Archaios is a melodic death metal band from Santo Domingo. It began in 1994 as Legion and took the name Archaios, which means “ancient”, in 2003.

As Legion

Under its first name the band appeared with «Eterno Sufrimiento» and «Desperdida» on «Metal por un Tubo», a 1997 compilation CD issued by the magazine Radioactiva.

Albums

Its first album, «Out of the Shadows», came out in 2005, and the second, «The Distant», on 11 November 2011 through «Dark Canvas Records». The international metal database Encyclopaedia Metallum lists its subjects as inner struggles, existentialism, vengeance and despair. Reviewing «The Distant» for Heavy Metal Tribune, a critic scored it 14 out of 20 and called it a modern update of the melodic death metal of Soilwork and In Flames, with guitar solos of an almost neo-classical feel; he said it was the first band from the Dominican Republic he had come across.

Abroad

The band’s tracks reached international compilations: «The Distant» on Metal Hammer’s «Global Metal Vol. 3» (2011), «Legions (In Remembrance Of...)» on Terrorizer’s «Fear Candy 102» (2012) and «The Distant» again on «Global Domination Vol. 1», a digital release of «No Remorse Records» in April 2014.

Members

The guitarist Eric Cruz has been in the band since 2003 and is the only current member listed. Past members include the guitarists JC Castillo, who played until his death in 2019, Joel Solano and Albert de Peña; the bassists Koresh and David Masalles, who has also played inSoul of Death; the drummers Johandy Ureña, Alfredo Baltrá and Silvio “El Chivo”, who has also played in «Necro»; and the vocalist Rubén Cruz.

Legacy

In 2022 the metal site MetalSucks included Archaios in a list of fifteen bands from the Dominican Republic, and the international archives list it as active.