Symphonic Metal Musical Groups Codexery

Beto Vázquez Infinity

Argentine heavy metal project with many guest musicians.

Beto Vázquez Infinity

Beto Vázquez Infinity is an Argentine heavy metal project from Buenos Aires, led by Alberto 'Beto' Vazquez. Formed in 2000, the project is known for its extensive use of guest vocalists and musicians, blending symphonic and power metal elements. Vazquez, a former member of the band Nepal, has released six studio albums and a live DVD, occasionally performing live with a six-piece band.

Quick Facts

Origin
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Genre
Symphonic power metal
Years Active
2000–present
Label
BVM

Facts from the source article.

Lore & Background

Vazquez was previously a member of the metal band Nepal, which folded in 2000. Seeking a different musical outlet, he composed a demo in September 1999 and offered it to his record label Nems Enterprises. They gave him a record deal but suggested using guest vocalists who sang in English to facilitate a worldwide release. Vazquez wrote and produced all the songs, featuring performances by Tarja Turunen, Candice Night, Sabine Edelsbacher, and Fabio Lione. The self-titled album was released in South America in March 2001 and worldwide a year later. He toured with a six-piece band that made its international debut at the Viña Rock festival in Spain, also supporting acts including Nightwish, Labyrinth, Vision Divine, Angra, and Tierra Santa. The Wizard EP was released in late 2002, containing different versions and outtakes.

In 2006, Vazquez released a second studio album, Flying Towards the New Horizon, on his own label BVM Records, with guest appearances by Antti Raili, Aldo Lonobile, and Sonia Pineault. The album was limited to Argentina. Two years later, Darkmind appeared on the same label, featuring Olaf Thorsen, Sandra Schleret, Marcela Bovio, and Manda Ophuis. In 2010, on the project's tenth anniversary, the double album Existence was released, featuring twenty guest musicians including Timo Tolkki, Dominique Leurquin, Alfred Romero, and Jacob Jansen. In December 2012, Beyond Space Without Limits was released, featuring guest musicians from Argentina Opera such as Dario Schmunck and Santiago Bürgi, and included a bonus disc with eight cover versions.

After several years as a studio-only project, Vazquez gathered a six-piece band for live shows in 2011. They have since played support for Sirenia and performed at The Roxy Live and Metal para Todos. A highlight was supporting the band Yes at the Luna Park Stadium in 2013. The DVD Live in Buenos Aires was released on March 12, 2014, produced by Vazquez and recorded in November 2013.

Reader's Guide

Beto Vázquez Infinity represents a distinctive approach in Argentine heavy metal, functioning primarily as a studio project that leverages a rotating cast of international guest musicians. This model allowed Vazquez to produce a diverse discography spanning seven studio albums, each featuring different vocalists and instrumentalists from the symphonic and power metal scenes. The project's significance lies in its role as a collaborative platform, bringing together artists such as Tarja Turunen, Timo Tolkki, and Fabio Lione, which helped raise its profile beyond Argentina. While initially studio-bound, the project transitioned to live performances in 2011, culminating in a notable support slot for the progressive rock band Yes at Buenos Aires' Luna Park Stadium. The release of a live DVD in 2014 documented this phase. Vazquez's ability to maintain creative control through his own label, BVM Records, while adapting to label suggestions for English-language vocals, illustrates a pragmatic approach to international distribution. The project's legacy is tied to its prolific output and its role in connecting Argentine metal with global symphonic metal networks.

Did You Know?

From Nepal to a New Musical Identity

Beto Vázquez Infinity was born out of transition. After the dissolution of the Argentine metal band Nepal around 2000, Alberto "Beto" Vázquez sought a fresh creative outlet and composed a demo in September 1999. He pitched the material to his label, Nems Enterprises, which agreed to release it but with a strategic condition: the vocal parts should be performed by guest singers working in English to open up international markets. Vázquez accepted, and the resulting self-titled debut became a showcase of high-profile collaborators, including Tarja Turunen, Candice Night, Sabine Edelsbacher, and Fabio Lione. He wrote and produced every track himself. The album reached South American shelves in March 2001 and followed a year later in global markets. To promote it, Vázquez assembled a six-piece live band that made its international debut at Spain's Viña Rock festival. The group also earned support slots alongside Nightwish, Labyrinth, Vision Divine, Angra, and Tierra Santa. By late 2002, a follow-up EP titled Wizard offered alternate takes and previously unheard material, rounding out the project's early footprint.

A Catalogue Built on Collaboration

One of the project's defining traits is its reliance on rotating guest vocalists and instrumentalists across every release. After the debut's international success, Vázquez took the reins of distribution himself, founding BVM Records to issue subsequent material. Flying Towards the New Horizon (2006) brought in Antti Raili of Celesty, Aldo Lonobile of Secret Sphere, and Sonia Pineault of Forgotten Tales, though its release was confined to Argentina. Darkmind (2008) expanded the guest roster with Olaf Thorsen, Sandra Schleret, Marcela Bovio, and Manda Ophuis. The tenth-anniversary double album Existence (2010) marked a new peak of collaboration, enlisting twenty guest musicians that included Timo Tolkki, Dominique Leurquin, Alfred Romero, and Jacob Jansen. Beyond Space Without Limits (2012) drew heavily on the Argentina Opera collective, featuring Dario Schmunck, Santiago Bürgi, and numerous others, and added a bonus disc of eight cover versions. This pattern of assembling a different constellation of performers for each record has remained central to the project's identity throughout its run.

From Studio Sessions to the Stage

For much of its first decade, Beto Vázquez Infinity existed primarily as a recording project, with Vázquez handling composition, production, and orchestral arrangements in the studio. That changed in 2011 when he gathered a full six-piece band specifically to perform live. The group quickly secured support slots for Sirenia and appeared at notable Argentine events such as The Roxy Live and Metal para Todos. A career highlight arrived in 2013 when the band opened for the progressive rock legend Yes at Buenos Aires' Luna Park Stadium, a venue that underscores the project's growing stature in the local scene. The live experience was captured on the DVD Live in Buenos Aires, recorded in November 2013 and released on March 12, 2014, with Vázquez himself at the helm of production. The current live lineup pairs Vázquez on bass, rhythm guitar, and acoustic guitar with Leonardo Lukaszewicz on lead and acoustic guitar, Daiana Benitez on keyboards and vocals, Guillermo Carpintero on drums and percussion, and Melani Hess on lead and backing vocals.

Two Decades of Metal from Buenos Aires

Spanning from 2001 to 2021, Beto Vázquez Infinity has delivered seven studio albums, two EPs, and a live DVD, cementing its place as one of Argentina's most consistent heavy metal projects. The discography runs from the self-titled debut through Flying Towards the New Horizon, Darkmind, Existence, Beyond Space Without Limits, Humanity (2018), and Mental Asylum (2021). Early EPs include the 2000 promo MCD Battle of Valmourt and the 2001 Wizard release. The live catalogue comprises the 2014 Live in Buenos Aires DVD and the 15 Years Alive recording. Throughout, Vázquez has served as the sole creative engine, writing, producing, and arranging every composition while also playing bass, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, and handling programming and orchestral scoring. Based in Buenos Aires and operating under his own BVM Records imprint for much of its career, the project has maintained a steady output of symphonic and power metal that blends Argentine musicianship with an international guest-vocalist model, giving it a distinctive cross-cultural character within the broader metal landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Beto Vázquez Infinity?

Beto Vázquez Infinity is an Argentine symphonic and power metal project based in Buenos Aires, founded in 2000 by guitarist Alberto 'Beto' Vazquez. Rather than operating as a fixed lineup, it functions as a solo vehicle that collaborates with a rotating cast of guest vocalists and instrumentalists.

Who leads Beto Vázquez Infinity and what is his background?

The project is fronted by Alberto Vazquez, a guitarist and composer who previously played in the Argentine metal band Nepal. He handles the core songwriting and production while inviting different musicians to contribute on each recording.

How many studio albums has Beto Vázquez Infinity released?

The project has put out six studio albums over its history, along with at least one live DVD documenting a concert performance. Each record typically features a different set of guest vocalists and instrumentalists.

Does Beto Vázquez Infinity tour and perform live?

Live shows are relatively rare, but when they do happen the project takes the stage as a six-piece band. The bulk of the material, however, is realized in the studio through the collaboration of numerous guest players.

What musical style does Beto Vázquez Infinity blend?

The project sits at the intersection of symphonic metal and power metal, pairing orchestral arrangements and melodic guitar work with a distinctly Argentine heavy-metal sensibility. The use of multiple guest vocalists gives each album a somewhat different timbre and energy.

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