Ekhymosis

Ekhymosis hails from Medellín, Columbia, where the band began combining influences like hard rock, thrash, and heavy metal in 1988. Led by frontman Juan Esteban Aristizábal Vásquez — who would later rebrand himself as Juanes and launch one of the most successful solo careers in contemporary Latin music — the group built a local following with early releases like 1988's Nunca Nada Nuevo. Ekhymosis then signed with the Codiscos label and releasing a gold-certified debut album, Niño Gigante, in 1993. Initially earning comparisons to hard-edged groups like Metallica, Ekhymosis evolved its sound with 1994's Ciudad Pacífico and 1995's Amor Bilingüe, the latter of which featured the chart-topping Columbian single "De Madrugada." Following an acoustic release in 1996, the band moved to Los Angeles and released a popular self-titled album one year later. Ekhymosis then broke up in 1998, with Juanes finding commercial and critical acclaim as a solo artist during the subsequent years. He was joined by two former bandmates, drummer Jose Lopera and guitarist Fernando Tobón, both of whom continued to play with Juanes after Ekhymosis's dissolution. Years later, Ekhymosis co-founder Andrés García revived the band with a new lineup in 2012, focusing on the harder, metal-influenced sound of the group's early years. Paz con Cadenas, the first album from the revised version of the band, was released in 2016. An EP, De Rodillas, appeared in 2018, followed by singles like 2020's "Condenado" and 2021's "Falsos Positivos."