Press
“This Austin-based sextet has become one of the happening bands in a town where catching ears is no small feat. The del Castillo brothers, Rick and Mark, play Spanish guitars, which gives the group a distinctive string sound, underwritten by a heavyweight rhythm section. “Brotherhood” features songs in English and Spanish, and includes Willie Nelson on a tune he wrote, “I Never Cared for You.” Whether Del Castillo works in Spanish or English, it rocks righteously. The Spanish guitars’ flamenco vibe gives a dramatic flair, abetted by Alex Ruiz’s passionate vocals. They pull together Latin music’s romance and rock’s grit. The result is such blistering tracks as “Vida Latina” and “Arena Al Viento.” ”
— Philip Van Vleck, Billboard
“Del Castillo are a high-energy Chicano band from Austin that sings in Spanish, combining old-school Gitano with flailing nuevo flamenco flourishes and churning polyrhythmic percussion. Their secret weapons are brothers Rick and Mark Del Castillo, whose tumbling brilliance on nylon-string classical guitars features jaw-dropping dual leads. These eruptions of technique and taste conjure images of Eddie Van Halen fronting early Santana (with an assist from the Gipsy Kings).”
— Rolling Stone
““Watching brothers Rick and Mark del Castillo take the stage and throw down dazzling nylon-string runs, in unison and in harmony, made me a big fan. Think of them as Los Hermanos Allmans, playing infectious Latin rhythms with mind-boggling solos. They whipped the crowd into a frenzy” ”
— Matt Blackett, Guitar Player Magazine
“Del Castillo, Austin’s Band of the Year in 2003, plays steamy nuevo flamenco —- and plays it damn well. ...sick Gypsy-inspired licks of virtuoso guitarists Rick and Mark del Castillo. Jawdropping.”
– Bob Gulla, Guitar One Magazine
“The members of Del Castillo wrote most of the songs on this self-titled album together in the space of one week. Maybe that’s why they have a unity and strength that makes the band’s fourth release their best yet. A balanced mix of ballads and higher-intensity tunes sung in English and Spanish, Del Castillo conveys a new level of nuance fluidity with a greater maturity in vocals and lyrics, particularly on the sweet love song “Little Angel.” Of course, guitarist Rick and Mark del Castillo are never less than impeccable. But it takes more than skill to pull off what they do; it takes soulfulness and you can hear it clearly on songs like “Castles,” an album highlight.”
– Lynne Margolis, Texas Music Magazine
“This Austin, TX-based band has developed a huge regional following through their unique merger of flamenco music and rock. Since forming in 2001, the sextet has won a total of 10 Austin Music Awards, while also touring with Los Lobos, Los Lonely Boys and Ozomatli. Their MUSEXPO performance was absolutely MINDBLOWING, even for the most jaded, too-cool-for-the-room industry executive. Rolling Stone says the band ‘…conjures images of Eddie Van Halen front early Santana (with an assist from the Gipsy Kings)’ and that description pretty much nails it.”
– A&R Worldwide MUSEXPO 2005
“The band that fuses flamenco, rock, blues, salsa, cumbia, reggae, ranchera and all things ridiculously rhythmic. These guys are in super-tight, totally loose form. The twin classical guitars, the soulful vocals, the thick bass and drums section come together like black beans on white rice. When they step off the platform, drenched in sweat, the mixture of adrenaline and elation is palpable. They could do it again… and again.”
– Dallas Morning News
““The band’s forte since forming in 2001 is the serpentine, percussion-heavy, Gipsy guitar flavored rock numbers that shake hot sauce all over an Allman Brothers jam ethic.” ”
— Michael Corcoran, Austin Statesman
“Percussive rolls like the one opening Del Castillo seemingly stamp every Latin rock LP since a certain guitarist from Tijuana made his name at Woodstock. In that same genus, when Del Castillo frontman Alex Ruiz keeps coming back to a “rumba that kills” on leadoff cut “Boricua del Cielo,” he’s not kidding. Neither is this veteran Austin sextet. Its flamenco panache soothes the savage beast as effectively as a world-famous gypsy institution of Catalonian descent. Capping Del Castillo’s complete game, “Everlasting” comes on with a radio chorus not heard since a little ol’ trio of brothers from San Angelo put its town on the map (although this gang precedes those boys in penning top-shelf Latinate crossovers on their previous three albums). Ditto “Castles,” although at almost five minutes, the tune eventually pokes into tourism ad territory. (See also: “Home.”) “Anybody Wanna,” appended a second time at album’s end as a radio edit, completes (and, by such a designation, apparently tops) Del Castillo’s commercial trinity and backbone. The group executes even better in Español, as on “Noche Brava” and in the mariachi cantina of “Corazon Loco.” When the boys go instrumental by pulling the rip cord on Del Castillo brothers Mark and Rick, guitars do all the dancing (“Cafe sin Leche”). Ultimate testament to these local all-stars comes from the fact that the only name that needs recall after spinning this eponymous disc is Del Castillo.”
– Texas Platters
“This Austin, TX-based band has developed a huge regional following through their unique merger of flamenco music and rock. Since forming in 2001, the sextet has won a total of 10 Austin Music Awards, while also touring with Los Lobos, Los Lonely Boys and Ozomatli. Their MUSEXPO performance was absolutely MINDBLOWING, even for the most jaded, too-cool-for-the-room industry executive. Rolling Stone says the band ‘…conjures images of Eddie Van Halen front early Santana (with an assist from the Gipsy Kings)’ and that description pretty much nails it.”
– A&R Worldwide MUSEXPO 2005