September 25th is probably a special day for "Black Sabbath", because another album - "Technical Ecstasy" was released just that day in 1976. Two albums by the same band, the fourth and seventh, were released just 4 years apart, but the differences between them are simply abysmal. If we told you that on the album "Vol. 4" the first cracks in harmony between the band members began to appear, then this time we are witnessing the great crisis point that marked the beginning of the end. Don't get us wrong, this is still "Black Sabbath" in all its glory. Geezer Butler's bass is still shaking, Tony Iommi's riffs are still inspiring and his solos are still chilling. Ozzy Osbourne's voice still touches the sky and Bill Ward's drumming is smart and accurate. Take for example the amazing song "You Won't Change Me", the sweeping opening song "Back Street Kids" with the galloping bass a-la Steve Harris, or the amazing ending song "Dirty Women" and you will understand what we are talking about. But despite that, something in this album still did not work as in the previous albums and it is obvious that the band started its disintegration process here. The only one who devoted himself to the process of writing and creating this album, was Tony Iommi. He had to deal not only with the shaky connections with his friends, but also with the Punk genre that began to rise its head in the music world and especially in the UK, and also with the desire to produce more receptive radio-friendly music. Iommi was determined to reinvent himself and his fevered mind tried to concoct something a little different that would manage to cope with the musical trends prevailing at the time. He worked on the album mainly with guest keyboardist Gerald "Jezz" Woodroffe, whose keyboards and especially his synthesizer adorn a significant portion of the album's songs. Iommi and his friends' attempt to reinvent themselves, showed partial neglect of the heavy and gloomy metallic sound that was familiar from the band's previous and successful albums, in favor of experimenting with other styles like Progressive rock, Psychedelia, and even Pop. Do not believe? Listen to the song "It's Alright" written and sung for the first time by drummer Bill Ward and you will understand what we are talking about. At times you might even think it's an obscure outtake from a Paul McCartney album. The sweet melody wouldn't have embarrassed him, certainly not the classical guitar that accompanies the song. Rarely for those years, "Black Sabbath" even released a marketing clip for the song, which manages to open a window to how the band looked like in those years, see here: It seems that as part of the attempt to reinvent, "Black Sabbath" has lost itself along the way. Take for example a song like "Rock 'N' Roll Doctor". It's definitely not a bad song, but it's no longer the same inspiring "Black Sabbath", but an attempt to sound like "Kiss." Another change that indicates the band's new experience, emerges from the content of the lyrics. If in the past we were accustomed to dark and gloomy issues of Satanism, wars, death, etc., then this time Geezer Butler recalibrated himself and dealt with issues such as sex, prostitution, violence, politics, etc. Even the album cover created by the British group of designers Hypnosis, indicates the change in writing and style, while presenting two robots that seemingly have sex on escalators - literally "technical ecstasy". Surprisingly, the album was a relative success in sales and even reached number 13 on the UK charts. Music critics, on the other hand, did not like the album despite the band's attempt to change and keep up with the sound and style to remain relevant. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On September 25, 2020 Fish, known among other things from his membership in the neo-prog band "Marillion", released a double album called "Weltschmerz". This is the 11th studio album by Scottish singer Derek William Dick, who goes by the stage name Fish, and is also his first in 7 years. In retrospect, this album proved to be the "swan song" of Fish, who has expressed several times in the past that he intends to retire from music. This time he probably really meant it with a double album, rich in music summarizing over 30 years of a solo career. The three clips released from the album nicely summarize the mix of styles that can be found in the album, progressive, folk, Celtic music and more. But more than that, looking at the song titles chosen by Fish to represent the album, it is very hard not to wonder if Fish chose these songs to spread hints about his planned retirement and the reasons for it. On March 13, 2020, Fish released the music video for the theme song "Weltschmerz" which its translation from German means "the pain of the world". This is a sharp commentary on the state of the world, as seen through Fish's eyes. Later, Fish released the music video for the song "Garden of Remembrance" which talks about Alzheimer's disease. An emotional and melancholic song led by piano playing wrapped in Fish's soothing and caressing voice. About a week before the release of the album, the single and music video "This Party's Over" was released It sounds to us like a combination of Peter Gabriel with Celtic music, which Fish experimented with during his solo career, especially starting with the album "Internal Exile". "This party's over" sings Fish, and this time he probably really means it. The album also includes long and complex compositions such as "The Rose of Damascus" which is almost 16 minutes long and is divided into 6 sections that tell the story of a Syrian refugee. The song "Waverley Steps (End of the Line)" is no less complex and its length reaches almost 14 minutes, when its title again makes us wonder if this time it really is "End of the Line"... The list of songs: CD 1 (42:12) 1. Grace of God (8:19) 2. Man with a Stick (6:27) 3. Walking on Eggshells (7:18) 4. This Party's Over (4:22) 5. Rose of Damascus (15:45) CD 2 (42:18) 1. Garden of Remembrance (6:07) 2. C Song (The Trondheim Waltz) (4:41) 3. Little Man What Now? (10:54) 4. Waverley Steps (End of the Line) (13:45) 5. Weltschmerz (6:51) For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On September 25, 1972, "Black Sabbath" released their fourth studio album, "Vol. 4". If there is one song on this album that clearly represents what we get here from "Black Sabbath", it is "Changes". Both the title of the song and its style, express the fundamental change that has taken place here. "I'm Going Through Changes" sings Ozzy Osbourne to the sounds of the mellotron of a song composed by Tony Iommi on piano that was in the studio, and the "changes" in this album scream from everywhere! Let's start with the fact that this is the band's first album recorded outside of England. The band rented a mansion in Bel Air, Los Angeles, and recorded the album at the Record Plant in Los Angeles. More of that, this is the first time the album has not been produced by Rodger Bain, who produced the band's first three albums. Tony Iommi took on the role of the man behind the console, and although band director Patrick Meehan also received credit for the production, he hardly contributed to it. Another change that can be found in this album has to do with the musical style. The band has experimented here with different genres some were not typical of the unique heavy metal style that the band has created on their previous albums. This change was not necessarily positive and it contributed to the imbalance in the level of the songs on the album and their style. The change was also reflected in the expansion of the range of musical instruments on which the band played and especially the use of the mellotron, an instrument that is mainly identified with the progressive rock genre. And if you will, the change was even reflected in the band's drug use preferences, which shifted from marijuana ("Sweet Leaf" from the previous album) to cocaine, on which the song "Snowblind" was written about. This album was recorded entirely under the "clouds" of "white powder", which was supplied to the studio regularly, hidden inside speaker boxes. The band even wanted the name of the album to be "Snowblind", but the record company objected to the idea. Anyone who listens to the song will even be able to hear Ozzy Osbourne at 0:40 whispering the explicit name, "Cocaine". And if that's not enough to understand how addicted the band was to the "white powder", during recordings of this album, then on the inside cover you can see the following sentence: "We wish to thank the great COKE-Cola Company of Los Angeles." But the most significant change that took place here, in our opinion, was the one between the band members and themselves. On this album, the first cracks in the harmony and unity that prevailed among the band members began to appear. It can be said that this album ended the friendship of the four guys from Birmingham, when the "factory" called "Black Sabbath" was established on its ruins. One of the moments that expresses the cracks in harmony between the band members, was while recording the song "Cornucopia". Drummer Bill Ward struggled with the song and was unable to "deliver the goods" to the liking of the rest of the band. Exhaustion and drugs did not help Ward who hated the song and did not connect to its rhythms. This incident made Ward feel he was not good enough and that the rest of the band members were going to fire him. But despite these fundamental changes, the imbalance, and the lack of harmony, this album is still one of the best "Black Sabbath" albums. "Wheels of Confusion" which opens with Tony Iommi's bluesy solo makes us wonder if it's really "Black Sabbath" until Geezer Butler's bass storms in and "reboots" everything, "Tomorrow's Dream" with the percussion-saturated drumming that is the only single released from the album, "Supernaut" with The sweeping riff which is the band's favorite song as for Frank Zappa and John Bonham, the complex track "Under The Sun" that seals the album and whose dynamic and style will be adopted by bands like "Maiden" and "Metallica", and even the instrumental track "Laguna Sunrise" that opens the other side of Vinyl and composed by Tony Iommi as he watches the sunrise on the lagoon beach, all of these and more prove how awesome this album is. No wonder then, that this album was ranked by "Rolling Stone" magazine at number 14 on the list of the 100 greatest heavy metal albums of all time, and it also comes as no surprise to us that it was included in the book "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die". For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Editor's Choice... And this time... "Into the Light", David Coverdale's third solo album, released on September 25, 2000. This album might have gone under the radar for some of you, so here we are to recommend listening to it. The story of this album begins after the release of the "Coverdale/Page" album in 1993. Coverdale began working on a new solo album, but as the record neared completion, EMI records insisted it be released under the "Whitesnake" name. Consequently, the album "Restless Heart" was released in 1997 under the moniker "David Coverdale & Whitesnake." Following a farewell tour, Coverdale officially disbanded "Whitesnake" to focus on his solo career, allowing him to explore different musical directions. Coverdale sought to return to his roots and distanced himself from the bombastic hard rock sound that had dominated most of his career. His previous solo ventures, "White Snake" (1977) and "Northwinds" (1978), were more blues-oriented, and with "Into the Light" — his first solo album in over two decades — Coverdale took the opportunity to explore a more stripped-down, introspective style. Indeed, "Into the Light" serves as a personal statement from a veteran musician reflecting on his journey, embracing a more bluesy, heartfelt sound. The album’s production was intimate, reflecting Coverdale's conscious effort to step away from "Whitesnake’s" hard rock formula. Coverdale produced the album working with other producers like Michael McIntyre and guitarist Doug Bossi. He crafted a collection of songs that focused more on emotion and storytelling than arena-sized riffs. This laid-back approach allowed him to showcase the depth of his voice, which, though still powerful, conveys a sense of vulnerability not often seen in his "Whitesnake" days. After the short instrumental intro of "Into the Light", “River Song” opens the album with a deep blues-rock feel, reminiscent of his early work with "Deep Purple". It was originally intended for a second album with Jimmy Page, but the project never materialized. The song dates back to the 1980s, with an early demo featured on the 35th-anniversary edition of "Slide It In". Coverdale describes it as a tribute to Jimi Hendrix, and it features keyboardist Mike Finnigan, who played on Hendrix’s "Electric Ladyland". Finnigan was initially brought in for this track but ended up contributing to several others on the album. the beginning of "She Give Me..." which comes right after sounds exactly like an outtake from the "Coverdale/Page" album, but then, on 1:18 min. the song change and for a few second we feel as if we are in a Bruce Springsteen show. "Don't You Cry" is one of the most beautiful and emotional songs on the album. that Coverdale described as a tribute to songs like Jimmy Cliff's "Many Rivers to Cross", Percy Sledge's "When a Man Loves a Woman" and Bob Marley's "No Woman, No Cry", and we just agree with him. Ballads such as "Love is Blind" and "Wherever You May Go" stand out for their tenderness and sincerity. Here, Coverdale strips back his bombastic rock persona to deliver emotional depth, using his voice to convey heartache and yearning. This softer, more intimate vocal delivery is a departure from the towering ballads of "Whitesnake", adding an extra layer of personal touch. For fans who miss the harder edge, "Cry For Love" and "Don't Lie To Me" provide some of the hard rock associated with Coverdale’s past. These tracks maintain a rock foundation, but with a more restrained approach, offering grit without the excess of "Whitesnake’s" glam-metal era. "Too Many Tears" first appeared on "Whitesnake's" "Restless Heart". After hearing the original version, singer Chris Isaak suggested reworking the song in a Roy Orbison style. Being a big fan of Orbison, Coverdale loved the idea and decided to re-record the track with a new arrangement inspired by Isaak's suggestion. The making of "Into the Light" was clearly a personal process for Coverdale, representing his effort to distance himself from "Whitesnake’s" image and reassert himself as a versatile artist capable of expressing more than just hard rock anthems. His collaboration with Bossi allowed for guitar work that complemented this bluesier, laid-back style, while McIntyre’s production ensured that the album’s raw emotional tone was preserved without sacrificing quality. It is interesting to note, that several songs that were recorded during the sessions for the album, like "Yours for the Asking", "With All of My Heart", and "Let's Talk it Over", were later released on "Whitesnake's" compilation album "Love Songs" from 2020. Additionally, the song "Flesh & Blood" was released as the title track from the "Flesh & Blood" album from 2019. In conclusion, "Into the Light" is a mature, reflective work that showcases David Coverdale's desire to evolve as an artist. It’s not an album designed for fans seeking the bombast of "Whitesnake" hits, but for those who appreciate the more nuanced, bluesy side of Coverdale’s musicianship. The result is a heartfelt, introspective album that stands as a bold statement of artistic growth. For Listening: Youtube "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

The "Foo Fighters" album with the long name "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace" was released on September 25, 2007, which means we have a review for you... So let's start with a quote from Dave Grohl whose context you will discover at the end: "Welcome to the greatest fucking day of my whole entire life!" The Foos' sixth album was released in 2007 two years after the album "In Your Honor" which will have a very big impact on this album. After the release of the album "In Your Honor", the band went on a tour that combined two performances, day after day in the same location, one electric performance, and one acoustic performance. This is the first time that the band has added various instruments and other musicians to the quartet on stage and you can see this amazing combination in the digital copy of the show called "Skin & Bones". This addition opened up the horizons (and chakras) of the band members and gave them a musical experience they had not experienced before. Dave did not believe it was possible to combine so much and play so many instruments in the Foo's songs. Not to forget that this is also the band's sixth album, so the maturity is also reflected here and indeed you hear a clear influence of this line in the album. (Photo: Thomas Rabsch) The process of writing the album was very interesting, it may have started as every Foos album begins, with Dave sitting down with Taylor Hawkins to write the skeletons and demos for the songs on the album, but it is evolving in a beautiful and different direction. This time, too, Dave recruited producer Gil Norton, who produced one of the biggest albums with the band Her "The Colour And The Shape". After he composed about 40 songs with Taylor he sat down with Gil and together they put the structure of the songs and cut out the unnecessary parts so that they were left with 20 songs. He brought these songs to the rest of the members and for two months the whole band together worked on the songs (including Pat Smear who came back from a long break and was included in the song "Let It Die"). Every day they worked on one song, from noon to evening. Change, experience, critique, and create together. Taylor claimed it was the first time Dave had faced criticism for the songs he wrote in real-time in front of everyone. Dave said that when they finished working on all the songs they were more cohesive and united than ever. Before touching the music we need to pay some attention to the lyrics. In one of the reviews on the album, Stephen Thomas Erlewine (AllMusic) claimed that Dave invests all his sense of humor in the band's music videos, in his collaborations with Queens of the Stone Age, or in the music videos he makes with Tenacious D and for his albums he leaves nothing, 100% serious !! In this album, the matter is much more prominent. Apart from the song "Cheer Up, Boys (Your Make Up Is Running)" written with humor, the rest are songs with serious lyrics, about love, life, and the like. Perhaps this can be attributed to the birth of his daughter Violet at that time. The transition from alcohol-laden nights and parties into the nights replaced by diapers and feeding, in any case, significant and heavier texts are felt here. In terms of the music itself, there is no very big change from the band's previous albums, no refreshing innovation or musical diversity. Perhaps the only thing you feel on this album in this respect is the melody, it feels like the band puts a lot of emphasis on melody and every song is played to it in a very structured and melodic way. Yes, we repeated the word melody, we know !! You will not find here sudden breaks, a change in rhythm, or a combination of different and strange rhythms. But what is there in this album and it is a very prominent feature... it is extremism. It moves you from side to side, once firmly and once gently, once throws you up and once gently lays you on the floor. If you took the album and split it in two, a bit like "In Your Honor" you would get on one side stadium songs like: "The Pretender" that opens the album (and a sheer delight to the drummers), the shaky "Erase / Replace", "Long Road to Ruin" with one of the most beautiful and funny clips, the excellent "Cheer Up, Boys (Your Make Up Is Running)" and a few more. On the other hand you would get tender ballads like: "Let It Die", "Come Alive", the masterful "Stranger Things Have Happened" with the metronome in the background, ballad of the "Beaconsfield Miners" inspired by two miners involved in the collapse of the mine in Tanzania in 2006 and the same he plays with Katherine "Kaki" King who is a virtuoso American guitarist who accompanies Dave with the fingerpicking technique and of course also "Statues" squeezing tears. This is what sets this album apart, it is simply a combination of the two popular Rock ends. Aggressiveness and madness in the face of ballads and softness. Therefore he adapts himself or you adapt yourself to him. At the 2008 Grammys, this album earned Foos 5 different nominations and won two of them, Best Rock Album and Best Hard Rock Performance. If we are not mistaken then in this event Dave said over the Grammy stage that they get the award because there are simply no other rock bands. This of course was directed against the organizers of the event and not against the bands. This album has a significant impact on our lives and how it has accompanied us for a long time therefore it is remembered by us very, very strongly. Its beauty is precisely in these extreme situations that take you from side to side and you choose the side that suits you according to your mood and what you are going through at that moment. So do not feel obligated to listen to the album from beginning to end, but click on Shuffle and let it surprise you !! Listen to: Spotify, Apple Music Just a moment... what about the quote ??? So... After the release of the album, in October 2007 the band went on a tour to promote the album. Following on from this tour, the Foos held one of the biggest performances in their history at Wembley Stadium on June 7, 2008. A performance that can also be found as a digital copy. They hosted Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones from Led Zeppelin and after they got off stage and before the encore performed, the excited Dave couldn't resist and just roared the sentence we quoted, "This is the biggest day of my life !!!" In 2020, the band fully uploaded the show to YouTube, so feel free to see it for yourself: "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On September 25, 1989, "Marillion" released its fifth album, "Seasons End", its first with Steve Hogarth as lead singer. It was easy to see the change of singers as the end of an era. Since its debut, "Marillion" had built an entire world around Fish's voice and presence, and the albums "Misplaced Childhood" and "Clutching at Straws" had made it one of the leading progressive rock bands of the eighties. After Fish's departure in 1988, the question was not just who could sing the old material. Could the four remaining musicians write new music without listeners searching every bar for the charismatic, commanding frontman who had left? Yet a new beginning was hidden in that crisis. Steve Rothery, Mark Kelly, Pete Trewavas and Ian Mosley had begun writing the next album while Fish was still in the band. Riffs, transitions and melodies from those early recordings survived the split, but the lyrics and emotional direction had to be born again. Some of those ideas can be heard in demos later included on the expanded edition of "Clutching at Straws". Hearing them makes "Seasons End" even more fascinating. The musical foundation was the same, but an entirely different personality now stood at its center. Steve Hogarth auditioned in early 1989, arriving from "The Europeans" and "How We Live". He neither sounded nor looked like a replacement for Fish. The band went to write together at a rehearsal space in a former mushroom farm near Brighton. Some material was already waiting there, and Hogarth brought ideas of his own, most notably "Easter". The chemistry developed quickly. The five then moved to Hook End Manor in Oxfordshire and recorded with Nick Davis, who produced the album with them. John Helmer contributed lyrics to some of the songs, and Hogarth brought his own perspective to them. The album opens with "The King of Sunset Town", nearly eight minutes that refuse to introduce the new singer through an easy hit. Kelly's keyboards open up a reflective space, the bass and drums build momentum gradually, and Steve Rothery's guitar leads the music to its peaks. The voice is different, as is the presence, but Hogarth sounds entirely like a member of the band, not a guest invited to a jam session. Lyrics shaped in part by the suppression of the protests in Tiananmen Square that year give the song's sense of helplessness a sharper meaning. Then comes "Easter", the song that, to us, marks the birth of the new lineup. It begins with a gentle acoustic guitar and gradually expands without losing its inner quiet. Hogarth wrote it in response to the conflict in Northern Ireland, but sings of the possibility of escaping the cycle of pain. Steve Rothery's solo does not interrupt the story. His guitar says what is hard to put into words, and it sounds so unmistakably like "Marillion". "The Uninvited Guest" reveals the album's playful, menacing side. The rhythm and chorus are catchy. It is a fine example of "Marillion" forging a new identity without completely losing the old one. At the heart of the album stands "Seasons End", one of the band's finest moments on this album and beyond. Its starting point is simple and painful: what if winter disappears, and what we take to be the natural order of the world can no longer be taken for granted? The guitar changes colors over the song's eight minutes, the keyboards leave plenty of air, and Hogarth approaches the words with care. As the song gathers force, it becomes a lament for beauty whose value we may only understand after we have lost it. Rothery's solo cuts straight to the heart and deepens that sadness. "Holloway Girl" also turns away from fantasies of a perfect life. Behind its flowing melody lies the story of Judith Ward, who was imprisoned in Britain after being wrongly convicted of bombings. The song cannot undo the injustice; it gives her a face and a voice. The transition to "Berlin" widens the view from one person to a divided city. This track returns to the band's progressive expanses, with piano, slowly building tension and a guitar that enters at just the right moment. The Berlin Wall fell only weeks after the album's release, a historical detail that makes the song's sense of waiting chilling in retrospect. After the weight of "Berlin", "After Me" offers a brief, intimate moment. Interestingly, it was absent from the original vinyl edition, but in the CD sequence it gives the ear a rest before the album takes a sharp turn with "Hooks in You". This is rock edging toward heavy, with guitars and a chorus designed to "hook you". It sounds as though it came from another album, even another band, and the group's willingness to include it makes clear that it has no intention of being trapped by its old image. The album closes with "The Space", which restores the quiet and the sense of space. Parts of it draw on an idea Hogarth had begun developing during his time in "How We Live". The singing starts softly and personally, then the music grows and fills out toward a dramatic ending. On its release, "Seasons End" reached number seven on the UK albums chart. The album later returned in expanded editions, including a 2023 deluxe edition with a new mix and additional material. But what truly matters can be heard from the opening notes: "Marillion" had survived its change of singer without losing itself. It was a fitting opening to a period of the band's history that deserves more recognition. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram and/or subscribe to the site

One of our favorite bands, "Alter Bridge", released their fourth album "Fortress" on September 25, 2013. So let's spill out some guts before we jump into the water... This is without a doubt a fine album (due diligence below), another step forward in the band's development after AB III. The abilities of all the band members and especially of Myles Kennedy and Mark Tremonti rise here a respectable stage and are presented to the glory of hard rock and metal. Each time, they manage to bring themselves to a different place and create music that on the one hand is very faithful to the sound and dynamics of the band and on the other hand diverse, innovative, and a little different. There are songs on this album that need to go into the Pantheon and proof of that is the inclusion of many of the songs in the band's tour. Anyone who knows the band knows that they are an indescribable bunch of workaholics. When Miles is not with Alter then he is touring or recording with Slash and in between working on a solo album. Tremonti also has a solo career that is gaining momentum (when at that time Creed was still a bit existing), drummer Scott Phillips formed together with members of the band Sevendust a band called Projected, and bassist Brian Marshall just working hard to enjoy the good life! So after a 3-year hiatus when everyone was busy with their eyes, the company teamed up in January to start working on the next album. And what a great album this talented bunch has created. (Photo: therockpit.net) The album opens with "Cry of Achilles" which feels bigger than the band has ever done, from a musical, dramatic and epic masterpiece. No doubt an opening shot of what awaits us below. Already here we feel as if something new is happening here and a whole new world of musical works is about to reach our ears. It is followed by a formidable cluster bomb, the first single from the album "Addicted to Pain". It's the perfect choice for the album's first single, combining the aggressive and rolling riffs with Miles' melodic vocals. We're just getting started and already Tremonti is coming to the third song "Bleed it Dry" with one of the heaviest riffs on the album and not only, but also with one of the most beautiful solos on the album, we have already warned several times that it is very dangerous to release this guy, even a little. Beauty ... Now a little relaxed, although Miles' opening overture is a bit surprising and stressful at first, especially in light of the words about the despair and betrayal, we love and indulge in "Lover" which is just great. The "The Uninvited" that comes after it is simply a deadly combination of Miles and Tremonti that feels like playing with each other and we are watching (listening) from the side and having fun. "Peace Is Broken" is an expected altar song, but then comes a little twist with "Calm The Fire" which starts very differently and continues to roll in hard rock ahead. But then ... so ... comes one of our favorite songs on the album, a song that in the live show just blew our lashes and eyebrows together. "Waters Rising" begins with Tremonti as lead singer, for the first time in history Tremonti is the one who leads the song in terms of singing, and the combination of friends is just deadly !! We have already talked about this here on our page, that Tremonti turns out to be a talented singer with incredible energies and strengths. As he leads the houses and also the chorus and Miles joins him in the chorus and enters the breaking section, this song I just bombed. What a power !! What energy !! You can replace the reactor in Dimona only with this song !! (Do not be ashamed to press the repeat button, we pressed!). We very much hope that from time to time they will perform such songs on subsequent albums as on the new album with the song "Forever Falling" !! Well let's wash our faces and continue with "Farther Than The Sun", once again someone forgot to tie Tremonti, and now wonder why we have to hold tight so we don't fall, even though the chorus in this song kind of drops the dynamics of the song. The "Cry a River" that comes after it is a bit reminiscent of it but let's move on to "All Ends Well" which is a different kind of ballad that speaks from mom's throat and makes you sing along with her. The song that closes the album "Fortress" feels like a kind of sequel to the song that opens the album, this is the most experimental song on the album according to the band and indeed it is a fine ending to a very fine album !! Two things we feel must be noted here: 1. Alter's music style is not something we have not heard before but ... and there is a big but here. Tremonti's amazing talent on the guitar and Miles' amazing talent in singing (he's also an amazing guitarist, look at the shows) are what makes this band special. The combination of the two leads to amazing creations that just make you fall in love and we have no better way to explain this! 2. Disclosure, first we did not like this album. It smelled like nylons, like buying a new car or furniture. Something created on a production line that consists mostly of robots or computers. Something on this album felt too mechanical, produced, and polished to the point of exhaustion. It was as if someone had forced the band members to create an album, so they went into the studio, threw all sorts of ideas to Pro Tools on the computer, and made an album out of it. But very quickly we realized or rather we felt we were wrong and made a big mistake !! Listen to the album on Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On September 25, 1980, John Bonham died at the age of 32. The greatest drummer in rock, John Bonham, was born on May 31, 1948. (Photo: Chris Walter) Bonham is ranked No. 1 on "Rolling Stone" Magazine's 100 Greatest Drummers of All Time. With his first drum beat in the song "Good Times Bad Times", Bonham forever changed the world of rock and the whole perception of drumming. There is no drummer in the rock and metal world who has not been influenced by this legendary drummer, who started playing on tin boxes at the age of five and never took music lessons. In 2010 Dave Grohl wrote an article about "Led Zeppelin" for the "Rolling Stone" magazine. he said the trick was not just to learn and memorize everything Bonham did on the band's albums, but to put himself in a position where he would have the same instincts that Bonham had in drumming. Grohl went on to point out the things that sum up Bonham's greatness: "John Bonham played the drums like someone who didn't know what was going to happen next—like he was teetering on the edge of a cliff. No one has come close to that since, and I don't think anybody ever will. I think he will forever be the greatest drummer of all time" (Photo: Quora.com) And now we've filtered out for you 10 interesting facts about the drummer whose every stroke of the snare drum equals the blow of Thor's hammer: 1. He was Tony Iommi's best man during his wedding in 1973. 2. He played with Keith Moon on the same stage at "Led Zeppelin's" performanceת on July 23, 1973. 3. He was one of the first drummers to use the Triplet technique in which he compressed 3 consecutive bass blows with the foot, where in a normal rhythm there was room for only one bass beat. He did this already in the first song from "Led Zeppelin's" first album - "Good Times Bad Times". 4. The song "Four Sticks" from the album "Led Zeppelin IV" got its name since Bonham plays with four sticks. Bonham did not like the way the song sounded and in frustration just hit the drums with 4 sticks. 5. Bonham's drumming in the song "When The Levee Breaks" follows the guitar riff and is not traditionally in sync with John Paul Jones' bass rhythm. 6. The instrumental section "Moby Dick" shows the great abilities of John Bonham on drums. The track during Zeppelin's live performances lasts for over 20 minutes, during which Bonham also drums with his bare hands up to bloodshed. The piece was called "Moby Dick" since his son Jason Bonham would ask him to play "The Long Song" and when Bonham asked him why, the son replied that he was as long as "Moby Dick". 7. He plays drums in some of the songs on Wings' (Paul McCartney's band), "Back to the Egg" album. 8. He also almost appeared on another Paul McCartney & Wings album called "Wings at the Speed ​​of Sound" from 1976. A demo version of the song "Beware My Love" which was released in the deluxe version of the album from 2014. 9. He took to the stage at one of "Damned" shows in the 1970s and was contempt by punk fans who did not like his complex drumming. 10. He appeared in the film "Son of Dracula" from 1974. The film also starred Ringo Starr, Keith Moon, Peter Frampton, Harry Nilsson, and more. Bonus fact: On August 5, 1970, he was a guest at a "Skid Row" show (that of Gary Moore) at the famous Whiskey a-Gogo Club in Los Angeles. They performed the song "Whole Lotta Love" together. John Bonham passed away on September 25, 1980, he was only 32 years old! "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

There's nothing more to say, you can't stop "Chainsaw from Texas". His creativity just doesn't stop. On September 24, 2021, he did it again, with the album "Marching In Time", the fifth with his band "Tremonti". After the ambitious concept album "A Dying Machine" Mark Tremonti decided to stop on the side of the road for a moment, take a breath, and "March In Time" with a return to a simpler and more traditional song structure. But don't get it wrong, even though it's not a complex album like the previous one, once again each of the tracks in "Marching In Time" is a story in itself, only this time it happens without any attempt to weave some kind of central "theme" or "narrative" that will connect them. "Marching In Time" continues Mark Tremonti's powerful, aggressive and ruthless musical line. As we have said before, this band is where Mark brings out all the aggression he can not put out on "Alter Bridge". As in previous albums, the songs here too are built on strong and leading riffs that are combined with powerful and exemplary solos. In our opinion, In this album, Mark Tremonti took several steps forward in terms of writing ability, melody crafting, and softness, and this is also reflected in the lyrics. There are several songs on "Marching In Time" that are accompanied by softer, more caressing parts and there are also lyrics that talk about fatherhood, loneliness, and personal issues, more than any other "Tremonti's" album. But more than everything, Mark Tremonti simply surpasses himself on this album in terms of vocal abilities. That's it, you can't just define him as a "guitarist" anymore. Mark is also a "vocalist" and he is entitled to this title by merit and not by grace. We must note the new addition to the lineup, drummer Ryan Bennett. We know how hard it is to keep up with the pace and power of Mark and former drummer Garrett Whitlock did it heroically, but Ryan simply surpasses his leader. There are songs on the album that feel the drums more than Mark's guitars, something that has never happened and is considered inconceivable. Ryan's technique and power blend in wonderfully and sometimes even lead to Mark's riffs. Although it doesn't offer something really different, "Marching In Time" nevertheless manages to introduce some freshness and innovation to the wonderful formula of "Tremonti" and allows us to indulge in heavy riffs, powerful drums, and unleash merciless aggression. Tremonti's formula began to take shape in the album "Cauterize" and it merges modern thrash metal with melody. Mark Tremonti has perfected this formula from album to album, but it seems that this time he brings it to perfection. On the one hand, some elements serve as the "backbone" of the band's sound. Clean vocals, sweeping and emotional choruses, and heavy and aggressive riffs, influenced by thrash and speed metal, that make up the DNA of the band. But this time there is also something more. It's not clear how Mark Tremonti managed to do this, but each of the 12 songs on the album has that catchy "hook" that just grabs the listener and won't let go. We get all this beauty already in the opening track "A World Away". A dark and heavy riff that gradually develops into fast and furious thrash with a sound that will remind you of "Metallica", but also of what "Tremonti" did in albums like "Cauterize" and "Dust". Then comes the break to a slower rhythm that characterizes the verses and from there we return to the fast beat during the chorus, where the genius of Mark Tremonti is revealed, as he manages to dress the thrashy rhythm with the melody of a catchy pop song and he does all this without sounding kitsch, not even in the quiet transition section which starts at minute 2:42 and highlights his vocal abilities that only keep getting better and better from album to album. And the lyrics? What devastating and thought-provoking words Tremonti wrote: "I swear that I will leave today Another life, a world away I've never felt an ounce of love It's not my home, and it never was.." This musical beauty that combines brutal riffs with a sweet melody accompanies us throughout the album. In "Now and Forever" you don't even have to wait for the chorus to experience the melodic vocals that float over the sawing riff. There is nothing more to say about "If Not for You", change the guitar effect a bit and give this song a softer production and it could become a hit on any mainstream chart. The catchy and sweeping melodies do not miss any of the songs on the album. Whether it's a ballad like "The Last One of Us" or a song that partly conveys a minimalist feeling like "Bleak", whether it's songs with the band's "sound signature", like "Thrown Further" or "Let That Be Us" and whether it is pieced with a progressive flavor like the theme song "Marching in Time" which also closes the album. In conclusion, it can be said that "Marching In Time" makes use of many of the main elements that accompany "Tremonti"ת at least since the second album, but it also mixes some more innovative touches, especially in the tight production that provides this album with a feeling of freshness. This album undoubtedly shows the maturation process of Mark Tremonti as a writer, a performer, and a vocalist and although it will probably not be remembered as one of the biggest albums in the extensive career of the legendary guitarist, that began with "Creed", it is still a light, catchy and really fun album to listen to. Listen to the album on: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Editor's Choice... And this time "In Absentia", "Porcupine Tree's" seventh studio album, released on September 24, 2002. "In Absentia" marked a significant turning point for "Porcupine Tree", not only as their first album featuring drummer Gavin Harrison, but also as the first to fully embrace a heavier, progressive metal direction. This shift introduced the band to a wider audience and showcased their ability to evolve musically while staying true to their progressive rock roots. The change of musical direction on "In Absentia" reflects Steven Wilson’s collaborations and inspirations at the time, notably with "Opeth’s" Mikael Akerfeldt. At that time, Wilson listened to quite a few extreme metal bands, especially the Swedish bands "Meshuggah" and "Opeth". He was particularly impressed by the music of "Opeth", and agreed to produce their album, "Blackwater Park", a move that inspired him to move "Porcupine Tree" in a more metal direction. "In Absentia" shares a similar balance of progressive rock’s atmospheric beauty with metal’s intensity, mirroring the dynamics seen in "Blackwater Park". Another main influence on Wilson was his collaboration with Aviv Geffen, a fan of Wilson's music, who invited "Porcupine Tree" to Israel during their 2000 tour, in support of the band's previous album, "Lightbulb Sun". Geffen, not being a fan of metal music, kept that project in more of a soft direction, as he and Wilson will do in their side project "Blackfield". Geffen’s influence is felt in the album's more introspective and emotional moments, adding a layer of melancholy to the heavy, progressive structure. The opening track, "Blackest Eyes," highlights this new direction with a combination of heavy, metal-influenced guitar riffs and softer, melodic verse with Steven Wilson’s signature melancholic vocals. Harrison's addition to the lineup elevated the band’s sound, his complex yet fluid drumming style providing a solid foundation for the album’s heavier sections, particularly in tracks like "Wedding Nails" and "The Creator Has a Mastertape." One of "In Absentia's" strongest aspects is its seamless blend of acoustic passages and powerful, metal-influenced riffs. Tracks like "Blackest Eyes," illustrate the band’s ability to shift between delicate, melodic acoustic segments and heavy-riffing, more dissonant sections without losing emotional impact. "Trains" which comes right after is one of the album’s standout tracks where you can feel this dinamics, mixing acoustic guitar work with intricate fingerpicking and emotional, soaring vocals with powerful guitar bursts. The song starts gently but builds into a driving rhythm with subtle layers of banjo and mellotron, showcasing the band’s folk and progressive rock roots. "The Sound of Muzak" explore the complexity of rhythm, showing how the band’s progressive tendencies are enhanced by their embrace of heavier elements. It features a 7/4 time signature, adding a progressive touch, with Aviv Geffen singing backing vocals. The clean guitar tones and rhythmic complexity are highlights of the track, with Gavin Harrison’s drumming providing a tight and complex foundation. "Gravity Eyelids" slowly unfolds from atmospheric, electronic-tinged soundscapes into heavier guitar sections. The shift from ambient to heavier passages exemplifies the album’s dual nature. "Wedding Nails" is an instrumental track that leans heavily into progressive metal territory, with Harrison’s intricate drumming driving the song’s rapid tempo shifts and odd time signatures. "Heartattack in a Layby," for instance, captures a moment of quiet desperation. It is one of the more somber, emotional tracks, featuring minimal instrumentation, allowing Steven Wilson’s delicate vocals to take center stage. On the other hand, "Strip the Soul" delivers unsettling narratives underscored by raw, driving energy, with its down-tuned, menacing riffs and complex rhythm changes. It’s one of the heaviest tracks on the album, pushing the band further into progressive metal territory. As the first step into their progressive metal era, "In Absentia" stands as one of "Porcupine Tree's" most defining releases. It bridges the gap between their earlier, more psychedelic work and the darker, more aggressive direction that would follow in albums like "Deadwing" and "Fear of a Blank Planet". For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Sometimes a band doesn’t just follow up a debut they evolve into something more profound, more terrifyingly precise, more human. On September 24 2021, Sleep Token issued "This Place Will Become Your Tomb" This Place Will Become Your Tomb is one of those moments. It's the sound of a once-anonymous entity stepping out from the shadows, not to show their face but to bare their soul. Sleep Token had already made waves with their 2019 debut Sundowning, a slow-burning, conceptual offering that introduced the world to Vessel’s haunting voice and the band’s ritualistic presence. But in the two years that followed, their world changed and so did they. Following the release of Sundowning, Sleep Token saw a surge in underground popularity, particularly within the UK alternative and progressive metal scenes. They signed to Spinefarm Records, giving their music broader international reach. But then came the global halt of 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic struck just as their momentum was building. Plans for touring and promotion were interrupted. Instead of sitting idle, the band released "The Room Below", a companion to "Sundowning" featuring stripped-down renditions, piano-driven pieces, and striking covers like Billie Eilish’s "When the Party's Over" and Whitney Houston’s "I Wanna Dance with Somebody". These releases not only kept fans emotionally engaged but also hinted at the more ambient, introspective directions the band would explore next. Photo: Sleep Token When Sleep Token returned to live performance at the 2021 Download Festival Pilot, it was clear they were emerging with a sharper vision. That same day, they released "Alkaline", the first single from this album, and it became immediately apparent this would not be just another step forward. It would be a rebirth. "This Place Will Become Your Tomb" was officially unveiled, and the descent began. Before we go to the album's songs we feel the need to share something like a little disclaimer... So if we may take you for a moment into the future: we, too, had no idea this band even existed until the single "Chokehold" was released and exploded like a global epidemic. And like spectators at a Uri Geller show at his peak, we were hypnotized frighteningly so. More singles followed, and then the full album dropped (which we’ll dedicate a separate review to), pushing us, as is our way, to investigate the band only to discover, to our surprise, that they had been around for seven years before their big breakthrough. And from the very first listen, "This Place Will Become Your Tomb" electrified us. Something grabbed us and wouldn’t let go. Looking back, "Take Me Back to Eden" absolutely mesmerized us, but once the pendulum stopped swinging, we were no longer under its spell. Something in the deep and long drama of the songs, with tyring storytelling structures kept us from returning to them (after an intense initial listening phase, of course). But with this album, the electricity never left us. The side effects of that jolt brought us back to it again and again. There’s something about the songs combining that same drama and structure (which became quite recognizable after getting to know the band) with a gripping, emotional dynamic that made us fall in love with it so deeply. We found ourselves constantly returning to this album, emotionally moved by it, over and over again, despite the glow of the breakthrough record. Produced once again by George Lever at G1 Productions in Somerset, this album elevates everything "Sundowning" introduced: the contrasts are more intense, the textures richer, the storytelling deeper. From the first pulse of "Atlantic", the listener is submerged. There’s a quiet tension in its atmosphere a trembling calm before the storm that sets the tone for everything to come. Sleep Token have always thrived on duality: soft and violent, sacred and broken. This record embraces that duality with more focus than ever before, and it will repeat itself in future albums. "Alkaline" crashes through next like a wave of electric thunder. With its industrial undertones, thick distortion, and a groove that pulses like a rising tide, it’s a towering anthem of emotional dissonance. Yet beneath the aggression, there’s an unmistakable yearning. Vessel's voice floats above the chaos detached, desperate, divine. "Hypnosis" is an aptly named descent into repetition and entrancement. Synths weave in and out of a hypnotic riff while the drums pound with meditative consistency. There’s something unsettling and beautiful in its structure like drowning slowly in your own thoughts. And then comes "Mine", one of the album’s quietest yet most devastating moments. With a sparse, almost lo-fi beat and minimal instrumentation, Vessel’s falsetto becomes the focal point. His delivery is vulnerable, raw, and crushing. This isn’t a love song. It’s the sound of clinging to love when it's already gone. "Telomeres" builds from near silence to cinematic explosion. Beginning with sparse piano notes and whispers, it crescendos into walls of shimmering guitars and thunderous drums. It’s not just a song it’s a journey. Each dynamic shift feels like a breath being held, then released in grief or awe. And then there’s "Fall for Me" perhaps the most divisive track on the album. Stripped of all percussion, built entirely on layered vocals and soft textures, it feels like a pause for reflection. Some called it a misstep. But in the context of the album’s emotional arc, it becomes a quiet funeral for everything left unsaid. Lyrically, the album explores emotional erosion, trauma, and devotion. But unlike "Sundowning", which often abstracted those themes in metaphor and repetition, "This Place Will Become Your Tomb" is more direct, more confronting. The lyrics don’t just paint a picture they confront you with a mirror. Upon release, the album was met with widespread acclaim. Distorted Sound awarded it a perfect 10/10, calling it a masterpiece of emotional storytelling. Metal Hammer ranked it among the best albums of 2021, and it became Sleep Token’s first charting album in the UK, peaking at #39 on the UK Albums Chart. It also charted in Scotland and across Europe. More importantly, it struck a deep chord with listeners. Fans described it not just as an album, but as an experience one that helped them grieve, heal, and feel understood. This album is not easy listening. It’s a heavy weight, wrapped in silk. It demands attention, asks questions you may not want to answer, and leaves you transformed. For some, it will feel like sanctuary. For others, like a reckoning. But for all, it leaves something behind. A mark. A presence. A place where your sorrow is seen. A place that understands your silence. A place that perhaps will become your tomb. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Written by: Moti Kupfer Release Date - September 24, 1984 On September 24, 1984, "The Honeydrippers" released the EP "Volume One". Behind Robert Plant’s surprising return to the rhythm and blues of his youth lay a story of loss, friendship, and the search for a new voice after "Led Zeppelin". On September 25, 1980, "Led Zeppelin" drummer John Bonham died. Nothing was the same afterward. Just over two months later, the band announced its breakup. One of the greatest rock bands of the seventies had said goodbye, and this time it meant it. Each member faced a different path. John Paul Jones returned to work as an in-demand session player and arranger, later collaborating with Paul McCartney, "R.E.M.", Ben E. King, "Heart", "The Mission", Lenny Kravitz, and others. Jimmy Page stepped away from the guitar for a while as he struggled with Bonham’s death and his heroin addiction. Robert Plant would later help his old friend find his way back to playing. Plant had been as close to Bonham as a brother. At first he considered leaving music altogether and becoming a teacher in the anthroposophical tradition. Eventually he abandoned the idea and, encouraged by Phil Collins, returned to music. This time, he had no intention of recreating "Led Zeppelin". Plant had started out as a blues singer around Birmingham. In 1981, he joined the rhythm and blues outfit "The Honeydrippers", initially a band playing mostly covers, alongside guitarist Andy Sylvester, formerly of "Chicken Shack". The group’s name has been linked to Joe Liggins and "Joe Liggins & His Honeydrippers", active in the forties and fifties. Another possible inspiration was American blues singer Roosevelt Sykes, known as "The Honeydripper". For its first couple of years, it was mainly a live band. The project might never have reached the studio without an idea from "Atlantic Records" president Ahmet Ertegun: record some of his favorite songs from the fifties. He approached Plant, who assembled an extraordinary group of musicians: Jeff Beck, Nile Rodgers, Brian Setzer of "Stray Cats", Paul Shaffer, and, of course, Jimmy Page. The result was "Volume One", a short EP that gave these musicians room to enjoy the rhythm and blues and rock and roll they had grown up with. Beck and Page, both former members of "The Yardbirds", came together again around Plant’s voice. Page plays on "Sea of Love", while Beck brings his energy to "Rockin’ at Midnight". "The Honeydrippers" found their biggest audience with their version of "Sea of Love". The song was written and first recorded by John Phillip Baptiste, who performed under the name Phil Phillips. He wrote it for a girl he loved, using the vastness of the sea to express the depth of his feelings. Baptiste worked at a hotel in Lake Charles, Louisiana. According to his account, a gas meter reader heard him rehearsing the song and sent him to producer George Khoury, who recorded him and persuaded him to adopt the stage name Phil Phillips. The record first came out on Khoury’s independent label, became a hit in Louisiana, and was then distributed nationally by "Mercury Records". Phillips said he earned only $6,800 from the song and did not win the girl he had written it for. In time, he came to see that as a stroke of luck: he married the woman who was right for him. With Plant and "The Honeydrippers", "Sea of Love" climbed to No. 3 on the US chart. It became one of Plant’s biggest hits outside "Led Zeppelin". The EP’s other single, "Rockin’ at Midnight", a cover of a Roy Brown song, reached No. 25. It is a different song from Brown’s earlier hit "Good Rockin’ Tonight", despite the similar titles. Plant had never set out to become a singer of sweet ballads. Yet "Sea of Love" took off beyond anyone’s expectations, leaving him worried that people would remember him as a crooner rather than a rocker. "The Honeydrippers" remained a brief chapter: before long, Plant returned his attention to his own musical path. "Volume One" reached No. 4 on the US album chart and earned platinum certification in the United States. Its five studio tracks showed that Plant could reinvent himself by returning to the music that had thrilled him long before anyone knew his name. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel’s Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram and/or subscribe to the website