Rata Blanca

[Fullmoon]

absolutly amazing band, check out the guitar solos  

http://www.rataweb.com.ar/?mod=albums there are mp3s on there

ive heard
Guerrero del arco iris
and
LA LEYENDA DEL HADA Y EL MAGO

[CemeteryGates]

That band is basic in the hispanic world. I had the pleasure of seeing them live back in 2004 or so. Remarkably, Walter Giardino's (the guitarist) amp exploded right when he the solo to El Amo del Camino was about to start. His face went pale.
But Hugo Bistolfi, the keyboardist, realized this after a couple of seconds and started playing Giardino's solo on one of his keyboards with one hand while playing his own part on another keyboard behind him with the other hand. The solo went perfect, note for note. Even Giardino couldn't believe it. That was a godly moment!

This is the song...
El Amo del Camino ("The Master of the Road"):


el amo del camino ( rata blanca - el camino del fuego)


Walter Giardino is a wonderful guitar player, although he's like a Malmstten clone. He uses the same guitar, plays similar stuff, has the same hair, the same car... even their wives look alike. Oh, and he's a rockstar-attitude asshole, too, just like Malmsteen. I know, I met him. 

PRELUDIO OBSESIVO / RATA BLANCA "INSTRUMENTAL"

[Fullmoon]

Wow, what a moment to watch :p

Forgot about this band.. You must have gone through alot of pages to find a thread back from 2006 haha.

[CemeteryGates]

Nah, not really, I just searched for Mägo de Oz before making a thread and it come up with all pages using the word "de" (Spanish for "of"), and this popped up. Figured I'd make a contribution. 

[Fullmoon]

Ahh I see fair enough.

[Keraunos]

I love Rata! It's a proud of us Argentinian metalheads and rockers.

It's one of the 4 big bands that formed after V8, the first Argentinian heavy metal band, disbanned. (I shall make a thread about it you are interested  )

They've suffered of various changes in their line-up, being Giardino and   Guillermo Sánchez (bass) the only original members remaining. So they   have done from heavy metal, hard rock, power metal, to neo-classical   metal even, being Entre El Cielo Y El Infierno their most "heavier" one.

I've had the chance to see them live many many times and they're great. I also met Hugo Bistolfi, the keyboard player. He comes often to my city.

And yes, CemeteryGates is right, Giardino is an asshole  He's the South-American Ritchie Blackmore. A great musician, but very selfish.

And it's true also the constant comparisons with him and Maalmsteen, as well as comparing Adrián Barilari with Bruce Dickinson, as they have very similar vocal timbre and range. what creates a love-hate attitude to the band.

They'll be launching soon a live DVD at the Luna Park stadium in Buenos Aires, with the presence of Tarja in some songs.

They have already worked with many known metal artists from the world. Actually there's a Tribute album to them, where they perform a new version of La Leyenda Del Hada y El Mago with Sami Vänskä, Jukka Nievalainen and Emppu Vourinen (ex-bassist, current drummer and guitar player from Nightwish, respectively) and Jens Johansson (keyboard from Stratovarius). Awesome version!

[Fullmoon]

It's one of the 4 big bands that formed after V8, the first Argentinian heavy metal band, disbanned. (I shall make a thread about it you are interested  )

They have already worked with many known metal artists from the world. Actually there's a Tribute album to them, where they perform a new version of La Leyenda Del Hada y El Mago with Sami Vänskä, Jukka Nievalainen and Emppu Vourinen (ex-bassist, current drummer and guitar player from Nightwish, respectively) and Jens Johansson (keyboard from Stratovarius). Awesome version!

Yes please!

WOW, wonder where I can hear that?!

[Keraunos]

^In our good friend Youtube!

La Leyenda Del Hada Y El Mago - Rata Blanca + Jens Johansson y Nightwish	Small | Large

The "duel" between Giardino's guitar and Johansson's keyboard during the solo it's amazing. In the original version it's played fully on guitar.

[Fullmoon]

Fuck me that is a cool song!

[CemeteryGates]

^^Awesome version of the song! Thanks for sharing!


Anyway, Hugo Bistolfi was the nicest member of the band when I met them. I think he's criminally underrated... after I saw him play that solo, I firmly believe he's among the best keyboard players in metal.

Also, Keraunos, since I now know you're into classical guitar, what do you think of their acoustic songs?
Stuff like:

Otoño Medieval - Rata Blanca	Small | Large

Rata Blanca-Viejo amigo	Small | Large

To my understanding, many people don't like this stuff. Personally, I think they're insane and this stuff is amazing!
Also, there's no way in hell that's Adrián Barilari... do you know anything about that?



And finally... 

yngwie malmsteen vs walter giardino (video)	Small | Large

You could swear it's the same guitarist throughout the whole video. 

[Fullmoon]

I'll listen tomorrow.  On the laptop now

[Keraunos]

I like very much their acoustic performances, actually Otoño Medieval is one of my favourite songs from them.

You're right, It's not Adrián in the second song, it's Gabriel Marián. He recorded only one album with them, which is Rata Blanca VII. This was in '97 or '98 if I'm not confused. Barilari would return in the next album.

Going back to the acoustic matter, I think they're great, and not only the guitars, but the whole band. You can see this in the acoustic version they released for their Greatest Hits album of one of the songs that made them famous: Mujer Amante.

This is the original version. A beautiful power ballad

♥†Mujer amante. Rata blanca†♥	Small | Large

This the acoustic version. A total different song

Rata blanca - mujer amante (subtitulada)	Small | Large

And yes, Giardino and Maalmsteen are like musical clones, although it's more probable that Giardino was the copier. But you know what they say, "imitation is the highest form of flattery".

However I think that the main reason why plays like the other, is not mainly because one copied the other and bla bla, but because both were very very influence by Ritchie Blackmore from Deep Purple and Uli Roth, from Scorpions (actually when Malmsteen appeared he was constantly compared with him).

In the intro of this song you can hear a very strong Blackmore influence:

Rata Blanca - 07 - Caballo Salvaje (Obras 2003)

[Fullmoon]

Yea I can see alot of Blackmore in the way he plays.

[CemeteryGates]

^^The video to the original version of Mujer Amante doesn't work. In my case, I'm very familiar with the original. Hadn't heard the acoustic version, though. Like you said, totally another song.
Likewise, Otoño Medieval ("Medieval Autumn" for all you anglo-parlants) is one of my favorite songs by them.
 
Anyway, I'm very fond of that album, Rata Blanca VII. I do believe it's from '97. Not sure how those songs would sound with Adrián Barilari, though.


I, too, am of the idea Giardino copies Malmsteen and not the other way around, if anything. I don't judge him or anything, especially because he's an insane guitar virtuoso in his own right; but I just find the many similarities between the two, even outside music, to be highly amusing in so many ways! I also find it amusing that Giardino is older than Malmsteen (even if only slightly so).
The Blackmore influence is very much evident, indeed; though I'm not familiar enough with Malmsteen's earlier stuff to say for sure if the extent is the same, but I'll take your word for it.