Cabeza de Martillo was started in 1986 when former members Hector (bass) and Eric (guitar) get together and decide to form a band to cover Metallica’ songs. Initially, the band was known as Hammerhead, after an Overkill’s song from ‘Feel the Fire’, and with this name they recorded their first demo. Responses by the audience were positive and the band kept on working as playing live in several locations in Panama City. After gaining some success and some touring, a new vocalist (Frank Leone) and a new guitar player (Pitongo) were added to the band.

In 1989, the new line-up started recording their second demo, but the U.S. military intervention in Panama delayed everything. Once the political situation was restituted, the band continued to work. A new line-up shift took place and a new demo, entitled ‘Emancipation of the Environment’, was recorded after winning in an important rock festival in Panama City.

Some years later, the band mutates once again, without loosing their death/thrash leaning. In 1996, the new line-up (Frank, Eric, Cesar, Pitongo, and Chale) starts to record their first full-length (‘Invasion’) with the support of Volumen Brutal, a radio program aired in Panama City. At this time, the band decided to change their name to ‘Cabeza de Martillo’, a literal translation of their original moniker, since the new stuff was in Spanish. In fact, Cabeza de Martillo was the first extreme metal band that releases a full-length in Panama. However, the Panamanian Censorship Board censored the album because of its explicit lyrics.

The next years were intense for the band. They played live a lot with such bands as A.N.I.M.A.L., Insano from Costa Rica, Vision Divine, and so on. They even filmed a video for the song ‘Invasion’, but it was censored. In 1999, a new drummer joins the band and a year after a new full-length titled ‘Crуnicas del Dolor’ (Chronicles of Pain) was released through Nems Enterprises in Argentina. In 2002, the line-up that recorded the ‘Invasion’ album was gathered once again to record a new album. Also, they were selected as the Best Extreme Band in the Panamarock Awards 2001-2002. Nowadays, the band is preparing their third full-length.