Guatemalan Bands to Watch

The Guatemalan music scene is getting better and better, with more artists finding national and international success.

One of the top names to look out for is Easy Easy, a band attracting more and more attention throughout Latin America thanks to its fusion of indie and R&B influences. Similarly innovative, Fraeek make cinematic pop-rock and worked with Caribou drummer Brad Weber.

A classic name in the Guatemalan scene, Bohemia Suburbana has been around since 1992. They’ve become something of a reference for newcomers, and continue to play live. Another old stalwart is Malacates Trebol Shop, who recorded five rock-pop albums over a long career.

Newer arrivals include Adonis Muerto, known for its dark sound, and death metal group Treateth, whose vocalist Linda Orellana drove the group to new heights. Punk fans should have a listen to Gamezan, named after a torture method from the Guatemalan civil war, and Los Impuestos, or “The Taxes.”

It’s also worth checking out Filoxera for something more relaxed and ambient, with lyrics in both Spanish and English, and newly formed duo Dinosaur 88 whose eight-bit sound brought something entirely new to the music scene in the country.