Rata Blanca was the first Argentine act ever to gain international exposure playing heavy metal music. The band's composer and backbone Walter Giardino has been pointed out as one of the finest guitarists within the history of the genre in Latin America, with a style often compared to Yngwie Malmsteen's. In 1988, Rata Blanca landed a deal with Polygram to release its debut album. Two years later, Magos, Espadas y Rosas came out with major hits such as the soft metal ballad "Mujer Amante," which has sold over one million copies to date. Rata Blanca has headlined several heavy metal gatherings, like the renowned Monsters of Rock and Rock in Rio, sharing the stage with Ozzy Osbourne, Therapy?, and Alice Cooper. In 2005, the Argentine act released the DVD En Vivo: Teatro Gran Rex, which captured a live Buenos Aires gig alongside former Deep Purple and Black Sabbath bassist Glenn Hughes. ~ Roman Kutnowski