Album Notes

Spanish (English text below):

Al principio reinaba el KHAOS...

INTEGRANTES:
Junior Mejia: Bateria y Voces
Marcelo Alvarado: Guitarra-Bajo
Max Urso: Guitarras
Issa Molina: Guitarras y Solos

Formado en la ciudad de San Pedro Sula, Honduras (C.A.) durante los primeros años de la decada de los ochenta, KHAOS destaco' como el primer grupo rock hondureño en transmitir personalidad propia y en grabar el primer disco de larga duracion con material completamente inedito y cantando en español, decisiones que iban marcadamente en contratendencia por esos años en la comunidad musical de ese pais.
Gracias a sus numerosas presentaciones y conciertos en promocion de su disco, el grupo logro destacar con sonado exito en las radioemisoras nacionales -asi como en vivo- con temas como "Roleando", "En Llamas", y "En las Garras del Diablo", composiciones estas muy solicitadas por el publico, aun hasta la fecha.
El cuarteto viajo' a comienzos de 1985 al vecino pais de El Salvador para la grabacion de su disco titulado "Forjado en Rocka", el cual les dio la oportunidad de consagrarse definitivamente como una de las mejores y mas populares bandas nacionales de la epoca. En el se muestra, como su titulo facilmente indica, la fuerte inspiracion del Rock Pesado, influencia muy presente en las nueve composiciones incluidas.
El LP, desarrollado no como una simple compilacion de temas, sino que cada una de las canciones giraria alrededor de un tema central (album-concepto), ayudo' enormemente al grupo para su reconocimiento mas alla de las fronteras nacionales, por lo que recibieron muestras de apreciacion desde varias partes del globo.
Lamentablemente diversos intereses internos, muy aparte de la musica, mas otras causas externas llevaron a la disolucion de la banda hacia finales de 1985. Afortunadamente, a pesar de que la disolucion sucedio hace ya mas de dos decadas, la popularidad de Khaos se ha mantenido hasta nuestros dias gracias al apoyo incondicional de las radioemisoras Hondureñas y de numerosos fans.

ENGLISH:

BAND MEMBERS:
Junior Mejia : Drums, Percussion & Vocals
Marcelo Alvarado: Bass Guitar
Max Urso: Guitars,
Issa Molina: Guitars & Solos

FORGED IN ROCK during the early 1980's in the Heart of the City of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, KHAOS Broke Traditional Local Music Paradigms by Becoming the FIRST HONDURAN GROUP to Compose and Record Original SPANISH ROCK MUSIC and Perform According to its Own Unique Personality.

These Traits Placed KHAOS Firmly on the Cutting Edge - Smashing Traditional Values while Overcoming Strong Resistance from the Honduran Music Community. Nonetheless, KHAOS developed an Avid Central American cult-like following - Thanks to its Numerous Spectacular Concerts Throughout the Region to Promote their Music and which finally Culminated in Receiving Heavy Radio Airplay throughout Honduras.

The Most Popular Tunes are: "Roleando", "En Llamas", and "En las Garras del Diablo".
These LEGENDARY SONGS are STILL VERY POPULAR TODAY within Honduras.

In early 1985, the group traveled to the neighboring country of El Salvador to record its only published album, "Forjado en Rocka", which has become an Overwhelming Success and thus guarantees KHAOS' place in Honduran Rock Music History as ONE OF THE BEST and MOST POPULAR HONDURAN ROCK GROUPS EVER.

As indicated by the Album's Title, KHAOS' Music is Firmly Rooted in HARD ROCK. This album has Nine Tracks - each one playing an integral part in shaping the overall album. The LP is not a simple song compilation, but rather a CONCEPTUAL ALBUM that REVOLVES AROUND a CENTRAL THEME. This Breakthrough Concept Played a Key Role in Achieving its International Recognition.

Unfortunately, diverse interests and pressures within the group totally unrelated to music led to the group breaking up in late 1985. However, even though KHAOS hasn't played together in over two decades, their popularity continues to soar in Honduras, Thanks to the continued support of local Honduran Radio Stations and Die Hard Fans.
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Here we have a historical band. Khaos released their first lp back in 1985 and after almost 15 years their released this excellent lp in compact disc format. In this Cd we have ten very good songs in the vein of New Wave of British Heavy metal. Some good songs for me are: "Roleando", "Jungla Metal", "Reaccion retardada" but I think the whole album is very good.
Reviewed by Antonis Maglaras
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KHAOS
"Forjado en Rocka" By Miguel Matute

Central America during the early 80s was a turbulent time. The social, economic and specially political issues which abounded resulted in a society in turmoil; cries for “freedom” were common, and if you were young, escapism and the search for identity was called for…precisely the atmosphere which sometimes is conducive to the arrival of great music. Khaos, from San Pedro Sula, Honduras, was a band that rose from the ashes of a torn society to make a statement; if not political, but rather musical.

Forjado en Rocka, originally released in 1985, now considered a landmark recording in Honduras, as well as Central America, was a bold step forward in terms of style. “Rock en Español” was not a common term back then, and releasing a record in spanish, a hard rock record no less, was a sign of things to come.

The new, fully remastered version of Forjado en Rocka not only boasts excellent sound, but showcases in Khaos a fluid and cohesive unit which wisely uses an interesting combination of influences, ranging from the melodicism found in Scorpions and Blue Oyster Cult, to the twin guitar attack of Judas Priest and early Iron Maiden, which together with spanish vocals and a latin sensibility, results in a listening experience that only revives those turbulent 80s.

“Somos Rock” and “Roleando”, the later a hit single from the record, sets the tone for things to come, which is hard and aggressive rock with heavy metal overtones. There are also other highlights, such as a hard ballad ("En llamas"), an instrumental showcase ("Apertura del Velo"), and an interesting closing epic ("Jungla de Metal"), which also incorporates varied rhythms into their sound and is a prelude to the direction their next album would have taken.

This album as a transitional affair, not only for the band, but for the rock and roll scene in Honduras at the time. Despite a few generic moments, Forjado en Rocka is a historic studio document of what elevated Khaos above the '80s local hard rock fray and only hinting on the results that a follow up effort with better production values would have been.

Those wanting a snapshot of the hard rock scene in Honduras and Central America before MTV-savvy and hair bands became the norm, and before "Rock in Español" was a household name, will be interested in this release.