Almafuerte (band)

Almafuerte was an Argentine heavy metal and hard rock band, founded in 1995 by bassist and composer Ricardo Iorio after the dissolution of Hermetic.

At the beginning of 1995 Iorio decided to establish himself as a regular singer and bassist. He summons guitarist Claudio Marciello and drummer Claudio Cardaci. A few months later they published their debut album, Mundo guanaco and the following year its successor, Del Ambiente, which marked Cardaci's departure from the band. He is replaced by Rodolfo Márquez, who is soon replaced by Walter Martínez, with whom the band publishes the albums Almafuerte in 1998 and A Fondo Blanco in 1999. Martínez leaves the band. band and is replaced by Bin Valencia, drummer who was part of the band until the end of the group. After publishing Piedra libre in 2001, they published Ultimando in 2003, in which Iorio gave up the bass to be only the singer, and bassist Beto Ceriotti joined the band. In 2006 the band released one of its most successful albums, Toro y pampa. In 2012 they released their latest album, Trillando la fina.

Almafuerte has published 8 studio albums and has given a large number of concerts, for example, at the Obras Sanitarias Stadium, the Malvinas Argentinas Microstadium, and the Islas Malvinas Stadium, All Boys' stadium, among others.

In 2016 it was announced that the band would not give any more concerts until further notice, in 2017 Ricardo Iorio himself confirmed the separation of the group.

History

Shortly after the dissolution of Hermética, which occurred in December 1994, Ricardo Iorio began rehearsing with guitarist Claudio Marciello and El Reloj drummer Juan Esposito as a guest for the first rehearsals in which they found a stable drummer. He finally chose the drummer, Claudio Cardaci. A couple of months later, on March 17, Almafuerte's live debut took place at the Arpegios theater. Shortly after they published their debut album, Mundo guanaco.

In the band, Iorio debuts as a stable singer, since in Hermética he sang very few songs and fragments. Guanaco World includes two versions of popular Argentine songs: "Desencuentro" (Tango by Aníbal Troilo and Cátulo Castillo) and "De los pagos del tiempo" (by José Larralde). "Like the oxen" is written by Pedro Bonifacio Palacios. "Zamba de resurrección" is the second time that Iorio performs popular music as such in his career. In addition, the song "Voy a enloquecer" appears, composed by Iorio and Ricardo Chofa Moreno in V8 and distorted years later by his group mates, when they recorded it as "No enloqueceré", and with completely opposite lyrics due to the evangelical tendency. of several of the members of the group. "El pibe tigre" was the first video clip of Iorio's entire recording career.

In 1996 they released their second album titled Del Ambiente, produced by Flavio Cianciarulo, bassist of Los Fabulosos Cadillacs with whom Iorio would record an album the following year. The band is better organized, Iorio writes the lyrics and Marciello the music. This year they present the album in Buenos Aires, and then go on tour throughout the country. After this tour, drummer Claudio Cardaci leaves the band and is replaced by Rodolfo Márquez, who is also replaced shortly after by Walter Martínez.

Ricardo Iorio released Peso argento in 1997, the album with Flavio Cianciarulo, mentioned above. At the end of this year, Almafuerte's first live album, En vida, goes on sale, which includes two new studio songs.

In mid-1998, the band released the self-titled album Almafuerte, produced by Ricardo Mollo. This album marked the band's arrival at a multinational record company: PolyGram (using the Interdisc label), which the following year was purchased by Universal.

On April 2, 1999, the film The Visitor was released. Ricardo Iorio received a call from the producer asking if he could compose music for the soundtrack, for which Almafuerte contributed a new song. The film was about the life of a former combatant of the Falklands War. This song, called the same as the film, was included in the band's next studio album, A Fondo Blanco.

During the year 2000 they filled Obras twice. Starting this year, Bin Valencia replaces the then drummer Walter Martínez.

During the year 2000, some statements by Iorio in Rolling Stone magazine referring to the Jewish community were considered anti-Semitic by various sectors and motivated some individuals to file complaints with the National Institute against Discrimination, Xenophobia and Racism. which motivated Víctor Ramos, then president of the Institute, to file a lawsuit against him. In subsequent interviews, he declared that he was not anti-Semitic and that his words had been misinterpreted. The case was finally dismissed by the Court.

Also this year he had to face some more scandals after the release of the album Piedra libre, where he paid tribute to the former Argentine military man Mohamed Alí Seineldín, a veteran of the Malvinas war and convicted of a carapintada uprising frustrated—and paraphrases in the song Fulfilling my destiny an anti-Semitic saying attributed to said ex-military man.

Shortly after, the death of Ana Mourín, Iorio's wife, takes place. Claudio Marciello records his first solo album, and on November 3 Almafuerte records his second live album, En Vivo Obras 2001 . At the end of that recital, a "medley" of V8 and Hermética songs.

In 2003 came the band's tenth album, the eighth studio album, Ultimando, where Iorio left his place on the bass, due to tendinitis problems that made him uncomfortable and left him alone. It allowed him to concentrate more on singing, passing this into the hands of bassist Beto Ceriotti.

During 2004, there were numerous rumors about a possible Hermética reunion, but in the end none of that took place.

Almafuerte turned 10 at the beginning of 2005 where they released their third live album, 10 años, the events due to the Cro-Magnon Republic fire did not allow them to easily find a place where they could perform, since that as a provisional measure by the government, they were closed to everyone for a time. Finally, they had to perform at Scombrorock. Later that year they filled the Obras Sanitarias Stadium, doing 2 dates instead of one.

In October of that year they participated in a great festival in Obras with Megadeth, who were recording a live DVD.

During 2006, the band's ninth studio album was released: Toro y pampa. In eleven songs they reaffirmed the usual message: the Iorio-Marciello duo, accompanied by Beto Ceriotti and Bin Valencia, on bass and drums respectively, maintained their forcefulness of Argentine heavy metal.

In mid-2009 they published En Vivo Obras, a CD+DVD with the best of the May 10, 2008 show held at the Buenos Aires stadium.

From 2012 until their separation, Almafuerte was on tour presenting her eighth studio album, Trillando la fina, which consists of eleven songs. The band has been promoting their new album throughout the country.

In that same year, on December 29, at Almafuerte's usual end-of-year farewell, a DVD was recorded at the Malvinas Argentinas Microstadium.

In June 2013 they made history, being the first Argentine metal band to fill a soccer stadium since Rata Blanca in Vélez (1991). It happened at the Islas Malvinas Stadium (All Boys) on June 22, in front of 20,000 people. The recording of another DVD was included. This concert had several peculiarities, such as a fleeting return to the bass by Iorio playing "From the West", and the performance after a long time of the Medley of songs by V8 and Hermética. The leader of Almafuerte gave voice to the songs of Hermética, and then momentarily left the stage so that Alberto Zamarbide could sing the songs of V8.

In May 2016 Iorio announced that Almafuerte would not play again for the rest of the year.

Finally, on October 26, 2017, in dialogue with host Facundo Covarrubias, on radio '963 FM', Ricardo Iorio confirmed the separation from Almafuerte and his plans to dedicate himself to his career as a soloist.

Members

Last training

• Ricardo Iorio – voice (1995-2016)Low (1995-2001)
• Claudio "Tano" Marciello – guitar (1995-2016)
• Bin Valencia – battery (2001-2016) (deceased in 2022)
• Carlos Roberto "Beto" Ceriotti – bass (2002-2016)

Previous members

• Juan Espósito – Battery (1995) (fallen in 2016)
• Claudio Cardaci – Battery (1995-1996)
• Rodolfo Márquez – Battery (1996-1997)
• Walter Martínez – Battery (1997-2000)
• Guillermo Araya – bass (2001)

Timeline

Discography

Albums of study

• 1995 - Guanaco World
• 1996 - From the environment
• 1998 - Almafuerte
• 1999 - White background
• 2001 - Free stone
• 2003 - Last
• 2006 - Bull and pampa
• 2012 - Trilling the thin

Musical tours

• 1995-1996: Guanaco World Tour
• 1996-1997: Tour Del Entorno
• 1998-1999: Almafuerte Tour
• 1999-2001: Presentation to the White Fund
• 2001-2002: Free Stone Tour
• 2003-2006: Last Tour
• 2006-2012: Toro and Pampa Tour
• 2012-2014: Trillando la Fina Tour
• 2014-2016: Almafuerte: La Despedida

Videography

• 1995 - The Pybe Tiger
• 1996 - Inland Friendships
• 1996 - Towards the Abyss
• 1999 - Convide rutero
• 1999 - A vos amigo
• 1999 - The visitor
• 2006 - Where my heart is