WALTER MONSANTO
Was born in Guatemala City (Central America) on September 26, 1983. He is a musician since he was 7 inspired, guided and motivated by his brother and grandfather (both musicians too) and started playing marimba, then piano, classic guitar and finally his main instrument, the electric guitar at the age of 10. His studies have been mostly by intensive self-training and even he studied one year at the Music Conservatory Of Guatemala. His main focus is songwriting and arranging. He is currently a member of the metal band ANARKIA which was founded in 2006 and recorded the EP "Conciencia Real" and later in 2009 the Full-lenght LP "Teoria Del Caos"
( www.myspace.com/metalanarkia ) which gave him the first time opportunity to dwell over the Producers chair as well. He is also regulary performing at local clubs and giving guitar clinics and private lessons as well. Besides music, he is a tremendous addict of cosmos, the Universe, mythology (specially Greek), animals, nature and literature. Walter also plays drums, keyboards, bass guitar and usually sings on some of his recordings.
BIO FACTS AND MORE:
He founded the power-metal band ANDROMEDA (1,998-2006) with whom he recorded the debut-album called "El Reinado Del Sol" (Kingdom Of The Sun), also has been musician of the heavy-metal band ARPIA (2000-2004) recording the official demo "Caballeria Infernal" (Hellish Cavalry) among various other proyects and also Tribute-gigs to Rata Blanca (2002), Pantera twice (2003), Iron Maiden (2001 and 2004) Guns N Roses (2006) and Dream Theater (2008). In addition, he elaborates music as soloist in the progressive, thrash, death and neo-classical areas, recording independently an instrumental EP-demo proclaimed his own "presentation card" which is titled "WHEN POWER BEGINS" (2003). With the two bands mentioned above, he appeared as an opening act to international gigs like Angeles Del Infierno (2002) from Spain, Lvzbel (2002) from Mexico, Avalanch (2005) from Spain, Boanerges (2006) from Argentina, Shaman from Brazil (2009) and as a soloist, he opened for the guitar clinic from Walter Giardino of the group Rata Blanca from Argentina (2004), in the Auditorium of the National Conservatory of Music. He was also chosen as the "most representative guitar player of his country in his genre" in a survey made recently in an outstanding national metal website by having the 80% of votes (see this link: http://www.rockrepublik.net/topic/869/ ). By the beginning of 2008, he had three gigs around Central America as guitarrist of the band Lvzbel from Mexico, leadered by the legendary mexican singer Arturo Huizar. He is constanly developing more and more material to be realeased in the near future with live musicians and hopefully, with a record label.
THE OTHER SIDE
As far as an arrangist and performer, Walter also colaborates for other artists, -musical approach regardless- developing songs for Pop-likes of his local area and beyond, fact that demonstrates the versatility and open mind of Walter Monsanto towards different kinds of music. He is very passionate about classical music, flamenco, jazz fusion and new age.
