Draft:Radical (band)

Radical (stylized as RADICAL) is an Uruguayan heavy metal band founded in 2004 by Gabriel Brikman, the former guitarist of the band Chopper. The band is currently inactive. After their June 2, 2018 concert at Bluzz Live in Montevideo, drummer Álvaro De León left the band, and Brikman decided not to do any further activities with the band. However, the band has not formally dissolved, nor is there any evidence that the other band members have resigned.

History
In 2004, Gabriel Brikman formed RADICAL after leaving the band Chopper. Rodrigo Costas joined immediately afterwards and they began to plan their first project, "Radio". Within a year, they recorded "Radio," an album that has five versions and a remix of Uruguayan rock artists from the previous century. It was produced by Brikman at Arizona Studios and edited by their record label, Pentagram Records. “Radio” was recognized as the best heavy metal album in 2005 at the 2006 Graffiti Awards, which celebrate Uruguayan rock.

In the first half of 2006, RADICAL began to produce new work. The recordings were created between July and September in Arizona Roads in Montevideo and were released on December 8 of the same year. "Perfecto Infierno" (Perfect Inferno) was edited by the band through Pentagram Records, and the Uruguayan version of the album was exclusively released by Extreme Zone Records. The album received positive public and critical reception.

"Perfecto Infierno" has 14 songs that demonstrated RADICAL's evolution and combined the classic metal styles with the hardcore, thrash, and more extreme and "radical" subsets of the genre. Some of the songs on the album, including the homonym "Radical", "Pelea", "Pachamama", "Chupando Lata" and "10 Minutos de Impunidad", received significant public acclaim. "10 Minutos" was included in Uruguayan film "Gigante", which won an award at the 2009 Berlin Film Festival.

In 2007, RADICAL won its second Graffiti Award when "Perfecto Infierno" was named the best heavy metal album in Uruguay. In July 2007, Leonardo Rodríguez, formerly from Chopper, joined RADICAL as its drummer. The band then began its Uruguay Metal Tour IIa Era to promote the heavy metal genre.

In 2009, RADICAL welcomed Nicolás Barreiro as bassist to reinforce the sound and aesthetic that started with its original members.

In 2011, the band released its first videoclip "Sin Control" (Without Control), which received significant public acclaim. Rodolfo Sayagués directed and filmed the video and Juan Tambolini edited it.

The year 2012 was when RADICAL began its significant rise in public support. After an acclaimed performance with the superstar band Hail!, RADICAL began a permanent tour that took it to Florida, Pan de Azúcar, Montevideo, and Juan Lacaze in Uruguay. They then began their first international tour of Brazil before returning to Uruguay in its Metal Rebellion Tour with the São Paulo members of Red Front. The excellent reception by the public, bands and the Brazilian press allowed RADICAL to plan a return to northern Uruguay in 2013 and an Argentinian tour in March 2013.

Live performances
RADICAL has shared the stage with international bands, including Ratos de Porão, GBH, Sepultura, Destruction, Granada, Angorya, Hail (All Stars tribute), Red Front, Cruscifire, Locomotiva 77, Machinage, Command6, HellLight, Chemical, Rhevan, Rata Blanca, Horcas, Luctiferu, and A Sorrowful Dream, among others. They have also performed with local bands like Reytoro, Herrumbre, Walpurgis, Austera Existencia, Sentencia, Catástrofe, Arson, Wizard, Zenith, Growl, Raíces Muertas, Territory, Nítrica, Tol Sirion, Mataojo, Camorra, Path, Sagrario, Malme, and Ceibo, among others.

Discography

 * Radio (2005)
 * Perfecto Infierno (2006)
 * Sobrevivientes (EP) (2014)
 * Autores en Vivo / Testimonio en Audio (2016)

Awards

 * 2006 Graffiti Awards: Best Heavy Metal Album
 * 2007 Graffiti Awards: Best Heavy Metal Album