Formed in 1970 in Lomas del Mirador, Buenos Aires, El Reloj emerged as a pioneering force in Argentine hard rock and progressive rock, drawing inspiration from British acts like Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin. The original lineup featured Eduardo Frezza (bass, vocals), Willy Gardi (guitar), Juan "Locomotora" Espósito (drums), Luis Valenti (keyboards, vocals), and Osvaldo Zabala (guitar). Their debut single, "El Mandato" / "Vuelve el Día a Reinar" (1973), garnered significant attention, selling 30,000 copies. This success was followed by the 1974 single "Alguien Más en Quién Confiar" / "Blues del Atardecer," which sold 100,000 copies. In 1975, they released their self-titled debut album, El Reloj, showcasing a blend of heavy rock and progressive elements. Their second album, El Reloj II (also known as Al Borde del Abismo, 1976), further solidified their status in the Argentine rock scene. Despite internal tensions leading to their disbandment in 1977, the band reformed in 1983, releasing La Esencia es la Misma. A significant reunion occurred in 1993, resulting in the 1994 album Santos y Verdugos. Tragically, Gardi passed away in 1995, and Valenti in 2004. After a period of inactivity, Frezza and Zabala reunited in 2016, leading to the release of the live album En Vivo in 2018. In 2022, they released new material, including the acoustic track "No Venimos Solos" and the single "América Siente." In 2025, the track "Alguien Más En Quien Confiar" was featured in the Netflix adaptation of the Argentine graphic novel El Eternauta, exposing them to a whole new generation of fans.
