A little over two months after the death of Taylor Hawkins the drummer of the Foo Fighters, the band announces the holding of two tribute concerts in his memory. On March 25, 2022, Taylor passed away in a hotel room in Bogota, Colombia where a performance of the Foss' was held. Taylor called the hotel reception and claimed he had chest pains, when the emergency crew arrived they found Taylor unresponsive. The current official cause of death is a mixture of 10 different types of chemicals which were found in his blood. After his death, the band released the sad announcement of his death: Today the band publishes the announcement of Taylor's spouse Alison Hawkins in which she appreciates all the fans of the band and Taylor's fans and asks everyone to participate in a tribute to his memory. As we mentioned, Hawkins' band and family hold two international shows to celebrate Taylor's memory and music. The shows will take place in two different venues during the month of September and will feature the Foss', Taylor's family, and other artists. Follow us on Facebook or Subscribe to our website "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog & Podcast

We have been thinking about how to open this review all night. What to say about our so powerful experience yesterday evening, with "Walkways". Words like spiritual gathering, cosmic encounters, and musical worship, came to our minds and continued to play with our emotions, but we still could not put our finger on the appropriate description. To tell the truth, even now we do not know how to describe it. There is a fear that everything we write here will simply detract from the intensity, the energy, and the insane impact of what happened in the "Chaos" rehearsal room on Hamiktzoa st, in South of Tel Aviv on March 9, 2022. One thing we can say for sure is it was one of those moments where you feel something phenomenal is going to take place, moments that are never forgotten, those moments that are not only carved in your memory but also carved in your heart and soul !! that was the moment! The band "Walkways" held an event like no other has done in the country (at least to the best of our knowledge). An intimate performance in a rehearsal room in south Tel Aviv, where they hosted about 40 of their addicted and devoted fans. It may sound like a calm, quiet, and pleasant unplugged show, but the "Chaos" rehearsal room has exploded with energies and power that we are sure has not been there since its exist. As music addicts and the band groupies (yes we are proud of it, even at our age), needless to say, from the moment we bought the tickets, our excitement level rose to insane levels. We did not know what to expect, how this whole special encounter between a band and its fans would take place. How will the dynamics between the fans and the band will interact, among themselves, among the fans, and especially what will be played there (before the show an email was sent to the audience who purchased tickets and invited them to choose songs to be on the setlist) and whether the band members will answer the 97,347 questions we have about them and their music. Indeed, we knew that this event was going to be insane since it was still a huge band with tremendous talent and music that penetrated our veins. Just like little kids getting excited in line for an amusement park facility, we climbed the musty staircase following the “signs”. A blank A4 page with an arrow and the letter "W" that only the band's fans could recognize, constantly instructed us to go up, not to stop, keep going up, when on each floor we felt we were approaching the "Olympus", which only intensified the growing excitement. We arrive at the entrance and we are greeted by Avihai (the bassist) with radiant eyes and a smile from ear to ear, "I can no longer wait to start playing" he says and we reply trying to control our excitement "we can't wait for you to start". We go inside and with great excitement, we shake the hands of Ran (singer), Bar and Yoni (guitarists), and Priel (drummer). True, we are not 16 years old anymore and it's a bit pathetic but... (we don't give a @#$!). When you meet face-to-face musicians and artists who excite you so much, people whose work penetrates your heart and soul and makes you feel something so powerful, you are thrown back in time to age 16. You fly without wings to a place where the connection to music has no boundaries or barriers. There is no room here for age, gender, race, or anything else that labels you or puts you in a frame, and a quick look at the shirt you wear (which of course bears the band name) and most of those present, gives you the reinforcement that you are in the right place, with the right people. Your brothers & sisters from another mother. The band members walked around the room and spoke with the fans, and of course, we took advantage of the opportunity to ask all kinds of fascinating questions, like how they record such a powerful album as "Bleed Out, Heal Out", how they moved up from performing in the "Barbie" club in Tel-Aviv to a European tour as an opening act to "Memphis May Fire" and "In Flames". How they find the right sound for one song or another, how they switch so fast from a standard guitar tune to a drop C or D during the show, and how they create the wonderful and so mesmerizing dynamics in the songs... Needless to say, all of the band members were very patient with our questions and answered them in detail. After waiting for the show to start and greeting the fans, which felt according to the band members themselves like a wedding reception or bar mitzvah, the real thing began. As soon as the first note of the opening song "Blood Into Water" was played, an enormous crazy volcanic eruption took place that lifted the whole building of the "chaos" in the air !! Just try to imagine what it looks and sounds like when 40 possessed fans, who wrap their favorite band in a small, dark rehearsal room, swing the "Air Guitar" to the sounds of Bar and Yoni's guitars, beat their bodies to the sounds of Avihai's bass, hovering up and down in the air with every blow of Priel's snare and bass drum and shouting into insanity along with the huge voice of Ran Yerushalmi !! The amazing and unusual thing (and we are sure you will now hospitalize us) is that the sound did not pass through the ears as it usually does base on the laws of physics. In that room, the sound was passed cosmically through electrifying energies. The energies of the band members conveyed the sound straight to the guts, body, and soul of the audience, and believe us, we witnessed that first hand !! Now add to that the fact that the setlist which was taped to the floor in a few places, was written in secret code that was not understandable by the audience so we did not understand what were are going to hear, which added even more excitement and enthusiasm. The band members have given their soul in every song they played, playing and singing to their powerful audience right in front of their face, it is an experience that is hard to describe. Occasionally Ran walked among the crowd, hugging, shaking hands, and singing but most of the time he was raging, jumping in the air and screaming his soul. Each and every one of the five members gave 300% of themselves, when already after the second song it was clear to them that if the show continued at such a high intensity, it was not at all clear how it would end. Between the songs the band members shared some behind-the-scenes stories and among other things we were able to gather the following details: * The band members shared that they were surprised by the audience's choices to include songs from the first album in the setlist. Because unlike shows abroad, where they felt that the latest album was more dominant, in Israel they discovered that their fans have a very strong connection to the first album. * In the song "Blood Into Water" from the first album, there is in the booklet of the disc, a text that does not exist in the song itself and within the short text there are the words "Blood Into Water". Ran said the lyrics were written in the context of gratitude, as a band, for their ability to turn all the painful difficulties and challenges they are going through in life into songs that do other people good. * Ran shared about the song "You Found Me". This is a song he wrote and dedicated to his wife, who took him and picked him up when he was at the bottom, with all the aggression, complexes, and problems. She "found him", supported him, and made him a whole person. * The song "Trumpet Call" was written about the trauma Ran experienced in a difficult relationship, a time in which he almost reached a state of insanity. He said that after the severe crash, all he had in mind was revenge, just like in the movies. He chose to deal with all the "shit" and with the help of treatments and especially the music he managed to overcome it. There is a section in the song that refers to Corey Taylor from the band "Slipknot": "Corey slip your words around my soul Knot me in control!" Ran said that during this time "Slipknot" was one of the bands that helped him deal with the difficulties and challenges. * The song "Unbearable Days" refers to the terrible days that each of us has at different times in life. The song talks about the fact that this is precisely the time when we have the opportunity to grow and change as human beings and these are the important moments. Bar said there are not many songs in which he writes, but in this song, he wrote the C-part and it connected amazingly with Ran's part. The combination of the two parts brought by each of them, became something whole and big and for him, it was very moving, he dedicated the song to his wife. * In the beginning, the band's name was "Prisoners of Consciousness", the band played metal in Hebrew, and some of the songs from the first album are songs created in Hebrew. For example, the song "OUT" was generally a cover of a song by Ephraim Shamir called "True, you are beautiful." Another example is the song "Skin Deep" whose first version was a song in Hebrew called "Elephant's Skin". you can hear it here... We have not yet recovered from the cosmic, extracurricular, and spiritual experience we went through. It's an amazing thing to be in one room, face to face, at eye level with such a large and amazing band, that with its talent embraces the audience and gives it a different, unique, and heavenly musical experience. We will finish with an important message !! Before concluding, it is important for us to address the difficulties that young artists experience in Israeli music. It always frustrates us to think that an artist in Israel cannot concentrate only on creation and must work in other jobs in order to exist. Some difficulties are experienced by those young musicians and artists, in the struggle for success, especially if the music is not considered "mainstream". How difficult it is for them to fulfill their creation, their dreams, and how difficult it is for them to bring it to us, to the audience, to make us happy and excited. Internalize it well, you can not live from music that is not "mainstream" in Israel, period! The artists we love so much must work and make a living to survive and then the routine and existential needs destroy everything. The music gradually gets lower priority and slowly fades away. And here, we, the fans, need to take action !! Go to shows, purchase albums, t-shirts, hats, and other band's merchandise, and support them in any way possible so we can continue to enjoy the music we love so much and must consume just like food. We hope and pray that we can continue to enjoy the music of "Walkways" like the rest of our favorite bands. That they will be able to earn a decent living and create their music freely and without inhibitions !! "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Friday Release # 130 A new single from an upcoming album of singer Liam Gallagher that includes a collaboration with the one and only Dave Grohl, and no, Dave did not yet succeeded in his mission to reunite "Oasis". In October 2021, Liam Gallagher announced his third solo album "C'mon You Know", which is expected to be released on May 27, 2022. This will be his first solo album since "Why Me? Why Not?", Released in 2019. The first single from the album "Everything's Electric" was written in collaboration with Dave Grohl who also plays drums in the song. As you may recall, Dave Grohl is trying to get brothers Liam Gallagher and Noel Gallagher to talk again and bring about the reunion of "Oasis". Dave took the stage during the Foo Fighters' performance at the Reading Festival in 2019, to tell the audience that he was "trying" to reunite "Oasis." In response the angry Noel Gallagher referred to Dave's remarks during his performance in San Diego, California on 2019 and noted: "If the f** king drummer from Nivarna wants to get Oasis back together he can come up onstage and suck my f** king d**k anytime he likes". It is interesting to note that the one who produced Liam Gallagher's album is none other than Greg Kurstin, the Jewish and multi-instrumentalist producer, who has been collaborating with Dave Grohl for two years in a row, performing songs by Jewish artists in honor of Hanukkah. In this context read and watch here: 1. Kurstin x Grohl: The Hanukkah Sessions 2020. 2. Kurstin x Grohl: The Hanukkah Sessions 2021. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music Follow us on Facebook or Subscribe to our website "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog & Podcast

Friday Release # 129 After 6 years of silence (the band's longest), "Red Hot Chili Peppers" returns with the first single from the band's 12th album "Unlimited Love" which is expected to be released on April 1, 2022. This is the band's first album since the return of John Frusciante, whose latest album with the band "Stadium Arcadium", was released in 2006. On this album the band returns to work with legendary producer Rick Rubin who worked with the band on the masterful albums " Blood Sex Sugar Magik " [1991], Californication [1999], By The Way [2002], Stadium Arcadium [2006]. The band noted that the work on the album was uplifting and enjoyable. When they started writing the material for the album, they listened to old songs of bands like "The New York Dolls" and "The Kinks" and gradually started bringing in new ideas. They added that they spent hours in the studio, together and separately, to make the best album they could and that they were just grateful for the opportunity to be together in one room. The album is expected to include 17 songs spanning 73 minutes. Song list: 1.Black Summer 2.Here Ever After 3.Aquatic Mouth Dance 4.Not The One 5.Poster Child 6.The Great Apes 7.It’s Only Natural 8.She’s A Lover 9.These Are The Ways 10.Whatchu Thinkin’ 11.Bastards of Light 12.White Braids & Pillow Chair 13.One Way Traffic 14.Veronica 15.Let ‘Em Cry 16.The Heavy Wing 17.Tangelo For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music Follow us on Facebook or Subscribe to our website "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog & Podcast

Jethro Tull's new single/album in 18 years!🪄 One sleeping woman named Shoshana (which means rose in Hebrew)... Who's "smell" 🌺 have awakened a huge dinosaur after a coma of 18 years ...18 years since Jethro Tull's latest new material! 'Sleeping Shoshana' is the "first swallow" from a new album... Yes, Yes! Which will be released on 28/01/22, along with 11 other fragrant roses, as part of a completely new gene... The Zealot Gene (the album's name)💿. In Sleeping Shoshana... The giant Ian Anderson, whose years have added to his voice an even deeper and "older" layer of medieval-like storytelling... continues to fascinate us, as if we were children who listen to him in silence around the tribe's bonfire 🔥, especially as he continues to play his flute so magically 🧙‍♂️... even if it's a "modern timed" song (less than 4 minutes) compared to the first days of the prog dinosaur. All this alongside a rather heavy riff that leads us through the dark forest, full in enchanted fairy tales... which is also reflected in the black and white video depicting the song's adventure in an animation of wax dolls and shadow puppets. We can just keep fantasizing🔮 what more fragrant Shoshana/roses are waiting to join in the giant's awakening. Ian Anderson said that in the album's lyrics he weaves the evil within the general good, as part of his fondness for ancient biblical stories and the Bible... As part of the birth⚡of a new gene! ‘The Zealot Gene’ Track listing: 1. Mrs. Tibbets (5:54) 2. Jacob's Tales (2:13) 3. Mine Is The Mountain (5:40) 4. The Zealot Gene 3:54 5. Shoshana Sleeping 3:41 6. Sad City Sisters (3:40) 7. Barren Beth, Wild Desert John (3:37) 8. The Betrayal Of Joshua Kynde (4:06) 9. Where Did Saturday Go? (3:53) 10. Three Loves, Three (3:30) 11. In Brief Visitation (3:00) 12. The Fisherman Of Ephesus (3:41)

Friday Release # 127 What have we just heard? A new single from one of our favorite bands "Muse" and it includes touches of "Metal" ? True the verses are still flirting with the synth-pop the band has sucked into its DNA in the last decade, but the riff leading to the chorus certainly feels to us like the beginning of "back to roots" or in other words "Muse" we haven’t heard since “Black Holes and Revelations”. This is the band's first single in 4 years and it is the first from an upcoming album which details about it's release haven't been published yet. Singer and multi-instrumentalist Matt Bellamy noted that he took advantage of the covid-19 lockdowns to write and release his solo album "Cryosleep", but also to write new songs for Muse's next album. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music Follow us on Facebook or Subscribe to the website "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog & Radio show, Sundays at 11:00

Friday Release # 126 Eric Clapton's Christmas present for his fans in the form of a new single co-written with Italian film producer Robin Monotti. The song brings us Clapton in his acoustic version accompanied by a significant number of musicians, singers and arrangers: Sonny Emory (drums), Nathan East (bass), Dirk Powell (mandolin), Daniel Santiago (guitar), Pedro Martins (guitar), Simon Climie (Keyboards, percussion), Saron White (background vocals), Katie Kissoon (background vocals), Nick Ingman (string arranger, conductor) and Everton Nelson (string Leader). Clapton and Monotti found a common ground as Covid-19 governments policy. Monotti is a declared Vaccine Skeptic who earlier this year published Clapton's letter regarding the side effects of the AstraZenaca vaccine. Clapton himself has not spared words against government policies dealing with Covid-19, in the past year. He has released songs on the subject, he himself or in collaboration with Van Morrison in which he criticizes UK lockdown policy. Although Clapton insists he does not oppose vaccines, he refused to appear in halls that required proof of vaccination. Although the song does not directly address vaccines and covid-19, such an atmosphere hovers over it's lyrics, with words like: "They locked you down boy, Made you grieve alone For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music Follow us on Facebook or Subscribe to the website "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog & Radio show, Sundays at 11:00

Friday Release # 125 And this time "Evanescence" with their cover version of "Across The Universe" by "The Beatles". The track, which was previously covered by Amy Lee and her bandmates on the tour to promote the album "Synthesis" in 2018, was also released on the second disc of the Limited Edition version of "The Bitter Truth", the bands latest album which includes the virtual performance "A Live Session From Rock Falcon Studio", performed during the Covid-19 lockdowns. This song is available today as a standalone single through all digital music service providers. Upon its release, "The Bitter Truth" reached number 4 in the UK, making it the band's fourth "Top Five" album in the United Kingdom. It was the band's first full-length album, with brand new material in a decade and was voted, among other things, the best-selling alternative rock album in the United States, according to "Nielsen Music Connect". We have generally been very critical of cover versions, especially when it comes to a masterpiece as in this case. At the same time, something in this cover version caught us and without making comparisons with the original and sacred version, we can say that this cover by "Evanescence" is simply magic. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music Follow us on Facebook or Subscribe to the website "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog & Radio show, Sundays at 11:00

Friday Release #123 The first single from singer Tony Martin's album upcoming album "Thorns", which is due out on January 14, 2022. So, for those unfamiliar, Tony Martin is the singer who has participated in the largest number of "Black Sabbath" albums (apart from Ozzy Osbourne) - five studio albums in total. The powerful singer shares an album with artists such as Danny Needham (Venom), Magnus Rosen (HammerFall), Greg Smith (Alice Cooper, Rainbow, Blue Öyster Cult) and Scott McClellan who co-wrote the album with Martin, as well as his son Joe Martin. Martin noted that the writing process together with guitarist Scott McClellan, reminded him very much of writing with Tony Iommi and that listeners can expect some surprises. Tony added that the album is diverse, melodic, powerful, thought-provoking and of a standard high as he ever worked on. Song list: 01. As The World Burns 02. Black Widow Angel 03. Book Of Shadows 04. Crying Wolf 05. Damned By You 06. No Shame At All 07. No Where To Fly 08. Passion Killer 09. Run Like The Devil 10. This Is Your Damnation 11. Thorns Follow us on Facebook or Subscribe to the website "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog & Radio show, Sundays at 11:00

This year, too, they indulge us with a special performance in honor of Hanukkah holiday !!! Last year, Jewish producer and multi-instrumentalist Greg Kurstin and non- Jewish multi-instrumentalist Dave Grohl teamed up for a special Hanukkah sessions 2020. This year, too, they come together and also this time, instead of Christmas songs, they perform special covers of songs by Jewish artists for each Hanukkah candle. Here is the first song... First Candle: Lisa Loeb - Stay (I Missed You) Second Candle: The Ramones - Blitkrieg Bop Third Candle: Barry Manilow Copacabana Fourth Candle: Van Halen - Jump Fifth Candle: Amy Winehouse - Take The Box Sixth Candle: Billy Joel - Big Shot Seventh Candle: The Clash - Train In Vain Eight Candle : Kiss - Rock and Roll All Nite Follow us on Facebook or Subscribe to the website "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog & Radio show, Sundays at 11:00

Jewish producer and multi-instrumentalist Greg Kurstin who has won 7 Grammy Awards, and responsible for many international hits which has worked with Sia, Halsey, Maren Morris, Beck, Kelly Clarkson, Paul McCartney and many others but especially with the Foo Fighters is teaming up with Dave Grohl and instead of Christmas songs, they will bring you 8 songs by Jewish artists. The two plan to create a new cover song every day of Hanukkah !! You do not believe? See for yourself... Here are the 8th special covers for Jewish artist by Dave and Greg: The Velvet Underground The Knack Elastica Bob Dylan Peaches Mountain Drake Beastie Boys אתם מוזמנים לעקוב אחרינו בפייסבוק ו/או להירשם לאתר!! "עימות חזיתי" - בלוג הרוק של ישראל ותוכנית רוק, ימי ראשון בשעה 11:00

New headbanger from the house of Korn !! The new and 14th album of this mystical creator called Korn is due out on February 4th and bears the name "Requiem". The band released the first single from the album, "Start The Healing", a single that proves that the band manages to hold its power and relevance at a very high level and even though it has quite a few albums under it, it manages to excite !! As in our recent reviews on latest new albums, here too the COVID has given its capabilities to the band. This album was created in a work environment and atmosphere completely different from anything the band has experienced and done in the past. Absolute freedom without schedules, without pressure from the record company, without pressure from external factors and without a goal or purpose other than one, to create music !! The COVID period (which is not over yet) was also not that simple for the veteran band that went on a tour after the previous album and encountered great challenges and difficulties. Half of the band members were tested for corona virus, Jonathan Davis, Munky and Ray Luzier caught the virus but passed it safely. The challenges followed the writing and recordings but also made the band members understand that there is nowhere to run... Follow us on Facebook or Subscribe to the website "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog & Radio show, Sundays at 11:00