Señales

The album didn’t come together overnight. The songs had been in the works for years: «Daños», for example, was written in 2003, and «9 de Julio» —the most well-known— in August 2004, just before everything changed. «Frente al Río» includes a dedication to Mariana Sirota, then-partner of Patricio Santos Fontanet, who died in the fire. Other tracks, like «Día a día», were a tribute to the relatives of Maximiliano Djerfy. The artwork inside follows the style of previous albums, with that aesthetic reminiscent of Rocambole —the same artist who designed covers for Patricio Rey y sus Redonditos de Ricota. At the end, the album includes a phrase that doesn’t go unnoticed: *"To the invisible ones. Forever."*

The impact was immediate. In less than five hours, copies sold out, a rarity for an album with no visible promotion in record stores. Even the label was surprised. But not all reactions were positive: some families of the victims questioned the band’s decision to release new music so soon. Teodora Cáceres, mother of one of the young women who died, said they saw the band as if "they were using the dead to make money." María Teresa de Leiva was even harsher: "They don’t live the pain like we do." The album’s price also sparked controversy, since in 2006 a typical album cost around $23. Still, Señales remains an album that, despite the criticism, marked a difficult moment for the band and for Argentine rock.