Biography
Emerging alongside Enrique Bunbury's Heroes del Silencio and similar acts on Barcelona's early-'90s scene, the hard-edged indie rock band Fantastico Hombre Bala swiftly earned underground-icon status on the strength of two albums and an EP. The Castilian rock & roll group took shape in Barcelona in 1993 from the remnants of Animal Magic and Delaware, its original lineup comprising vocalist Morti (Alejandro Martinez), drummer Charly Sardà, bassist Juan Luis Leprevost, and guitarists Dani "Patillas" Baraldés and Munsee (Sebastián Delaware). While absorbing influences that stretched from Living Colour to the Cult and from Killing Joke to Nirvana, the musicians sought to recast those American and European sources into an original sonic territory whose aggressive, hardy, and unruly character has persisted.
Live shows prompted EMI to sign the band, which delivered its debut album Tierra de Cerdos in 1994; the record drew scant attention even as growing crowds flocked to the group's increasingly potent concerts. A year later the EP En Carne Viva appeared, blending album tracks with new material. For 1996's Estigmas—now regarded as a classic of Castilian rock & roll—David Martinez replaced bassist Leprovost. Although sales rose and limited airplay arrived, most mainstream outlets and pop listeners continued to overlook the album even while tours sold out. After the singles "Soy" b/w "Dar, Dar y Recibir" and "A Través de un Desierto," the band entered a nearly twenty-year hiatus during which every member launched solo endeavors. Morti's proved the most visible: he fronted Skizzo, Immune, and Enrique Bunbury's Bushido supergroup while releasing his own metal-leaning solo album Exmundus. The remaining musicians worked chiefly as session players, often joining other bands. In the ensuing years the group's reputation expanded, its albums stayed in print, and they outsold their original active period.
Morti announced Fantastico Hombre Bala's return to the stage and studio in 2013; the reconstituted lineup featured Morti, Sardá, and Baraldés together with bassist Sebi Suarez and guitarist Jordi Busquets. Concerts introduced the new song "Mundo Demencial." Three years later, November 2016 brought the third album Al Despertar on Fair Warning, followed by the singles "Al Limite" and "Fuera de Control." The release became the band's breakthrough, charting across Spain and in Latin American countries while live demand created insatiable ticket sales.
Live shows prompted EMI to sign the band, which delivered its debut album Tierra de Cerdos in 1994; the record drew scant attention even as growing crowds flocked to the group's increasingly potent concerts. A year later the EP En Carne Viva appeared, blending album tracks with new material. For 1996's Estigmas—now regarded as a classic of Castilian rock & roll—David Martinez replaced bassist Leprovost. Although sales rose and limited airplay arrived, most mainstream outlets and pop listeners continued to overlook the album even while tours sold out. After the singles "Soy" b/w "Dar, Dar y Recibir" and "A Través de un Desierto," the band entered a nearly twenty-year hiatus during which every member launched solo endeavors. Morti's proved the most visible: he fronted Skizzo, Immune, and Enrique Bunbury's Bushido supergroup while releasing his own metal-leaning solo album Exmundus. The remaining musicians worked chiefly as session players, often joining other bands. In the ensuing years the group's reputation expanded, its albums stayed in print, and they outsold their original active period.
Morti announced Fantastico Hombre Bala's return to the stage and studio in 2013; the reconstituted lineup featured Morti, Sardá, and Baraldés together with bassist Sebi Suarez and guitarist Jordi Busquets. Concerts introduced the new song "Mundo Demencial." Three years later, November 2016 brought the third album Al Despertar on Fair Warning, followed by the singles "Al Limite" and "Fuera de Control." The release became the band's breakthrough, charting across Spain and in Latin American countries while live demand created insatiable ticket sales.
Albums
Singles
