Por Carlos Passage, Billboard Colombia
For four decades the band Kronos has defined the path of rock in Colombia. Originally from Cali, a city that is predominantly salsa, the boys led by vocalist Jorge Fresquet and guitarist David Corkidi will have an inspiring year with a national tour, new album and show with Scorpions, Judas Priest and Europe.
What would have happened to Hard Rock in Colombia without the existence of Kronos? Kraken ended its magic when Elkin Ramirez died in 2017, Aterciopelados softened, Pestilencia lives in exile, and groups like Dr. Krapula and Superlitio live marginalized in Pop.
Kronos is the last survivor of the genre and this year they will celebrate their 40 years of career with several projects. The first is the release of their eighth album, an acoustic project that will take the band to a new stage, a sonic challenge that fans will appreciate for its instrumental execution, without gimmicks or post-production tricks. The first single is an old song known by everyone: “Volver a Empezar.” Jorge Fresquet and David Corkidi, leaders of Kronos, say that the whole world should discover this friendly side of their band. In the new version they are warm, calm and romantic, something unthinkable for their most orthodox and radical audience.
“Volver a Empezar” will be entered to compete in the Latin Grammy this year in the category of Best Pop/Rock Song.
The second project of these 40 years of Kronos will take place on June 19 at the Jorge Isaacs theater. It is the first show of a national tour that will include dates in Bogota, Pasto and other selected cities.
On April 30 the band will travel to Bogota to open the Monster of Rock show that will take place at the Coliseo Med Plus and that will have true legends of world Hard Rock including the German superband Scorpions, the British Judas Priesta and The Datkness, and the Swedish Europe and Opeth.
Kronos is a familiar band in recent years as an opening act for major international concerts held in the Colombian capital. In 2022 they opened for Kiss and last November for Iron Maiden.
40 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT KRONOS
1. The band Kronos was formed in 1985 in Cali
2. In 1987 they won first place at the National Rock Festival in Bogota.
3. CBS (now Sony Music) signed them and they released their first album “Rockero Soy”
4. In 1987 they toured with Quiet Riot and Baron Rojo.
5. Vocalist Jorge Fresquet joined the band in 1989.
6. The first EP of the new Kronos came out in 1991 which included the hits “Fuego en mis Venas” and “El Rotito”.
7. “Fuego en mis Venas” was a hit on Colombian national radio. The song was part of the album «Metalicos y Latinos» by Haley Records.
8. In 1992 he toured Colombia with Guns N’ Roses.
9. Kronos was invited to the Ecomundo festival in Cali where David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, Roger Daltrey of The Who and the band Rata Blanca performed.
10. In 1993 the band was in the legendary Concierto de Conciertos with Soda Estereo and R.E.O Speedwagon.
11. Kronos played two dates in Ecuador in Guayaquil and Quito in 1996.
12. In 2002 Sum Records released their album La Historia No Se Repite which includes «Fuego en mis Venas».
13. In 2003 their new album Todo Está Bien was released.
14. The album Todo Está Bien includes the radio hit “Igual que Ayer”
15. In 2006 the album “Mil Doscientas Sensaciones” was released with the hits “Solo Quiero Rock N’ Roll” and the song that gives the album its title.
16. In 2008 Kronos performed in Bogota with the band White Lion.
17. The band was invited to the Rock al Parque festival that same year in 2008
18. In 2010 Jorge Fresquet announced a solo album.
19. The band’s new vocalist is Bryant Diaz and with him the band recorded the album “Una Historia Más”
20. Between 2011 and 2013 the band was part of the concert circuit, including the Mago de Oz Festival with Kraken, Rata Blanca and Mago de Oz.
21. In 2014, after four years, Jorge Fresquet returns to the band.
22. The group releases its new song “Te Busco” that same year.
23. Kronos travels to Mexico in 2015 for a six-date tour through Durango, Querétaro, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico City, and Puebla.
24. In Mexico, Kronos releases their song “Vuelve”
25. In 2016, they return to the studio with producer German Villacorta, and a year later, in 2027, their long-awaited new album S I E T E is released.
26. In 2018, Kronos records a new version of “Fuego en mis Venas” that appears on the album S I E T E DELUXE.
27. “Fuego en mis Venas 2018” was released at the Dia del Rock Colombia Festival.
28. At the beginning of 2019 and after 12 years, Felipe Suarez and José Beltrán returned to the band, starting a great national tour that took them to many cities they had never visited.
29. Kronos is invited in 2020 to open Kiss’s End of the Road tour in Colombia, which is postponed to 2022 due to the pandemic.
30. Kronos’ plans to play in Hackensack, New Jersey celebrating Colombia’s Independence Day in 2020 are also thwarted by the pandemic.
31. Kronos participates in the virtual Feria de Cali 2020.
32. Italian producer Alessandro del Vecchio is the new producer of the group’s next album.
33. “Nada nos Detendra” is Kronos’ new hit in 2021 that premieres at the Feria de Cali 2021.
34. In 2022 the band releases their new hit “Y Si Te Vas”
35. In May 2022 Kronos opens the Kiss show in Bogota, a tour that was on hold caused by the pandemic.
36. In December 2022, Kronos performs at the Rock al Parque Festival where they present their new song “Dame un Abrazo”
37. Kronos is once again the protagonist at the 65th edition of the Feria de Cali.
38. Under the production of Alessandro del Vecchio again, the band begins in 2024 the recording of their next and eighth album that will be released in the second half of 2025. It will be an intimate and acoustic album.
39. The new acoustic version and first single of the next album “Volver a Empezar” will be released on Spotify and YouTube in November 2024.
40. That same month of November of the previous year, Kronos opens the Iron Maiden show in Bogotá and to celebrate its 40 years the band will play in April 2025 at the Monster of Rock festival with Hard Rock legends Scorpions, Judas Priest, Europe, The Datkness and Opeth. Their 40th anniversary tour begins at the Jorge Isaacs Theater on June 19.
