Heroes del Silencio
El Mar No Cesa

Héroes del Silencio were born in 1984 in Zaragoza, Spain. Previously known as Zumo de Vidrio, they were founded by guitarist Juan Valdivia. Enrique Ortiz De Landázuri, who would later adopt the stage name Enrique Bunbury, joined the band from the beginning. Soon after, drummer Pedro Andreu and bassist Joaquín Cardiel joined. Enrique then decided to abandon the bass to focus exclusively on the role of singer. In 1987, Gustavo Montesano (guitarist of Olé Olé) attended one of their concerts in Zaragoza and, recognizing their great potential, signed them with EMI. In August of the same year, the mini LP "Héroe de Leyenda" was released, containing four tracks ("Héroe de Leyenda" - maxi version, "El Mar no Cesa", "La Lluvia Gris", "Héroe de Leyenda"), which exceeded sales expectations and gave the group the opportunity to record a full album.

The first anticipated album was "El Mar No Cesa," published in 1988, which included tracks already composed and played by the band during previous concerts. It is important to note that the album's sounds were not exactly those desired by the band. Despite this, the record achieved platinum status in Spain. Following the directives of producer G. Montesano (leader of a techno pop group), the songs failed to fully highlight the true capabilities of Héroes, whose depth was more evident in live performances. "Mar Adentro" marked their first big success, and a music video was made for it in 1989. The band itself considers this song their best composition. The track immediately captures the listener thanks to romantic lyrics and an engaging melody.

"Hace Tiempo" stands out for Juan's guitar arpeggio, which leads into a great solo, and for Enrique's distinctive voice. The third track, "Fuente Esperanza," reflects the new wave influence that permeates much of the album, as does "No Más Lágrimas," which incorporates a drum machine. In my opinion, in these two songs, Gustavo Montesano's influences and directives, oriented towards pop, clearly emerge, while the vocal tone does not fit Bunbury's warm and deep voice completely. An air of authentic rock can be felt in "Olvidado," where the band fully showcases their abilities and reveals the true musical nature of the Aragonese quartet. "Flor Venenosa" and "Agosto" are two pieces that evoke the Mediterranean and Spanish sound, standing out from the other tracks and demonstrating the group's versatility in mixing more refined sounds.

"El Estanque" is introduced by the sound of the sea's surf, a very suggestive choice, and by carefully crafted arpeggios that create a melancholic and nostalgic atmosphere, immersed in the beauty of the seascape, which represents the central theme of the album, the sea. "La Visión de Vuestras Almas", "La Isla de las Iguanas", and "...16" continue with their rock-new wave style, popular in the '80s. Particular attention should be given to "...16," unfortunately rarely performed live despite being one of the album's highlights. The closure is entrusted to "Héroe de Leyenda," originally released in 1987 on the mini LP of the same name. The track is majestic, with melancholy and poetic lyrics perfectly adapted to the melody and Enrique's inspired voice. Personally, I prefer the most recent and better-arranged version included in the collection "Canciones '84-'96."

This is surely the most intimate album of the band, different from the more known rock style to the international public. It is also the least commercial from the musical and production point of view. Incidentally, in 2006 EMI republished the four studio albums in "digitally remastered" versions, adding numerous bonus tracks. This operation was done in view of the reunion the following year and the brief tour that followed (with dates in the United States, Guatemala, Mexico, and Argentina). Unfortunately, in Europe, the tour was limited to a few Spanish cities such as Zaragoza, Valencia, and Seville.