Puya is a progressive metal band from Puerto Rico. The band was formed in 1991 and rose to prominence thanks to their mix of heavy metal and salsa. Puya has produced three studio albums, one extended-play and one live album since 1995. In 1991, the band was formed as a progressive rock group in Puerto Rico under the name Whisker Biscuit. The band gained Sergio Curbelo as a vocalist and moved to Fort Lauderdale in Florida in 1992. There, they developed a mixture of heavy metal and salsa with the help of Jeff Renza and the Noiz Boiz studio. In 1994, they adopted the name Puya which means “sharp point” in Spanish. It is also a popular Puerto Rican coffee. Puya was the first Puerto Rican band to reach international success. Puya’s self-titled debut album was released under the Noiz Boiz record label in 1995. However, they did not sign with the label. They met Gustavo Santaolalla, a producer, and were signed to MCA in 1999. Their second album, Fundamental was a critical success. They became a star and were even invited to Ozzfest’s second stage, where they performed alongside Slipknot in 1999. Their song “Tirale”, which was only the album’s Spanish-language track, was featured in the soundtrack to the 2000 movie Heavy Metal 2000. They opened for Sepultura and Red Hot Chili Peppers as well as Pantera, KISS, and Pantera. The band also recorded a Spanish cover of “Spirits in the Material World” by The Police, under the title “Almas en un mundo materia”. MCA was disappointed with the sales figures for the 2001 album Union. The label decided not to renew the contract, which had been in place since 2002. Puya reunited for two music festivals held in Puerto Rico in 2009. The digital EP Areyto was released on iTunes August 27, 2010. Puya performed in San Juan, Puerto Rico on February 8, 2014. From Wikipedia
