Angelus Apatrida

Originating from the small town of Albacete, Angelus Apatrida have arguably evolved into the Spanish thrash metal act with the highest international profile. While drawing heavily from Bay Area thrash greats like Exodus and Metallica, the band incorporates elements of death metal and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal as well, resulting in a culture- and generational-spanning sonic assault that is constantly evolving. The band broke out in 2009 with their third LP and major-label debut Clockwork, and earned accolades for their politically charged sixth long-player, 2018′s Cabaret de la Guillotine. Angelus Apatrida were born out of the merging of two local Albacete groups in 2000. After a few squabbles about what musical direction to follow — their earliest incarnation veered heavily toward power metal — by 2002 the band decided to go full throttle down the thrash metal avenue, changed its sound and image, and established its definitive lineup of Guillermo Izquierdo (guitar, vocals), David G. Álvarez (guitar), José J. Izquierdo (bass), and Víctor Valera (drums). Two independently released albums — Evil Unleashed (2006) and Give ’Em War (2007) — paired with their scorching live act, made waves in the metal circuit, and Angelus Apatrida’s big break came in 2009, when they landed a contract with prominent metal label Century Media Records and released the critically acclaimed Clockwork. This Daniel Cardoso-produced album earned the band several end-of-year accolades, and prompted fans and the specialized press to regard them as the next big thing in European thrash metal. Hectic touring in festivals across Europe followed, including supporting gigs for the likes of Slayer and Megadeth. Clockwork’s successor, The Call, appeared in 2012, and was Century Media’s highest-ever chart entry to date in Spain. The band toured with Havok and Savage Messiah the following year in support of the reissue of a double-LP of their first two albums, and in 2015 they released their fifth studio long-player, Hidden Evolution. They spent the next two years on the road, touring both at home and abroad, eventually returning to the studio with a batch of heavily worked new material. The following year saw the release of the sonically diverse Cabaret de la Guillotine. ~ Mariano Prunes