WOW, WOW, WOW, WOW, WOW, WOW !!! This is how you open a review ??? Yes, this is how this review is opened, which cannot be in any other way!!!! Absolute madness, a powerful experience, unprecedented excitement, and above all love, love for music!! Before we tell you how it was, what we think about the production and what we experienced at the performances, we must point out that since the festival there is one strong feeling that does not let us go. It is very difficult for us to define it in one word, but if we try anyway, then we feel that this festival was characterized by "commitment". The commitment of the bands, the production, and even the audience to make this a successful festival. A strong desire and great hope of all involved that this special and amazing thing will succeed. That everyone will be satisfied. That the bands will express themselves and enjoy themselves on stage, that the production will manage to cover the costs of the event and even make a nice profit and of course, we, the audience, who voted with our feet and came in large numbers, will enjoy all this goodness called metal music. So we can feel that we have a future, that this is not a one-time event that barely survived, and that we, as an audience of a genre that does not receive budgets and resources and is on the fringes of the music industry, manage to make a festival of this magnitude succeed, because if it succeeds then we can do more wonderful and even bigger things here in the future. From our side, as an audience, this festival was a huge success!!! We say this with a whole heart and without a "BUT"!! This festival was a huge success!! The production was masterful... Huge thank you to Vladislav Mazourenko and the "Hotbox" crew for the amazing initiative and production!!! Already at the entrance, you felt that you were entering a festival and not another performance at the Gagarin club where there were different and varied booths and you could purchase a new tattoo along with a shirt and stickers of the participating bands. The children's complex was an amazing idea and proves how much the production pays attention to details and tries to give space to the diverse audience. With the exception of a single case, the bands took the stage according to the pre-published schedule and managed to keep up. The drummer of "Saffek" got stuck at the border crossing in Taba, which forced the transfer of the band's performance to the end of the lineup after the performance of "Walkways", in order to allow his arrival. We must mention the amazing work of the bands and especially of the stage crew both in the sound and in the transitions between the various performances. As soon as one band finished the performance, the stage crew immediately began dismantling the equipment with the band members themselves assisting the stage crew in disassembling their equipment, in order to meet the schedules. The sound was excellent throughout most of the show, with minor technical glitches here and there that did not impact the overall experience. Nevertheless, it is no less than 11 different bands, with different musical instruments, different amplifiers, and different equipment that came up one after the other. The bands were amazing... What amazing music we have in Israel!! Before the festival, we sat down and listened, once again, to all the materials of the bands in the line-up (we know most of them). You are invited to listen to the playlist created for the event on Spotify. We have to be honest, it was very difficult for us to decide at which stage of the festival to place the foray for food, for fear of losing even a few minutes of the performance of one or other band. During the almost 10 hours of the festival, there was not even one weak moment. 11 great bands came to make this festival a pure pleasure. The amount of talent that was on one stage, in a relatively short period of time, was unimaginable. It is evident that each of the bands, without exception, gave their all and simply burned the stage, even in cases where the performance was shortened due to constraints such as in the case of "Saffek" and "Her Last Sight". The crowd was unbelievable... Since the festival started at 15:20 and was supposed to end at midnight, there was, of course, an expectation that in the first hours the number of people would be sparse, after all, it was Saturday noon. Add to that the fact that nothing in Israel starts on time, so the quite reasonable expectation was that the first shows would have very small attendance. But the reality defeated the expectation and the number of people that filled the club already with the rise of the first band "Violate Inner Amends" was amazing. The Gagarin club was almost full and everyone who came to the festival made sure to pay respect to the bands that played, right until the end. It was very moving!! True, the audience is the customer, he paid for a ticket and he expects to receive a SHOW. But it seems that this time the audience didn't just come to enjoy and get value for the money they paid. It was evident that this time the audience also came to support! To support the bands and musicians he likes, to support the festival organizers and the various service providers, and in general to support the metal scene. We must point out that for us this event was exciting on a very powerful level!! We had the pleasure of seeing such a large amount of people drawn to this music that we love so much, meeting friends, followers of our page and website, and musicians of bands that we love so much and sharing with them the pleasure and the impression of the unique event. It will sound funny or material but we really hope that the production managed to bring in enough money to cover the costs and make a profit, just to have the appetite and ability to create more such successful events in the future. Follow us on Facebook or Subscribe to our website "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog & Podcast

You think he's a clown but it just looks like it on the outside, Shawn Crahan from "Slipknot" was born on September 24, 1969, so we brought you some interesting facts... (Photo: Slipknot) 1. He formed the band "Slipknot" in 1995 together with bassist Paul Gray 2. He is the creative mind and media manager of the band 3. Among other things, he directs all the band's music videos, visuals and design productions 4. Beyond that he also hits beer cans and participates in background vocals 5. His number in the band is "6" 6. Beyond the band's music videos, he directed his first full-length film in 2016 called "Officer Downe", which is based on comics. He also directed "Motionless in White's" "A-M-E-R-I-C-A" and "Hollywood Undead" "We Are" music videos (Photo: Mick Hutson) 7. In his youth he was very fond of King Kong, he had a poster in his room even in his adult life. His mother, who used to go to "Slipknot" shows before they became a monster, would call her son "Sliver Back Gorilla" because of the way he would play the drums and rave on stage. On one of his birthdays, she even bought him a model of the gorilla made of crystal. 8. In "Slipknot's" first shows Shawn used to bring a cow's head to the stage 9. Shawn is the one who came up with the idea for the band's masks. The mask associated with him is the clown mask and the mask with which he has appeared since 1999 has been in his possession since he was 14. The mask has a very big and strong meaning that Shawn does not reveal. (Photo: Jay West) 10. The band's fans are known as "Maggots", Shawn is the one who gave them this nickname. He was inspired by a video he shot of a dear being eaten by insects. The way the insects ate the dear looked to him as a "mosh-pit". 11. He founded a record company called Big Orange Clown Records but it did not really take off and to this day he has represented only one band called "Gizmachi". (Photo: Victor Chavez) 12. In 2007 he formed another band called "Dirty Little Rabbits" and took on the role of drummer. The band released one album that year and two EPs two years later 13. In 2019 his 22-year-old daughter, Gabrielle, passed away 14. In 2020 his son Simon Crahan formed the band "Vended" together with Griffin Taylor, Corey Taylor's son. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

The album "Blood Sugar Sex Magik", the fifth studio album of "Red Hot Chili Peppers" was released on September 24th, 1991. We grouped this amazing year under the "Class of 91'" series which is about the masterpiece albums released in the wonderful 1991. This time we will start the story from the end, just to connect the grunge world of "Nevermind" which was released on the very same day, with the funk-alternative-metal fusion of "Blood Sugar Sex Magik", with the addition of spicy seasoning... So after the release of the album and before the start of the tour to promote it, Anthony Kiedis asked the band manager to contact "The Smashing Pumpkins" and offer to join them on the tour. Kiedis really liked the style and sound of "The Pumpkins" and really wanted them to join the tour. A few days after the Smashings confirmed their participation in the tour, Jack Irons, who was previously the Chili's drummer, called Kiedis and requested that his current band "Pearl Jam" also join the tour, as an open act. Wait, wait, it's already starting to get spicy here... The tour started to pick up speed and the band's management started to book shows in much larger halls and even stadiums. At one point, the band's and tour manager decided that "Pearl Jam" was no longer big enough to open in such places and asked the band to find a replacement. Kidies who knew Dave Grohl asked that his band "Nirvana" will join the tour and he agreed, but here things started to get complicated. Billy Corgan from The Pumpkins used to date Kurt Cobain's wife Courtney Love and it did not end well, he strongly refused to share the stage with Cobain, which led to The Pumpkins being thrown out of this crazy tour while "Nirvana" and "Pearl Jam" kept on going with the Chilies. Why did we choose to start with this spicy story? To illustrate to you how crazy this period was, how much the year 1991 should be written in the books of history as the great year of Rock (alongside 1967), with much of everything that happened in the music world that year eventually concentrating on a period of less than a month in late '91. While its distilled extract is concentrated in a single day on September 24, 1991. Like Nirvana's "Nevermind", this album by RHCP is a founding album... John Frusciante's guitar sound, Funky Mixed in Metal, Flea and Chad Smith's crazy rhythm section, the rolling lyrics on the tongue of Anthony Kiedis, alongside the personal writing, and the production... and what a legendary Rick Rubin production !!! This is without a doubt the best album of the "Chilies". Just "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" and there is no other way to define it !!! This was RHCP's second album with the same members, after "Mother's Milk" was released in 1989. It was evident that as the four members spent time together the dynamics between them grew stronger, while the band's so unique sound with Frusciante began to crystallize. The Musical Direction On this album, the band chose to change the musical direction a bit and was opened up to new worlds. It was able to combine the heavier metal and funk sections, as well as more melodic, acoustic, and even quieter sections. The band did all this while diversifying the musical instruments that it had not dreamed of using in the past, such as the Amor organ, Melotron, and more. The band had enough material to record a double album, 25 songs of which 17 were selected, spanning more than 73 minutes. The length of the album and the large number of songs allowed the band to open up and diversify musically. On the one hand to give its old fans the music to which they were accustomed, and on the other hand to attract new audiences and fans with more catchy and melodic passages. In this way, the band managed to maintain the base of its fans and at the same time increase it and open up to new audiences, and thus lies, among other things, the huge success of the album. This contrast between the powerful and bouncy funk metal and the acoustic ballads and influences of classical rock, is what probably created the "big bang" here. The Lyrics The diversity in the musical material as described above also slides into the lyrics. Kiedis is busy as always with sex and this is evident in the funky singles "Give It Away" and "Suck My Kiss". However, on this album, he also connects to his more sensitive side and writes about failed relationships, songs like "Breaking The Girl" and "I Could Have Lied" and drug addictions in "Under the Bridge" and "My Lovely Man". Technique and sound So far we have mentioned what has changed on this album in terms of the musical line and lyrics, so let's talk a bit about sound and playing technique. Bassist Flea has decided that on this album, he wants more to flow with the song and be a part of it, not like before, prominent and outstanding from the rest of the members. The one who influenced his playing here, is none other than Kim Gordon from the band "Sonic Youth". Flea said he was inspired by Kim's playing style and decided to calm down a bit with the "slapping" on the strings. The motto that led him in the recordings this time was "Less is more". Frusciante's guitar playing on this album was very smart and intelligent. On the one hand, it led the song, and on the other hand, it left enough room for diversity in Kiedis' singing. On the one hand it was very dominant, and on the other hand it also left enough space for bass and drums freedom to improvise and evolve. Frusciante continued to issue heavy metal riffs here as well, but they were with much less, distortion, compared to the previous album. It's amazing to think that a very significant portion of the takes on the album, especially Frusciante's solos, were recorded "LIVE" without corrections and rerecording. Frusciante method in performing solos is maximum twice. First time to play to the band members and if they did not like it, to immediately record a different solo, so all the solos on the album were recorded on the first or second take, no more than that. (Photo: Gie Knaeps) The Production So we have a musical direction, there are lyrics, sound, and musical technique, and now we need someone to put it all together. Here comes the legendary producer Rick Rubin, who is conducting over all this great elements. Rubin was not the band's first choice. Kiedis said that at first he thought Rubin would not be able to contribute because he worked with bands like "Slayer" and "Danzing" which were perceived by them as bands with negative energies. It is very interesting that in 1987 Rubin was the one who refused to produce for the Chilies the album "The Uplift Mofo Party Plan", due to the drug problems of Kiedis and Hillel Slovak. But this time the energies probably worked out for the best, and not only did the band and Rubin finally agree to work with each other, but the band members also felt comfortable enough with Rubin to ask him for guidance where they felt less confident. This openness of the members gave Rubin enough confidence to correct and guide them as well as with space and freedom of action to do exactly what is necessary to lead them to perfection. Rubin's greatness on this album was that he managed to make the band sound different from the previous albums and all this without losing its identity. The Studio And what about space? This is the first album recorded on "The Mansion". The band sought to record the album in an unconventional setting, believing it would enhance their creative output. Rick Rubin proposed the studio he built in a large mansion built in 1918 and located in Los Angeles. It belonged to the famous illusionist Harry Houdini and is known for the spirits that haunt it. Many bands like "Slipknot", "Linkin Park", "Marilyn Manson", and more recorded albums in this "Mansion", but the "Chillis" were the first to do so. All the members of the band (except Chad Smith who felt uncomfortable with the ghost thing) moved into the mansion, ate, drank, and breathed music. Wrote, rehearsed and finally recorded. A lot of sound experts were involved in creating the unique sound of the first album recorded on the "Mansion". Tried to get the desired acoustics, the right resonance and the right and accurate sound with a lot of pessimism, but the result speaks for itself and finally the sound on this album came out amazing and wonderful. The Result Five successful singles were released from the album: The first was "Give It Away", what a rhythm, what a groove, and Flea's bass... if that's what he gets when he works in the "Less is more" technique, it's scary to think what else he can do. An excellent choice for the first single from the album, a bouncy song that left no listener sitting, after which no one was left indifferent. Kidies drew inspiration for this song from German singer Nina Hagen with whom he had an affair in 1983. One day he rummaged in her closet and came across a coat he really liked. Nina insisted he take it, explaining that giving things creates good energy. "The more you give, the more you receive, so why not give it your all?". This perception of Hagen stunned Kidies who grew up in a difficult environment, but he decided to adopt it. The lyrics of the song also refer to the actor River Phoenix who was a friend of Kidies and was present at the recording studio. Kiedis dedicated a whole verse from the song, the one that begins with the words "There's a river 'born to be a giver ...". The second single, "Under The Bridge", was written by Kiedis following feelings of loneliness and depression as a result of drug use. The bridge mentioned in the song is the one he would go to, to buy drugs. Similar to the song "Nothing Else Matters" from Metallica (The Black Album) Kiedis was initially apprehensive about showing it to band members because he thought it did not fit into its repertoire, but producer Rick Rubin urged him to do so and like Bob Rock in Metallica's case he was right. It became the band's biggest hit, although (and perhaps because) it was a ballad that completely did not characterize their sound and style. The third single "Suck My Kiss" is among the strongest and most powerful on the album. A psychic song in a bouncy and sweeping beater so it is no wonder that it is the band's most played song in shows. The sharp-eared among you will surely notice that in the second half of each chorus in the song there is a chord beat in which the whole band plays together, only that in the first chorus there are 3 beats in a row, in the second chorus 2 beats in a row and in the last only one beat. Listen in 1:20, 2:21, and 3:31 minutes to the song. The song is about a man who is so in love with his partner that he will do anything for her. He also tells her that she is so sexy that he can not resist "kissing her". Kidies tried to explain to Rolling Stone magazine (in our opinion without much success) that his sexual openness in the song is positive and not rude. The fourth single "Breaking The Girl" was written by Kiedis about Carmen Hawk, a model who he dated, and their breakup. The short instrumental section in the middle was improvised and each member of the band took something, spoons, pans, and hit it. Kiedis recorded the singing alone in the bedroom located on the second floor of the "Mansion." He likes to be alone while recording. Producer, technician, musician Brendan O'Brien plays here on a mellotron that adds so much to the song. The Chillis played this song only once during the 1991 tour to promote the album. Kiedis said they played the song at a Wisconsin concert but the performance was very poor, the song totally fell apart and the band members just ruined it altogether. Since that show, they have decided not to perform it anymore on tours. The band's fifth and final single from the album is "If You Have to Ask", which was not broadcast on radio stations because of one line: "funky motherf - kers will not be told to go". It's a completely funky song that characterizes the band's DNA, whose lyrics are intentionally meaningless so the chorus repeats the line: "If you have to ask, you'll never know". For those wondering, the applause at the end of the song is for John Frusciante who nailed the guitar solo in one take! The five singles released are "the tip of the iceberg", as this perfect album contains other amazing songs that were not released as singles, including: The song "I Could Have Lied" that was written about the short relationship Kiedis had with the famous singer Sinéad O'Connor. Kiedis said he fell badly in love with Sinéad who did not really dedicate herself to him and maintained a certain distance. After several months of relationship she broke up with him by message on the answering machine. Throughout that night Kiedis and John wrote the song. The song "My Lovely Man" was written by guitarist Hillel Slovak and includes lyrics that simply scratch the soul. Kiedis noted that the song expresses his love for Hillel and the hope that he will meet him when he himself dies. He claimed that every time he sang the song he felt praised with it. The theme song "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" which is one of the heaviest and slowest on the album. The lyrics describe sex in a variety of vibrant, explicit, or metaphorical ways that Kiedis wrote about his girlfriend at the time. The long section on the album "Sir Psycho Sexy" crosses the 8 minute line. One of the different and special songs of the band. The song is divided into two parts, the first includes lyrics alongside a guitar accompaniment with a wow-wow effect that is hardly used on the album. The second is a calm and instrumental silence on the psychedelic frontier. And there are also "The Power of Equality", "Mellowship Slinky in B Major", "Apache Rose Peacock", "Naked in the Rain" and more and more and more. Epilogue We end with a closing circle linking the two albums "Nevermind" and "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" released that day. As much as the musical styles between the two albums sound different, there is no doubt that the two acted in a wonderfully synchronized "forceps movement", gripping the beating heart of the music industry and diverting it from the center to the margins. Both of these albums helped turn the "alternative", the different and the extreme into the "mainstream". The big breakthrough of these two albums and their huge impact, brought the fringe music to the masses and created a huge revolution in the music market and listening habits. Needless to say, "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" is also on Rolling Stone magazine's top 500 albums list, as well as in other rating lists. So if you have an hour and 20 minutes available, click on one of the links: Spotify, Apple Music. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Well, this is not our first review on a "Megadeth" album, but it is probably the most exciting we wrote in relation to this amazing band. On September 24, 1990, "Megadeth" released their fourth album "Rust In Peace" and is no less than a "Master-Piece". Let's release it right here and now, if there's an Olympus of Metal, then this album is definitely there. Exemplary album, immortal, timeless, perfect, masterpiece, classic! And a lot of other superlatives that exist in the lexicon. And now, after we have released it and calmed down, let's say a few words about it. This is the band's first album that included the classic lineup with Dave Mustaine, Marty Friedman, David Ellefson and Nick Menza. If you ask any fan of the band what is the best "Megadeth"'s album, we are sure that the vast majority will point to "Rust In Peace" as an album that the best defines the whole band, its essence and roots, and its unique sound. So to understand how all this happened, we need to go back a bit and rummage through the circumstances that led to the creation of this wonderful album. In 1988, "Megadeth"'s performed at the Monsters of Rock Festival in Donnington in front of an audience of over 100,000 fans. Following the successful performance, the festival organizers wanted to add "Megadeth" to the list of bands that will continue their "Monsters of Rock" tour in Europe. But, the offer comes at a bad time for the band. Bassist David Ellefson drops out after just one show due to drug issues, guitarist Jeff Young doesn't get along with the rest of the band members and drummer Chuck Behler was too stoned to play an entire set, in a way that forced Dave Mustaine to fire them. It turned out that instead of taking advantage of the momentum and opportunity given to the band with Chuck Behler's tour, Dave Mustaine sees how his band crumbles before his eyes. But Mustaine does not give up. He offers Chuck Behler's drum technician the role of a drummer in the band. Nick Menza was well aware of the drum parts on the band's songs and there were times when he had already replaced Chuck Behler, when he was unable to play, so it was only natural that Mustaine would offer him the job. In the guitarist slot, things were not so simple. Mustaine turned every stone to find a guitarist who would fit the band's strict requirements. Among the various candidates was also a young guitarist named Diamond Darrell from the band "Pantera", who would later go by the name Dimebag Darrell. Dimebag agreed, but only on condition, that his brother, drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott, also join Megadeth. Mustaine did not agree, since he only recently hired Nick Menza's services, so in the end, this collaboration did not happen. Mustaine later stated that he had to comply with Dimbag's request and then he had the best band in the world. Another candidate whose name came up in connection with the position of guitarist in the band was Jeff Waters from "Annihilator", but this did not happen either. Mustaine described the search for a replacement guitarist as exhausting and tedious. At one point Mustaine comes to the band director Ron Lafitte's office and sees a copy of Marty Friedman's "Dragon's Kiss" album. He thought the album cover was a bit silly but got knocked down about Friedman's playing. He immediately invites Friedman to an audition and Friedman simply slaughters the guitar in front of Mustaine's eyes and immediately gets accepted as the fourth and final member of what will become the band's classic and most stable lineup. (Photo: Gene Kirkland) Reinforced by new forces and by a more sober Dave Ellefson, the band enters "Rumbo" studios in California and begins recording, but this is where the problems began. Original producer Dave Jurdin does not survive the intense process and is soon replaced by Mike Clink, largely thanks to his work on "Guns N 'Roses"' "Appetite for Destruction" album, and UFO's "Strangers in the Night". At the same time, Mustaine revealed in later interviews that whoever had to finish the production work was ultimately himself, since Mike Clink was busy at the time, producing the "Guns N 'Roses"' double albums "Use Your Illusion I & II" that were recorded In the same studio. The idea for the album title came from a sticker that Mustaine saw on the back of a car that read, "Nuclear Weapons May They "Rust In Peace". Dave loved the punch and the protest against nuclear weapons. The album cover was designed by Ed Repka the same artist who designed the album cover for "Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?" from 1986. The cover is influenced by a scene from the song "Hangar 18" featuring Vic Rattlehead standing over an alien's body with the world leaders including Gorbachev and Bush watching from behind. And a bit about the content, the riffs Dave Mustaine wrote for every song on this album (except for "Dawn Patrol" which only includes bass, drums, and vocals), are the best he has ever written. Dave and Marty's solos are simply pure genius, and the combination of Ellefson and Menza is simply divine. Just listen to their oiled and well-synchronized rhythm section in the song "Take No Prisoners" and you will understand what it is all about. Every song on this album is a work of thought, a masterpiece, made by a master artist. Already in the opening song "Holy Wars ... The Punishment Due", we receive two gifts in one box. The quick and edgy opening of "Holy Wars" with one of the most beautiful riffs ever written in Metal, and the transition section with Friedman's classical guitar, starting at 2:15 minutes, which is a bridge to the heavy and creepy section "The Punishment Due". The song continues to be built gradually with 2 melodic solos by Marty Friedman and then the turbo button is pushed, the rhythm rises and climbs towards Dave's third and final solo which simply burns the guitar before leading us to the last verse and end of the song. The lyrics of the song "Holy Wars" refer to the global conflict and in contrast to what many believe, to the situation in Northern Ireland and not the situation in Israel. Dave Mustaine said he wrote the song after discovering fake band t-shirts in Northern Ireland, which were used to raise funds for the Army of the Republic of Northern Ireland. In contrast, the lyrics of the song "The Punishment Due" are based on the comic book of "Marvel The Punisher". The second track "Hangar 18" is influenced by alien theory and refers to "Hangar 18" located at the U.S. Air Force base in Dayton Ohio. Nick Menza wrote the lyrics after watching an 80s film of the same name and Dave Mustaine composed a variation on the track "The Call of Ktulu" which he wrote for "Metallica" and for which he also received credit on the "Ride The Lightning" album. The bass guitar in this song is tuned in full tone down, while the guitars are in standard tuning. It's one of the band's most complex songs with insane transitions and rhythm changes that have been influenced by the progressive genre. The sequence of solos starting at 2:35 is simply inconceivable. Ingenious, brilliant, and accurate. The opening of the third track "Take No Prisoners" just breaks down all the bones in our bodies over and over again, no matter how many times we have already listened to the song. What an amazing bass work by Ellefson, who proves time and time again that he is one of the great bassists in Thrash Metal. This song was written about the invasion of Normandy (D-Day) in World War II, the campaign defined here by Megadeth in the lyrics of the song as "the beginning of the end". And this song certainly puts you into the depths of the greatest naval landing operation in history, into the inferno that took place there, the shelling, the mines, the artillery, and the stubborn warfare that ultimately turned out to be the turning point in the campaign against Germany. In the fourth song "Five Magics" the narrator character lives under the rule of the Dark Lord from which he is interested in freeing himself. The heavy and dark opening with Ellefson's bass chords and threatening riffs really blends in with the content of the story, with the protagonist of the plot devoting his life to learning five magic tricks that will help him deal with the Dark Lord and overthrow him from his chair. But something just happens along the way and as the protagonist of the story becomes more and more specialized in learning the magic he sinks into the lust for power and slowly becomes the evil character he wants to overthrow. But it does not end here, because, in the end, the Dark Lord who already knows the secrets of witchcraft including the five spells defeats the hero. Dave manages to illustrate through his poetry, the changing rhythms and changing dynamics of the song, the story of the act. But what's special about this, is that we think it's the only Megadeth's song that deals with fantasy, correct us if we were wrong. The opening track on the other side of the vinyl "Poison Was the Cure" was written by Dave Mustaine about his heroin addiction and the fact that he thought the chemicals would be a "cure" for his problems. What mind-blowing drumming from Menza, especially starting with the short drumming part at 0:55 and the hell that erupts after it with the crazy solos of Marty and Dave. Immediately after that comes "Lucretia" with the scary laughter of the ghost that opens the song, telling of the ghost living in Dave's attic, which every now and then sneaks up on her at night, when everyone is asleep. "Tornado Of Souls" with the amazing opening riff that includes string clogging, was written by Ellefson and Mustaine and talks about ending a morbid relationship. Towards the end of the song, Mustaine tells how he gives the girl the "kiss of death" and all sorts of conspiracy theories have been raised about it. The song features one of the classic and beloved solos in metal, which no doubt earns the nickname "Tornado of Solo" and which even Marty Friedman himself has confirmed, is one of his greatest. Friedman said that when he finished playing the solo for Mustaine for the first time, Dave Mustaine simply kept quiet, got up from his chair, and without saying a word shook Friedman's hand. "Dawn Patrol" refers to global warming and the environment. It is led by Ellefson's amazing bass work and Dave's bizarre singing, which give the song a strange appeal and bizarre twist. The closing song "Rust in Peace ... Polaris" refers directly to the Cold War and nuclear armament, with an explicit mention of the UGM-27 Polaris ballistic missiles that carried a nuclear warhead. The song was originally called "Child Saint" and was originally composed in the early 1980s even before Mustaine joined "Metallica". "Rust in Peace" is a Metal classic, a masterpiece, it's "Megadeth" in its heyday with its classical lineup and amazing playing technique and it's probably also the band's best album. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On September 24, 1975, "Rush" released their third album, "Caress Of Steel". This is the album that almost led to the ending of the band's short career. The album failed commercially and the audience showed a lack of interest in the band, which found itself humiliated when it performed in front of half-empty halls. The band members even joked among themselves that Neil Peart was going to go back to marketing agricultural equipment and Alex Lifeson would go back to being a painter. This album continues the musical change that began with the previous album, which included the band's transition from the heavy rock with blues influences, to heavy progressive rock. The buds of the change in the musical direction were already seen on the previous album, "Fly By Night", which was released about six months earlier. The album featured a four-part mini-piece called "By-Tor & the Snow Dog" and lasted 8:37 minutes, which proved the progressive influences on the band. Geddy, Alex, and Neil wanted to continue with this musical experience that began with the song "By-Tor & the Snow Dog". They further developed the long concept works and included in this ambitious album, not one but two long epics. The first is "The Necromancer" - a three-part work that spread over half of the first side of the album, and the second - "The Fountain of Lamneth" Six parts song spread across the whole second side of the album. These two long pieces were "a little too much" for the audience, who knew "Rush" as a hard rock band and was not yet ready for the radical change in its style. The same audience that was not open enough to new musical directions, eventually "voted" in records stores and caused the album's commercial failure, a failure that ultimately also threatened the band's future. At the same time, this is a very important album in the development of the band, since without "Caress Of Steel" the band would not have produced masterpieces like "2112" and "Hemispheres". "Caress Of Steel" was the band's experimental journey that "Rush" had to go through to develop their next album. The album cover was designed by Hugh Syme, who will become the band's permanent cover designer. The idea was that the album cover would be in a silver color that would match the name of the album (Steel). However, a typo caused the cover to come out gold, a mistake that was not corrected in the later editions either. The album opens with "Bastille Day" and Alex Lifeson's edgy riffs intermittently cut by Lee-Peart's rhythm section, which is synchronized with the atomic clock's fantastic accuracy. It is one of the band's aggressive songs from the classic hard rock era of the 70s, which was also a big hit in their live shows at the time. The song tells of the day when the French mob stormed the Bastille, a move that started the French Revolution. It is interesting to note that this song also influenced the members of "Dream Theater" in choosing the band's first name (Majesty), as Mike Portnoy, who is known as a big fan of "Rush" thought the ending of the song was simply "Majestic". The lead riff in the second song "I Think I'm Going Bald" is reminiscent of the riff of the song "In the Mood" from the band's first album. The song was written for Canadian musician Kim Mitchell who was "Max Webster"'s guitarist and singer. As it is well known, members of "Max Webster" and "Rush" were friends, and Geddy, Alex, and Neil were even featured on one of "Max Webster"'s songs "Battle Scar", a collaboration that triggered the writing of the song "Tom Sawyer". This song features one of the phrases that best characterizes the band, which has continued to evolve and mature musically over the years, but has always done so in its own way. And so the sentence says: "But even when I am gray, I'll still be gray my way". It should be noted that there is another version according to which this song was written as a tribute to the song "Goin' Blind" by the band "Kiss". Support for this version can be found in the book: "Contents Under Pressure: 30 Years of Rush at Home & Away". The third track "Lakeside Park" is a nostalgic song about "Lakeside Park" located in the city of St. Louis. Catharines in Ontario, the area where drummer Neil Peart grew up and worked during the summer vacations. A catchy and fun song about summer, friends, and the pleasures of life, which demonstrates the amazing ability of this band to create a perfect picture of time and place, even if the listener has never visited it. The date of May 24 mentioned in the song is Queen Victoria's Day - which is considered a Canadian holiday. From here we move on to the piece that ends the first side of the album - "The Necromancer". A three-part work that lasts about 12 minutes. Similar to the song "Rivendell" from the previous album, this piece is also influenced by the fantasy books of J. R. R. Tolkien - "Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit". The "Necromancer" is a character of a magician - the sorcerer from "The Hobbit", who also appears in "the Lord of the Rings" books as the character of Sauron. However, "Sauron" in Rush's work is an evil figure who takes over people's minds and souls and empties them of all aspiration and desire. The first part of the work - "Into the Darkness" is a slow and mesmerizing part designed to put us in the atmosphere of the story. Geddy Lee's soothing singing blends in with Lifeson's howling solos slowly rising and piercing the silence of the forest. The three hikers mentioned in the lyrics are actually members of "Rush" who came from the Willowdale neighborhood of Toronto or as mentioned in the song itself: "Three travelers, men of Willow Dale". The three hikers enter "The Necromancer" lands during the second part "Under the Shadow". He leads them to the cellars of his castle to carry out his plot. The third and final part "Return of the Prince" describes the hero's entry from the previous album "By-Tor and the Snow Dog", which destroys the sorcerer in a heroic battle, while Alex Lifeson's guitar solo at the end of the song illustrates the great victory. The entire second side of the vinyl is dedicated to the six-piece work "The Fountain of Lamneth" which is about 20 minutes long. The work chronologically describes an entire life journey of a person who has devoted his entire life to finding "The Fountain of Lamneth", thinking that this is how he will find eternal life. It is a very complex and dynamic piece that proves the young band's desire to experiment and develop musically. Alex Lifeson noted that in this song he even aspired to reach the guitar sound and playing style of guitarist Steve Hackett from "Genesis", especially in the segment "No One at the Bridge". This sincere statement by Alex Lifeson explains why the band chose to go in the ambitious musical direction, as they did on this album. The band members were torn between their love for progressive bands like "Yes" and "Genesis" and their love for the hard rock and blues of "Led Zeppelin", "Cream" and "Blue Cheer" and the reflection of these love is well illustrated on this album. This contrast between the musical styles is probably also the weak point of the album. There is no uniform musical line here, there is experience and dispersal between different styles which made it very difficult for the audience to identify with. It was not complex enough for progressive lovers and not heavy enough for hard rock fans, so it failed commercially. Following the grim failure of this album, "Rush" band members saw the end before their eyes, but in fact, it only marked the beginning. The band received one last chance from the record company, to release a commercial record and the band members take full advantage of it with the epic "2112". So it turned out that after its biggest low point, "Rush" was simply reborn, with a masterpiece that gave them tremendous success and complete creative freedom.! So let's listen to this work that only gets better over the years, because today no one makes such albums. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

"Nevermind", the second studio album of "Nirvana" was released on September 24, 1991. You are invited to another review in the "Class of 91'". series, on the masterpiece albums released in that wonderful year. Many have written and spoken about this album, the revolution it created, the meteoric success it achieved, its tremendous impact, and the alternative tsunami brought with it... an album that tossed Michael Jackson's "Dangerous" from the first place, an album that sold over 30 million copies and during the peak period sold more than 300,000 copies a week. An album that pushed the "Restart" button and rebooted the music world as it was known until the day it was released. An album that pushed the alternative into the heart of the mainstream. An album that unveiled an entire city and placed a monstrous "Xenon" spotlight on it leading to the discovery of other great bands like "Soundgarden", "Alice In Chains" and "Pearl Jam", but not only! Because it also paved the way for bands that operated outside of Seattle, such as "The Smashing Pumpkins" and later "Stone Temple Pilots", as its formidable waves of success resonated outside the United States as well and revolutionized the music world. It's hard to review an album that has been talked about and written about so much, and yet let's open with a small story ... In April 1990, less than a year after the release of their debut album "Bleach", "Nirvana" begins work on their next album. Even then it was clear to them that it was going to be a different album. It will transcend the boundaries of hardcore and punk and include more melodic material. Kurt Cobain saw in front of his eyes a combination of heavy "Power Cords" and distorted guitars mixed with tickling melodies. A kind of combination of the influences on him at that time. Mostly "R.E.M.", "Pixies" and "Melvins". The band members decided to work on their next album with producer Butch Vig, as they really liked the heavy sound he gave to the band "Killdozer" (an American hard rock band from the 80s). They traveled to Wisconsin and began working with him on the new album. They managed to record 8 songs in 5 days until everything went wrong (but for the better). Kurt Cobain's vocal cords started to show fatigue and as soon as they recovered (which took several days), they embarked on an intense 24-day tour in 39 days. After touring, they said goodbye to drummer Chad Channing and decided to use the demos they recorded to find a new record label. Cobain believed that the little record company "Sub Pop" was not right for them and that they needed a bigger company to distribute their music. It was no small matter. As you may recall, "Sub Pop" is the label that was the catalyst attached to the heart of the Grunge scene in Seattle at the time. It was perhaps a smart and quite predictable move for a band that was part of an evolving genre and culture (although no one expected the tsunami that came later), but at the same time, it also makes us wonder what exactly went through Kurt Cobain's mind, as he is known to be very disgusted by success and What it brings with it, so why look for a bigger record company? (Photo: Nevermind booklet) "Nirvana", which was courted by quite a few record companies at the time, eventually signed with "DGC" (owned by Geffen). The recommendation came from an old friend - Kim Gordon, bassist of "Sonic Youth". After signing the contract the band members were determined to start recording, but also feared the pressure and involvement of the big and new record company. The first move taken by "Nirvana" was to reject all of the record company's candidates for the position of producer. They asked to return to work with Butch Vig. Equipped with previous recordings, they went into the mythical studio "Sound City" and started working on the album "Sheep" (yes, yes we did not get confused it was the initially chosen name). Krist Novoselic, Dave Grohl, and Kurt Cobain worked hard on the album, with lots of rehearsals before the recordings, lots of recordings of the vocals, and even last-minute writing. After completing the recordings, the members moved on to the mixing stage (where all the elements are combined: musical instruments, effects, editing, and more). Already in the first stage, they were not satisfied and decided to bring someone else to perform the mix. They received a long and respectable list of candidates from the record company, but for fear of turning the album into something too polished and influenced by the sound of other bands, they simply took the last name on the list, Andy Wallace, who produced "Slayer" albums. Andy did what he knows to do best and with all sorts of special effects and filters, he completed the craft. Butch Vig and Andy Wallace testified that at first, the band members were very happy with the mixes. However, after the album's release, the band members expressed disgust at the processed sound, with Cobain quoted, in a far-reaching statement, saying that when he listen to the album he really feels embarrassed that it is closer to a "Mötley Crüe" album than to the Punk album. (Photo: Kirk Weddle) No matter at what stage in your life you first listened to this album, there is no way you have remained indifferent. It turned you over, kicked you, scratched you off the floor, and played with your guts. This album is full of contrasts and that is what makes it so successful and special. The sound is innovative with elements of retro, the structure of the songs is simple, but also very dynamic and travels between quiet and noisy, the lyrics are sharp and direct, but at the same time vague and fragile and Cobain's voice ranges from clean and smooth to rough and tormented. The album released four successful singles that burned the charts and aired periodically and non-stop on MTV: The opening song of the album "Smells Like Teen Spirit" redefined the world of music and became the anthem of an entire generation, which would later be called Generation X, all in just four chords. The song was written by Kurt Cobain in one moment of anger, after his girlfriend Tobi Vail, from the band "Bikini Kill" dumped him. The title of the song came from graffiti spray-painted by Kathleen Hanna - singer of the band "Bikini Kill", on the wall of Cobain's apartment. She intended to point out the fact that Kurt was “marked now” with the fragrance of his girlfriend's favorite deodorant. The four chords that Kurt chose to wrap the lyrics of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" with, were not innovative, on the contrary, they were recycled chords used in countless rock songs. Cobain noted that he was trying to write a song that sounded like the "Pixies". Even with the rhythm and general feel of the immortal riff, Cobain tried to sound like "More Than A Feeling" by "Boston", which according to his own words was simply cliché. The song did not even have a bridge. But the combination of simplicity, with the roughness and catchy melody, created the "big bang" that changed the face of music forever. To accompany the song, the band filmed a clip whose idea is based on punk rock kids wreaking havoc in high school, a symbol of everything Cobain has despised since his high school days in Aberdeen. Constant broadcasts of the clip on MTV and repeated playbacks on various radio stations will launch "Nirvana," screaming and kicking, straight to the top of the Billboard 200 and into the heart of the mainstream. But it did not end there, this song would put an entire city on the world map, as from that day Seattle became synonymous with the Grunge revolution that took place there. Although this song made the band immortal overnight, most of all it was the trigger for a much bigger revolution than a musical one, a cultural revolution of the X generation. Needless to say, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was ranked No. 9 on Rolling Stone magazine's "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list, it was on the list of the 500 Greatest Songs That Shaped Rock by "Roll Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame" and was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2017. In 2000, the song entered the Guinness Book of Records as the most played song on MTV Europe. The second track from the album "In Bloom" was released as the fourth and final single and was among the eight songs recorded during a five-day meeting with Butch Vig, in April 1990. The original recording included a passage section (bridge) removed by Butch Vig, using a shaving blade on the master's reel. The original plan to release the song as a single was abandoned after drummer Chad Channing left the band. Instead, the band decided to use the song as a demo tape, which was distributed among the music industry to create interest among major record companies. The song was eventually re-recorded at "Sound City" Studios in May 1991. It was one of the first songs to be worked on during the re-recordings, due to Butch Vig's previous acquaintance with it. Like the other songs recorded in April 1990, the arrangement for this song remained almost unchanged, with Dave Grohl's performance remaining very close to the original. It is interesting to note, that Kurt Cobain opposed any kind of effect in the recording of the album, and when Butch Vig tried to get him to double the singing he of course vehemently refused. To get the double layers on the singing channel Butch was forced to deceive Cobain. He made him think that certain parts of the song were not recorded properly and should be done again. He later proved to him that John Lennon had also done so on the Beatles' albums, until finally Cobain relented and agreed to "thicken" his singing roles, in almost every song on the album. But Vig was not content with that, he decided to make drummer Dave Grohl also sing high harmonies, and double them as with Cobain. At first, Grohl had a hard time getting the high notes, but in the end, he managed to sing exactly how Vig asked him to. The third track "Come As You Are" was released as the second single from the album. The all-too-famous riff of the song is taken from the 1984 song "Eighties" by "Killing Joke", just plays a little slower. The members of "Killing Joke" thought of suing "Nirvana" for the "loan", but after the death of Kurt Cobain decided to give up. It should be noted that Kurt Cobain was well aware of the "loan". After the release of the album, the band and the management company debated whether to release "Come as You Are" or "In Bloom" as the second single from the album and Kurt preferred "In Bloom" due to his fears about the resemblance to the "Killing Joke" song. Cobain agreed after the management company convinced him that it was a better decision because of the commercial potential. Producer Butch Vig said it's his favorite track from the album and that Cobain uses here the same effect he used in the song "Smells Like Teen Spirit", one that produces the psychedelic trippy sound that sounds like water. The song "Lithium" was released as the third single from the album. It too was recorded in the first sessions of April 1990 and was one of the reasons why they were discontinued following the loss of Kurt Cobain's voice. It can be said that historically, this song was the trigger for everything that came after. This is the song that created the friction that will eventually lead to the departure of drummer Chad Channing. Cobain was not happy with Channing's drumming in this song and demanded that he performs the drumming he had invented for the song. The tedious work with Channing and the re-recordings left their mark on Kurt Cobain's voice, forcing the band to stop recording. The butterfly effect left starting with the recording of this song continued with the dismissal of Channing and the recruitment of Dave Grohl and later the signing with "DGC" and re-recording of the album thanks to which "Nevermind" sounded as it is. Speaking of "Lithium", then the hidden track at the end of the album "Endless, Nameless", which begins at 13:51, was accidentally recorded due to frustration on the part of Kurt Cobain who failed to perform the guitar parts of the song "Lithium" properly. Butch Vig who did not stop the recording at the end of the song, decided to save it and the album technician Howie Weinberg accidentally added it at the end of the album. But this album is definitely not just the four singles released from it. It has the amazing "Breed" that was originally called "Immodium" - named after the diarrhea drug of Tad Doyle, lead singer of the band "TAD" from Seattle, with whom the band went on tour in 1989, that is when they began to develop the song. There's also the acoustic "Polly" which is the only song where Dave Grohl gets no credit, but former drummer Chad Channing. There are simply no drums in this song but Chad Channing got credit for the one-time cymbals sound. Here you will find nervous and fast-paced punk rock such as "Territorial Pissings" which was written during the mixing stage, with the intro of bassist Krist Novoselic singing an excerpt from the song "Get Together" by "Youngbloods" from 1967. You will also find "Drain You" first recorded during a visit by Dave Grohl and Kurt Cobain at Dale Crover drummer The Melvins's house. Butch Vig indicates that this song has the most guitar layers on the album. The strange sounds during the transition segment beginning at 1:35 of the song are performed by Cobain with a variety of toys, including the use of a rubber duck that would later appear on the back cover of the 1992 "Incesticide" collection. This song also mentions "Smells Like Teen Spirit" with the phrase: "I still smell here on you". The title of the song came from the bass intro at the beginning of the song. The band members thought it was something cheesy lounge bands would play. Kurt admitted the song was written about his ex-girlfriend Tobi Vail. The line "I'll arrest myself, I'll wear a shield" refers to Cobain's tattoo on his shoulder with a kind of shield and the letter K painted on it. The fast-paced and edgy "Stay Away" track that warns us to stay away was originally called "Pay To Play" and ends with the controversial phrase "God is gay" that Cobain spray-painted on a high school classmate's car. "On a Plain" which is nothing less than a song about "songwriting". Cobain finished writing his lyrics right next to the recording so he includes the phrase "What the hell am I trying to say?" And what do you know, the song even ends with Cobain's A-Capella. And there's the mesmerizing "Something in the Way" that was originally electric, with the shaky, creepy cello. You can listen to the electric version in Cobain's 2015 "Montage of Heck: The Home Recordings collection". Kurt wrote the song about his life. He is talking about living under a bridge, which he claims happened when he was kicked out of the house and forced to live under a nearby bridge. Before concluding we will briefly refer to the album cover. The idea was inspired by Cobain's obsession with pregnancy and childbirth (In Utero). Cobain came up with the idea after watching a movie about underwater births, he wanted the album cover to show a picture of real underwater birth, but the record company objected and agreed on a picture of an underwater baby. By the way, the record company tried to censor the penis of the newborn but Cobain insisted and did not agree. The only compromise Cobain agreed to, was to cover the penis with a sticker that read, "If you're offended by this, you must be a pedophile closet." The name of the baby on the album cover is Spencer Elden, who was four months old at the time. The fishing rod and one dollar bill were added to the image afterward. Thirty years after the album's release, Spencer Elden has filed a lawsuit against the band, the photographer, and anyone who co-created the cover for pornography and child exploitation, for not censoring his penis. He demanded 150,000$ from each person sued in this case. His lawsuit was dismissed in 2022, but a federal appeals court reversed that decision in 2023. A judge dismissed the case again in October 2025, and Elden appealed that ruling. (Photo: nirvana.fandom) The back cover of the album consists of a collage of DANTES INFERNO PAINTINGS created by Cobain, the monkey Chim Chim and a blurry and hidden picture of the band "KISS", a band that Cobain admired when he was a teenager. The album "Nevermind" was a huge commercial success. It has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time. In January 1992 it reached number one on the US Billboard 200 and at the same time in 7 other countries. Beyond commercial success, this is one of the most esteemed albums in the history of music and is found in almost every self-respecting rating list. In 2004, the US Library of Congress added the album to the prestigious National Recording Registry, which incorporates a collection of the most culturally and historically influential recordings in America. Now leave everything else and press play: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On September 23, 1991 "Primal Scream" Released their third studio album "Screamadelica", another album from the "Class of 91'" album series that had been praised as one of the best albums of the 1990s. The album marked a significant departure from the band's early indie rock sound. It is more than just an album-it's a cultural time capsule that captures the spirit of an era where musical boundaries were breaking down. The early 90s were a seismic time in music, with genres blending and new sounds emerging from the underground. The year saw the rise of alternative rock like with "Nirvana’s" "Nevermind" on one hand, and with the explosion of electronic music driven by the rave culture across the UK, on the other. Against this backdrop, "Screamadelica" landed as a bold and innovative fusion of rock, psychedelia, house, dub, and acid house, serving as the ultimate genre-defying record of its time. It fused acid house, rock, and gospel in a way that captured the spirit of rave culture while embracing the rebellious energy of rock 'n' roll. One of the most remarkable aspects of "Screamadelica" is its ability to reflect the musical ethos of 1991, a year where scenes collided and new hybrid genres took shape. "Primal Scream", led by Bobby Gillespie, took advantage of the vibrant club scene, particularly the rise of the Madchester movement and the rave culture that was transforming the UK. They teamed up with producers like Andrew Weatherall, whose touch was instrumental in weaving the drug-fueled euphoria of the dance floor into the rock foundation of the band. The result was something that felt both entirely of its moment and radically forward-looking. From the opening track "Movin' on Up," the album signals its expansive vision. The gospel-infused, "Rolling Stones"-esque rock anthem sets a spiritual, uplifting tone, contrasting the dance-heavy electronic textures that dominate later tracks like "Don't Fight It, Feel It" and "Loaded." These latter songs, steeped in house beats and dub basslines, were emblematic of the cross-pollination happening in the music world at the time. Tracks like "Come Together" which is over 10 min song, showcase "Primal Scream's" ability to bring together blissed-out electronic soundscapes with rock sensibilities in a way that feels natural and euphoric. The year 1991 was also significant for its role in pushing the boundaries of what rock could sound like. Albums such as the shoegaze masterpiece "Loveless" by "My Bloody Valentine" and "U2’s" "Achtung Baby" explored new sonic landscapes, and "Screamadelica" fits neatly into this trend, redefining the possibilities for guitar-based bands by embracing modern production techniques. "Primal Scream" succeeded where many rock bands failed at the time-they didn't simply incorporate dance elements; they immersed themselves in it. "Screamadelica" isn’t just an album that nods to the club-it’s one that lives in it, an album as comfortable in a sweaty rave as in a rock concert. Thematically, the album’s freewheeling hedonism is reflective of the early 90s rave scene’s embrace of ecstasy and collective euphoria. Tracks like "Don't Fight It, Feel It" and "Higher Than the Sun" perfectly capture that otherworldly, transcendental feeling that defined both rave culture and the early days of electronic music’s mainstream infiltration. Yet, the album' is not only dance and rave. Tracks like "Damaged", which sound like the "Rolling Stones" give it a depth that prevents it from feeling like a mindless party soundtrack. As the 90s progressed, "Screamadelica" stood as a blueprint for how bands could blend genres in an increasingly fragmented musical landscape. The way it bridged the gap between rock and electronic music laid the groundwork for future acts, foreshadowing the hybrid sound of later electronic rock bands and artists like "The Chemical Brothers" and "Radiohead". In essence, "Screamadelica" was a product of its time, yet it transcended it. It captured the energy of 1991, a year when the lines between rock, pop, and dance music were more blurred than ever before, and showed that these worlds didn’t just coexist—they could flourish together. In doing so, "Primal Scream, created a landmark record that not only defined their career but also marked a turning point in the trajectory of modern music. It will take "Primal Scream" three years to reinvent themselves again with "Give Out but Don't Give Up" which marked a massive departure from the psychedelic sound of "Screamadelica" into an album influenced by classic rock and blues music. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On September 23, 2003, "Limp Bizkit" released its fourth studio album, "Results May Vary". Three years earlier, "Limp Bizkit" had seemed unstoppable. "Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water" had turned the band into an arena-sized force, but cracks were already showing beneath the noise. Now, without the guitarist who had shaped so much of its identity, the band had to prove it could remain itself while finding a new direction. Wes Borland's departure in 2001 left a considerable gap. His strange riffs, unexpected sounds and theatrical instincts were part of the band's personality. After public auditions, former "Snot" guitarist Mike Smith was recruited to take his place. The sessions went through several incarnations, material was replaced, and Fred Durst took on more responsibility and more artistic decisions. Terry Date was among the album's producers, alongside Durst and DJ Lethal. What emerges is a band searching for its direction as it goes. "Eat You Alive" tries to pull listeners straight back into the pit. A grinding guitar, a punishing rhythm and a voice that shifts from a whisper to a threat set the tone. The quieter pauses only sharpen the eruptions. Musically, the band can still hit hard, but the obsessive lyrics and the video featuring Thora Birch make it difficult to dismiss the provocation as harmless fun. "Gimme the Mic" and "Head for the Barricade" carry that energy forward, though at times the anger sounds like an attempt to hold on to a moment that has already passed. "Underneath the Gun" opens up a different space. The guitars breathe, the vocals stretch out, and loneliness finds its way through the gaps left by the noise. In "Almost Over", Durst returns to memories of rejection and ridicule, moving from rap-driven verses toward a more open chorus. Throughout the album, the urge to shout wrestles with the need to say something that a shout cannot conceal. "Build a Bridge", featuring Brian "Head" Welch of "Korn" on guitar, almost completely sets aside the defiance. Acoustic guitar and a warm melody make it feel like a plea. Not every line lands (we already know that lyrics are one of the band's weaknesses), but the feeling underneath is hard to dismiss. Snoop Dogg joins "Red Light-Green Light" and gives its rhythm a more relaxed groove, while "Lonely World" hovers between a soft beat and a sense of alienation. With "Behind Blue Eyes", "Limp Bizkit" took a song by "The Who" and traded its rock drama for a more restrained, personal arrangement. The melody carries Durst's voice somewhere the riffs cannot reach, although the Speak & Spell passage in the middle draws attention away from the pain the performance is trying to build. "Drown" closes the original album sequence in relative quiet, with a weariness that lingers after the outbursts. In that ending, we can hear what lay beneath all the noise. This was more than an attempt to recreate "Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water"; it was a document of a band trying to find its footing again. The album reached No. 3 on the US chart and sold around 325,000 copies in its first week. Those are impressive figures, though far below the peak of its predecessor. Reviews were harsh, and "Results May Vary" remains one of the most divisive albums in "Limp Bizkit"'s catalog. Borland's later return to the band only made his absence here feel more pronounced. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Writer: Moti Kupfer Release date - 23.09.1978 In the very year that "Ramones" began the musical race of their lives, another punk rock band took shape in the same city, New York. It was originally called "Angel and the Snake". Then, one day, while singer Debbie Harry was driving, a truck driver shouted "Hey, Blondie!" at her because of her hair. Some would call it sexist. The band took the name "Blondie", a name that said plenty about the woman at its center. Debbie was born Angela Trimble on July 1, 1945, in Miami, Florida. She was born to a young mother and placed for adoption at three months old. Catherine and Richard Harry of New Jersey adopted her and renamed her Deborah Ann. Debbie grew up in an ordinary family, but she craved excitement and could not settle for an ordinary life. As she later explained, her parents lived the peaceful, happy life that suited them, while she wanted to experience as much as she could and step outside her comfort zone. After studying art at a college in New Jersey, she moved to New York and moved between jobs as a waitress, secretary, go-go dancer and hostess at a "Playboy" club. Her musical career began with singing, acoustic guitar and tambourine in the psychedelic folk group "The Wind in the Willows". She later sang in the all-female group "The Stilettos", which was joined by guitarist Chris Stein. He would later become Debbie Harry's partner. When the group broke up, the two decided to form a band. They initially recruited drummer Billy O'Connor, bassist Fred Smith and guitarist Ivan Kral. But by the spring of 1975, all three had left: Smith replaced Richard Hell in "Television", while Kral joined Patti Smith's band. After further auditions, drummer Clem Burke and bassist Gary Valentine joined, followed by keyboardist Jimmy Destri toward the end of 1975. Like "Ramones", "Blondie" became a regular presence at "Max's Kansas City" and "CBGB". In June 1976, the band released its first single, "X Offender", on "Private Stock". Its debut album followed in December. After opening shows for David Bowie and Iggy Pop, the band moved to "Chrysalis Records". Gary Valentine decided to leave, and Frank Infante, who had previously played alongside Joey Ramone in "Sniper", replaced him on bass. But they owed their first taste of success to luck. On the Australian television show "Countdown", "In the Flesh" was played by mistake instead of "X Offender". The unintended choice became a hit in Australia. Jimmy Destri later joked that the band still thanked host Molly Meldrum for the mistake. The band enjoyed a successful Australian tour in late 1977. In February 1978, it released its second album, "Plastic Letters", strengthening its position as one of the hottest punk and new wave acts, especially in Europe. Yet there is no prophet in his hometown: New York, and the United States more broadly, remained a barrier for "Blondie". At that point, the band decided to replace producer Richard Gottehrer, who had produced its first two albums. While touring the United States in support of "Plastic Letters", the members met Australian producer and songwriter Mike Chapman, who had already enjoyed success with Suzi Quatro, "The Sweet" and "Smokie". It soon became clear that Chapman was pushing the band to sharpen both its playing and its songwriting, drawing out the strengths of each member. His demand for perfection sometimes led to heated arguments and more. At one point, frustrated bassist Nigel Harrison even threw a synthesizer at him. The hard work paid off. On September 23, 1978, "Blondie" released its third studio album, "Parallel Lines". It marked a daring change of direction for a band known for punk rock and new wave: the music moved toward pop and disco without surrendering its punk energy, while making more room for Debbie Harry's softer vocal side. "Blondie" stepped outside its comfort zone on "Heart of Glass". Debbie Harry and Chris Stein had first developed the song years earlier, and it passed through several arrangements before Chapman helped give it the disco beat and electronic sound that made it a hit. At a time when "Saturday Night Fever" had taken over the world, the band brought the dance floor together with its own new wave spirit. The album's first single in the UK was "Picture This", a sharp pop song full of longing and images of photographs and memory. Its polished production gives Debbie Harry's voice room to sound intimate and tender. On "Hanging on the Telephone", "Blondie" covered a song by the power pop band "The Nerves", written by member Jack Lee. According to Lee, the band's recording arrived at a time when he was struggling financially. Chapman suggested adding the telephone ring at the beginning, and the band turned the suspense of an unanswered call into a concentrated burst of guitars, drums and Debbie Harry's urgent voice. With "One Way or Another", the roles reverse: Debbie Harry wrote it after an ex-partner stalked her, an experience that forced her to leave New Jersey. She turned that threatening feeling into a biting, irresistible song that became the album's final single in the United States. "Sunday Girl", written by Chris Stein, sounds like a sweet love song, but it was also born of missing Debbie Harry's cat, "Sunday Man", who had run away. Beneath its light melody lies a small, quiet sadness. Inspiration can come from anywhere. For "Pretty Baby", it came from the film of the same name starring a young Brooke Shields. The film tells the difficult story of a girl growing up in a brothel. The song also invites a reading about the way girls and women are reduced to objects in the eyes of others. "Parallel Lines" gave "Blondie" the breakthrough it had been waiting for. Its songs made Debbie Harry and her bandmates international stars, but the album's power also lies in its union of punk, pop and disco: a combination that sounds utterly natural only because the band dared to make it. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or subscribe to our website

On September 23, 1983, "Kiss" released their 11th studio album, "Lick It Up". The album marks a significant turning point for "Kiss", as it's the first album where the band fully embraced their unmasked identity. Before its 1983 release, the band members appeared on MTV without their trademark make-up. It was the first public appearance without make-up by the band. It was also the first album not to feature Ace Frehley as a band member nor on the album cover. As well known, Ace Frehley had appeared on the "Creatures of the Night" cover, despite having already left the band and not being involved in the recording of the album, While Vinnie Vincent contributed lead guitar to six songs from it. This album was a bold move following the commercial and critical decline of their previous records. The shedding of their iconic makeup signified a rebirth, and "Lick It Up" played a major role in reviving their career. Musically, the album fits squarely within the glam metal and hard rock aesthetic of the early '80s, featuring powerful riffs, thundering drums (the heavy reverb on Carr's drums was a unique sound not previously heard on earlier "Kiss" albums), and anthemic choruses. It's a continuation of the sound developed on "Creatures of the Night", but with a cleaner, more polished production. Vinnie Vincent, who co-wrote many of the songs and played lead guitar, brought fresh energy to the band's sound, particularly in his explosive guitar solos. The title track, "Lick It Up," is the undisputed highlight, with its catchy, singalong chorus and straightforward rock groove. It's one of the few tracks from the non-makeup era that became a "Kiss" classic, regularly featured in their live shows to this day. It is a staple of the band's live performances. "Kiss" has performed the song over 1,500 times as of June 2023, making it one of the group's top ten most-played pieces. Songs like the opening track "Exciter" (featuring a guitar solo from Rick Derringer), "Young and Wasted" and "Fits Like A Glove", showcase "Kiss’s" heavier side, with Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons delivering some of their best vocal performances. "All Hell's Breakin' Loose" (which all four members wrote) adds a slightly quirky, rap-influenced vocal delivery from Stanley, making it one of the more unique tracks on the album. Vinnie Vincent's contributions are also evident in "A Million to One," which brings a more melodic and emotional side to "Kiss's" sound, balancing the heavier moments with its heartfelt lyrics. The album’s overall vibe is unapologetically raw, embodying the hard rock excess of the time. While "Lick It Up" might not reach the critical heights of their '70s classics like "Destroyer" or "Love Gun", it succeeded in re-establishing "Kiss" as relevant players in the rock scene, especially during the rise of glam metal. The record is fun, riff-heavy, and full of attitude - just what "Kiss" needed to break out of their slump. Ultimately, "Lick It Up" helped "Kiss" transition into their next phase while maintaining the rebellious spirit that fans love. It introduced "Kiss" to a new generation of fans, as well as marking the beginning of the "unmasked" era. It was certified gold, being the first "Kiss" album to achieve that since 1980's "Unmasked". 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 - 23.09.1970 “They had to go out and play shows to make a living. They worked 300 days a year. So they would simply go into the studio, record a few songs and move on to the next show,” producer Tom Dowd recalled. Dowd was in demand by “The Allman Brothers Band” to produce their debut album, released at the end of 1969, but fate had it that he was busy then producing the soul film “Soul to Soul”. The film documented the “Soul to Soul” concert in Ghana, a celebration of African music and culture. It featured a wide range of leading American soul and funk artists, including Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Ray Charles and Tina Turner. The Allmans did not waste time. A few months later, Dowd produced their second album, “Idlewild South”, released on 23 September 1970. Because of the band’s packed schedule, the album was recorded gradually over five months in different cities, including New York, Miami and Macon, Georgia, the band’s adopted home. The material presented on “Idlewild South” was written during that period and tested on the road. The album’s title came from the nickname the band gave to a rural cabin they rented for rehearsals and parties. It was something like a hunting cabin. At the back of the house was a porch built above an artificial lake of perhaps five or six acres. The Allman Brothers used it as a rehearsal space and as a place to take a break from recording. Roadie Kim Payne recalled: “There was a pact made around a campfire, everybody for one and one for everybody. Everyone believed in the band one hundred percent.” According to Linda Oakley, bassist Berry Oakley’s wife, the band held a New Year’s Eve party before 1970, where they joined together in a chorus of “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” at midnight. “It was a defining moment, and a testament to love,” she said. Much of the material on the album came from the cabin. The album contains two of the band’s best-known songs, “Midnight Rider”, written by Gregg Allman, who shared the credit with their roadie Robert Kim Payne for the line “And the road goes on forever”. The two ran from the band’s equipment-storage room to the nearby studio to try to record their new ideas on tape. They actually had to break in because no ladder could be found and the room was locked. Thus, the first demo of “Midnight Rider” featured only Gregg Allman, Payne, Jai Johanny Johanson and Twiggs Lyndon on bass. Oakley arrived later and recorded backing vocals, while Duane Allman, who was playing alongside Eric Clapton on “Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs”, later completed both “Midnight Rider” and “Revival”, written by Dickey Betts. “He lit a fire in everyone he worked with,” Butch Trucks later said of Duane Allman. “And that’s what he did to us. He really was a kind of messiah.” Duane Allman and his younger brother Gregg grew up in Daytona Beach, Florida, after moving there from their birthplace, Nashville, Tennessee, in 1959. Duane and Gregg befriended a young Black man named Floyd Miles, and the three spent their time in local rhythm and blues clubs, where they joined jam sessions with several bands. Miles later recalled: “Gregg was a long-haired musician, so he was a freak. And I’m Black. We both knew what it was like to be discriminated against, and that is probably why we got along so well. We had each other and we had the music.” The brothers formed and performed in several local rock groups, including “The Escorts” and “The Hour Glass”. Duane returned to develop a career as a studio musician in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, while Gregg remained in Los Angeles, bound by contractual commitments with Liberty, which believed he could pursue a solo career. The two separated but gathered again in Miami, recording an album-length demo with “The 31st of February”, a band that included drummer Butch Trucks. At FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Duane became the principal session guitarist, recording with artists such as Aretha Franklin and King Curtis. FAME signed Duane to a five-year recording contract, and he put together a band that included drummer Johnny Sandlin and keyboardist Paul Hornsby. Duane added Jai Johanny Johanson after hearing him play drums on a demo of Jackie Avery’s songs, and the two moved into a house on the Tennessee River. Allman invited bassist Berry Oakley to play with the new band. The two had met at a club in Macon, Georgia, some time before and quickly became friends. There was immediate chemistry in the band, and Duane’s vision of a connected, synchronized group that could change tempo, style or key in the middle of a song almost blindly, with two lead guitarists and two drummers, began to come true. Meanwhile, Phil Walden, who had managed Otis Redding and several other R&B acts, was looking to expand into rock. Rick Hall, owner of FAME, was frustrated by the band’s recording methods and offered their recorded songs and contract to Walden and Atlantic’s Jerry Wexler, who bought them for $10,000. Walden intended the new band to be the heart of his new Atlantic-distributed label, “Capricorn”. Duane and Johanson moved to Jacksonville, Florida, in early March 1969. He invited anyone who wanted to join jam sessions that gave birth to “The Allman Brothers Band”. Dickey Betts, leader of Oakley’s previous group “Second Coming”, became the band’s second guitarist, while Butch Trucks became the second drummer of the new group. “Idlewild South”, now regarded as a high point of Southern rock, heralded the arrival of the figure who would save “The Allman Brothers Band”. Gregg Allman wrote most of the songs, and the distinctive guitar of band leader Duane Allman gives the album its unique sound. But “Idlewild South” also marked the moment Dickey Betts emerged as the band’s next songwriter, including “Revival”, which opened the album and gave the band its first charting single. His emotional “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” offered a soulful moment, while the band’s reworking of Muddy Waters’ classic “Hoochie Coochie Man” was originally evidence of bassist Berry Oakley’s collaboration with Betts before the Allman Brothers era, in a band called “Second Coming”. All this was a foundational moment for Betts, who assumed a central role in keeping “The Allman Brothers Band” together after Duane Allman’s death in a motorcycle accident. The title of “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed”, Betts said, came to him during one of his regular writing sessions in a cemetery in Macon, Georgia, where he noticed the name of the late Elizabeth Reed. He used the name from her gravestone as the song’s title because he did not want to reveal who it was really written about, a woman with whom he was having an affair and who was dating singer Boz Scaggs. Duane Allman and Berry Oakley are buried in the same cemetery as Elizabeth Reed Napier. It was the Allman Brothers Band’s first original instrumental. After the recording process, Duane was invited to join Eric Clapton and his new band, “Derek and the Dominos”, in recording their debut album, “Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs”. Clapton later formally invited Allman to join the band, but he declined, expressing his loyalty to the Allman Brothers members and to the musical concept that gave birth to the group. About a year after the release of “Idlewild South”, Duane Allman set out on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle, a ride from which he did not return, less than a month before his 25th birthday. 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"The Boss" is celebrating his birthday today and we have 30 interesting facts to tell you about him: (Photo: Flickr) 1. He was born in New Jersey on September 23, 1949, as Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen. 2. He was the eldest of three children and grew up in a working-class Catholic Christian family. 3. The moment he realized he wanted to pursue music was when he was 7 and watched Elvis Presley on "The Ed Sullivan Show". 4. He started playing guitar shortly afterward when his mother Adele rented him a guitar for $6 a week. He bought his first guitar when he was 13 for 18.95$. By the time he was 16, he had already received from his mother his first serious guitar. She had to take a loan to buy it. The story of the purchase is described in the song "The Wish", from the "Tracks" box released by Springsteen in 1998. 5. The first song he learned to play on the guitar was "Twist and Shout" by "the Beatles". 6. He was nicknamed "The Boss" in the late 1960s when he was part of the "Earth" band, since he managed the band's logistics and financial affairs. 7. From 1969 he was part of the band "Steel Mill" together with Danny Federici, Vini Lopez, and later also Steven Van Zandt and Robin Thompson. The band members, accompanied by saxophonist Clarence Clemons, went on to become the famous "E Street Band" in 1972 and will accompany Springsteen throughout his career. (Photo: Lynn Goldsmith) 8. His first album "Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J", was released in 1973. The one who was the recording technician on the album was producer Louis Lahav. 9. Lahav will continue to accompany Bruce until 1975 when he also serves as a soundman during his performances and also enlists his wife Tzruya (Suki) Lahav to play violin with Springsteen. 10. The Lahav couple also accompanied Springsteen on the masterpiece album "Born To Run" when Tzruya even played the violin in the song "Jungleland". It was also Springsteen's breakthrough album that made him the first musician to be featured on the cover of the two successful magazines "Time" and "Newsweek" in the same week in 1975. 11. By the way, the song "Born To Run" is the most played in Springsteen's performances. To date, it has been played 1,745 times. 12. Believe it or not but following the success of the album Springsteen bought his first car - the "1950 Corvette". The car is on display today at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (Photo: Frank Stefanko) 13. In 1976, the Lahav couple and Bruce Springsteen parted ways. Rumor has it that the reason was an affair that developed between Tzruya Lahav and Bruce Springsteen, for which Tzruya asked Louis Lahav to return to Israel to save their marriage. 14. In 1976 after a performance in Memphis, Bruce, who so admired Elvis Presley, tried to sneak into his Graceland estate and was caught. Later, in 1977, he wrote the song "Fire" for Elvis. He sent him a demo tape of the song in the hope he will perform it, but Elvis died shortly afterward and Bruce never found out if he liked the song or not. Bruce eventually gave the song to Robert Gordon, and the "Pointer Sisters" would make it a hit in 1979. 15. This was the third consecutive song that Springsteen wrote and became a hit by other artists. The first was "Blinded by the Light" performed by "Manfred Mann's Earth Band" in 1977 and the second was "Because the Night" performed by Patti Smith in 1978. Of course, Manfred Mann performed cover versions of two other Bruce songs: "Spirit in the Night "and" For You ". 16. Another sign that illustrates Bruce's appreciation for Elvis is the fact that on the cover of the 1975 album "Born to Run", he was photographed with a button of Elvis fan club in New York attached to his guitar strap. 17. He originally wrote the song "Hungry Heart" from the album "The River" for the "Ramones". In 1979 he met Joey Ramone who asked him to write a song for his band. Bruce wrote, "Hungry Heart" intending to give it to Ramones, but eventually stayed with it on the recommendation of his manager. 18. His most successful album was "Born in the U.S.A", which was released in 1984. It produced 7 hits that entered the top 10 and sold 30 million copies, 15 million of them in the US alone. 19. Actress Courtney Cox from the TV series "Friends", appears in Springsteen's music video for the song "Dancing in the Dark", he took her on stage and danced with her. 20. In 1989 he disbanded the "E Street Band" and gave each member 2$ million. In March 1992 he released two solo albums on the same day "Lucky Town" and "Human Touch". 21. In 1993 he won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for writing and performing the song "Streets of Philadelphia", which was included in the movie "Philadelphia" starring Tom Hanks. 22. In 1999 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The one who gave the induction speech was none other than Bono from U2. Springsteen returned the favor 6 years later, when in 2005 he gave the U2 induction speech to the Hall of Fame. 23. In 1999 an asteroid in the solar system was named after him - "23990 Springsteen". That same year the astronauts on the space shuttle "Discovery" chose to wake up every morning with his song "Rendezvous". 24. There is a radio channel called "E Street Radio" that plays Springsteen's songs 24/7. 25. Springsteen is an avid Harry Potter admirer. He even wrote a song for one of the movies, but due to JK Rowling's tough policy of not putting commercial songs in Harry Potter movies, Springsteen's song was rejected. 26. In 2008, Springsteen was named one of the "100 Most Influential People in the World" by Time Magazine. 27. In 2009 he again won the Golden Globe Award for the song "The Wrestler" which was included in the soundtrack of the film of the same name. 28. On August 31, 2006, Springsteen broke the record for the longest rock performance ever in the United States. The show was held in New Jersey and lasted 4 hours and one minute. By the way, his long performance outside the US was held in Helsinki in 2012 and lasted 4 hours and 6 minutes. 29. Bruce has released to date 21 studio albums, 23 live albums, and 7 EPs, of which 71 different singles have been released, an unimaginable amount by all means. 30. During his long career, Bruce has collaborated with dozens of different artists, including Tom Morello, Lou Reed, Eddie Vedder, Roy Orbison, Graham Parker, Donna Summer, Emmylou Harris, and more and more... * In April 2023, the governor of New Jersey declared 9/23 as "Bruce Springsteen Day". "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website