Flamenco and Metal are united by visionary spanish guitarist Benjamin Woods to form a new genre: FLAMETAL . A unique brand of virtuosic guitar music fronted by Flamenco guitar, with a Heavy Metal edge. Authentic sounds and rhythms of Spain, totally rocked out
Benjamin Woods ---------------------Flamenco Guitar,Vocals
Thomas Perry------------------------Drums,Cajon
Angeline Saris ------------------------Bass Guitar
Brian Spalding-----------------------Electric Guitar
Arleen Hurtado --------------------Dance, percussion
Uriah Duffy (Whitesnake)-------Original Bassist
Allumni: Marty Friedman (Megadeth)---Electric Guitar solos (on demo, 2004)
•Flametal is a versatile group as an electrifying flamenco-metal band, or as an acoustic trio, and may even have sexy Flamenco dancers in their over the top live shows.
• The Flametal trio play acoustic Flamenco style classics of Heavy Metal, or what they call "Heavy Mellow" from Slayer to Kiss and everywhere in between. Fans of Rodrigo y Gabriela and exotic guitar shredding will be blown away!
Why Flamenco and Metal?
Flamenco and Metal share many common similarities: technical virtuosity and superb musicianship, guitar worship, intensity anger and passion, the abundant use of phrygian and harmonic minor scales, machine gun-like timing with percussion, and so on. Metal and Flamenco music aficionados are quite alike in that they are both knowledgeable, discerning and picky.
How did the Flametal band come about?
After traveling to Spain and performing countless authentic concerts with flamenco singers and dancers in the US, Benjamin finally had the skills and knowledge to combine his two favorite music genres into FLAMETAL. Soon after moving to Oakland, California and appearing on Marty Friedman's "Music for Speeding" album, Marty graciously contributed solos on Benjamin's first FLAMETAL demo in 2004. The band was formed and played many local shows to rave reviews.
Who is Benjamin Woods?
Born in Seattle Washington, Benjamin was a metal-head from way back. Playing in speed metal bands, he shared a house with his band mates and friends. When a new room mate (of ill repute) turned into a junkie and stole all of Ben's electric guitars and amps, he kept practicing metal on his spanish classical guitar. It was then when he made the connection, discovered his affinity for Flamenco guitar and began his studies..
•2004 Flametal cut their demo with Marty Friedman on electric guitar.
•2005 Flametal releases their debut album "The Elder" which attains cult status around the world.
•2007 "The Elder" is released in Japan.
•2008 Flametal releases "Master of the Aire" in US and Japan, follows with Japanese tour.
•2010 Flametal releases "Heavy Mellow" an album of covers done in the flamenco idiom. A solo effort done entirely by Benjamin Woods.
•2011 Benjamin Woods releases "Vision" a Flamenco Metal masterpiece featuring some of Metal's finest musicians:Glen Drover (Megadeth, King Diamond), Sean Reinert (Cynic, Death), Marc Rizzo (Soulfly, Cavalera Conspiracy),Steve Stevens(Billy Idol, Michael Jackson),Uriah Duffy (Whitesnake) and more.
