Werken: Hielo Eterno | The Cold Is Here To Stay
(2025 – Cuervo Records)
It’s not easy to translate cold into music, especially when we’re talking about the cold of Patagonia, Argentina. The easiest thing to do is to repeat what others have already done, but Werken chooses a different path, trying to give the subject a different color and even achieving their best work to date.
With “Hielo Eterno,” Werken continues in its particular style, which we could place somewhere between traditional Heavy Metal and melodic Power Metal, but in the case of the guys from Comodoro Rivadavia, Chubut, their style is nourished by other ingredients that make their music and this album something interesting to listen to and explore.
Werken does not waste time copying and implementing old and effective formulas that have proven to be quite effective in the world of Metal. Musically speaking, “Hielo Eterno” has a concise and unique structure in which the band concentrates its potential, introducing elements into its compositions that make up Argentine music, and in particular, influences that ultimately take us on a journey through the wild solitudes of the cold at the end of the world. Above all, however, Werken leans toward classic and traditional Heavy Metal, which is no small matter.
That’s why it’s no coincidence that the album begins with “Maquinchao,” an intro that leads into “Alas Delta,” which is fast, concise, and has really interesting melodies. “Esperanza” shows a more modern side to their sound, especially with its riffs and guitar chords that bring Werken closer to the sounds of the moment.
“El Regreso” offers a semi-stuck march, a gallop, and that feeling of being in the presence of a high-caliber piece, and above all, metal, which Werken maintains in the title track of this album, a heavy song that fits into the most traditional of classic melodic metal and perfectly matches the message the band proposes.
“El Último Soldado” is a beautiful tribute to the veterans of the Falklands War, in a piece reminiscent of the old Iron Maiden anthems. Next, we have a kind of epic ballad entitled “Preludio De Redención,” followed by “Voces Del Viento,” a complex and intricate composition with the classic sound of traditional Heavy Metal.
And if we’re talking about classic and traditional Metal, “El Fugitivo” certainly fits the bill, possibly one of the best tracks on the album. And what can we say about “Detrás Del Mar,” a true anthem with the essence of metal and an unmistakably Argentinean feel. That’s not all. “El Precio Del Honor,” pure national folklore, rescues the essence of traditional Argentine music and the memory of Juan Moreira, the well-known gaucho.
In the same traditionalist vein is “La Nevada,” and to close the album, “Tormenta Del Ayer,” another folkloric piece but in this case mediated by the sound of Metal, which achieves an interesting combination.
Werken does not seem to follow the guidelines expected of a heavy metal band. While it essentially maintains the sound of classic and traditional Metal, its combination with elements of Argentine folk music and that air that takes us on a journey to the end of the world makes “Hielo Eterno” worth listening to. It is precisely these elements that make Werken different from the rest.
And, of course, we cannot overlook the lyrics and the overall message of the album. Focused on a national sentiment, Werken encourages us to fight, struggle, and not give up in the face of adversity, all in a context that has to do with the climate and air of Patagonia, which we found to be an excellent combination.
To this we must add the sound achieved in the recording studio. Very particular indeed. Apparently, the final mix gave some prominence to the hard riffs and guitar chords, but each percussion beat and bass chord reinforces the final sound in a way that allows the mood of the album to be in tune, in a way, with the spirit of the album. It is difficult to define in words the sound that Werken achieves on the album. In any case, I would say that it is a kind of combination of fierceness, hardness, and the band’s natural sound, at a time when so much is left to the discretion of technology. Here, it seems to be quite the opposite.
The cover of “Hielo Eterno” has that duality of showing a spirit well-centered in Heavy Metal but with a distinctly Argentinean feel, which in some way sums up the message that Werken is proposing. Inside the inner sleeve, we find the lyrics, technical details, and more, as well as an excellent photograph of the band. The edition is classic, traditional, and simple, keeping in mind that we are talking about an independent production.
For the moment, “Hielo Eterno” is only available on compact disc, but a vinyl version would not be a bad idea.
At the moment, “Hielo Eterno” is only available on compact disc, but a vinyl version would not be a bad idea. So, if you want to know how to get this album, below we provide you with the contact details for the label that released it, as well as how to contact the band through their social media, and of course, to follow them and find out the latest news about the band. And, of course, we’ll leave you with the official video clip for “Alas Delta,” a song from this great album by Werken…
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