In 1998, in Tres Cantos, a town north of Madrid, a thrash metal band named “Sybil Leek” (which is the name of an English witch that lived during the 16th century, born with the mark of a witch considered to be part of an Irish witch legacy) began their musical career. For a few years the band composed 15 songs of which they recorded 5 of them in a demo between 2001 and 2002. The band gave concerts mainly in Madrid, although every now and then they got to play in other locations in Spain (such as Cuenca. The band covered famous Spanish bands such as “Narco” and “Super Skunk”. Between 2002 and 2003, the relationship between the band members deteriorated ad both guitarists concentrated in other aspects of their life until the situation resulted in the band splitting up.
During the summer of 2003, Sybil Leek’s drummer, Adrian Artetxe (Tetxín) together with guitarist Fernando Díez (Castel) started thrash metal band, although much more international than what Sybil Leek used to play. Fernando was the drummer of a hardcore-punk band called “El Resto En Kalixto” (E.R.E.K.) also from Tres Cantos. The band started in mid-90s and 6 months after they first played together they already gave their first concert in the “fiestas” of their home town Tres Cantos. From then on, the band recorded 2 demos, each with a different style of punk. They began playing punk-rock in their first demo from 1996 and evolved to straight punk in their second demo recorded in 1998. The following year the band had to part ways with their singer due to differences in musical interests. One of the guitarists took his place handling both vocals and lead guitar, which caused a definite change in the style of the band, which began playing punk-hardcore similar to early “Ratos de Porao” or Spanish bands such as “Sin Dios”. The songs ranged between 1 and 2 and a half minutes long, rarely reaching 3 minutes although they were very fast, complex and intense. Between 2000 and 2001 the band recorded a self produced 12 track album titled “El Resto En Kalixto”. The band has given around 50 concerts and has opened played with several prestigious bands in Spain such as “Sr. Antipirina”, “Kaos”, “Ignotus”, “Niños De La Pus”, “Elektroduendes” or “Los Petersellers”.
In September 2003, Guillermo López (Rojo) and Nacho (Singer), bass and vocals, ex-members of Sybil Leek started playing with Adrian and Fernando. The band started to have a clear structure composing but missed an element in their line-up, which was achieved with the last member to enter the band, Gorka.
In mid-october of that same year, Gorka Laherrán, who played in a funky-fusion band named “Psychofusion”. The band started as a typical rock band called “Best Before End” from which only the bassist and guitarist (Gorka) remained playing together after the dissolution of the band. Together with a third member on the turn tables they formed Psychofusion, playing a funky-acid jazz style with an electronic base, which evolves to psychedelic atmospheres of analogue synthesizers. The band gave many concerts in famous venues such as “Siroco” with “Fiunkin’ Donuts” or “Café La Palma” (both in Madrid). They also opened for Alcohol Jazz and O’Funk’Illo, two major bands in the funk scene in Spain.
With the band complete the only thing was missing, and due their life style and specialy their rehearsal style the band was called “Natural Born Stonehead” (although it sould of been called “Natural Born Drunk”).
In 2004, Natural Born Stonehead (NBS) came up third in a band contest in their home town where they got to open for Hamlet (a classic metal band from Spain) as well as recording two songs at “Heat Room Studios” in Mejorada del Campo, Madrid. The post-production of the album was far from good (although the studio is meant to be very good) and the songs had to be re-mastered by Omar Tenani Mogollón (friend of the band). Natural Born Stonehead has used this two song demo to promote the band.
Between 2004 and 2005 NBS has given only 3 concerts as they have mainly concentrated in composing new songs and polishing their style. Fernando quit the punk band where he played drums to concentrate on this new project. In June 2005, NBS passed the first phase of the band contest organized by Ritmo y Compás of Madrid and will be playing on the 26th of October 2005 in that same venue.
Up to the date, NBS have composed 16 songs of which 2 have been left aside (2 of the original 3 the guitarist Fernando composed when he started the band). The band has been acquiring a very personal style influenced by thrash metal of late 80s early 90s, bands such as Pantera. Slayer, Machine Head or Sepultura and more modern bands such as Lamb Of God, Hatebreed or Chimaira.
official Website: http://www.naturalbornstonehead.com