French-Spanish pioneers of Hispanic Metal, Impureza, will release their third full-length album, Alcázares, on July 11, 2025, through Season of Mist. Forged in 2004 by guitarist Lionel Cano Muñoz in Orléans, France, Impureza’s signature blend of brutal death metal and flamenco-inspired Andalusian sounds—dubbed Hispanic Extreme Metal—reaches its apex on this 49-minute concept album. Alcázares dives into medieval Spain’s Reconquista, weaving esoteric narratives of war, faith, and mysticism through tracks like Pestilencia and La Orden del Yelmo Negro. The album, recorded by Sébastien Camhi and mastered by Jacob Hansen, features guest percussion by Xavier Hamon and orchestration by Louis Viallet, with artwork by Johann Bodin and Xavier Ribeiro.
Watch Verdiales & Bajo las Tizonas de Toledo:
Pre-Order/Pre-Save Alcázares: orcd.co/impurezaalcazares
Alcázares is a sonic expedition through Spain’s turbulent medieval history, from the Black Death’s devastation (Pestilencia) to the mythic valor of El Cid (Bajo las Tizonas de Toledo). The 11-track album, with a runtime of 49:02, melds flamenco guitar flourishes, fretless bass, orchestral grandeur, and blast-beat-driven death metal. Lyrics, sung entirely in Spanish by Esteban Martín, evoke blood-soaked battlefields and spiritual crusades. Critics have praised Impureza’s prior work, like 2017’s La Caída de Tonatiuh, for its seamless integration of Latin rhythms and brutal riffs, with Heavy Blog Is Heavy noting, “Even when the band are doing death metal riffing, it’s in the style of Latin guitar.”
Tracklist:
- Verdiales (1:15)
- Bajo las Tizonas de Toledo (6:25)
- Covadonga (4:01)
- Pestilencia (4:44)
- Reconquistar Al-Ándalus (5:25)
- Murallas (2:24)
- La Orden del Yelmo Negro (4:57)
- Castigos Eclesiásticos (6:06)
- El Ejército de los Fallecidos de Alarcos (5:18)
- Ruina del Alcázar (1:37)
- Santa Inquisición (6:26)
Available Formats:
- Digital Download
- CD Digipak
- 2×12″ Vinyl Gatefold (Transparent Orange & Black Marbled, LTD 150)
- 2×12″ Vinyl Gatefold (Crystal Clear w/ Violet Splatters, LTD 150)
Previously Released Singles
Pestilencia (May 14, 2025): Chronicles the Black Death’s ravage of Hispania, with a music video filmed on historic Spanish sites depicting corpse-strewn plazas.
La Orden del Yelmo Negro (May 30, 2025): A tribute to warrior-monks, featuring a non-AI lyric video by Louis Viallet. Its flamenco-infused riffs and orchestral swells evoke a spiritual crusade.
Impureza’s Hispanic Metal fuses the ferocity of death metal with the passion of flamenco, inspired by Andalusian culture and Spanish history. Their music, sung in Spanish, features guttural and clean vocals, flamenco guitars, and orchestral arrangements, creating a duality that Angry Metal Guy calls “technical but catchy.” Influenced by Nile, Behemoth, Morbid Angel, and flamenco icons like Paco de Lucía and Camarón de la Isla, the band—often nicknamed the “French Nile”—wields their Iberian identity with pride. Founder Lionel Cano Muñoz and vocalist Esteban Martín, both of Spanish descent, drive this avant-garde vision.
Lineup:
- Esteban Martín: All Vocals
- Lionel Cano Muñoz: Rhythm, Lead & Spanish Guitars
- Florian Saillard: Fretless Bass
- Guilhem Auge: Drums
Guest Musicians:
- Xavier Hamon: Percussion
- Louis Viallet: Orchestration
Production Credits:
- Recorded & Mixed: Sébastien Camhi (Studio Artmusic, Les Arc-sur-Argens, France)
- Mastered: Jacob Hansen (Hansen Studios, Ribe, Denmark)
- Cover Art: Johann Bodin & Xavier Ribeiro
- Photography: Michel Canavaggia (Mr Cana Photography)
Formed in 2004, Impureza has pioneered Hispanic Metal for two decades, earning acclaim for their innovative fusion. Their discography includes Y Correra Tu Sangre (2005, demo), Ruina de la Penitencia (2006, demo), En el Desierto de la Creencia (2007, demo), and La Caída de Tonatiuh (2017). They’ve performed at festivals like Hellfest and toured globally, cementing their status as genre trailblazers. Alcázares builds on their legacy, with Metalorgie noting their ability to merge “the aggressiveness of Brutal Death and the colorful sounds of Flamenco.”
Connect
- Website: impureza.eu
- Bandcamp: impureza.bandcamp.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/Impurezaconquista
- Instagram: instagram.com/impurezaofficial
- X: twitter.com/ImpurezaBand
- YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCLkOMYXI-_teRnaDCs1ho8A
- Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/3YA9Uqs38ZD6Lg2q66PVw9
While no tour dates are confirmed for 2025, Impureza’s history of festival appearances (Hellfest, DemonFest) suggests potential live performances to support Alcázares. Pre-order Alcázares now and immerse yourself in Impureza’s ferocious blend of flamenco and death metal