Imagine growing up on a beautiful tropical island, a place where the radio could only pick up two stations. One of them played a steady stream of Pantera, Public Enemy, and Bad Brains, while the other one spun the funky Latin sounds of salsa. The four members of PUYA grew up on the island of Puerto Rico under these musical influences. Imagine that every once in a while, the radio signals got crossed and you heard one sound that was a combination of the two. MCA Records presents PUYA, a band that has created a unique style that will satisfy fans of both pummeling guitar assaults and sexy syncopated Latin beats.
The band is set to debut their self-titled EP on October 20, 1998. Included on the CD are three tracks from the band's forthcoming full-length debut, Fundamental, "Solo," "Sal Pa'fuera" and "Montate." The EP's "Solo," fluctuates between syncopated salsa, backed by a full horn section, and hard-core interludes that urge pride in "la raza Latina" (the Latin race). "Sal Pa' Fuera" is a straight-ahead headbanger designed to kick your conscience into high gear. "Montate," meaning "get on it", is a track as hard as anything Korn or the Deftones have to offer, with a chorus that turns 180 degrees into a smooth horn-driven mambo.
PUYA's debut full-length CD is due for release in January '99. Fundamental, which has the same meaning in both Spanish and English, has 13 sizzling tracks that cover the wide range of lyrical and musical influences the band's members grew up with. The albums title track, "Fundamental," is juiced by a swinging Afro-Cuban pulse that breaks into a metallic frenzy, prompting Sergio to switch from smooth Spanish to abrasive English. "Oasis," one of the CD's more hyperkinetic cuts, is a tribute to the island's unique cultural mix, and the band's eternal love for its homeland.
Crooning over a funky Latin jazz vibe, Sergio switches it up to suddenly growl over Ramon's revved-up thrash guitars, shouting, "This is where the sound of the future is born!" in Spanish. "Trinidad" celebrates the Puerto Rican welterweight boxing champ of the same name; "Whatever" is a slinky hard rock/Latin funk song about a day when everything that can go wrong does go wrong.
