Wednesday, January 29, 2025

PROTO-METAL: THE STORM

Todays Proto-Metal (read at the bottom of this post if you don’t know what that is) band Spanish hard rock-progressive band The Storm was formed in 1969, under the name of Los Tormentos by Luis Genil Rodríguez (keyboards, vocals), Diego Ruiz Geniz (drums, vocals), and José "Pepe" Torres Alcoba (bass, vocals). Active from 1969 to 1976 and since 1978 to 1981 with Ángel Ruiz Geniz (guitar), Diego Ruiz Geniz (drums), José Ramón Torres (bass), Manuel Muriel Rivas (keyboards).

They soon changed it to the definitive Storm at the request of their manager, José Luis Fernández de Córdoba. Regulars on the club circuits of Madrid and Barcelona, ​​they gained enough fame for the BASF label to record their first LP, titled The Storm, which mixes heavy and psychedelia, and alternates songs in Spanish, English and instrumental songs. On December 13, 1974, they shared the bill with the group Queen,1​ and they received a public congratulation from Freddie Mercury himself.[citation needed] During this period, they eventually introduced rhythmic elements of flamenco origin into their music, which is why some authors include them among the pioneers of Andalusian rock.

In 1976, the group broke up, because its members had to do military service, although before the end of 1978 they got back together and continued their tours. They would not release their next album, El día de la tormenta, until 1980, with a change on bass, with Pedro García entering in place of Pepe Torres. A year later, in 1981, the group retired permanently.

In 2004, their keyboard player, Luis Genil, passed away, and the rest of the band performed three tribute concerts in Seville, reuniting in 2011 to play at the "Rock por Palestina" Festival held on February 25, in the same city.

The group is active again since 2014.

The bands debut from 1970

Live from 1974



WHAT IS PROTO-METAL?