Flametal

Benjamin Woods - Flamenco Guitar, vocals, palmas Uriah Duffy - Bass Brian T. Spalding - Electric Guitar Thomas Perry - Drums FLAMETAL is a progressive-metal band formed in Berkeley, California, in the United States, in 2004. The band's frontman and leader, guitarist Benjamin Woods, tried to create a band where the fusion of flamenco and metal would be possible. His vision was of a band where flamenco rhythms and tonalities co-exist with heavy/thrash metal power and dynamics. Both genres requiring speed and technique (virtuosity, in a nutshell, though of different kind), FLAMETAL was from the start a viable, excellent idea that has flourished into something important. To accomplish its goals, FLAMETAL's music has room for both the electric and the acoustic guitar, with long passages where the latter displays the enormous fury and blood of flamenco music while the former lays still. Also, to further enhance the experience, the band's live shows sometimes feature flamenco dancers on stage. The line-up is completed by Thomas Perry on drums, Brian Spalding on electric guitar, Uriah Duffy on bass (he also is the bassist in metal legends WHITESNAKE), and Angeline Saris on bass (the band has two bassists, another innovative element of their music). FLAMETAL's mastermind, Benjamin Woods, plays the acoustic-flamenco guitar and provides the brutal thrash vocals. FLAMETAL released their first demo in 2004. Soon after, in 2005, they released their first full-length, "The Elder", which got a warm reception from the metal community. FLAMETAL is currently recording their second album, "Master of the Aire", which will be released on 2008. In their website, FLAMETAL cite as their influences bands like MEGADETH, SLAYER, TESTAMENT, KING DIAMOND, as well as towering figures as master flamenco-guitarist PACO DE LUCIA and other artists of great relevance as Dave Weckl and Uli Jon Roth. FLAMETAL's music sounds like a mix of PACO DE LUCIA and SLAYER (in the band's own words) but also with many power-metal elements, a combination that transcends boundaries while exploring many new musical landscapes. (Thanks to P. Urquiza for the band's information).