Zamarbide Live At Groove, Buenos Aires - September 13, 2025 |

A Righteous Tribute

V8 IS NOT DEAD!!!! This was the unanimous chant of the metal crowd throughout most of the night and especially at the end of the concert, and in a way it sums up the feeling that ran through every fiber of those present at a show that we could practically call historic and, without fear of being wrong, one of the best heavy metal events seen this year in Buenos Aires.
The reason for so much celebration was the performance by Alberto Zamarbide (lead singer of V8 and Logos), along with a great selection of musicians, to remember and revisit two fundamental albums in the history of heavy metal in Argentina. On the one hand, the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the release of Logos’ “Generación Mutante,” and on the other, the 40th anniversary of the release of “Un Paso Más En La Batalla,” V8’s tremendous and historic second album. All of this gave the event such importance that it was bound to go down in history, and so it did, as it should.

Our arrival in the (for me) not-so-beloved neighborhood of Palermo in Buenos Aires was a bit chaotic; so much so that due to traffic and time constraints, we were unable to see the two opening bands, Fatigados and Maligno, in action, so I apologize for not being able to review their performances. It was beyond what we could have hoped for. Notwithstanding this, the entrance to the venue was a bit chaotic, more so than expected. The number of people who came to Groove to witness what had been anticipated for several days was impressive; this was going to be a historic show, and believe me, it was, no more and no less.

It started with an intro familiar to many. That keypad sound mixed with telephone noises foreshadowed where things were headed. Yes, of course, “Arden En El Cielo,” the first song from “Generación Mutante,” was the opening, as expected, followed by “Asesinos De La Memoria.” The audience sang along to every song, and it was a party, as expected. The selection of musicians for the occasion, consisting of Mariano Brascich and Cristian Fernandez on guitars, Walter Scasso on bass, and Fernando Scarcella on drums, couldn’t have been better. The chemistry on stage was perfect, and a noteworthy detail is that it was the first time we were able to hear the songs from “Generación Mutante” played with two guitars, which gave them a much more overwhelming power than usual. A good decision, without a doubt. Apart from that, Zamarbide proved once again why he is one of the best vocalists in Argentine heavy metal (if not the best). His dedication, professionalism, and connection with the audience are total. In addition, his vocal range leads one to think that, like Gardel, he sings better every day. Truly brilliant.

I thought that “Generación Mutante” would be played in its entirety. That’s why it was a surprise when Zamarbide suddenly started with “Decide Por Ti Mismo” and “Muerte Sin Gloria,” without following the order established on the album. There was total madness when the title track of the album was played, and closing this first part, “Necios” and “Cuando Acecha La Maldad” were played, and… nothing else, at least as far as that album is concerned.

After a few adjustments (Brascich left and Cristian Fernandez remained as the only guitarist), Zamarbide attacked with one of the emblems of V8 and national heavy metal. “Deseando Destruir Y Matar,” the iconic first song from “Un Paso Más En La Batalla,” unleashed even more energy from the audience. It was the beginning of a review, this time in its entirety, of V8’s historic and legendary second album. What followed was one V8 classic after another. They played “Siervos Del Mal,” “La Mano Maldita,” “Cautivos De Un Sistema,” “Lanzado Al Mundo Hoy,” and “Ideando La Fuga” (undoubtedly the most aggressive riff in Spanish heavy metal). I confess that I had never heard “Camino Al Sepulcro” live before, and even Zamarbide mentioned that V8 had almost never played that song, and I even think they never played it live. Either way, it was really great to hear such a song live. The set ended, logically, with the fierce “Momento De Luchar,” accompanied by the thousands of voices of the metal brothers and sisters in attendance, pumping their fists and singing one of the many metal anthems that were played that night.

For the encores, Mariana Brascich returned to the guitar, bringing the band back to a quintet, and here began a brief journey through Zamarbide’s entire discography, culminating in a historic moment. So, to the surprise of many (myself included), they played “Como Relámpago En La Oscuridad” by Logos, “Ciega Ambición” from V8’s “El Fin De Los Inicuos,” and “No Te Rindas” by Logos with Fernando Ricciardulli, bassist for Azeroth, as a guest on bass.
For the finale, there was a historic reunion: Gustavo Rowek, the original drummer of V8, took the stage, not only to embrace Alberto Zamarbide, but also to remember and pay tribute to the other two former V8 members who have passed away, Osvaldo Civile and Ricardo Iorio. The other guest on stage was Hugo Benitez, the first vocalist of Horcas and current member of “Reinará La Tempestad”, making the metal party complete. With Rowek on drums and Benitez joining Zamarbide on vocals, they sang “the” anthem of Argentine heavy metal. Yes, of course, “Destrucción.” That battle cry that comes from the depths of the metal soul and provokes the biggest mosh pit in the world.

It was a total party, and it’s only fair to acknowledge that the metal crowd filled the venue like I’ve rarely seen in recent years. I feel that people interpreted this tribute, the memory, and the knowledge that they were witnessing a historic event, like that time 30 years ago with “Luchando Por El Metal” in 2013, when we saw Beto Zamarbide and Ricardo Iorio together on stage for the last time. We’re not going to start measuring whether that show or this one was better or more emblematic. On both occasions, we witnessed something historic, and the memory, the nostalgia, and that strange feeling of knowing how much we need V8 today flashed through the minds and souls of each and every one of us. Because only those of us who grew up and were inspired in life by the message of V8 know how it feels every time one of their anthems plays. Those who feel Metal know it; for the rest, it’s just historical music, and nothing more. Another issue aside…
The important thing is that the night at Groove was the show of the year for National Heavy Metal, and I dare say, far above many international visits. It had been a long time since I had seen such a large crowd, especially for an event related to national metal. What I would like to add, as a small reflection, is that if we understand V8’s message, we have to do what needs to be done and also support all the other national bands that fight every day, recording albums, going out to play, etc. It would be great if we started to understand that the national metal scene does not happen on its own, but with the support of all of us who, in one way or another, are involved in metal.

V8 did not die. It is the battle cry of Argentine heavy metal, which never lets us give up, which keeps us taking one more step in the battle and fighting for metal. That’s what it’s all about. The night of September 13th is set to be remembered as a historic show, and rightly so. Zamarbide made it more than clear what V8 and Logos meant, and still mean today, to metal. This true tribute really filled my soul (as well as leaving me almost hoarse), and it will be an unforgettable memory, both for those who followed V8 from their early days and for those of us who, due to our age, were unable to see them live, but who carry each of their songs in our hearts.
It is worth noting that this does not end here. Zamarbide will continue touring with this lineup, remembering both “Generación Mutante” and “Un Paso Mas En La Batalla” on a tour of various parts of the country, so it will be a good opportunity for our brothers and sisters in the interior of Argentina to witness this historic show. Take note:

– 09/14 Córdoba
– 09/19 Formosa
– 09/20 Corrientes
– 09/21 Rosario
– 12/05 Comodoro Rivadavia
– 12/06 Pico Truncado
– 12/07 Benito Juarez
– 12/08 La Cumbre Del Metal (I heard it will be close, very close to my house….)
– 12/12 Salta
– 13/12 Tucumán

For more information about tickets, we recommend following the Facebook account https://www.facebook.com/Zamarbidemanagement, where you can find all the details and news about this tour.