Saúl Blanch, the vocalist on Rata Blanca's first album and a figure credited with helping establish hard rock and heavy metal in Argentina, has died at the age of 75, according to reports from Rosario3, TN, Infobae, Ambito and El Liberal.
The Argentine outlets described Blanch as the band's original frontman and a reference point for the country's metal scene. TN and Infobae both put his age at 75, while Rosario3 framed him as a pioneer of Argentine hard rock.
Blanch's connection to Rata Blanca is tied to the group's debut record, where he handled lead vocals. Outlets covering his death consistently identify him as the band's first singer, a role that placed him at the start of one of Argentina's best-known metal acts.
Beyond that, the reports cast him as an early influence on the wider Argentine heavy metal movement, with several publications calling him an icon or historic figure in the genre. The coverage did not include further biographical detail in the material available.
Tributes and fuller accounts of Blanch's career are expected to follow from Argentine music media and from those who worked alongside him.
