Mattador, the veteran melodic rock band from Puerto Rico, have released their new studio album III on the Frontiers Records label.
Originally active from 1988 to 1995, they built a following on explosive live shows and a blend of hard rock and Latin influences, performing alongside legends like Aerosmith and Iron Maiden and gaining attention in Europe before calling it a day first time round. Mattador reunited in 2022, and the current lineup features original members Michael Villegas (vocals), Carlos Benitez (drums, vocals), Miguel ‘Tito’ Rodriguez (guitar, violin), and new member Abraham Millett (bass, keyboards).
Combining the melodic sensibilities of classic rock, hard rock undercurrents, a hint of prog, latin influences and a contemporary edge, III features 12 tracks co-produced and engineered by Bob St. John (Extreme, Dokken, Collective Soul).
‘Out For Blood’ from the album is out now as a focus track, along with a video you can check out here at RAMzine.
“‘Out For Blood’ is one of the most aggressive, no-nonsense tracks on III,” said drummer Benitez. “Inspired by conflict and the determination to stand your ground, it’s ultimately a song about unity and fighting for what you believe in. We had a great time developing it in the studio with Miguel Rodriguez and Mike Villegas, and it grew into one of the album’s standout moments thanks to its raw energy, powerful vocals, sharp guitar work, and relentless rhythm section.”
“I originally recorded the demo for ‘Out For Blood’ without lyrics, focusing purely on creating a powerful guitar-driven song,” said guitarist Rodriguez. “After the band added their parts, Carlos named it ‘Out For Blood’ because of the intensity of the music, and that sparked the direction for the chorus and lyrics. Around the same time, the war in Ukraine had begun, and the inspiration suddenly fell into place. It’s a reminder that songwriting ideas can come from anywhere, sometimes when you least expect them.”
Tracks featured on III are: ‘Awake’, ‘Black Water’, ‘Out For Blood’, ‘Say You’ll Stay’, ‘Levitate’, ‘Crawling’, ‘Same Kind Of Crazy’, ‘Falling Backwards’, ‘Portal’, ‘Slow Down’, ‘Moksha’ and ‘No Way Out’.
“We feel that we have a great album packed with amazing songs, from big ballads and acoustic compositions to rock anthems and so much more,” said Benitez. “It’s an evolution of the band and it has it all. The production is more on the organic side of things, when talking about the sound of the album. We didn’t want it to sound like other productions out there, and we worked hard to find the right balance to make it sound powerful and current but different from what is considered standard nowadays, and we are pleased with the results. We focused more on the music we wrote for this one. The album was co-produced and mixed by Bob St John, who has worked with bands like Collective Soul, Extreme, Duran Duran, and many others.
“Newcomer to the band is our bass player and multi-instrumentalist Abraham Millett, who comes from working and touring as a member of Third Eye Blind and many others,” he added. “I play drums, and I also produced the album, while on vocals is original singer Mike Villegas, and on guitar is original member Miguel Rodriguez. Collectively all of the original members have been involved in high-profile gigs and bands and working with international artists and world tours during the band’s hiatus, and bring all of that experience and growth to the group’s creative process. With this lineup, we found the right balance that inspired us to make this new album.”
“‘Levitate’ is a very special song for us,” the band said of their recent single. “There’s not much music like this being made these days. It’s got that rock anthem quality to it, and it sounds big but at the same time organic. It feels like you are in the room with us. We know you are going to enjoy it as much as we did making it. It’s one of those songs that can take you places to ‘free your spirit’ and invites you to rejoice on good times and experiences. We love it and we are proud of it!”
You can also check out the official video for ‘Levitate’ here at RAMzine, as you can previous single ‘Black Water’, about which Benitez expressed his enthusiasm when it was released, saying: “We are very excited about finally releasing the long-awaited single ‘Black Water’ from our new album. This song is going to kick you up and put you in gear. It’s a very hi-energy, rocking tune with great performance, loud choruses, and it’s the first song we wrote for this album, so it’s a special one. I can’t wait for all of you to rock out to this one!”
