The Latin American metal scene received a welcome surprise with the release of "Cien," a powerful collaboration between South American band Cultura Tres and renowned Colombian artist Juanes. This single fuses the intensity of metal with nuances of Colombian folklore, addressing urgent environmental issues, especially the devastation of the Amazon.
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The collaboration arose organically after a meeting in Amsterdam, where mutual admiration and shared roots converged. Juanes, known for his Latin pop-rock hits, began his career in the metal band Ekhymosis in 1988. His passion for metal and respect for the career of Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr., bassist for Sepultura and member of Cultura Tres, facilitated this artistic union.
The creative process for "Cien" spanned six months. Cultura Tres sent Juanes a series of punk-oriented riffs, but the Colombian's contribution of darker, psychedelic guitars led to a complete rewrite of the track. Initially written in English, the song found its definitive tone when, at Paulo's suggestion, the lyrics were translated into Spanish. This change brought greater authenticity and allowed the song's emotions to be better channeled. The vocal duality between Juanes's melancholic chants and Alejandro Montoya's heartbreaking screams reinforces the track's lyrical tensions: beauty versus destruction, tradition versus progress.