Almafuerte (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Founder | Ricardo Iorio |
| Defunct | 2017 |
| Headquarters | Buenos Aires , Argentina |
| Products | Heavy metal music, albums |
Almafuerte was a heavy metal ensemble from Argentina, created in 1995 by bassist and lead vocalist Ricardo Iorio following the disbandment of Hermética.
History
After the breakup of Hermética in 1994, Iorio founded Almafuerte in 1995, recruiting guitarist Claudio "El Tano" Marciello and drummer Claudio Cardacci. Their first album, Mundo Guanaco, combined material from Hermética and Iorio's previous band V8, along with new compositions addressing social issues.
Cardacci departed after their sophomore album, Del Entorno, and was succeeded briefly by Rodolfo Márquez before Walter Martínez took over on drums. With Martínez, the band released the live recording En Vida. In 1998, they issued both the self-titled Almafuerte and Profeta en su Tierra, followed by A Fondo Blanco in 1999. Notably, both Almafuerte and A Fondo Blanco were highlighted by Rolling Stone as among the premier Argentine metal albums.
In 2001, drummer Walter Martínez was replaced by Bin Valencia. That year brought the release of Piedra Libre as well as their second live album, En Vivo, Obras 2001. During this period, Iorio endured personal loss when his wife Ana Mourin died by suicide. Additionally, guitarist Marciello unveiled his solo project, Puesto En Marcha, in September 2001.
Later studio releases included Ultimando (2003), Toro y Pampa (2006), and Trillando la Fina (2012). In October 2017, Iorio officially announced Almafuerte's end and revealed intentions to embark on a solo career.
Final lineup
- Ricardo Horacio Iorio – lead vocals (1995–2016), bass guitar (1995–2003); deceased 2023
- Claudio Rosano "Tano" Marciello – guitar (1995–2016)
- Adrian "Bin" Valencia – drums (2001–2016); deceased 2022
- Carlos Roberto "Beto" Ceriotti – bass (2003–2016)
Previous members
- Juan Espósito – drums (1995); deceased 2016
- Claudio Cardacci – drums (1995–1996)
- Rodolfo Márquez – drums (1996–1997)
- Walter Martínez – drums (1997–2000)
- Timeline
Studio albums
- Mundo Guanaco (1995)
- Del Entorno (1996)
- Almafuerte (1998)
- A Fondo Blanco (1999)
- Piedra Libre (2001)
- Ultimando (2003)
- Toro y Pampa (2006)
- Trillando la fina (2012)
Live and compilation albums
- En Vida (1997)
- Profeta en su Tierra (1998)
- En Vivo Obras 2001 (2001)
- 10 Años (2005)
- En Vivo Obras 2008 (2009)
Other works
- Peso argento (1997) – a collaboration involving Ricardo Iorio and Flavio Cianciarulo, featuring contributions from Claudio Marciello and Rodolfo Márquez.
See also
- Pedro Bonifacio Palacios (Almafuerte)