Glam Rock goes creole

(2M Producciones – 2022)

It is an excellent decision that albums like the one we are dealing with are once again available in physical format (both on CD and vinyl) for those of us who prefer to hold the “record” in our hands. More if the production in question is a forgotten gem in time and has its roots in the ’80s. “Vagabundear” happens to be the first full-length album by Alakran, one of the key bands of the 80’s Metal scene in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Formed at the request of Gady Pampillon (who would later become a member of the band “La Torre”), the band would be formed by the stainless Mario Ian on vocals, Walter Curry on guitar, Yulie Ruth on bass and El Griego on drums. With this line-up, Alakran was encouraged to release “Vagabundear”, an album framed in the Californian Hard Rock style, with the implicit glam aesthetics, but with a personality that kept the band’s music away from being a simple copy of the well-known Hollywood bands.

The album contains the 9 original songs that were released at the time, adding a bonus track in this re-edition: an acoustic version of “Alguien Nos Divide”, recorded for the occasion.
There we will find well-known Alakran songs such as the title track, “En la Tempestad (No Dejes De Brillar), the classic slow ‘Siempre Que Pienso En Vos’, etc. Each song on this album turns out to be a classic in itself. Not for nothing, 7 of the 9 songs make up the compilation simply called “Alakran”, and of course, they have been unavoidable themes in any concert of the band, in their different periods, and also of Mario Ian’s presentations in his later projects.
I can’t fail to mention what I consider one of the best songs of the band. “Alguien Nos Divide” seems to have lyrics that are not only futuristic but more current than ever. Just pay attention to its incredible lyrics. And there appears the impressive and almost symphonic “Entre Cielo, Tierra y Mar”, Alakran’s classic of classics.
Over there we come across two songs recorded in English. “We Want More” and ‘Rock N’Roll Is Action’ seem, from afar, to be an attempt to cross borders, mentioning in passing that they have a different sound from the rest of the album, perhaps recorded in different sessions than the rest of the songs.

The artwork on this album is more than adequate, leaving the original album cover intact with a great quality, even if it is only the band’s logo. The lyrics and a few vintage photographs are included.
The production and mastering work has greatly improved the sound of the original edition, leaving intact the magic that “Vagabundear” gives off with each song. A not minor detail is that this re-edition has also been released on vinyl, a great success of course. A great work to remember one of the most remembered bands (also one of the most hated by a certain sector, but that’s another story) of the ’80s.
To get both the CD and Vinyl, just click on www.2mproducciones.com.ar