Saratoga (Band)
Saratoga is a Spanish heavy metal band that was founded in 1992 in Madrid.
History
Decided in 1992 Jerónimo Ramiro and Niko del Hierro Saratoga reasons, because they wanted to play more heavy metal, as their former bands Barón Rojo and Santa only Hard Rock played. Looking for a suitable singer and drummer they met drummer Marcos Parra, who was an acquaintance of Jerónimo Ramiro. Together they study in October 1992 their first song a, but two months later, Marcos left the band again, because he wanted more focus on his work in an orchestra and he had no time for the band. Shortly thereafter, Jerónimo and Niko went back to the search for a singer and drummer. After a few applications had been members, they decided to take Antonio Dominguez and Joaquín Arellano in the band. Together, they played their first gigs in smaller clubs together with bands like Medina Azahara and Rata Blanca.
In May 1993, Antonio Dominguez left the band again and was replaced by Fortu Sanchez, as the rest of the band felt that Antonio's voice did not fit to the music. Together with the new singer more songs were written and played more concerts until the band finally graduating in December 1994 with the Madrid record company Avispa a contract. In October 1995, she participated in a week on their self-titled debut album Saratoga, which was released shortly afterwards. The big success was, and the album itself was rather attributable to the Hard rock, so to play the actual goal of the Heavy Metal band had been missed. Only later Saratoga was popular in Europe and Japan and then reached the still -awaited sales. In June 1996, began with the recording of the tribute album Tributo, which represented a tribute to the most important Spanish hard rock bands of the 1970s and 1980s. It was subsequently released in October of the same year. Still on the publication date, vocalist Fortu Sanchez for professional reasons the band and Gabriel Boente took his place with the band went on tour for the first time.
It followed with a seven -month delay, the third studio album Mi Ciudad, which achieved good sales and was significantly harder than the previous two. The band then played more concerts and participated in small events. During that time, but also worsened the atmosphere in the band and so it was Joaquín Arellano and Gabriel Boente, who eventually left the band. The local press reported shortly after rumors of separation within the band, but worked in this time Jerónimo Ramiro and Niko del Hierro hard to find a new singer and drummer. About the Spanish media, they announced that they were looking for such musicians and so finally reported several drummers and singers. In 1998 it became known that the new drummer Daniel Perez of Saratoga and was also Leo Jiménez was in the spring of 1999, then known as the new singer. This was followed by the fourth studio album Vientos De Guerra, which yielded great success of the band. They then toured all the major cities in Spain. A highlight of 2000 was a band concert at the Viña Rock festival where over 5000 fans with the band sang the song, which on the live album Tiempes de Directo, which was released shortly afterwards.
2001 the band played more concerts and rock festival was as in the previous case when Viña. Afterwards, the band took time for her fifth studio album Agotarás, which was released on 1 March 2002. The album was a huge success and was equally well received by the fans and the media. In 2003, the first single from the band Heaven's Gate, which was published throughout Europe and was sung in contrast to all other albums in English. Shortly afterwards came also the first DVD A Morir on the market to the exclusive live footage and interviews were with the band. Then they brought in the following year, their second DVD under the name 1992-2004 on the market. On it was video footage from the early days of the band until 2004 and presented as a complete band biography dar. 2005 followed by another album called Tierra de lobos, whereupon Daniel Pérez leaves the band and is replaced by Andy C.. Together with the new drummer was followed in 2006 another tour across Spain.
In the year 2007, the last major change in the line-up, as Leo Jiménez and founder of the band Jerónimo Ramiro Saratoga leave, whereupon Tete Novoa vocals and Tony Hernando takes over the guitar. With the new line-up the band played then for the first time outside Spain. To which she recorded the seventh studio album that was called due to its VII. The album was available in addition to the normal version as a limited edition, in addition to the CD came with another DVD in which the making of the album could be followed. Was published in 2009 with Secretos y Revelaciones their previous studio album of the band.
Style
The lyrics of the band are up to the single Heaven's Gate, Spanish. They deal with current issues, religious settings and everyday situations.
The musical style is a mix of Latin Rock and Heavy Metal.
Discography
Albums
Live albums
- 2000: Tiempos de Directo ( double CD)
Singles
- 2003: Heaven 's Gate
- 2003: A Morir
- 2004: 1992-2004 (DVD CD)