Geist: Der Ungeist (2012)

Israeli Germanophiles

It seems like Israeli doom-specialty label TotalRust is gradually becoming a black metal-specialty label. Der Ungeist, the debut album of one-man Israeli black metal Geist, is just one more step in that evolution.

The prospect of one-man black metal is probably not terribly enticing to very many of you. There are so many things that can go wrong, and usually do. But thankfully, none of that has happened here. Firstly, it actually sounds like a full band playing live. Secondly, it sounds like they were recorded decently. You know, not like it was done in a legitimate studio or anything, but it’s not like it was done with a cassette recorder either. He’s obviously paid attention to each instrument, instead of relegating one to an afterthought. Also, it’s clear he hasn’t fallen in love with his own non-existent legend like so many solo acts, because the music continues to go somewhere and the record ends after 35 minutes. So I’m glad I could allay those fears for you.

Tamut Amen: Demo (2011)

Review

I'm not quite sure why it is that I've talked about Israeli metal so many times in the past year, but I've run across some very good bands from the holy land. Tamut Amen (Hebrew for "May you die") is no exception.

This 2010 demo is five songs of high-speed, no-bullshit black metal. Perhaps owing to various members' tenure in grind-related bands Whorecore and Tea with Satan, the songs are all short and blistering, with no extra fat.

Their sound should be familiar enough. The guitar tone is warmer than your typical BM, and the production is top-notch for a demo, but otherwise it's pretty standard. Musically, what stands out is the excellent drumming, which is more fill than blast but no less violent for it.

The Verdict: The world is just starting to discover Israeli metal, and Tamut Amen is good enough to be among the vanguard for their home country. I give the demo 4 out of 5 stars.

Download the demo from Mediafire

Tamut Amen on Soundcloud

Tamut Amen on Facebook

Deposition: TotalRust

Since I'm dedicating a whole week to the music of Israeli doom label Totalrust, I would be remiss if I didn't interview the label head himself.

Full Metal Attorney: Your label is said to be "dedicated to 'extreme music' with a strong focus on 'extreme doom.'" What is the mission of TotalRust? And why doom?

TotalRust: TotalRust Music supports many sorts of extreme music and you can find bands from different styles under our wings, but yes, the main focus is indeed on Extreme DOOM. Although my musical taste is pretty varied, you can say doom is my cup of tea for years now (especially the extreme and experimental corners of this genre) and it obviously affects TotalRust as well.

As for the mission of TotalRust, from the beginning the idea was (and still is actually) to provide a serious devoted home to unique bands and artists I respect. It's as simple as that.

FMA: Can you give us a brief history of the label? And who is the "we" the "about" page on your web site refers to?

TR: I created Totalrust Music in 2004. It started as an underground distro actually, but very quickly we started to work on our first release (the DOOM compilation "Asymmetry") and signed a few AWESOME bands like The Knell, Wraith of the Ropes, Funeralium . . . During these eight years of existence I had the honor to work with some excellent musicians and as for now we released 19 albums and three demos. The label has been built up really nicely to this point, operated from pure passion for muSICK and despite all the difficulties will keep growing and delivering the goods. In many ways, you can say it's a one man show, but TotalRust's crow features two more fellas; Alec Zalogin, who keeps providing the label and its artists awesome artworks and Ofir Messer, TotalRust's webmaster from the first day of totalrust-music.com (recently he created the fine metal webzine ovmetal.com, feel free to check it out). They both are good friends of mine, highly professional and they are part of this structure from its first steps.

FMA: The guys in Promiscuity said there is essentially no metal scene in Israel. What's your take on the subject?

TR: Besides taking part in some metal events with TotalRust, I am not really involved in the local scene, so I doubt if I am the man to answer this, but overall I think we have a pretty solid scene here. Gigs of local bands, other metal events once in a while (like markets, parties etc), forums that are active, a few producers who bring "overseas bands" once in a few months and some bands like Salem, Orphaned Land, Sonne Adam . . . who "made it" outside of Israel. So even if it's not too exciting, it's still a metal scene.

Obscure Bands: Promiscuity

Israel's Promiscuity performs filthy, raw speed metal in the proudest and most disgusting tradition. Think Venom, and you'll have a pretty good idea of what they're doing. Their demo Infernal Rock N' Roll is for pay-what-you-want (or $5 cassette) on their Bandcamp page (link at the bottom of the interview). I had a chance to ask them a few questions about ugly metal in Israel.

FMA: Who is Promiscuity, and how did the band get started?

Werewolf: The lineup is Butcher (vocals+axe), Dekapitator (drums) and myself on bass. It started because of my urge to write some primitive and ugly riffs and lyrics and started to take real shape when Butcher joined forces with me.

The collaboration with Butcher was just inevitable - he is the only like-minded Metalhead I know within a radius of minimum 50km and I couldn't have any doubt about his great writing and playing skills after having heard his 1-man Death Metal project MORBID TENDENCY.

Once Dekapitator agreed to help us as a drummer, it didn't take long until "Infernal Rock N' Roll" was recorded. Dekapitator lives around half a country away from us (which is not really too far, but does make things more complicated) and plays in other bands, so he isn't involved in the writing process, but that works just perfectly for the 3 of us.

FMA: Some people have a hard time thinking about a band from Israel without letting politics get in the way. What do you have to say to them?

Werewolf: "Some people have a hard time thinking" - I couldn't agree more, this phenomenon is very common nowadays, which is very sad! But they aren't worth my time, just like I guess they think that I'm not worth theirs, eh?

Butcher: I would tell them - FOAD!

Sonne Adam: Transformation (2011)

Review

Sonne Adam is an Israeli traditional death metal band whose first full-length, Transformation, was released through Century Media this year.

No, that's not a mistype. It is traditional death on Century Media. Which makes me wonder why they would sign a band like this in the midst of their pop acts like The Haunted and Vampires Everywhere! Do they think traditional death is the next fad? Granted, it has generated renewed interest, but it's hardly the kind of thing they can push to the skateboarder/Hot Topic crowd they've geared their business toward. Maybe instead it's a bid to hold on to some of their lost credibility among the trve.

Melechesh: The Epigenesis (2010)

Review

"Mesopotamian" black metal band Melechesh blew a lot of minds with 2006's Emissaries, so it's no wonder its follow-up The Epigenesis has been so widely anticipated after a four year wait.

The music is clearly the Israeli expats' unique brand of thrashy, Middle Eastern-inspired black metal from the get-go. Every single track has riffs inspired by the unusual combination, and it's still just as compelling as ever. There's also a great deal of traditional instrumentation, including two instrumentals which are all-traditional and several places where it's worked into metal songs.

It's also immediately apparent with the slow-paced opener that this is not the same album done over again. Where Emissaries was unrelenting, The Epigenesis is more varied and experimental. Most of the songs are slower, including the progressive title track at the end and opener "Ghouls of Nineveh", although some ("Defeating the Giants" or "Grand Gathas Of Baal Sin") are high-speed with plenty of blast beats. "The Magickan And The Drones" may be the most obviously black metal offering, with its dissonant counterpoints in the primary riff, but even it drops the blast beats and goes into a much slower section.

Ashmedi's black metal rasp is, if anything, improved from their last outing (and includes some much deeper growls here and there), and there are brief moments of clean-ish vocals as well as traditional-sounding chants.

Highlights include "Sacred Geometry" and "Grand Gathas Of Baal Sin", which shows everything the album offers in microcosm along with some bone-shattering bass drum (or possibly a larger traditional drum).



The Verdict: On the whole, the album isn't quite as good as its predecessor (the opening track is pretty boring, and a couple tracks might be longer than necessary), but it's very, very good anyway, and shows a band not content to sit back and play it safe. I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Melechesh: Emissaries (2006) Review

On the strength of the recommendation of a law school contemporary of mine, Metallattorney (his link is now in my sidebar), I picked up Melechesh's highly acclaimed Emissaries. I had heard of it before, but hadn't paid much attention to it until now. I'm glad I did.

This Armenian/Assyrian/Dutch quartet (originally from Israel) plays a style they call "Mesopotamian" black metal. This means they combine the usual black metal stylings with Middle Eastern elements, both musical and lyrical.

The result of this infusion of Oriental music creates a sound which is much more melodic than your usual black metal. This has two important consequences. First, though the rhythm section and vocals are 100 percent black metal, the lead guitar sounds more like thrash. This isn't too unexpected, since black metal grew out of thrash metal in the first place. The second consequence is much more surprising: Melechesh has managed to create black metal which is almost accessible, at least to anyone who's listened to more mainstream groups such as the big four.

All this about genre fusion and musicality should not detract from an important fact: This is uncompromisingly diabolical metal. With the exception of the welcome (if a bit too long) all-acoustic respite "The Scribes of Kur" at track 7, they don't let up.

It's also cleanly recorded and produced, something that may turn off a few black metal purists. But purism is sometimes just another word for stupidity. The production is excellent, except, as you might expect, you can rarely hear the bass.



The Verdict: The songs are memorable and well-written, and the performances are aggressive and full of conviction. It manages to be almost accessible--a gateway to black metal fandom for anyone who's been exposed to thrash metal--without alienating any but the most closed-minded core fans. This album is brilliant, and easily one of the top black metal albums of all time. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.