I want to start by saying that Puerto Rico’s Metal Scene is going through its best time in its history. It is the first time that many bands are making as much noise as they are doing now, both in Puerto Rico and internationally. Having to narrow it to five bands is a hard task, especially with so many amazing bands over here, but here are the ones I think are or have made the biggest impact in the past few years:
FULLMINATOR - They come from the future to save the world from the evil Colonel Roach with the power of their tasty jams and that, my friends, they do. Fullminator has combined the elements of party thrash with catchy sing-alongs that would make you have their songs stuck in your head for days and days. They also have a robot (“Crackbot”) that has lasers and stands in the middle of the pit while they are playing. This band is 2016’s biggest surprise and their EP “From the Future” is just perfect. I just can’t get enough of these guys.
CALAMITY
- Our tour buddies have come a long way to be able to reach out to the spot they are today. Calamity is the perfect band if you are into Bay Area Old School Thrash Metal. Their explosive show with catchy riffs and lyrics will make you headbang all the time and also, you will never have enough of them. They have just released a new single called “End of the Road” which was produced by Puya’s axe man Ramón Ortiz. This song is a massive punch in the face and will kick your ass.
PARICIA’S PATIENCE
- Paricia’s Patience came out as a refreshing band to have in the Scene in an era where most of the bands were Death, Thrash, and Black Metal. They are a great combination of NWOEM, Progressive Metal, and with hints of Death Metal here and there. Their vocal work is just incredible. Damaris’ voice is as tight as it can be (I like to compare her with Royal Thunder’s Mlny Parsonz) along with Jose Miguel and Jose Luis backing vocals harmonies make everything sound like beautiful chaos. This band has my complete respect because it is more than clear that these guys sit down and structure their songs the best way possible. Also Luis, their drummer? He’s a beast!
RITUAL KANNABIS
- If you are into Deathcore, these are the guys to look after too. Now, do not think about shitty Deathcore, think about tight riffs and amazing grooves combined with, in my opinion, is the best guttural vocalist that we have in the Island, Wesley. Ritual Kannabis incorporates elements of old school Death Metal with some of the most “in your face” riffs that you will ever hear. These guys have been gone through a lot over the years. With many lineup changes, and the loss of their founding member, Christian, which was beloved by the whole scene, have made this band as tight as they have ever been. If you want to listen to heavy, angry, empowered music, or if you just want to smoke weed while listening to metal, Ritual Kannabis is for you.
DANTESCO
- Dantesco have been around for about 13 years and they have never shown a sign of slowing down. Dantesco is for all the fans of Epic Doom Metal. Combining influences from Candlemass, Uriah Heep, Rainbow, and Black Sabbath, Dantesco brings a complete auditive and visual experience. Dantesco is probably the most known band in the underground scene in Puerto Rico, having played in many countries around the world. If you are into old school Doom Metal, Dantesco is the one for you.
Like I mentioned, narrowing it down to five bands is not fair for all the amazing stuff that we got going on down here in the Island. If you didn’t know about what is going over here, I encourage you to check out all of the bands I previously mentioned alongside bands like:
Omnifariam, Massive Destruktion, Irkalia, Cold Times, Attachment, The Mirage Theory, Dementium, Argyle, Humanist, Tavú
Emily also recommends you check out Weslie's band Zafakon! They just got voted in to open for Metallica in Puerto Rico and they are definitely worth your time to check out!
