar and amplification to the genre when he said: "Heavy metal is all about, literally, the awesome power of electricity through guitar." Indeed, it would be impossible to create the epic atmosphere present in songs such as War Pigs by Black Sabbath without the presence of the distorted electric guitar. Meanwhile, imaging Led Zeppelin without the ingenious electric guitar riffs driving the songs forward is simply impossible.

The overall loudness of metal music, caused by the need to balance each segment of the music with the booming amplification of the guitar, has become one of the genres defining features. One cannot play metal music quietly. Metal is always too much of everything to the point where 'too much' has become the genres mantra: too loud, too heavy, too powerful, and with guitar solos that, according to the critics, are too long!

And the frontmen of metal lived out the mantra of 'too much' in every aspect of their lives. They came to be seen as aggressive, macho, rebellious, outrageous, even dangerous...
Metal in the Mainstream 1970-1972 - In the beginning...
There was Black Sabbath! And thanks to Black Sabbath, metal music went mainstream almost instantly in the UK. Black Sabbath formed in Birmingham in 1968, comprised of Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass), Bill Ward (drums), and Ozzy Osbourne (vocals). As the archetypal metal band, Black Sabbath are without a doubt the most influential metal band in history.

After releasing their first record in 1970, the band achieved instant success. The record reached number 8 in the UK albums chart and, a few months later, reached number 23 on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart in the USA. Yet despite its success (or perhaps because of it) music critics lambasted the album. It appeared the musical elite were not quite ready for heavy metal music. Fans, however, found it a welcome relief from the flower power pop of the 60s generation and appreciated the frankness of the sound, and of the lyrics, which focused on a range of social issues including the Vietnam war and drug use.

Black Sabbath paid no attention to the critics. The band returned to the studio just four months after the release of their debut album to record a second. The album was titled Paranoid and featured a song by the same name. The song was released as a single and reached number 4 in the UK singles chart. Boosted by the success of the single, the album reached number 1. Across the Atlantic, Paranoid reached number 12 and consequently the band went on tour in the United States in 1971. Despite receiving no radio airplay and being ignored or dissed by critics, Black Sabbath established themselves as one of the biggest bands in the world within 2 years.

Their success inspired many. Having begun as a progressive rock band, Deep Purple turned to a heavier sound in 1970. Consisting of four professionally trained musicians, Deep Purple added a technical element to metal that was not present in the simple compositions created by Black Sabbath. The shift towards a heavy metal sound resulted in instant success for the band. Their 1970s album, In Rock, reached number 4 in the UK, while the single Black Night got to number 2.
1978- 1982 - Leather and Studs
Both Black Sabbath and Deep Purple enjoyed considerable success throughout the 70s, but it wasn't until 1978 that metal music entered a new era of development. This new era was brought into being by another Birmingham based band: Judas Priest.

Judas Priest combined the musical approaches of Black Sabbath and Deep Purple into one impressive sound. Dark, intense, complex, and melodic, the metal music made by Judas Priest ushered in a new era of heavy metal bands, but interestingly it wasn't the music that defined them, rather it was the fashion.

During the first half of the 1970s, heavy metal musicians still looked much them same as 1960s blues rockers, a style we now refer to as the 'hippy' look. This all changed when Rob Halford, lead singer of Judas Priest, brought the leather and studs style he found in London's Soho gay bars and nightclubs into the world of metal music. By introducing leather and studs, Judas Priest changed everything, forever. With its new image, metal became more than a musical genre, it became an identity.

Along with giving metal its iconic look, Judas Priest sold over 50 million records, produced 18 studio albums (the most recent was released in 2018), and earned 5 grammy awards, all of which has contributed to the establishment of metal as one of the most influential and widely enjoyed genres of music in the world.
1982-1986 - NWOBHM
In the 1980s a new wave of metal bands emerged. Once again, most of these bands came from the UK. The new generation of bands ditched the blues elements, that can be found in early metal music, in favor of a distinctly punk rock inspired sound. The songs were faster, intenser, and more aggressive. The era produced some of heavy metals most influential bands, including: Motörhead, Iron Maiden, Saxon, and Def Leppard.

This era of heavy metal has been called the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM), but the term doesn't neatly described all the acts that emerged during the period. Metal bands of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal typically conformed to the punk/indie DIY ethic. Numerous independent labels formed and bands produced their own records. However, this can not be said of the eras most iconic and successful band, Motörhead, who had a recording contract early on and comprised members of formerly successful bands.

Despite the usual categorisation problems, metal bands in the early 1980s shared a distinctive, unique sound. What's more, the bands introduced new lyrical themes to the genre by singing about fantasy and mythological topics, an aspect of metal music that would become central to later sub-genres. Equally important during this era was the development of theatrical stage shows. Together, these new elements sent the genre global.
1986-1990 - Hair and Thrash
During the latter half of the 1980s metal entered a new and, for many dedicated fans, disturbing period. A new group of bands situated on the West coast of the United States created a new form of music called Hair Metal. These bands took the theatrical aspects of early 80s metal to the extreme. For Hair Metal bands the performance was less about the music than it was about the style and the show. Mötley Crüe and Poison epitomised this outrageous subgenre of metal music, focusing their lyrics on women (Mötley Crüe's song Girls, Girls, Girls), fast cars, and living large on L.A.'s Sunset Strip.

While Hair Metal was taking off in L.A., another brand of metal emerged that represented Hair Metal's exact opposite: Thrash Metal. Drawing inspiration from NWOBHM bands and from classic metal acts, Thrash Metal became the hardest, loudest, and fasted version of metal played by anyone, anywhere. Those most influential bands of the era were Metallica, Exodus, Slayer, and Megadeth. Unlike their Hair Metal cousins, Thrash Metal bands maintained metal music's historic attachment to politically conscious lyrics.
Metal Leaves the Mainstream 1990 - onwards - Era of the Extreme
While Hair Metal enjoyed considerable commercial success, the craze was short-lived. By the 1990s only Thrash Metal bands had survived, but their sound was too extreme for the mainstream. Apart from Metallica, and to a lesser extent Megadeth, Thrash Metal bands failed to (or avoided) breaking through to wider audiences.

Throughout the decade and into the 21st Century, the marginalisation of new metal music only increased as extreme forms of metal prevented the music having any major commercial, or mainstream appeal. The social themes once present in metal lyrics were replaced almost entirely with a combination of inward looking or mythological themes, or frankly incomprehensible vocals.

Metal took a backseat to Grunge music and alternative rock throughout the 1990s and has not returned to the mainstream since.
Controversy and Criticism of Metal Music and the Metal 'Identity'
As a genre, metal has always attracted criticism and controversy. It has often been considered 'anti', anti-flower pop, anti-establishment, anti-war, anti-nuclear and so on, making it a rebellious genre of music. The wild antics of metal's leading musicians has created a aura of unpredictability, insanity, and immorality about the genre. There was the time Ozzy Osbourne bit the head off a live bat during a show, Lemmy's well-known speed and alcohol addiction, Tommy Lee and Pamela Anderson sex tape, the murder of Dimebag Darrell while performing onstage, and the wave of Nordic church burnings by members of Black Metal bands.

The genre has also attracted a reputation for homophobia and sexism, caused primarily by the macho culture surrounding the identity of metal fans who were almost exclusively male (as have been the bands). These accusations have alway been vehemently refuted by metal fans, but the image has persisted in the minds of the general public.

But metal is a complex genre. Despite the accusations, for many metal fans the genre still represents rebellion against a corrupt political system and a form of liberation from repressive social norms. To that end, metal music has become increasingly popular in countries with dictatorial regimes, including in Brazil, and several Middle-Eastern countries, as a form of protest and self-expression.
The Future of Metal | Contemporary Metal
Despite turning, in many ways, into a niche genre, heavily fragmented into an endless list of sub-genres, metal remains one of the quintessential genres of modern music. And for many, metal's retreat from the mainstream was a blessing in disguise, allowing the genre to experiment and explore new and interesting directions. Continually evolving, metal is far from over. Who know when it will return from the shadows to dominate the mainstream once more.
Key Moments in the History of Metal Music

1970 - On Friday 13th of February, Black Sabbath released their self-titled debut album, Black Sabbath. The album reached no.8 on the UK albums chart and no.23 on the Billboard 200 albums chart in the USA. The releases the album Paranoid later the same year.

1970 - Deep Purple release In Rock. The album reaches no.4 in the UK.

1978 - Judas Priest release Killing Machine. When released in the US, the album is retitled, Hell Bent for Leather, in reference to the band's iconic leather and studs look.

1980 - Judas Priest release British Steel. The album receives considerable commercial success and is regularly played on the radio. The album reached no.4 and the singles, Breaking the Law & Living After Midnight, both reached no.12.

1982 - Ozzy Osbourne bites the head off a live bat during a show in Iowa, USA.

1979 - Motörhead release Overkill, the band's first album to enter the top 40 of the UK albums chart.

1983 - Mötley Crüe release Shout at the Devil. The album reaches number 17 on the Billboard 200 album chart.

1986 - Metallica release Master of Puppets. The album is considered the most influential thrash metal album ever made.

2004 - Dimebag Darrell is shot dead while performing onstage.

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The History of Metal Music - Rock My World

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Heavy Metal's place within the taxonomy of music is as a subcategory of hard-rock, which in turn falls under the expansive denomination of rock. Heavy Metal - also just called 'metal' - is perhaps one of the most complex and controversial genres of music. The genre has simultaneously inspired die-hard fans and intense criticism, along [...]