MATRIARCH

As their name suggests, Matriarch is one of the world’s most revered female metal bands, proving that metal is not “just for the guys”, unlike so many of their contemporaries of the past and present. With guitar and bass work that could move planets and thundering drums one would hear accompanying an army marching to war, as well as combining a triple vocal attack spanning from crushing lows, to harsh screams, and even to an incredibly soothing soprano, Matriarch doesn’t ask for respect, but demands it.
After a couple early line-up changes after forming in 2002 in Puerto Rico, Matriarch released the Black Apples demo in 2003. The demo featured the quintet of Shamara Irizarry on drums, Ara López on guitar/low vocals, Vanessa Urrutia on guitar/soprano, Isabel Conde on bass/grim vocals, and Michelle Baez on keyboards. Shortly thereafter, the band parted ways with Michelle after the realization that keyboards were an unnecessary element as well as her inability to live up to the band’s expectations. In 2004, the song Sinful Decadence was recorded as an attempt to display Matriarch’s virtuosity beyond the confines of the Black Apples demo, marking an evolutionary step to their repertoire. This continued with the recording of the song Profanity in mid 2005, further exemplifying Matriarch’s presence in the metal world.
The summer of 2006 saw the departure of co-founding member and guitarist/vocalist Ara when it became apparent of her needs to focus more on her personal life. In the Fall of 2006, Matriarch began recording their debut album, Revered unto the Ages, and finalized the recording process in December after a grueling 4 month process. The album also sees drummer Shamara stepping in to perform the low/death metal vocal duties that became vacant with the absence of Ara from the band. Revered unto the Ages is scheduled for a Summer/Fall release in 2007, further embarking their path to command admiration and taking no prisoners.