History & Biography The Cajamarca, Peru-based heavy metal band has been around since 2018 and the line-up has been beset by turmoil consistently. The starting line-up was Diana Cabanillas on vocals, Alfonso "Foncho" Espinoza and Moises Gallardo on guitar, Gherald Salazar on bass and Edwin Chavez on drums.
Early singer Diana Cabanillas was heard on the First Strike mini-album of 2018 and Bite Of Heavy Metal of 2019. These were distributed by Black Legion Records. Diana left in 2020 and the band resumed live activities with its new singer in November 2021. Someone in Russia set up a fledgling label and issued the Live At Sanctuary EP in 2021. Two of the six songs were cover versions. El Sucio sang here. There were multiple Hyenas on the scene and so a label called Rotten Records, which had nothing to do with D.R.I’s Rotten Records, released Live Quito, which was partly recorded live in Ecuador in 2022. This label was related to a zine. The band’s concert in Ecuador had been postponed earlier due to the pandemic. The band was touring South America. A couple of uploads and compilation appearances followed. The band was supposed to open for Enforcer in Peru, but that gig was cancelled in 2023. There was a split with Mexico-based Black Mask in 2024. The band’s line-up was split between Cajamarca and the capital city Lima now.
Drummer Daniel "Fish" Carranza of Mexico and guitarist Ramiro 'Ranzig' Mendoza were live members in 2024. The band was to open for Raven in Australia. There were three gigs in Japan in November 2024. Opening were Eagerkill of China and Risingfall. The act was booked for Keep It True Festival 2025. Hyena, in fact, had written a song called Keep It True. The band also released an album called About Rock And Roll. No word if they were singing about Elvis Presley or Jerry Lee Lewis. Keep It True Blitzkrieg was also an album recorded at the aforementioned show. Guitarist Sergio Silva exited in 2025. Alexander Rojas switched to guitar from bass. Jorge Reinoso joined on bass. The band was also joined by drummer Diego Guzmán of Irrational. The band opened for Megadeth in Lima, Peru in 2026 and was booked for the UxFxTx Fest (United For Thrash Vol. 3) in Shanghai, China despite not being a thrash band!
Reviews HYENA - KEEP IT TRUE BLITZKRIEG - BLACK LEGION 
No prizes for guessing where this was recorded. As for the review, full disclosure that this writer is just not that into live albums. The sound is never quite good and the fact that videos give sight and sound make the whole thing faff. Looking at Hyena's discography they disagree of course.
Hyena knows its allegiances and they lie with heavy metal and power metal with a good amount of (old) Iron Maiden. Then there are references to Blizzard Hunter in the high screams, refrains and choruses. Singer El Sucio's piercing screams are the star and the man's capabilities are not lacking. If nothing else, the group's devotion shines through. There is excellent soloing on Metal Machine, but some of it sounds out of tune. The song is powerful and only let down by the ugly snare sound. The song Ready To Explode also mentions the "metal machine" by the way. The song Hail The Fire is the other song worth mentioning because, despite the extensive soloing, it leans Motorhead. The Beast is a superb song, but it is a cover version of a Randy song. It is catchy and speedy, er, bestial, but it is just a cover version. - Anna Tergel
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