Ícaro: Siendo Libre | The End Of A Story And The Birth Of A Legend
(2026 – Tharseo Music Records)
And finally, Ícaro’s latest album has arrived, and when we say “latest,” we don’t just mean the newest release from the Argentine band—we mean, plain and simple, that “Siendo Libre” will be the legendary band’s final studio album, since, as guitarist and frontman Horacio Heredia himself has been announcing, this marks Ícaro’s final step in the recording world.
And as expected, this isn’t just an ending—it’s a grand finale, one worth remembering and filled with nods to the band’s history, its essence, and its spirit—in an album that may well become a classic.
I always say that a song is good when, just by listening to it, it plays over and over again inside us—and “Siendo Libre” is full of exactly those kinds of tracks, making it a collection of great songs and Metal anthems that truly reach the deepest parts of our being. Their long journey through composition, recording, and production has resulted in a true masterpiece of pure Heavy Metal, with a level of artistry that ranks it among the band’s finest achievements and will surely become their ultimate legacy.
Musically, Ícaro essentially remains true to traditional Heavy Metal, clinging tooth and nail to the most classic strand of the genre with certain melodic touches, but it basically retains the style we came to know from their two previous albums. What does stand out, however, is the use on this occasion of several guest vocalists: Lucas Sotelo, Alejandra Tacla, and Eduardo “Turu” Paredes, in addition to appearances by Mario Ian, Ariel Gomez, and Judith Enriquez, as well as various guest musicians who have made their mark on this final album in one way or another.
Beyond that, “Siendo Libre” maintains a compositional and stylistic unity that takes us on an interesting and varied journey throughout the entire album. The opening track is the instrumental “El Poder De La Luz,” a string arrangement and guitar orchestration that introduces us to what “Siendo Libre” has to offer.
Strictly speaking, the first song on the album is the powerful “Para Bien O Para Mal,” a true statement of principles that harkens back to Ícaro’s classic material, with a fierce rhythm section and the tremendous power of its choruses. With much more speed, power, and crushing riffs, “Siendo Libre”—the title track of this album and the single released as a preview—features the combined vocals of Alejandra Tacla and Lucas Sotelo, adding a special sparkle to another true powerhouse track with a strong metal anthem vibe, which also serves as the album’s signature song.
But when it comes to anthems meant to be sung with a fist in the air, “Guardianes Del Metal” fully lives up to that promise across the board. With Ariel Gomez on vocals, the song in question is a tremendous outpouring of traditional, fierce, and combative Heavy Metal.
The new version of “Luchando Por Sobrevivir” is a nod to the band’s history, as it was originally recorded for what would become Ícaro’s first album; this time, it features Lucas Sotelo on vocals in a much more refined rendition, complete with a tremendous solo by Martin Gonzalez and Gustavo Retamozo on drums. Next up is another instrumental track, which serves as an interlude in the middle of the album. Titled “Gracias” and featuring Santiago Pogonza on guitar solo, it’s one of those pieces that truly moves you.
“Despierta Argentina” is another devastating track that combines a powerful rhythm section with classic melodies and an exquisite guitar solo by Emiliano Obregón, in a song with profound social commentary that hits squarely at our sad reality. Next comes what we consider the best track on the album—in a collection full of great songs; “Castillos De Arena” stands out as practically an anthem—powerful and melodic at the same time—thanks to the superb vocal performance by guest vocalist Judith Enriquez. It strikes deep within the soul, like almost all of Ícaro’s material, but in this case, it’s in a league of its own. A true blow to the soul, you might say.
There’s also room to include another track that’s already an Ícaro classic, in a new version and, in this case, masterfully performed by the great Mario Ian. We’re talking about “Heavy Metal,” an old and beloved anthem that the band often includes in their live performances. It had originally been released as a single, and now it finds its place on the album. Without meaning to repeat myself, it’s Heavy Metal in its purest essence, and it’s impossible for those of us who live and breathe Metal not to feel represented. A tremendous explosion of Metal.
“Somos Y Seremos” is another track with the makings of a classic—mid-tempo, driving, and featuring a relentless guitar solo by another giant of the local metal scene, Martin Knye. Its riffs and rhythms are a true invitation into the depths of traditional Metal, but speaking of riffs, “Corre En Mis Venas” stands out—and is perhaps the closest to the band’s early days. It’s also the only track featuring the vocals of Ícaro’s singer, Eduardo “Turu” Paredes, aside from his live performances of all the songs on this album.
As the grand finale, we find the acoustic version of “Para Bien O Para Mal,” in a sublime performance by Alejandra Tacla on vocals and guitar, serving as the closing track for both the album and Ícaro’s story.
For “Siendo Libre,” Ícaro enlisted—in addition to the guest stars—the vocals of Lucas Sotelo, Alejandra Tacla, and Eduardo “Turu” Paredes on vocals, along with—of course—the mastermind behind it all, Horacio Heredia on guitar, as well as Pepe Guagliarello on drums and guitars, Exequiel Molina on keyboards, Bernie Saldivia on bass, and Pablo Stec on drums. We must also mention other musicians who have collaborated, such as Facundo Maglione, Martin Gonzalez, Mauro Young, Dario Rojas, and Magui Garcia Solla on guitars, thus forming a true constellation of talented musicians collaborating and contributing to Ícaro’s latest album.
The great thing about “Siendo Libre” is that despite the multitude of musicians and vocalists, the album maintains an identity and unity in its conception that makes it unique; at the same time, each song is a world unto itself, with every track standing as a classic in its own right. There are no lulls on the album, nor any filler tracks. Perhaps the time invested in this production ensured that every included track is a true explosion of energy.
In any case, “Siendo Libre” is likely to become a classic album over time. It essentially has all the ingredients to do so, and its core—rooted in traditional and classic heavy metal—is one of the finest expressions of the genre we’ve encountered lately.
The production, recording, and mixing at “Cartucho Records” by Pepe Guagliarello are truly excellent, considering the large number of different parts and musicians involved. His work has also succeeded in giving the album a classic, powerful, and superb sound, especially in the guitars that soar through each track.
The cover, designed by Emiliano Mariani, features a very distinctive illustration of a sword and a Bible set against the backdrop of Argentina. That’s a message in itself, but on top of that, the album’s interior design is of excellent quality, featuring illustrations that complement each song, photographs, and a collage of flyers from various dates on the band’s tour, and take note: in addition to this CD release, “Siendo Libre” may soon be available on vinyl as well. Let’s hope so.
Ícaro is beginning to say goodbye, but at one of their finest moments as a band. “Siendo Libre” is definitive proof of that, and all that’s left is to enjoy their final live performances, during which they’ll continue to play tracks from the album along with their well-known classics. Once again, Ícaro leaves its mark on the history of Argentine Heavy Metal—and, as one would expect, with a great album for posterity.
Here’s the music video for “Siendo Libre” and the lyric video for “Heavy Metal”, featuring Mario Ian on vocals, so you can get a taste of “Siendo Libre”, and of course, the band’s social media accounts, so you can follow them and stay tuned for Ícaro’s final live performances…
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089902005540
https://www.instagram.com/heavymetalicaro
