The Argentine heavy metal is a heavy metal music movement that originated in Argentina in the 1980s. The first popular artist was Pappo, who created the band Riff influenced by the contemporary new wave of British heavy metal. V8 was formed at that time as well, and most of its members created notable bands after their respective departures from the band: Ricardo Iorio and Walter Giardino, currently in Almafuerte and Rata Blanca, are still popular. The second half of the 1980s saw the success of hard rock bands such as Kamikaze, Alakran and Rata Blanca, with an aesthetic similar to the contemporary glam metal. Thrash metal bands, such as Hermética, Horcas and Lethal, appeared in the late 80s and early 90s.
Rata Blanca declined its popularity in the 1990s and eventually broke up. Hermética became more popular than V8 during its short existence, and broke up in a controversy between the leader Ricardo Iorio and the other members. Iorio created a new band, Almafuerte, and the former members of Hermética stayed together for some time as Malón. Rata Blanca had a revival later, and the band was rejoined.