Guitarist Brian May claimed his voice is “one in a million. Jon Bon Jovi gave him the nickname "the voice" and Randy Jackson noted that he had a "golden voice". (Photo: Michael Ochs Archive) He is a singer with a tremendous vocal range and a unique voice and his name is Steve Perry. So let's give him great respect and tell you some interesting facts about him: 1. He was born Stephen Ray Perry on January 22, 1949, in California . 2. Steve was the only son of his parents of Portuguese descent. 3. He was interested in music from an early age. 4. His father Raymond Perry, was a singer and co-owner of the "KNGS" radio station, in Hanford , California. 5. At the age of 12 he heard the song "Cupid" performed by Sam Cooke on the radio and this influenced him to become a singer. 6. Before joining "Journey" he contributed his voice to commercials. 7. In 1972 he began his musical career and among others was a member of the bands "Ice" and "Alien Project", the latter even won a promising recording contract. 8. "Alien Project" disbanded after the band's bassist died in a car accident. Perry was heartbroken and considered leaving the music world. 9. He joined "Journey" only on their fourth album - "Infinity" in 1978. The band was looking to add a dominant singer to lead it, so they enlisted up Perry. 10. Until then, "Journey" included four members and the singing roles were divided between keyboardist Gregg Rolie and guitarist Neal Schon . 11. Right when Perry joined the band he was a part of writing their first hit - "Lights". 12. The song was written by Perry as a tribute to the city of Los Angeles , even before he joined the band. However, after joining the band he slightly changed the opening line of the song and replaced the word "LA" with the word "The Bay", which refers to San Francisco , as the origins of the band. (Photo: Fanart.TV) 13. Steve Perry served as Journey's lead singer for nine albums, until 1996, seven of which earned platinum status and above. 14. Perry contributed quite a bit to the meteoric success of "Journey" with hits like: "Open Arms", " Don't Stop Believin' ", "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)", "Faithfully", "Any Way You Want It" and more and more. 15. He was also a part of Journey's best-selling album " Escape " from 1981, which sold over 10 million copies. 16. In 1985, Perry was one of 21 singers on the All-Star team of American singers, who sang " We Are the World " on the "USA for Africa" ​​project. 17. He released his first solo album "Street Talk" in 1984, while still with "Journey". The album was a great commercial success. 18. Immediately afterward he began work on another solo album, which was to be called "Against The Wall", but it is not clear why it was not released and what happened to the materials from it. 19. Eventually he released his second solo album "For the Love of Strange Medicine" in 1994. The song "Young Hearts Forever" from the album, was written by him as a tribute to Phil Lynott - bassist of "Thin Lizzy", after he passed away. (Photo: Fanart.TV) 20. In 1986 he released his last album with "Journey", until the reunion of the band's classic lineup on the album "Trial by Fire", which was released in 1996. This album was a huge success. 21. Unfortunately after the release of the album he suffered a serious hip injury, while on a trip to Hawaii, in a way that prevented him from performing. 22. The band waited for him for 17 months, but for fear of missing out on the tremendous momentum following the reunion, they put in an ultimatum. Either Perry performs hip surgery that will allow him to return to the stage, or they will look for a new singer. 23. Perry who was very apprehensive about the surgery had to make a painful decision and announced his retirement from the band. 24. He eventually underwent surgery in 1998, however by this point the band had already found a replacement - singer Steve Augeri, who filled his place. Later he too will be replaced by Filipino singer and band fan Arnel Pineda. 25. Since then, Perry has not been able to return to substantial musical activity. In 2013, he was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor and had to undergo surgery to remove it, as well as a series of treatments. 26. In 2017 Steve was honored and inducted into the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" with “Journey”. 27. In 2018 he released his third solo album, after 24 years of silence. 28. In 2021 he released an album of Christmas songs called "The Season". 29. Over the years Perry has collaborated with many artists in various music styles, including: Sammy Hagar , Kenny Loggins, "America", Sheena Easton, "Clannad", Jason Becker , and more 30. Perry is ranked 76th on "Rolling Stone" magazine's list of the 100 greatest singers of all time. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Singer Robert Plant and musician and country singer Alison Krauss return to collaborate after 14 years with "Raise The Roof", Released November 19, 2021. After the sweeping success of "Raising Sand" from 2007, it was simply asked to work on a sequel album, which is exactly what we get with "Raise The Roof", whose title even corresponds with the title of the previous album. As you may recall, "Raising Sand" was a huge success in sales and picked up all six Grammy Awards in which it was nominated at the time, including "Album" and "Record of the Year". Planet stepped out of his comfort zone at the time, collaborating with Krauss, a country and blue-grass artist and winner of no less than 27 Grammy Awards, but this bet was successful and is a proof that sometimes the best things come from unconventional collaborations. Work on the album began in Nashville in November 2019, but then the Covid-19 struck and delayed everything. Similar to the previous album, this time too the musical material includes interesting and inspiring cover versions for various artists such as: Lucinda Williams, Merle Haggard, Allen Toussaint, "The Everly Brothers", Anne Briggs, Geeshie Wiley, Ola Belle Reed, Brenda Burns. Song list: 01. Quattro (World Drifts In) 02. The Price Of Love 03. Go Your Way 04. Trouble With My Lover 05. Searching for My Love 06. Can't Let Go 07. It Don't Bother Me 08. You Led Me To The Wrong 09. Last Kind Words Blues 10. High And Lonesome 11. Going Where the Lonely Go 12. Somebody Was Watching Over Me For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music Follow us on Facebook or Subscribe to our website "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog & Podcast

"Guns N 'Roses'" semi-acoustic and semi-scandalous album "G N' R Lies" was released on November 29, 1988. Although this album was created out of a commercial motive and in order to take advantage of the insane success of the band's debut album "Appetite For Destruction" , it brought a number of immortal, moving but also scandalous songs. So a year after the debut album, the record company pushed the band to release another album in order to squeeze a little more cash out of this meteor they have in their hands. Guns' had just finished their debut album tour and were worn out, so to fulfill their duty they took their first EP "Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide" released a year before Apetite', added four more songs in acoustic performances, and released it on a CD. (We must point out that as those who were present at their first concert in Israel, the combination of the words, acoustic, and in order to fulfill their duty makes us physically ill !!) The first part... The EP we mentioned included four songs, "Reckless Life" a song by Slash and Axl previous band "Hollywood Rose", the song "Nice Boys" which is a cover of an Australian rock band song called "Rose Tattoo", the track "Move to the City" which is an original song by Guns' and "Mama Kin" which is a cover of an "Aerosmith" song. This is without a doubt a powerful business card that came out before Appetite', it introduces the world to the unique sound of Slash and the special and unique voice of Axl. An EP that shows the band's abilities alongside the bands from which they were influenced. The second part... That is the interesting part... Four acoustic songs which start with the immortal, the first and only single released from the album, which beyond its non-stop broadcast on MTV was played for hours on various radio stations, "Patience" . This song is so awesome that its cover version performed by Chris Cornell was only released in 2020, a few years after his death. This song gives a taste of what Guns' are becoming on the double album "Use Your Illusion I & II" . The next song is "Used to Love Her" , Izzy said it was written about an annoying song he heard on the radio about a guy crying over a girl and Slash said it was a song about Axl's dog. It is not known what is true but this slightly creepy country song shows the non-existence barriers of the band. The next song "You're Crazy" appeared in Appetite' in its electric version, here it gets its different version, or maybe the original one, completely abstracted from the distortions and bringing a much slower pace that makes us think what the other songs in Appetite' in their original version would have sounded like. If we mentioned barriers and scandals before, then the song that closes the album "One in a Million" created a massive scandal, it is doubtful if it would have survived in today's times, but also makes us think about where the line between creative freedom of expression and harm to another passes. In this song, Axl uses racist, chauvinistic and homophobic expressions. He tried to get out of it in all sorts of ways while he did not really apologize or provide an acceptable explanation but he created a lot of noise and criticism towards the band following this song. Even the album itself has an apology but it sounds pretty laconic. The album cover is designed in the style of a cover page of a "Tabloid" with the caption showing the names of the songs with a short description, imaginary articles, and photos of the band members. Listen to the album on: Spotify , Apple Music Follow us on Facebook or Subscribe to our website "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog & Podcast

The day anarchy broke out !! On November 26, 1976, the first and revolutionary single from "The Sex Pistols" was released and its title speaks for itself - "Anarchy in the U.K". This is the debut single from the band's debut album "Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols", which was released in October 1977. This song was one of the hallmarks of a musical and even social revolution in the 70s in England. The song entered the 56th place in the list of the 500 greatest songs of all time by "Rolling Stone's Magazine" and also entered the list of the 500 songs that shaped rock and roll, in the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame". The single came out under the EMI record label, which dumped the band a month and a half later for using blatant and rude language during a TV show. Because the song allegedly encouraged violence against the UK government, the band had a hard time finding a record company that would agree to release their debut album, which was released only a year later. Follow us on Facebook or Subscribe to our website "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog & Podcast

On November 13, 2020 "Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons" released their second solo album "We're the Bastards". Remember how much fun it was when Dad took you to work? So the children of guitarist Phil Campbell must have felt that way when they released the second studio album of their joint family project - "We're the Bastards", which sounds really good. For those who don't know (and if you follow our page and website you surely know), Phil Campbell was the guitarist of "Motörhead" from 1984 to 2015. After the death of Lemmy Kilmister and the disbandment of "Motörhead", Phil found himself out of work. In 2016 he entered the studio with the percussionist Chris Fehn, who is known as number 3 in "Slipknot" to concoct a solo album. Although this album was released in 2019 and included collaborations with Alice Cooper , Rob Halford , Dee Snider , and more. The more interesting thing happened precisely while working on that solo album. It started as Phil spending quality time with his three children and quickly turned into a serious project that led to the band "Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons". Phil recruited his children Todd on guitar and harmonica, Dane on drums, and Tyla on bass. They included the singer and rhythm guitarist of the Welsh band "Attack! Attack!" as their vocalist, and started working on original material. (Photo: Ultimate Classic Rock) In 2016, the band released their first EP named "Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons", and started warming up bands like "Guns N' Roses", "Hawkwind", "Saxon", and "Airbourne". The group gained momentum and what started as a side project designed to pass the time turned into something serious and permanent, when the band released its debut album "The Age Of Absurdity" in 2018. With the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis and because the band could not perform, they decided to build themselves a private studio. They spent the first quarantine period building it and at the beginning of the summer began writing and recording their second album "We're the Bastards". This time, the songwriting was more evenly shared between the band members, developing a mix of fresh contemporary influences brought by the kids, with the classic hard rock brought by the adult in charge. The theme song " We're the Bastards " opens the album powerfully and sets the tone for what comes next. " Son Of A Gun " led by Phil's daughter's ferocious bass even ups the ante and shows that this band has a lot to give. And there are some "Zeppelin" influences in " Desert Song ", southern rock with " Born To Roam ", dirty punk in the song " Destroyed " and even a nice ballad " Waves " that ends the album. For Listening: Spotify Follow us on Facebook or Subscribe to our website "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog & Podcast

She's a musician, she's a creator and she's not "pretending" at all. Chrissie Hynde was born on September 7, 1951 Friend, the famous tennis player John McEnroe claims that apart from Janis Joplin she is the greatest rocker !! So let's get to know the woman behind The Pretenders. (Photo: npr.org Courtesy of the artist) 1. Her full name is Christine Ellen Hynde and she was born in Arkon, Ohio. 2. When she was in high school she did not go out to parties or dates, she spent most of her time going to band shows. She was mostly in love with Brian Jones and Iggy Pop . 3. She attended Kent State University of the Arts where she deepened her love of painting and at the same time began playing in a band called "Sun. Mon. Mat." 4. In 1973 she moved to London, she met music reporter Nick Kent and he arranged for her a job at music magazine NME. 5. To get a work permit in England she applied to marry Johnny Rotten and Sid Vicious from the "Sex Pistols" but apparently, it did not work out. 6. In 1976 she moved to France and tried to form a band but it did not succeed and a short time after she returned to London just at the beginning of the crystallization of the punk movement. 7. Although she learned to play the acoustic guitar as a child, in London she acquired her true playing abilities and became a talented guitarist. 8. She responded to a newspaper ad and joined a band called "999", she felt the band was not taking off (it has released 11 albums to date) and tried to form a band together with Mick Jones from "The Clash" but it also failed. 9. She continued to travel the world and tried several other bands until 1978 when she made a demo tape, and gave it to Dave Hill the owner of the Real Records label and he went in to manage her career. 10. That same year she joined bassist Pete Farndon and the two formed a band with James Honeyman-Scott on guitars and keyboards, Martin Chambers on drums and gave themselves the name "The Pretenders" inspired by the song "The Great Pretender". (Photo: singersroom.com ) 11. One of the people who influenced her the most and also connected her to the band's drummer Martin, is Lemmy Kilmister from the band "Motörhead". Chrissy said that Lemmy was a role model for her, he represented everything rock and roll. Without whom "the Pretenders" would not exist. 12. In November 1979 the band released their first official single "Brass In Pocket" which reached straight to number one in January 1980 along with the debut album bearing the band name. 13. The name of the band's third album "Learning to Crawl" which was released in 1984 was given by Hynde after her baby daughter, Natalie Ray Hynde, had just learned to crawl while the band was looking for a name for the album. 14. Over the years, Chrissy has released 10 albums with the band, with the largest gap between albums being between 2008 and 2016. The band's 12th album "Relentless" was released in 2023!! 15. You're sure you heard the band name as part of the rock classics but did not always know how to associate the songs, so here are some of the highlights: "I'll Stand By You", "Brass In Pocket", "Don't Get Me Wrong", "Back On The Chain Gang", "Hymn to Her "and many more !! 16. Throughout the life of the band to this day the band members have all changed frequently except for Chrissie who is the band's sole writer, creator, singer, and leader. 17. Apart from her career with the band Chrissie has collaborated with many artists, here are some of the standouts among them: 18. She collaborated with the band UB40 on the cover of the song "I Got You, Babe." Of Sony and sang in 1985. 19. She was a guest on INXS '"Full Moon, Dirty Hearts" album released in 1993. 20. She recorded a duet with Frank Sinatra on the duet album he released in 1994 called "Duets II". 21. In 1999 she organized with Carla Lane a charity show in memory of her close friend Linda McCartney, the show was led by Chrissie and was called "Here, There and Everywhere - A Concert for Linda". 22. Chrissie also started a solo career alongside the band and released two albums. In 2014 she released the album "Stockholm" and in 2019 she released the album "Valve Bone Woe". 23. On the album "Stockholm" she hosts her friend John the tennis player (this is top notch) as the guitarist who plays on the album. 24. Chrissie is a vegetarian since the age of 18 and is very active in the PETA and Animal Rights Association. Listen to the band's last album on: Spotify , Apple Music Follow us on Facebook or Subscribe to our website "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog & Podcast

A Sneak Peek... On October 30, 2020, "Bring Me The Horizon" released their highly anticipated EP, at least we were looking forward to it!! Those who know the band knows that it has a number of very important characteristics, it doesn't what others think, it is constantly developing and growing, it is capable of doing everything and nothing will stop it!! After their previous album "AMO" was released a year before and the (controversial) electronic EP everyone already "mourned about the band's death", saying that it had lost its power, roughness...its metal and became fast food for the masses. So if you have already listened to the first three singles released from this album, you already understand that this is a complete mistake, and to strengthen this claim, the single that opens the album "Dear Diary" sounds as if it was taken from the band's second album "Suicide Season" or even the first "Count Your Blessings" (released more than 10 years ago). The entire album was written during and is inspired by the Coronavirus, which here receives a powerful multiplier with a comparison to a nuclear disaster. Sykes opens his guts here and unpacks all the aggressions with texts like: "God is a shithead and we're his rejects" ("Dear Diary") "Everything is so fucked up but I can't feel a thing" ("Teardrops") "When we forget the infection, will we remember the lesson?" ("Parasite Eve") The combination of the lyrics with the deadly power of the drums, guitars, and electronics, gives us a formidable tool for ultimate venting. Music is a wonderful thing and complementary medicine for psychological treatment (just saying...) This small but explosive EP also has some very interesting collaborations such as "Yungblud" guesting on "Obey", Japanese metal trio "Babymetal" on "Kingslayer", London rock duo "Nova Twins" on "1X1" and Amy Lee on the title track, the longest we know in the world that starts with... "One Day The Only... To listen to the album at: Spotify , Apple Music Follow us on Facebook or Subscribe to our website "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog & Podcast

On October 29, 2010, the live show of the four monsters of metal was released on DVD. The DVD entitled "The Big Four: Live from Sofia, Bulgaria" documents the performance that took place on June 22, 2010, as part of the Sonysphere Festival held in Bulgaria, in which four trash metal monsters participated: "Metallica", "Slayer", "Megadeth", and "Anthrax" The show was filmed, broadcast live, and screened in 450 theaters in the US and 350 theaters in Europe, Canada, and South America. The first performance of "the Big 4" took place in Warsaw, Poland on June 16, with a total of the four bands conducting 14 shows from June 2010 to September 2011. The order of the bands' performances was: "Anthrax", "Megadeth", "Slayer" and last was "Metallica", when at the end of each show the four bands went up to the stage and performed together the song "Am I Evil?" A song by the heavy metal band "Diamond Head" that "Metallica" covered. Follow us on Facebook or Subscribe to our website "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog & Podcast

On October 22, 1990, "Pearl Jam" made its debut live show, then still under the name "Mookie Blaylock". (Photo: Karen Mason Blair) The first performance of "Mookie Blaylock" was held at the "Off Ramp Cafe" in Seattle in front of 300 people. By the way, their first round of performances was performed by "Mookie Blaylock" as a warm-up band for another Seattle band called "Alice In Chains". Alice took them under their wing and promoted them during the tour. The short stylist included the songs "Even Flow (Sound Check)", "Release", "Alone", "Alive", "Once", "Even Flow", "Black", "Breath", "Girl". This historic moment is captured on camera and anyone who listens and watches will learn that the songs are performed in different and slower versions than those familiar to us from the band's debut album " Ten ", while the songs "Release", "Once" and "Black" include different lyrics from the album versions. To mark the band's 30th anniversary in 2020, "Pearl Jam" released, for the first time, its "MTV Unplugged" appearance for streaming services. The show was held in New York on March 16, 1992, during which the band performed acoustic versions of seven songs. Six from the debut album " Ten " and the song "State Of Love And Trust" are included in the soundtrack of the movie " Singles ". The album was never officially released. In 2019 a small number of copies were printed in a limited edition vinyl, and in 2020 the band put out another limited edition vinyl which also sold out very quickly. On the occasion of the band's 30th anniversary celebrations, the album first became available on all streaming platforms as well as in a CD version. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music Follow us on Facebook or Subscribe to our website "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog & Podcast

It is unbelievable that so much time has passed since October 18, 2019, when "Alter Bridge's" sixth album named "Walk The Sky" was released !! It is without a doubt one of the most anticipated albums we had in 2019, many have been waiting for this album and especially your loyal servants. It is an album created under time pressure and remote work (which we know very well today) and some say that you feel it a bit in the album. But no matter what they say, this album is great, it's huge, it's exciting and it's exactly what we like, music at its best !! Unlike previous in the albums where Myles Kennedy and Mark Tremonti would sit down to build the base of the songs and then come to the studio and start working with the rest of the band on building the entire song. This time there was no time for it. Mark was busy touring with his band and Myles was busy writing his solo album and touring with Slash . So there was not much choice left and they had to arrive ready to the studio at the time of the recordings. The idea for the musical direction started from Mark who on one of his travels, his ear picked up the "Tech Noir" song by the British Synthwave band "Gunship". Mark really liked the sound and vibe of the synthesizers that took him back in time just like the "Stranger Things" TV series did to him. He texted the song to Myles and asked for his opinion, Myles jumped on Mark's idea and started working on the album. Let's make it clear, you will not find songs full of 80s synth or pop here, but you will no doubt feel these elements in a number of songs and maybe even feel the inspiration. Because that's what gave the two the inspiration to write. Speaking of inspiration, the two shared in one of the interviews prior to the release of the album that they were inspired in different ways. Mark decided to go in a different direction and sought inspiration in the World Wide Web. He said he would look for rhythms, loops, and samples of synthesizers or drums and when they play in the background he improvises and looks for the riff that catches him. Myles on the other hand worked with an editing software called Logic in which he put in all sorts of rhythm ideas, mostly drums and he would improvise and try to look for the riffs and rhythms that catch him. (Photo: Alter Bridge) All the band members shared ideas remotely together, they uploaded their demos to a certain platform and everyone would respond, give feedback, or develop it into something else. But they knew they needed to get to the studio with ready-made songs and not basic demos. Since they did not have time to write everything in the studio but straight to get to practice and record. So for three months, from March to May the band members entered the studio and started working on the songs with their regular producer Michael Baskette. In terms of the lyrics and atmosphere of the album, both Myles and Mark felt it was the complementary opposite of "AB III" , his yin-yang. In "AB III" Myles was in a difficult period and this was reflected in the lyrics, the album was gloomy and the lyrics focused on seeking hope, loss, frustration, and despair. This time and as you can see on the album cover, "the spirit is more uplifting". The texts speak of positive spirituality, hope, and fighting. You will not only find roses here, yes, there is also some darkness here. The track that opens the album "One Life" is indeed a section full of text and meaning but does not stand on its own nor is it an opening to what happens during the album, it just allows you to get organized before the two bombers hovering over you are going to drop some respectable tons of explosives. The second track is the anthem of this album and not just because it was chosen for the album's first single, "Wouldn't You Rather" contains all the elements of Alter, strong riffs, a sharp and honed solo, a melody, and his gentle voice in Myles' catchy sentences. This song is a result of the begging of Michael the producer to Myles for missing a catchy and exploding song on the album. What you hear is not riffs created by the Texas Chainsaw but by his guitar friend. The third track "In The Deep" continues the previous one with intensity and rhythm. It was released as the album's third single and it's quite understandable given the deadly combination of the strong opening that combines Myles 'fingering with Scott Phillips ' drums, it's like watching an exploding minefield and then falling with the rhythm of the stick on the snare rim is just a pleasure. The chorus feels a bit messy to us but when singing out loud we don't pay much attention to it. The next piece is a blessed and different musical experiment from what we have known from Alter until today. "Godspeed" is one of the songs that combines the synthesizers we talked about earlier, when here the guitars take up less volume than usual and the drums sound like they were taken from the creator of Metallica's black album . This is definitely a huge song, it has something addictive and mesmerizing in it and it really feels like Myles is mourning someone close and indeed the song was written about a close friend of the band named Seth Luker. The next section competed to be the first single from the album but was chosen as the last single, "Native Son" is everything the band's fans love, it has it all and is just pure fun. As for the next track, we are a bit ambivalent, "Take The Crown" sounds a bit like something unconnected. Here we feel it is made remotely and a bit made up of different parts put together. The lyrics here do kindness to the song and solidify it into one piece. "Let's take the obvious right now, We'll be victorious" The track "Indoctrinate" is different and very special in its atmosphere and composition from the rest of the album. It takes some time to internalize it and it does not happen on the first listen, especially in light of its combination between Part A and Part B. The creepy and dramatic opening with Myles' creepy voice that sounds like it is intentionally sneaking makes you paranoid and bewildered (especially with the sitar in the background), but later it develops slowly, dragging and dragging until you get to the jump the song makes for the second part. It's even more chilling when one realizes that Myles wrote the song inspired by a TV series he saw on Netflix about a man who swept many people after him by brainwashing and manipulating them, the song was written from the manipulator's point of view. The next piece is a beautiful piece that we compare to "Wonderful Life" or "All Ends Well" from previous albums. A kind of powerful and beautiful ballad with uplifting text that makes you want to look for a boat and stand on the tip of the bow like in the Titanic and sing out loud. "It's never too late to start learning how to start leaving right" and believe Myles he knows what he's saying. The second single from the album "Pay No Mind" which already from the first minute makes you feel the power (synthesizers remember). The structure of the rif is different from anything we knew from Alter Bridge and blends in amazingly with the powerful chorus, the rolling rhythm, and the breaking sections that shatter you to pieces. The text here feels like one of the brainwashed cult participants in the previous song “Indoctrination” as he tries to break into freedom and get out of the cycle of horror but no one really notices. At the opening of the next track, we ask you to feel, feel it to your fingertips, and then make a strong hard punch. "Forever Falling" is another song in Alter's history in which Mark showcases his singing abilities, the combination of the two is simply fascinating. When Myles enters the chorus you feel like suddenly someone new is singing, not Myles the lead singer who has done the job so far but someone you have not heard until now (we try to be sane but do not always succeed). After Michael was not happy with Myles' result in the verses, Myles offered to let Mark sing and it worked out amazingly. This is one of the gloomiest songs on the album in terms of lyrics. The next track "Clear Horizon" sounds like it was taken from the previous album "The Last Hero" , for us it feels a bit unrelated to this album but it is present, not too exciting but present. The next track that bears the name of the album is perhaps one of the standout songs on the album. The harmony of Myles and Mark throughout the song creates something new and different here. With the combination of the synth and the heavy riffs, there is something that cannot be defined, something that hovers over everything that happens here. And again the text is so strong here lifts everything up with a strong and glowing aura, what an amazing thing is music !! In principle, we would tell you to take a moment to pause and internalize what you have heard but this time we urge you to move on. The "Tear Us Apart" track is a natural and understood sequel to the previous section. Myles' voice is so caressing, it has frequencies here that enter you right into the soul in a magical way, no one will separate us now! The section that closes the album "Dying Light" is a perfect and desirable ending. A kind of summary of everything we've been through so far. A farewell song that takes you with it like a side trip. What an amazing combination of the ensemble, the guitars, the drums, the bass, the synth, and the vocals all crystallize and drain into an amazing and exciting climax. Every other word is unnecessary !! Now take exactly an hour of your time and click on: Spotify , Apple Music Follow us on Facebook or Subscribe to our website "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog & Podcast

On October 18 Jerry Cantrell his fourth studio album " I Want Blood". Jerry Cantrell 's "I Want Blood" marks a return to the dark, brooding atmosphere that made him a vital force in "Alice in Chains". Released as the follow-up to 2021’s " Brighten ", this album serves as its antithesis—a dive into shadowy, haunting themes that feel deeply rooted in Cantrell’s musical identity. The album captures the very essence of his songwriting and guitar mastery, bringing fans back to the bleak, sludgy soundscapes reminiscent of his iconic band, yet with a fresh, solo twist. Cantrell, known for assembling stellar supporting casts, and like in " Brighten " he has done it again here. The album features powerhouse collaborators like "Guns N’ Roses" bassist Duff McKagan and "Metallica’s" Robert Trujillo on bass, along with "Faith No More’s" Mike Bordin and Gil Sharone from "Team Sleep" on drums, with Backing vocals from Greg Puciato (ex-"Dillinger Escape Plan") Where " Brighten " ventured into more uplifting, melodic territory, "I Want Blood" drags listeners down into the depths of Cantrell’s signature heavy, riff-laden world. From the drum intro and the first riff on " Vilified ", you can feel the tension building. The track kicks off the album with a hard-hitting rock assault, featuring Cantrell’s gritty vocals and snarling guitar lines that immediately recall the "Alice in Chains" era. You can feel that Cantrell moved away from " Brighten " in songs like " Off the Rails " that tap directly into the band’s dissonant harmonies, sounding as though they could have come straight from the early 1990s Layne Staley days in " Facelift ". Another example is the theme track " I Want Blood " which has a lot of galloping reminiscent of "Queens Of The Stone Age". But, the album is filled with dynamic shifts. The melodic “ Afterglow ” where we can even hear some keyboards, the acoustic “ Echoes of Laughter ,” and the heavy “ Throw Me a Line ” take on slower, more reflective tempos, creating a slow burn that contrasts the heavier moments. " Throw Me a Line " even introduces a Southern twang in the guitar work, offering a surprising stylistic detour while maintaining the album’s murky atmosphere. One of the highlights, " Let It Lie ," stands out for its doomy,  sludgy, dense aura, where Cantrell implores the listener to "let it lie," hinting at themes of surrender and emotional weight. The closing track, " It Comes ," takes a more atmospheric approach, layering guitars and vocals offering a reflective and haunting finale. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music Follow us on Facebook   or Subscribe to our website "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog & Podcast

Do you know Nimrod? The one who lives in the third house right down the street, you probably do not really know him. You may have seen him on the street once or remembered what he wore but you did not really get to know him. We are almost certain that this is also what happened to you with "Green Day's" fifth album released on October 14, 1997. An album that was not a huge success and not one of the most prominent in the band's discography, but you must have heard the song "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" from it and one more thing, it is a very important record for the band itself. A year after the meteoric success of the album "Dookie" , the fourth album "Insomniac" was released and the band members continued to gallop on the wave of success as they embarked on an intense tour around the world. During this tour, the band moved from performing in medium and large clubs to arenas and large stadiums. The process took place very quickly and already in the middle of the tour the band members found themselves performing in large stadiums with fame and success enveloping them not softly. They found themselves at the center of exactly the same things they hated and disliked, the filthy feeling and strong longing for home made them make a decision and cancel the last part of the tour. Towards the end of 1996, they packed their bags, canceled the remaining performances, and returned home. Returning home and aversion to the magnitude of the success led Billie Joe Armstrong and the rest of the band to create the album they had always been waiting to create. An album that is not subject to any restrictions, definitions, constraints, guidelines, music style, or other constraints. Billy said he had been thinking about this album for the 6 years before it, they were all waiting to make a different album. They could not do this before because they did not feel ready or confident or the success did not allow them but now they did not care at all and created the album they so wanted. An album where they can explore and experiment with styles and elements that they did not use in the previous albums, such as acoustic songs, songs with influences from Surf Rock, Ska Punk, Hardcore Punk, and songs with strings. (Photo: Green Day) The band members said that on the previous albums, every time they played and started wonder around to other places and spaces they immediately returned to the theme of the album and made sure to focus on the style and theme of the album. This time they did not and each time they slipped into other areas they just kept flowing with each other until a base for the song was formed. Producer Rob Cavallo who also worked with them on the previous album (which was not a dizzying success) also worked with them on this album and his job was to be a mentor and support them in the new areas and new experiences. Therefore, each song on the album has its own character, it sounds different from its predecessor and there is no single thread or style that connects them all. For example: "Nice Guys Finish Last" The strong punk song that opens the album is supposed to be the connection to the previous album, which suppose to hold you not to fall straight from the chair or legs. The next song "All the Time" is already going more toward hard rock and slowing down a bit. In the third song "King for a Day" you already understand that the train is not going to stop at the regular stations because the trumpets herald otherwise but do not worry the DNA remains. The song "Last Ride In" sounds like a taken from a scene in a James Bond or Kill Bill movie. The song "Walking Alone" has a beautiful use of the harmonica and the song that came out as the second single from the album and was a resounding success is the acoustic song "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" . The band members spent four months recording the album and created over 30 songs, of which 18 entered the album. Also in terms of lyrics, Billy has gone out into other spaces and he is starting to talk about more mature topics than in previous albums, topics like growing up, and his role as a father and husband. The song “The Grouch” addresses his fear of losing things in life like his principles, his health, and his own character. In the song "Hitchin a Ride" , he talks about his inner struggles to stay sober and free of alcohol. The song "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" was inspired by a failed relationship when the lady left to enlist in the Peace Corps. Billy said that unlike the form of writing on previous albums, for this album he wrote all the songs first on acoustic guitar, and only then did the rest of the band join and make it what it is. The tour to promote the album was also done in a different way. The band members decided not to add additional instruments and musicians to the stage as they appear on the album, but to remain in the band's lineup only. Also in terms of size, they decided to keep the performances for medium and big clubs but not stadiums, arenas, or festivals. An "exceptional" event opened the tour when the band was scheduled to perform at the Tower Records music store in Manhattan as a grand opening for the tour. The band members got upset when they read reviews that indicated that the band had lost the strong punk that so characterized it, and during the first songs a commotion started !! Armstrong then spray-painted the words "Fuck" and "Nimrod" in black on the shop windows, continuing to expose his buttocks in front of a crowd of 1,400 people. After an even bigger commotion erupted on the spot, Coley threw his bass drum into the crowd while Armstrong tried to throw the monitor but got a stubborn fight from the store manager. No indictments were filed and no casualties were reported, but the store was closed for the day to repair the damage caused. Festive opening no? If you have asked yourself what the name of the album means and who is "Nimrod", then we will tell you that this is the name of a character from the Bible that in American English has become a nickname for a stupid or dull person. Listen to the album on: Spotify , Apple Music Follow us on Facebook or Subscribe to our website "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog & Podcast