M-16 is a Latin Hardcore band that has been redefining heavy music since its inception.
In the late 90's three friends and musicians emigrated from the Dominican Republic to New York in search of
a wider audience for their brand of metal.
Daniel Estrella (Bass/Vocals), Omar Rodrˆ‚guez (Guitar) and Cristian Peˆ±a (Drums) hook up with the forward-thinking
Mother West Records in Manhattan, and release a crushing 7 song EP. In it, they demonstrate what metal sounds like when issued from the darkest recess of the soul.
After a couple of years Cristian took leave from the band to return home. Ray Reed, formerly of the New York metal/hardcore outfit Lockdown, stepped in to pound the skins. In 2001 the band release a video for their track ’ÄúLa Sangre Que Corre En Mis Venas’Äù shot by veteran director David Capurso. The full-length album ’ÄúCanciones Escritas En El Exilio’Äù soon followed, along with many outings to support the release including tours in Puerto Rico (with VICTIMAS DEL DR CEREBRO), Santo Domingo, and in Houston and Dallas opening for LOS ANGELES DEL INFIERNO.
The song "¬øPor Quˆ© No Morir?" was featured in the 2003 film
"Particles of Truth"
"La Sangre Que Corre En Mis Venas" was featured on the Asi Suena Emergente 2 de 6, 2005 compilation. "Raza" was featured in the Boom Magazine promotional CD compilation for the issue of February/March 2006.
"¬øPor Quˆ© No Morir?" was featured in the 2006 film
"You Tell Me"
On August 13th, M-16 performed at the 2006 ’ÄúLOCOBAZOOKA’Äù music festival at the Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts in Mansfield, MA, where ALICE IN CHAINS headlined.
In 2007 the band was invited to perform at the DC Latin Rock Fest, The NYC Horror Film Festival, at a fundraiser for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, on FEARLESS MUSIC TV, and to Los Angeles where they performed at the PICO RIVERA SPORTS ARENA for ARKA FEST 2007.
In 2008 the band loses drummer Jeff Ortiz who now performs with NEURONAUTAS. The band carried on with help from ex-member Ray Reed on drums. M-16 performs at various GHETTO METAL events, headlines the METAL/HARDCORE/PUNK/FEST, and spent time in the studio tracking their album ’ÄúLa Raiz De Todo Poder’Äù.
Scathing, pulsing, louder than hell, M-16's music is at times bombastic and scalding yet poetic in style and nature. Unapologetic lyrics sung entirely in Spanish, scream and whisper tales of mortal disillusion, political terror, and the chaos of modern times. A band that firmly believes in substance over style, M-16 is all the angst and frustration of real people channeled through guitars, drums and bass. Currently the band is composed of original member Daniel Estrella on Bass/Vocals, Marcos Medina on Guitar/Vocals and James Allen on Drums. They are playing local shows and promoting their new record.