We are happy to celebrate the album "One Day Remains" by the band "Alter Bridge" which was released on August 10, 2004. You are probably familiar with the nickname of the first episode of a new TV series, it is called "Pilot". In the pilot, there are usually one or two famous actors, the concept of the series is a bit familiar from other series or movies, and the production and directing do not really belong to big names. This one is a little bit different !! We really loved the previous series ("Creed") and also the main actors (one of them celebrated their birthday yesterday), we know how to recite the lyrics and even shed a tear in the drama scenes when the main actor welcomes us "with arms right open". So why the hell was the lead actor (Scott Stapp) replaced, the "characters" of the other actors and so was the "plot" ??? We are sure that this is what the audience, critics, and other friends who loved "Creed" felt. What now?? Doing a spinoff of something that ended just a year ago? Well... for sure it's not !! This is a completely new series, which gives actors more freedom to express themselves because they aren't in the shadow of the main famous actor, and they have a leading talent who knows how to take them to new heights. (Photo: promediabank.com) This "Alter Bridge" album is exactly this "pilot" and that's how it was created. In the same year when "Creed" members announced their breakup, this debut album by Alter came out! Already around the year, 2000 things started to bubble up in "Creed", disagreements mainly between singer the band leader Scott and the rest of the band intensified and this became even more valid with the departure of Brian Marshall when in 2004 they announced that they were disbanding (although they returned for another album "Full Circle" released In 2009). It's not that simple to break up a package with a winning formula after three successful albums, three Grammy nominations, and one Best Rock Song win in 2001, especially when in addition they have a large and devoted fan base. Our special friend, the "The Texas Chainsaw" Mark Tremonti was determined to continue to form and create a new band, and together with the other members of "Creed", they were looking for a singer... Three years earlier (in another dimension) the second album of the band "The Mayfield Four" was released after the commercial failure of their first album (but a great success by the critics and musicians) this album also did not really succeed and the end has already begun to give its signals. The band's founder and lead singer Myles Kennedy drowned in depression following his band's failure and returned to teaching guitar, which he did just before founding the band. Some say this is also the reason for his refusal when he received an offer from "Velvet Revolver" (not sure if Slash or Matt approached him) but he refused, yes... yes... he refused the Guns lineup !! Anyway, he refused Slash and Matt but when Tremonti approached him a year later, he said yes !! (And how glad we are that he said yes) In the fall of 2003, the three band members sent Myles three demos and asked him to record vocals for them, this was actually the beginning of Myles' audition. He sent them the song "Broken Wings" and the three didn't wait another moment and flew the new guy to Orlando on January 2, 2004. On January 4, 2004, the four entered a rehearsal room for the first time and started playing together. (Photo: wallpapaerflare.com) The band members began working on their debut album, with Tremonti bringing to the studio almost all of the music and about half of the lyrics and Myles completing the other lyrics. And here you have a "pilot" album ready. How simple and easy! Although it sound simple and easy it was much harder!! Everyone expected to get "Creed", these are the same musicians! Ok, you replaced the main "actor" but it should be the same?! "Creed" members were exposed to pressure not only from fans but also from producers, executives, and record companies. Everyone demanded "Creed" and the band to return to Scott. Imagine how difficult it was for a new actor to join a "cast" that everyone knows and loves when apart from the same cast no one wants him. But unlike what happened on the outside, this bonding was so natural and amazing that the band members did not let any outside pressures dictate the way for them and they released this album the same year they announced "Creed" breakup as mentioned. So everyone who expected to get "Creed", got a whole new and completely different band. This album is special for a lot of reasons, let's start with the fact that we undoubtedly feel that there is a moving touch here, but Tremonti here gives his creativity a complete freedom that is not dictated by anyone (especially not by people who think they are in the image of Messiah). The riffs and guitar sound sometimes feel like grunge, sometimes heavy metal, and sometimes melodic hard rock. Myles brings an amazing vocal talent and presents the songs with caresses, roars, assertiveness, and full synchronization with Tremonti. There are also good performances by Brian on bass and Scott Phillips on drums but they are not prominently expressed throughout the album. Aside from being a talented singer, Myles is also a guitarist by grace but does not perform guitars on this album, at least not getting credit for it, unlike what happens on the band's future albums. The album brings a number of songs that make up the band's base in terms of sound, melody, and lyrics. The song “One Day Remains” which begins with Tremonti's "dance" and the rhythm of Brian and Scott is one of the band's foundations. Continue to "Open Your Eyes" which is one of the most exciting on the album and an integral part of the band's stylist in performances, with a melodic and catchy structure that makes you want to sing out loud. The song "Metalingus" is one of the most prominent songs on the album and one of the band's hallmarks at the beginning, although it was not released as a single, it became the theme song of the wrestler "The Edge". It is something completely new that feels like a piece all band members have wanted to create for a long time and failed with their previous lineup, with Myles as we said performing amazingly with scary lows and frightening highs. Moving on to the most moving song on the album (in our opinion yes!) “Broken Wings”, Tremonti’s fret with the text and voice of Myles showing here that this is just the beginning of the amounts of emotion we are going to get from it is just an amazing opening shot. If that's not enough then there is another little thrill "In Loving Memory" that totally breaks you down. One of our most moving songs in recent years as it has a personal pedigree, a song that embraces our lost loved ones and says goodbye to them as it promises not to be forgotten. But with the song "Watch Your Words" you already know... while in the Tremonti language "The Sawmill from Texas" (we invented it) drops "bombs" that have been boiled down somewhere in the metal cellars, Brian and Scott carry it on their shoulders and Myles like a huge giant lead you towards the horizon, it happens... a small smile slowly expands on your face with the internalization of the insight that there is something new, exciting, kicking, aggressive and amazing. If until now there were doubts or uncertainties, now you already know this is it !! So in honor of the end, we will have an apocalyptic song that also clearly characterizes the sound of the band "The End Is Here", "Here you have found the answers for the rest of your life..." We know that a lot of the band's fans were not really exposed to this album, especially because the second album "Blackbird" is the one that was the band's breakthrough and brought it to international success, we are convinced that there is even a chance it is not in your arsenal. In honor of the 20th anniversary of the album, the band shared the demo of the song "Broken Wings". This is the first song the three Creed veterans played together with their new singer Myles Kennedy on January 4, 2004. So it's not too late, this is a good opportunity to go back and listen to the album from which it all started because today we already know who Alter Bridge is and we're just crazy about them !! 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 August 9, 1968, the album "Wheels of Fire", the third album by the band "Cream", was released in England (and on June 14 in the USA). Beyond the fact that this album is probably the the band's best work that has been included in "Rolling Stone" magazine's 500 greatest albums of all time, it is historically the first double album in the world to have received platinum status (over a million units) in sales. The first record consists of songs recorded at the studio in late 1967, while the second vinyl was recorded at live performances at "Fillmore West" and "Winterland Ballroom" in San Francisco, in early 1968. This is a more ambitious and experimental project of the amazing trio of Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce. The band here is one step further than what they did on previous albums, with complex compositions and asymmetrical time signatures on the one hand and expanding to new genres like jazz while using additional musical instruments like brass and string instruments, on the other. The material for the studio record consists of two covers of blues songs chosen by Eric Clapton, along with original material written by two duos. The first duo, are lead bassist and singer Jack Bruce who co-wrote with lyricist Pete Brown four of the studio tracks, while the second duo consisted of drummer Ginger Baker who co-wrote three more songs with musician Mike Taylor. During the sessions for the album Clapton wrote the song "Anyone for Tennis", which was released as a single and also entered the soundtrack of the movie "The Savage Seven". The song also went into the later extended versions released of the album. (Photo: George Stroud) The album includes one of the band's greatest song "White Room", which is the opening track that was also released as a single and reached number six on the US charts and became the band's biggest hit. The song began with a section by Jack Bruce based on the chords in the song "Tales of Brave Ulysses" from the band's previous album. The lyrics were written by Pete Brown who also helped Jack Bruce write the hit "Sunshine Of Your Love". Drummer Ginger Baker was the one who devised the opening rhythm, but he did not receive credit for it. Clapton uses the Wah-Wah effect under the influence of Jimi Hendrix. He reached the second place for it, in the greatest Wah-Wah songs of all time by "Guitar" magazine. By the way, in the first place was chosen "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" by Jimi Hendrix from which Eric Clapton was influenced. Immediately after that comes the cover version of "Sitting on Top of the World" known from Howlin' Wolf. This is a particularly heavy version whose effects and guitar sounds will be heard a year later by Jimmy Page playing on Led Zeppelin's debut album. "Passing the Time" was written by the duo Ginger Baker and Mike Taylor is made up of three sections that were joined together. It opens with a strange drumming with vocal harmonies, from there we move on to a quiet and psychedelic section that includes organ and viola, with the third section being rhythmic and "rockish", after which everything dissipates to the second quiet section that leads us to the end of the song. The psychedelic line continues with "As You Said" a track by the duo Jack Bruce and Peter Brown finishing the first side of the vinyl to the sounds of an acoustic guitar and viola played by Felix Pappalardi. A magical and beautiful piece whose acoustic playing reminds us again what "Led Zeppelin" will sound a few years later. The other side of the vinyl on the first album opens with Baker and Taylor's song "Pressed Rat and Warthog" which includes a recitation of Baker's which he initially intended for his daughter, but eventually performed himself. "Politician" is one of the most beautiful on the album. A classic "Creamy" blues-rock song, with a mesmerizing riff and guitar sentences recorded on two different channels and hover above between the speakers in the stereo mix. We continue with the rock line with "Those Were the Days" which includes drums and amazing percussion by Baker and beautiful vocal harmonies by Clapton and Bruce, which even reminded us at times of "Gentle Giant". "Born Under a Bad Sign" is the second cover version on the studio album. A song written by Booker T. Jones and William Bell and performed by Albert King among others. It is strange that although this is a song that Clapton chose for the album, he is not the one who sang it, especially since there are rumors that the bass line, which is complex and different from the rhythm of the singing, made it very difficult for Jack Bruce to sing. The studio album ends with "Deserted Cities of the Heart" perhaps the best song on the other side of the vinyl featuring a wild rhythm where the rock blends with a bit of folk and even jazz with an amazing bass work by Jack Bruce. As for the live album, it features 4 songs carefully selected by producer Felix Pappalardi, who also plays on a number of instruments on the studio album, such as viola, organ and trumpet. The songs were selected from six different performances recorded at "Fillmore West" and the "Winterland Hall" in San Francisco. In the selection of song, Papaldi tried to balance the inflated egos of each of the three members of the band. "Traintime" was chosen to highlight Jack Bruce with his harmonica solo playing, while "Toad" was designed to "lift" Ginger Baker with the drum solo included, significantly longer than the studio version from the album "Fresh Cream". Eric Clapton, on the other hand, received the classic blues tracks "Spoonful" and "Crossroads" whose insane performance in the show became synonymous with "Guitar God" and was used for the guitar festival inaugurated by Clapton in 1999, as well as the box name he released in 1988 and includes the best repertoire from all periods and lineups in his career. It is interesting to note that Eric Clapton actually thought that the specific performance of the song, which was not edited at all, was not good enough. "Cream"'s performance of this song particularly influenced Geddy Lee bassist of "Rush", who noted that Jack Bruce's playing and his improvisations on the Gibson EB3 guitar in this song, not only made him want to play bass guitar, but to play bass on a power trio. Of course, "Rush" will later perform their own cover version of the song, which was included on their "Feedback" EP. This album also marked the beginning of the end of the formidable supergroup. Shortly after completing the recordings of the album, the members of "Cream" decided that they wanted to go on separate ways. At the request of the label, they went on a final tour in late 1968, when almost the entire set played on it included songs from the double album "Wheels of Fire". The record company's pressures led the Power Trio to release one last album called "Goodbye", another one which is a hybrid of live and studio material, which came out in early 1969, after the band had already disbanded. 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On August 9, 2005, "Staind" released their fifth studio album "Chapter V". By 2005, "Staind" had reached an interesting point in their evolution. The suffocating heaviness that defined their early records had gradually given way to the more melodic and introspective approach of "Break the Cycle" and "14 Shades of Grey". The latter pushed the band particularly far toward post grunge accessibility, placing melody and Aaron Lewis's emotional writing ahead of sheer aggression. "Chapter V" does not reverse that progression, but it does restore some of the physical weight that its predecessor occasionally lacked. The recording of "Chapter V" marked the first time "Staind" worked with producer David Bottrill, whose résumé already included albums by "Tool", "King Crimson" and Peter Gabriel. Recorded during the period following the extensive touring behind "14 Shades of Grey", the album was made with the established lineup of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Aaron Lewis, lead guitarist Mike Mushok, bassist Johnny April and drummer Jon Wysocki. Bottrill also handled the mix, and his production helped give the record a denser, more forceful character than its predecessor while preserving the melodic clarity that had become central to the band's sound. The result feels less like a retreat to the aggression of early "Staind" than an attempt to bring heavier guitar textures back into the increasingly polished songwriting the group had developed across its previous two records. "Run Away" immediately announces that "Staind" have rediscovered some muscle. Mushok's guitar work carries more bite than much of "14 Shades of Grey", while Wysocki and April give the verses a thick, grounded pulse. Lewis remains unmistakably Lewis, wounded, withdrawn and emotionally exhausted, but the music surrounding him is less passive. The chorus opens the arrangement without sacrificing its tension, establishing one of the album's central strengths: heaviness and melody are no longer fighting for space. Then comes "Right Here", the album's most obvious single and one of its most carefully constructed songs. Mushok's restrained guitar figure leaves enough room for Lewis to control the verses, while the chorus expands naturally rather than simply becoming louder. Lewis delivers the song with the weary conviction that became his trademark, but there is more composure here than on earlier records. Instead of exploding, he sounds like someone trying desperately to hold a collapsing relationship together. That restraint gives the song its power. "Paper Jesus" provides the necessary counterweight. It is darker, heavier and considerably more abrasive, driven by one of Mushok's strongest riffs on the record. The guitars grind rather than shimmer, Lewis pushes his voice harder and the structure keeps returning to tension instead of searching immediately for radio sized release. This is where "Chapter V" comes closest to reconnecting the melodic "Staind" of the early 2000s with the hostility buried inside their older material. That contrast becomes one of the album's defining characteristics. "Schizophrenic Conversations" turns inward again, using quieter passages to create a claustrophobic mood before the band expands around Lewis. The title captures the nature of his writing particularly well. These songs often feel less like statements than arguments conducted inside one person's head. Lewis repeatedly shifts between accusation, guilt, dependence and self examination, and the band's loud and quiet dynamics mirror those changes. "Falling" is more direct. Mushok builds the track around a muscular guitar foundation while Wysocki gives it a firm rhythmic push, allowing the chorus to land with considerably more force. Lewis sounds increasingly agitated as the song develops, and the arrangement understands when to let that frustration breathe rather than covering every space with distortion. It is accessible, certainly, but it retains enough grit to prevent the polish from becoming harmless. The album grows darker through "Cross to Bear" and "Devil". The former is compact and confrontational, its riff giving Lewis a harder surface against which to deliver the vocal, while "Devil" stretches the tension further. At five minutes, it is the longest track on the standard edition, and the additional space matters. Instead of chasing an immediate hook, the band allows atmosphere and repetition to do the work. There is, however, a limitation to this approach. Lewis's emotional vocabulary is intensely recognizable by this stage of the band's career. Guilt, resentment, isolation and damaged relationships remain his natural territory, and when the musical arrangements become too restrained, the distinctions between songs can narrow. "Chapter V" works best when Mushok's guitar language or Wysocki's rhythmic attack creates friction around the vocal rather than simply supporting it. "Everything Changes" demonstrates why the softer side of "Staind" can still succeed. The song does not need a particularly complicated arrangement because its strength lies in escalation. Lewis begins from a position of regret, and the band gradually increases the emotional pressure around him. The chorus is broad without becoming excessively sentimental, making it one of the record's most effective examples of the band's post grunge songwriting instincts. By "King of All Excuses", some of the bitterness has returned. The song has a sharper attitude and benefits from the contrast between Lewis's vocal phrasing and the heavier guitar attack. It is also a reminder that "Staind" are more convincing when their melancholy contains resistance. Pure resignation can flatten their music. Anger gives it shape. The closing "Reply" chooses reflection instead. Rather than ending with the band's heaviest statement, "Staind" pull the record back toward intimacy. It works because "Chapter V" has spent much of its running time balancing those two identities: the heavy band that emerged from the late 1990s alternative metal scene and the enormously successful melodic rock band they had become. That balance is ultimately what separates "Chapter V" from "14 Shades of Grey". It does not abandon the accessible songwriting that brought "Staind" a much larger audience, nor does it pretend the band can simply return to its earliest aggression. Instead, it integrates both sides more effectively. Mushok sounds more present, the rhythm section carries greater weight, and Lewis is given enough space to remain the emotional center without reducing every arrangement to a vehicle for his voice. "Chapter V" is not a radical reinvention, and its consistency can occasionally become predictability. But it is a stronger record than that criticism suggests. Its best songs understand exactly what made "Staind" distinctive: unusual guitar textures, controlled dynamics, a rhythm section capable of turning restraint into pressure and a vocalist whose limitations are inseparable from his strengths. Lewis lives inside a narrow emotional room, but when the rest of the band starts pushing against its walls, "Staind" can still sound enormous. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On August 3, 2011, "Trivium" released their fifth studio album "In Waves". Few modern metal bands have spent as much of their early career battling expectations as Trivium. After the technical ambition of "Shogun", the Florida quartet faced the challenge of following an album many fans still regard as untouchable. Rather than attempting to outdo its predecessor's progressive excesses, "In Waves" chose a more direct route. It is heavier than "The Crusade", leaner than "Shogun", and ultimately became the record that redefined Trivium's identity for the next decade. With Matt Heafy handling lead vocals and guitar alongside Corey Beaulieu's razor-sharp lead work, Paolo Gregoletto's muscular bass lines, and newcomer Nick Augusto behind the kit, the chemistry feels refreshed. Augusto's arrival injects urgency into every performance, delivering relentless double-kick precision without sacrificing groove. Producers Colin Richardson and Martyn "Ginge" Ford give the album a polished but aggressive production that allows every riff to breathe without softening its impact. The recording of "In Waves" reflected Trivium's desire to sharpen rather than reinvent their sound. The band tracked the album at Paint It Black Studios in Altamonte Springs, Florida, and Audiohammer Studios in nearby Sanford, working with producers, whose resumes already included landmark releases by Machine Head, Carcass and Bullet for My Valentine. Richardson and Ford pursued a highly detailed production, with engineer Carl Bown overseeing the sessions and Michael "Elvis" Baskette handling additional vocal recording. The result is a remarkably tight performance in which every layered rhythm guitar, harmonized lead and Nick's precise drumming remains distinct without sacrificing the album's crushing weight. After recording in Florida, the album was mixed at Treehouse Studio in Derbyshire, England, before Ted Jensen completed the mastering at Sterling Sound in New York, giving "In Waves" its polished yet relentlessly aggressive sonic character. The opening instrumental "Capsizing the Sea" acts as a cinematic prelude before collapsing into "In Waves", one of the defining songs of Trivium's career. Built around one of the band's most memorable riffs, it balances crushing breakdowns with melodic choruses in a way that feels effortless rather than calculated. The contrast between Heafy's harsh vocals and soaring clean melodies demonstrates how much his vocal confidence had grown since earlier releases. "Inception of the End" pushes the technical side of the band without becoming self-indulgent. Intricate guitar harmonies weave through shifting rhythms while Augusto drives the song with explosive fills. "Dusk Dismantled" is pure controlled aggression, embracing blast beats and death metal intensity before giving way to surprisingly memorable melodic passages. The album's biggest surprise comes with "Built to Fall". Initially divisive among longtime fans, its accessible chorus has aged remarkably well. Rather than sounding like a commercial compromise, it demonstrates Trivium's growing understanding of songwriting economy. The hooks never overshadow the musicianship, and the riffs remain unmistakably metal. Elsewhere, "Caustic Are the Ties That Bind" recalls the epic songwriting of "Shogun", blending progressive structures with emotional melodies, while "Forsake Not the Dream" delivers one of the album's finest guitar performances. The closing stretch, particularly "Chaos Reigns" and "Of All These Yesterdays", refuses to let the momentum fade, ending the record with intensity instead of sentimentality. What makes "In Waves" endure is its balance. It never chases technical complexity simply to impress, nor does it dilute the band's heavier instincts in pursuit of mainstream success. Every melodic chorus is earned by crushing riffs, and every accessible moment is supported by musicianship that few metalcore bands could match. Some listeners still place "Ascendancy" or "Shogun" above it, and there is a reasonable argument for both. Yet "In Waves" arguably represents the point where Trivium finally unified every aspect of their sound. Thrash precision, melodic death metal aggression, metalcore breakdowns, classic heavy metal hooks, and progressive ambition all coexist without fighting for attention. More than fifteen years later, "In Waves" remains one of the defining modern metal albums of the 2010s. It marked the beginning of Trivium's most consistent creative era and proved that evolution does not always require reinvention. Sometimes refinement is the boldest step a band can take. For Listening: Spotify | Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

It seems like just yesterday that the horror bomb swept the world of metal and music in general. An album concocted by eight Slipknot members in the depths of a dark abyss, haunted by creatures, sounds, voices, and out-of-this-world experiences. We are dramatic and we love it... From the first teasers ahead of the album, "Slipknot" made us develop expectations at the levels of Quentin Tarantino's next film. Unprecedented marketing work in the rock world, unprecedented in the sub-genre world, and unprecedented on the part of the band. Posts on various social media, collaborations with huge brands, and one slogan that has made anyone who is not connected to this band inferior, different, and even undeveloped. "WE ARE NOT YOUR KIND" How bold, how unstoppable, and how talented this band brought us this groundbreaking, dynamic, and diverse album that will be a beacon in the world of music. Again, we get carried away here but we love it... It all started after completing the tour for the previous album in 2017, Shawn "Clown" Crahan and Jim Root started writing new material together, Shawn and Jim originally intended to take the time on this album and not run forward indiscriminately. Not only new material but also material that they wrote together during the tour. Jim said he was very pleased that he could concentrate on one band, without having to split into two, which is also why he did not continue with "Stone Sour". Even then Shawn had the idea to produce a double, large, and experimental concept album. At a later stage, the drummer (the huge and crazy one who by the way has not yet received a number in the band) Jay Weinberg joined and they began to form demos to record the album. Corey Taylor at the time was busy on the "Hydrograd" album of his second band "Stone Sour". Photo: Paul Harries Although the single "All Out Life" was released in October 2018, the band gathered to start recording only in early 2019. For two whole years, the three worked on the album's demos, like a witch who cooks a potion from dangerous substances and lets it brew in the fire, so the album crystallizes. The songs evolved and grew during this time, every time they touched them, something different happened and it gave them the ability to experiment and create in new spaces. Shawn words... “Let me tell you, this one’s biblical” After the demos were done all the materials were transferred to Corey who was blown away by the creativity of the three and was inspired to go to places he had not dared to go before and he wrote from the depths of his soul all the lyrics to the album. Corey, who today had already found a new love, got married, and regained his sanity, at that time was suffering from severe depression. He went through a difficult and ugly divorce from a relationship that was "toxic" as he said, he went into depression and tried to find a way to recover from the difficult experience. Corey said that this is an almost autobiographical album in which he reveals all his experiences and feelings, he claims that he has never been so personal on any of the band's albums. Gloomy lyrics that tell the process that Corey went through on the way to "redemption"! Nearly 27 tracks were formed during the writing and in early 2019 it was time to start recording. Together with producer Greg Fidelman who produced the band's previous album, the horror dance of this crazy album began (and we say this in a positive sense). Jim said that during the recordings there was a direct continuation of the process that started the writing. The recordings were made fluently and quickly. It all happened together, and fast. The band members recorded the album while they were all playing together and not when everyone was recording their part separately. Corey said that suddenly the pieces took on a different volume and meaning, from a crazy evolution that took place in the band along with the songs, imagine eight crazy members in one studio, after 5 years not being together in this situation, and everyone longing to get everything they have in their stomachs !! Just before the release of the album, Chris Fehn decided to sue the band members for royalties on the tour. This led to a huge lawsuit and very negative public relations that made the band's fans suspect that something was wrong with the band members again and everything was starting to fall apart once again. But that did not happen, they came out stronger, armed with a new slogan, new masks, and crazy visual teasers released in all possible media, and so the eight released the album on August 9th, 2019! So even if you are not in the "Maggots" community, click play and go crazy: Spotify, Apple Music The album opens with "Insert Coin" just to have a test for your eardrum and make sure everything is balanced before entering the official 2019 anthem (there is no need to deny that it will not help) "Unsainted" !! This is one of the greatest songs of this ensemble, strong, powerful, exemplary, melodic at times, cut to chapters, with dynamics that can accommodate everything "Slipknot" have done up to that moment. All the hype created around the album erupted in this wonderful single that without you noticing puts the visit to the band's show at the top of your priorities in life, in general !! Musical elements from all of the band's albums are combined with harsh and gloomy lyrics about Corey's depression that brings a ruthless bomb. In the video of the song, the band members reveal their new masks, but what does it matter now that Shawn hits his baseball bat on the barrel... The song that opens like this is called "Birth Of The Cruel" is the third track on the album with a different style from what we've heard so far from the band, with an industrial scent coming to the chorus, and Corey bursting into flames. The third single was written in the garage of Jim's house with the riffs leading the song and vice versa, with the drums and clicks on the barrel leading the song. Here, too, Corey copes with depression but manages to break through to overcome it. One of the gloomy parts of the album is "Death Because Of Death", the fruit of Shawn's work that takes you to a kind of obscure moment of thought... and then it comes... Explosions !!!!! The album's fifth track "Nero Forte" opens with a deadly and fast reef accompanied by Jay's superhuman drumming, but wait..."Nero Forte" what is it? Background noises? The vocal harmony of sounds is almost palpable? It suddenly upsets us, and we move uncomfortably, but in the second cycle we are already flowing with it and it's good because the roars, the guitars, the drums, everything just blends in perfectly, insane. Feels a bit like an evolution of the song "Psychosocial". Moving on to the sixth track "Critical Darling", which starts very strong, a shape that is very characteristic of the first materials of the band, but later gets a kind of melodic poppy twist, as if something has melted here and become sticky and pleasant. Of course, the craze returns immediately afterward, a fascinating musical roller coaster !! The basic of the song was written during the previous album, but such and other changes to the riff and additions of electronic effects brought it to this album. Now we change the atmosphere and move on to something slower and heavier that is very reminiscent of "Snuff". The episode "A Liar's Funeral" is another journey into the depths of Corey's wounded and depressed soul, how exciting it is... how painful it is... In this song, Corey sees the people around him with crooked eyes and condescendingly, calling them liars. Jay's blows on the high hat feel like pieces of metal that torment and hurt. Take a deep breath and let's continue... Straight back to the familiar and beloved inferno with "Red Flag", Jim said that producer Greg took the demo of this song and stripped it completely until he found a certain riff part on which the whole song was rebuilt. We will continue from here to a psychotic passage “What’s Next” reminiscent of a scene in the elevator or lobby of a creepy hotel a second before a horrific apocalypse occurs. With this creepy piano melody, we continue to one of the most wonderful and surprising works on the album "Spiders". This is a new side of Slipknot that takes them to new spaces and different styles that characterize the band, and it's just an amazing piece, no need to be afraid to see more colors of the band. Photo: Slipknot Continue to the section called "Orphan" which begins with a long opening section and erupts into fast, high-quality thrash metal. We just admire Jay for his talent and abilities, he certainly does not fall short of Joey Jordison and maybe even surpass him (do not be angry if you are one of Joey's fans), he blends in perfectly with the new directions of the band, while still holding the rhythm. Corey tells you how lonely he feels, just like an orphan, but a ruthless orphan who destroys your world. The song "My Pain" is another slow, heavy, and moving piece but... presented here with a musical, psychedelic twist that is not even close to the world of "Slipknot". The xylophone here puts us in an atmosphere of horror as Corey sings to us in a gentle way, if it is not daring, creative, and breaking boundaries then the settings need to be changed. The music for the song was written back in 2008 and every time the band members approached it was not ripe for the album, this time it was! The penultimate section is called "Not Long for This World" and is simply perfectly constructed, a pleasant and caressing easy opening that breaks at once with the guitar riff and melody of the vocals. This is how the parts come back again and again with the exploding chorus in "Slipknot" style. This is not a catchy or hit song, it is a song that requires further listening with depth and internalization. The section that seals the album is "Solway Firth" for some reason feels like a direct sequel to "Spiders" but is a wonderful summary for this album. A song that simply sums up everything we heard from this band here and now, the mowing, roaring, fragility, breaks with a pleasant melody, electronic effects, creepy music boxes, and a variety of other styles we got here from the band. This different, diverse, and experimental album went straight to number one on the Billboard 200 and took first place in dozens of other countries in the world, it was not only a musical explosion but without a doubt also a commercial explosion. This must be taken seriously in the world of instant, pop, Instagram, and Tik Tok where we live today. The album gained insane exposure and brought the "new" metal to the various media headlines, even if it was only for a brief moment. Along with the album that is considered in our eyes and in the eyes of the band for a leap, their tour also underwent a leap and it is impossible to separate the two. As they took their musical creativity to other, more extreme, unfamiliar districts, even in their performances today they went far. Add dramatic elements, pyrotechnics, and a crazy show, as an integral part of what they want to convey with the album. Listen to the album on: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

If you are a fan of Hard Rock or Metal, there is no way you have not ever listened to an album produced or mixed by Martin Birch. (Photo: Fin Costello) Birch was for "Iron Maiden" as was George Martin for "the Beatles". If Martin was then called "The Fifth Beatle" then Martin is undoubtedly the sixth "Maidenist" (the band numbered 5 members at the time) or Eddie's stepbrother. He has produced nine consecutive "Iron Maiden" albums ranging from "Killers" in 1981 to "Fear Of The Dark" in 1992. Only the masterpieces he produced and engineered for Maiden alone justify putting him in the Hall of Fame for producers (if there was one). "The Number Of The Beast", "Powerslave", "Somewhere in Time", "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son" and more. Birch was born on December 27, 1948 in Surrey, England. He began his professional career as a technician and producer in the late 1960s as a sound technician on the albums of Jeff Beck and "Fleetwood Mac". He later became the sound engineer for masterful albums by the band "Wishbone Ash" such as "Argus" and "Pilgrimage". He rose to fame in the early '70s when he worked on "Deep Purple" albums including masterpieces "In Rock", "Machine Head", "Fireball", "Burn" and even the masterpiece live album "Made in Japan". Birch stays with the extended "Deep Purple" family as he produces albums for Jon Lord and Roger Glover, among others. Even after the breakup of "Deep Purple" in the mid - 1970s, Birch worked with "Rainbow" while producing his first three studio albums and the live album "On Stage" with Ronnie James Dio. But that is not enough. Birch produced all of "Whitesnake's" first albums, from "Trouble" in 1978 to "Slide It In" in 1984. Birch is also responsible for the production of "Black Sabbath"'s first two masterpieces with Ronnie James Dio "Heaven And Hell" and "Mob Rules". Birch encouraged the band to explore new areas and experiment with musical structures appropriate to Dio’s multi-octave vocal range and the results were nothing short of stunning. He has also produced other artists such as Gary Moore, "Blue Öyster Cult" and even "Michael Schenker Group" on the amazing album "Assault Attack". Birch believed in working for a long time with a certain artist, as George Martin did with "The Beatles". He believed that in-depth work with a certain band, album after album, was preferable to moving and skipping between artists, and indeed as can be seen in his career he accompanied bands such as "Black Sabbath", "Deep Purple", "Iron Maiden", "Whitesnake" and "Rainbow" across a sequence of albums. Martin's last album to be produced was Iron Maiden's "Fear Of The Dark" from 1992, after which he retired. Over the years, Birch has earned various nicknames on the album covers of the bands he has produced, such as "Farmer", "Black Night", "Pool Buly" and more ... The song "Hard Lovin 'Man" from "Deep Purple's" "In Rock" album was dedicated by the band to Birch. It is interesting to note that on Fleetwood Mac's "Mystery to Me" album, Birch also received credit for playing an acoustic guitar. Martin Birch passed away on August 6, 2020, he was 71 years old at the time of his death. There is no doubt that Birch will be remembered as the super producer of the Hard Rock and Metal genre. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Jerry Garcia was undeniably one of the most well-known figures in the history of rock 'n' roll. His image and music are instantly recognizable to people around the world. Here are some interesting facts about him: (Photo Fanart.TV) = He was born on August 1, 1942, in San Francisco, California. His full name was Jerome John Garcia and he was named after the Broadway composer Jerome Kern. = Jerry was surrounded by music as a child; his father was a professional musician, and his mother loved opera. = At age 4, Jerry lost two-thirds of his right middle finger in a wood-chopping accident with his brother. = At age five, Jerry witnessed his father's tragic death when he was swept away while fishing in a California river. =Jerry had childhood asthma, which kept him bedridden and fostered a love for reading, especially comic books. = He attended art classes at the California School of Fine Arts during high school, cultivating his lifelong passion for visual arts. = Garcia received his first guitar as a gift from his mother in 1953. It was a Danelectro electric with a tiny Fender amplifier. = His first idol on the guitar was Chuck Berry. = In 1960 Jerry survived a car accident that killed a close friend, an event he considered a turning point in his life. = In 1962 Garcia became a regular on the radio broadcast of The Midnight Special, a folk music show in Berkeley, California. = In 1963 Jerry and Sarah Ruppenthal performed as "Jerry and Sarah," playing acoustic music from the 1920s and 1930s. Sarah later became Jerry's first wife. = Jerry’s first band was a group called "the Chords". They won a contest and their reward was recording a song. They chose Bill Justis’s "Raunchy." = He enlisted in the Army at 17 but was dishonorably discharged nine months later. = Jerry’s first paid gig was with his future songwriting partner, Robert Hunter, under the name "Bob and Jerry". They earned five dollars each. = In 1962, Jerry formed the bluegrass band "Hart Valley Drifters" with Robert Hunter, later known as the "Wildwood Boys". = He met Bob Weir and founded "Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions". After seeing "the Beatles'" film "A Hard Day’s Night", Jerry was inspired to transition into an electric rock band. = In 1965 the band evolved into "the Warlocks" and eventually became "the Grateful Dead", after discovering another band with the same name. (Photo Fanart.TV) = The band mixed blues, jazz, folk, country, bluegrass, rock and roll, gospel, reggae, and world music with psychedelia. = The band was famous for improvisation during their live performances and attracted a devoted fan base, known as "Deadheads". = "The Grateful Dead" name was chosen by Jerry after randomly picking it from a dictionary. = Around this time, the psychedelic drug LSD was gaining popularity. Garcia first began using LSD in 1964. later, when asked how it changed his life, he remarked: "Well, it changed everything...". = Jerry earned the nickname "Captain Trips" for his association with LSD, a major influence on the "Grateful Dead's" music and culture. = Jerry became one of the originators of the "San Francisco Sound," along with artists like Janis Joplin. = In 1966 "The Grateful Dead" released their first single, "Stealin’", with "Don't Ease Me In" on the flip side. = The band's debut album - "The Grateful Dead" was released in 1967. = Until 1989 the band released 13 studio albums, but their discography includes more than 200 albums, the majority of them recorded live in concert. = Although "the Grateful Dead" played at "Woodstock" in 1969, they did not appear in the Woodstock movie because Jerry wasn’t satisfied with their performance. = In 1970 "The Grateful Dead" released "Workingman's Dead" and "American Beauty", which helped solidify their iconic sound. = Jerry collaborated with "Jefferson Airplane", contributing to their iconic album "Surrealistic Pillow" as a "spiritual advisor" and uncredited musician. = He worked closely with David Crosby, playing on Crosby’s solo album "If I Could Only Remember My Name". = Jerry also contributed to "Déjà Vu" by "Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young", adding his signature guitar work to the track "Teach Your Children". "CSNY" gave him lessons in vocal harmonies, which he successfully applied on subsequent albums of "The Grateful Dead" - "Workingman's Dead" and "American Beauty". = He also worked with Paul Kantner on the "Blows Against the Empire" album, contributing guitar to this sci-fi concept record. = Jerry was involved with the band "It's a Beautiful Day", playing pedal steel guitar on their debut album, most notably on the track "White Bird." = In 1970 Jerry contributed to the soundtrack of Michelangelo Antonioni’s film "Zabriskie Point", composing and performing music for the movie's love scene. = He collaborated with Stephen Stills on his 1970 self-titled debut album, contributing guitar to several tracks. = He also contributed to Graham Nash's debut album "Songs for Beginners" from 1971. = He also contributed to the "Hooteroll?" album by Howard Wales in 1971, blending jazz and rock in a unique fusion. = The same year he was part of the country rock band "New Riders of the Purple Sage". They released their debut eponymous album the same year. = Jerry also worked with Graham Nash and David Crosby, providing guitar for their album "Graham Nash David Crosby" from 1972. = In 1972 he released his first solo album named "Garcia" later became known as "Compliments of Garcia". He released 3 more albums as a solo artist. = Jerry also contributed to Art Garfunkel's album "Angel Clare" from 1973, showcasing his versatility beyond the "Dead's" sound. = Garcia's collaboration with Merl Saunders started in 1973 and produced several albums, including "Live at Keystone" and "GarciaLive Volume Three". = In 1974 "The Grateful Dead" temporarily disbanded due to exhaustion and financial troubles, but resumed touring the following year. (Photo Fanart.TV) = Jerry’s love for bluegrass led to collaborations with "Old & In the Way", a bluegrass supergroup featuring David Grisman, Peter Rowan, and Vassar Clements. They released their debut eponymous album in 1975. = In 1975 he formed "The Jerry Garcia Band", which became his second-longest-running group after "The Grateful Dead". = They released their debut album "Cats Under the Stars" in 1978, and since then 31 more albums, most of them Live ones. = In 1977 "The Grateful Dead" released "Terrapin Station", which featured the epic title track that became one of the band's signature songs. = The same year Jerry starred in "The Grateful Dead Movie", which he helped produce and edit. = Jerry’s most notable film appearance outside "The Grateful Dead Movie" is in the documentary "Gimme Shelter", which covers " the Rolling Stones’" disastrous 1969" Altamont Speedway concert". = Jerry and Bob Dylan performed together multiple times, and "the Grateful Dead" backed Dylan during his 1987 tour, resulting in the live album "Dylan & the Dead." = in 1980 Garcia was named "Bay Area Musician of the Year" through a readers' poll in Bay Area Music magazine. = In 1985, Jerry composed the eerie theme music for CBS's revival of "The Twilight Zone," performed by "the Grateful Dead". = After recovering from a 5 days diabetic coma in 1986, Jerry received over 65,000 calls on "the Grateful Dead" hotline from concerned fans. = In 1987 "Ben & Jerry’s" released "Cherry Garcia," the first ice cream flavor named after a musician. = The same year Jerry recorded a radio commercial for Levi’s Jeans, helping out friends in need of work. = In 1988 Jerry won awards for Musician of the Year and Best Guitarist at the Bay Area Music Awards. = His collaboration with David Grisman resulted in the acclaimed Garcia/Grisman album from 1991, blending folk, bluegrass, and jazz. They continued to release "Not for Kids Only" in 1993. = He was a passionate visual artist, holding his first art exhibit in 1991 at the Weir Gallery in Berkeley, California. Prices for his works ranged from $300 to $40,000. = The same year he also published a book of his artwork, "The Book J. Garcia: Paintings, Drawings, and Sketches". = In 1993 Jerry sang the national anthem at the San Francisco Giants' opening day. (Photo Fanart.TV) = Jerry’s love for scuba diving grew in his later years, providing a peaceful escape from his tumultuous lifestyle. = He co-founded the "Rex Foundation", a non-profit organization supporting various social and environmental causes. = Jerry passed away from a heart attack on August 9, 1995, at the age of 53, just days after his birthday. = His ashes were divided and scattered in the Ganges River in India and beneath the Golden Gate Bridge, reflecting his spiritual and geographical connections. = Jerry's last recording was a cover of Jimmie Rodgers' "Blue Yodel No. 9". = Rolling Stone ranked Jerry #46 in its list of The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. Carlos Santana, who wrote Jerry’s entry, praised him for blending blues, bluegrass, and even elements of Ravi Shankar’s music. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

His charismatic but very complicated personality is very famous and after the breakup of his mother band, he tried to embark on a new path. No doubt he has a tremendous voice and is also a talented musician, here are some facts about the musician Scott Stapp: (Photo: houseofblues.com) 1. His full name is Anthony Scott Flippen and he was born on August 8, 1973, in Florida, USA. 2. At the age of 5 his father left home and reluctantly Scott became the responsible adult with two little sisters when his mother was barely present at home. 3. When he was 10 years old his mother remarried and Scott got a new dad, he said it was a dream come true since he gave back the "dad" responsibilities and was less bullied at school for not having a dad. 4. His new father also had very strong religious influences on Scott, he forced him to read the Bible every day. In addition, he would require him to copy entire chapters and then write his enlightenments on each chapter. The subject of Christianity greatly influenced Scott and accompanied him throughout his life. 5. Scott was very influenced by Elvis Presley, his mother was in love with Elvis and there were a lot of his records at home. Scott learned to sing while imitating Elvis' songs, this is what got him into the school's choir, the first step in his musical career. 6. In one of the interviews, Scott said that when his mother was in a crisis and did not know how to feed her children, he assured her that one day he would be more famous than Elvis and that she would never have to worry about anything. 7. In addition to music Scott has developed a more significant hobby, baseball player. The sport was his escape from reality and the fact that his father whom he admired was also a baseball player only gave him more motivation to invest in the sport. He dreamed of playing in college and becoming a player in the professional league but it did not materialize. 8. Scott who wanted to be a professional baseball player wanted to study at Vanderbilt University where he was promised a baseball scholarship but his father refused and sent him to a Christian university. As his dream shattered, Scott returned to Florida and began studying at Florida State University where he met his high school friend Mark Tremonti. 9. Scott realized that his future in baseball was gone and in search of his new future he remembered the promise he made to his mother in the context of Elvis... (Photo: Last.fm) 10. In 1994 during their studies the two discovered the common love they have for creating music and started writing and playing together. In order to form a band, the two began recruiting more members to the band and after several auditions joined Brian Marshall on bass, Scott Philips on drums, and guitarist Brian Brasher (but Brian left after less than a year). 11. The band name was brought by Marshall from his previous band name "Mattox Creed", Stapp liked the word "Creed" and everyone decided on the name. By the way, the band's first name which was only for a week, was "Naked Toddler". 12. The band's debut album "My Own Prison" was released in 1997 and was a huge success with sales of over 6 million copies. Four singles were released from the album: "My Own Prison", "Torn", "What's This Life For", and "One" and four of them took first place on the Billboard Rock chart. Which made the band the first to achieve this with a debut album. 13. Scott said that what made this album so successful for him was the synergy between him and Mark with the producer/recording technician, John Kerswick. The three young guys had a talent that developed over the years and when they combined it together in the studio it was perfect. 14. The band's second album "Human Clay" was released in 1999, when the first single from the album "Higher" topped the charts and spent 17 weeks in first place. With the release of the album, it immediately took first place on the Billboard 200 and became a huge success, selling about 10 million copies in the first two years and giving the band its first and only Grammy win. 15. After touring to promote the album, Brian's addiction to alcohol gained momentum, Termonti and Scott demanded he will be put in rehab if he want to stay in the band. Since he refused to rehab he was fired and on the band's next album, Tremonti was the one who also played the bass. 16. The band's third album "Weathered" was released in 2001 and was also a resounding success, taking first place on Billboard and staying there for 8 consecutive weeks. The tour to promote the album, which was a huge success, was actually the band's swan song, this time it was Scott's addiction to alcohol and painkillers that decided. 17. One of Scott's most difficult experiences with the band was addressing the issue of Christianity. In light of Scott's religious lyrics and various statements about the way God passes through his songs, many have given the band the label 'Christian band'. The rest of the band members who did not connect and even resent the label hung the blame on Scott and which was hard for him to cope. 18. The breaking point was in December 2002 when Scott went on stage drugged and drunk and failed to fully complete a single song. The show that took place in Chicago was stopped and two years later the band officially disbanded. (Photo: Thom Seling) 19. In 2009 the quartet returned and released their fourth album "Full Circle". The album was not a great success, but one performance from the tour broke records. The band performed in September 2009 in Houston Texas in front of 239 cameras and millions of viewers, with the show being broadcast live via the Internet. There were a number of other Guinness records broken in this show. 20. In 2012 Scott and Mark entered the studio to work on "Creed's" next album, despite rumors about the hours the two spent together creating new music, at one point Mark abandoned the project in light of the deteriorating relationship between the two and the album did not materialize. 21. In 2005 Scott released his debut solo album "The Great Divide". Scott said he released the album to encourage his ego. After the breakup of "Creed", his drug and alcohol addiction intensified and he looked for a way to prove to the world that the band is not everything and that he is bigger than it. The album from which the singles "Justify" and "Surrounded Me" came out was a great success and even reached number 19 on Billboard. 22. After the release of the album, Scott's condition deteriorated due to his addiction to alcohol and drugs. It failed to function and the acoustic and special tour that began at the end of September ended after only one month. 23. In 2013 Scott released his second solo album "Proof of Life", Scott said that this is the most significant and sincere album he has created in his life. In this album, he shares all the mess he had in life as he tries to turn it into different and positive messages. (Photo: Sebastian Smith) 24. In 2016 Scott replaced Scott Weiland in the band "Art of Anarchy", he released with them one album “The Madness” which was released that year. He was then sued by the band for refusing to participate in the campaign to promote the album. 25. In 2019, his third album “The Space Between the Shadows” was released. The album was a comeback that brought Scott back to the headlines. 26. For most of his life Scott suffered from mental problems that led him to drugs and alcohol, his problematic personality created a lot of friction in "Creed", which led to various arrests and even several suicide attempts. In 2015, Scott told, "People" magazine in an interview that he was diagnosed as "bipolar" and that gave him the answer he had been looking for all his life, in drugs, alcohol, and religion. 27. In July 2023 Creed announced they will reunite for their first shows in 12 years, they set sail on the "Summer of ’99" cruise as headliners of the rock voyage, and the band will perform together with other bands like "3 Doors Down". 28. In March 2024, at the same time as the Creed reunion, Scott releases his fourth solo album "Higher Power". Listen to his latest solo album on: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On August 8, 2025, "Halestorm" released their sixth studio album "Everest". After the defiant comeback of "Back from the Dead", "Halestorm" faced an obvious challenge. They could have doubled down on the arena-ready hard rock formula that had carried them for over a decade, or they could dismantle it and search for something less predictable. "Everest" chooses the latter. It is a heavier emotional record than a heavier musical one, trading immediate hooks for atmosphere, vulnerability, and a broader dynamic range. Working with Dave Cobb proved to be the defining creative decision. Known primarily for his work outside the hard rock world, Cobb strips away much of the band's polished sheen in favor of organic performances that breathe. The guitars remain powerful, but they are no longer expected to dominate every moment. Instead, space becomes another instrument, allowing tension to build before the inevitable explosion. The production never sounds restrained, only more confident in knowing when not to be loud. At the center of everything is Lzzy Hale, whose vocal performance ranks among the strongest of her career. Rather than relying solely on the commanding screams that made her one of modern rock's defining voices, she spends much of the album exploring restraint. When the power finally arrives, it carries considerably more weight because it has been earned. Before a single note of Everest was committed to tape, "Halestorm" deliberately abandoned the creative habits that had defined much of their previous catalog. Rather than arriving with polished demos and fully arranged songs, the band embraced Cobb's insistence on beginning with a blank slate. Recording took place in Savannah, Georgia, where the four members lived together in a house converted into a working studio, isolated from the distractions of touring and everyday life. Cobb encouraged ideas to be captured the moment inspiration struck, often writing and recording simultaneously instead of refining songs through endless revisions. The process was designed to preserve spontaneity rather than perfection. That philosophy is audible throughout the album. Many of the performances came from the earliest takes, with Cobb favoring instinct over technical precision and encouraging the band to play together as naturally as possible. Instead of polishing away every rough edge, the sessions preserved the chemistry that has always made "Halestorm" such a formidable live act. The result is an album that feels remarkably alive, balancing meticulous production with the raw excitement of musicians discovering the songs as they were being created. At the center of everything is Lzzy, whose vocal performance ranks among the strongest of her career. Rather than relying solely on the commanding screams that made her one of modern rock's defining voices, she spends much of the album exploring restraint. When the power finally arrives, it carries considerably more weight because it has been earned. The title track "Everest" perfectly summarizes the album's ambition. Beginning with measured intensity before rising into an expansive chorus, the song captures perseverance without descending into cliché. Joe Hottinger's guitar work favors melody over technical flash, while the gradual build mirrors the metaphorical climb described throughout the lyrics. If "Shiver" demonstrates the band's newfound subtlety, "Rain Your Blood On Me" reminds listeners they have lost none of their aggression. Its crushing riff, thunderous rhythm section and unapologetic attitude create one of the album's heaviest moments, with Arejay Hale delivering explosive drumming that constantly pushes the song forward while Josh Smith anchors the low end with remarkable precision Earlier single "Darkness Always Wins" remains one of the album's emotional highlights. Rather than offering false optimism, it embraces uncertainty through cinematic arrangements and a slow-burning chorus that lingers long after the song ends. It reveals a band increasingly comfortable allowing melancholy to coexist with power. Elsewhere, "Like A Woman Can" balances swagger with social commentary, "WATCH OUT!" injects frantic energy through sharp rhythmic shifts, while "How Will You Remember Me?" closes the album on a surprisingly introspective note, asking uncomfortable questions about legacy instead of celebrating victory. Not every experiment lands perfectly. The middle section occasionally loses momentum, and some arrangements favor mood over memorable hooks. Listeners expecting another collection of instant radio anthems may initially find the pacing unusually patient. Yet repeated listens reveal an album that values emotional payoff over instant gratification. What ultimately separates "Everest" from much of "Halestorm"'s catalog is its maturity. Rather than trying to outdo previous records in volume or aggression, the band focuses on honesty. The performances feel lived in, the songwriting feels less calculated, and the emotional stakes feel higher than ever before. Visually, the cover of the album immediately signals that this is not another routine chapter in the band's career. Rather than featuring a conventional band portrait, the cover embraces the grand fantasy aesthetic of classic hard rock and heavy metal, recalling the hand painted, larger than life imagery that adorned albums by Black Sabbath, Dio and Rainbow during the genre's golden era. Guitarist Joe Hottinger explained that the band wanted artwork that would spark curiosity at first glance, the kind of cover that makes listeners stop, study the details and want it hanging on their wall as a poster. Elements woven into the illustration also reference songs from the album, reinforcing the idea that Everest is a complete visual and musical experience rather than simply a collection of tracks. The album may not deliver as many immediate singalong moments as "The Strange Case Of..." or "Back from the Dead", but it is arguably the band's most cohesive artistic statement. It finds "Halestorm" embracing discomfort, trusting silence as much as distortion, and proving that genuine growth often comes from climbing unfamiliar mountains rather than revisiting familiar peaks. For Listening: Spotify | Apple

"Breaking Benjamin's" album "Phobia" was released on August 8, 2006, and the celebration is quite gloomy we must admit... Exactly according to the name of the album so does its cover, its content and everything that goes around it, everything speaks the same language about phobias and fears, but that is precisely what makes this album so special. The fact that the band is the essence of Benjamin Burnley, is not new, he is the band leader and has the main rule in lyrics and music writing. Now imagine a person who has been addicted to alcohol for several years in such a severe way that it has created in him a chronic disease of headaches, nausea, and other symptoms, so severe that sometimes he even fails to function. In addition to this difficult physical condition, he developed various and strange anxieties such as fear of death, fear of the dark (yes, yes there is that for adults as well), hypochondria, and fear of flying. Sounds delusional to impossible but it is true, several times Burnley has shared the difficult situations and adversity he is going through as a result of these anxieties and this is of course also what strengthened his addiction to alcohol. All of these caused him to get into stressful situations, nervous breakdowns, and situations of mental and physical distress. (Photo: YouTube.com) This album reveals Burnley's wounded soul, his coping, his internal mechanisms, his distress situations, and everything to do with his fears. Aside from the band’s powerful and all-too-familiar melodies and riffs we also get Burnley’s voice in an extraordinary way here. His voice is sometimes pleasant and caressing and sounds optimistic but he often, screams and cuts until you feel the distress penetrating through the eardrum. There are undoubtedly gloomy and dark lyrics (sometimes a little optimistic), and sentences that will make your spine shiver, and all of these are combined with the musical power of the band creating a very strong package of powerful sound. To complete the music inside, the album cover features a figure hanging in the air with angel wings above a flight path, the contrast of the flight path is a symbol of Burnley's fear of flying, and the angel wings are a symbol of hope, create a kind of reflection here. The album also opens and ends with two musical pieces with the sounds of an airport terminal in the background. Again a display of one of Burnley's great fears just to put us in the mood for the album. A number of very successful singles have come out of this album, which to this day are the band's hallmark like "The Diary Of Jane" which is one of the band's most famous songs, "Dance With The Devil", "Breath" and "Until The End". By the way, there is a Best-Buy version and a Japanese version of the album which has song number 14 which is an acoustic rendition of the song “The Diary Of Jane”. This is the band's third album and one of their best, for those who do not know the band we recommend starting with this album. 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 August 8, 2000 "Scorpions" released their album "Moment of Glory". As its name hints "Moment of Glory" was meant as a unique project for the band's 35th anniversary, celebrating their long career. The album was recorded in collaboration with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and features re-arranged songs from the Scorpions' repertoire, classical interludes, a cover song, and the new single "Moment of Glory." Initially, English composer Andrew Powell was asked to provide arrangements for the album. However, when Michael Kamen, the next designated arranger, gave up the job to work with "Metallica" on their album "S&M", Austrian arranger and conductor Christian Kolonovits stepped in as the right collaborator. Kolonovits' contributions were pivotal in blending the band's hard rock sound with orchestral elements. The "Moment of Glory" concert program premiered at the Hannover EXPO in June 2000, with Christian Kolonovits conducting the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. This live performance was filmed and released on VHS and Video CD in December 2000. In 2001, the show toured seven cities in Russia and the Baltic countries, with Kolonovits and Scott Lawton alternating as conductors. The result is a grand, ambitious project that blends the raw energy of rock with the sophistication of classical music. The album includes orchestral versions of classic "Scorpions" songs such as "Rock You Like a Hurricane", "Wind of Change", "Send Me an Angel", "Big City Nights", "Lady Starlight" and "Still Loving You." It also features new compositions like the title track "Moment of Glory." Apart from Klaus Meine, the album features guest vocal performances by artists such as Zucchero and Ray Wilson. One of the standout tracks on the album was the opening track - "Hurricane 2000" - a reworking of "Rock You Like a Hurricane". The addition of orchestral elements transforms the classic rock anthem into an epic, cinematic experience with a great dramatic opening. It also served as the official theme song for the Sabres Hockey Network broadcasts, emphasizing its broad appeal. The album title track "Moment of Glory" is the only new song written specially fo the occasion to celebrate the band's 35th anniversary as a "moment of glory". It was the official anthem of the EXPO 2000 in Hannover, Germany, encapsulating the album's spirit. It’s a soaring, uplifting piece that showcases Klaus Meine’s emotive vocals and the orchestra’s sweeping arrangements. The album also includes "Deadly Sting Suite": An instrumental medley based on "He's a Woman, She's a Man" and "Dynamite", this track highlights the intricate interplay between the band and the orchestra, creating a powerful and evocative musical journey. The band decided to include one cover song "Here in My Heart", which was written by Diane Warren and previously recorded by Tiffany, this ballad gains new depth with the orchestral backing, allowing Meine's heartfelt delivery to shine. The fifth track "Crossfire" repeats the main theme of the Russian song "Moscow Nights". While "Moment of Glory" received mixed reviews, with some fans longing for the band's harder edge, the album's innovative spirit is undeniable. Though at times it may feel overly grandiose to traditional rock fans, the blend of rock and classical elements is executed with precision and the collaboration with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra adds a new dimension to the "Scorpions" music, highlighting their versatility and creativity. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

The Multi Delay Man... The king of sound and effects..... The one that made the guitar sound like a fighter jet in "Bullet the Blue Sky" .... The one that made it sound like a helicopter in the song "Mofo", and forced her to produce dentist drill sounds in the song "Love Is Blindness" ... The man who changed the whole perception about how the guitar can sound - The Edge, is celebrating his birthday today !! (Photo: RMV) Let's tell you 40 interesting facts about him: 1. He was born to parents of Welsh descent on August 8, 1961, in the Essex region of England. The name given to him at birth was David Howell Evans. 2. When he was a year old his father got a job promotion and the family moved to Dublin. 3. As a child, The Edge received a Catholic Christian education. 4. From an early age he learned to play the guitar and piano, and practiced playing with his older brother Richard nicknamed Dik. 5. He got his first guitar at age 7, it was a classical guitar and he was not really enthusiastic about it. 6. At the age of 9 he got his first serious guitar it was a used acoustic guitar that his mother bought him. From that moment on he began to take playing seriously along with his brother Dick. 7. He attended "Mount Temple" High School where he also met his future U2" bandmates. 9. On September 25, 1976, drummer Larry Mullen Jr. posted an ad on the school bulletin board. The Edge, his brother Dik Evans who played guitar, singer Bono and bassist Adam Clayton responded to the ad and so the band "Feedback" was formed. 9. The band made its debut in April 1977 at St. Fintan's High School. 10. Later the band was renamed "The Hype" and won a talent contest. 11. Immediately afterward Dik Evans left the band to join another local band called "Virgin Prunes", thus forming the lineup that would become "U2" in March 1978. (Photo: Wordpress) 12. In the early days of the band, Dave Evans was given the nickname "The Edge" by the street gang in Dublin to which he belonged. By the way, the same band also gave the nickname to singer Bono. 13. One version says that the nickname was given to him due to the shape of his pointed head, while other versions say that it is related to his "cut" playing on the guitar and his preference not to be involved and watch from the side when arguments and fights occur. 14. The band began performing in small clubs in Dublin starting in 1978. 15. In 1979 they first appeared outside Ireland, in London. 16. That same year "U2" was already signed on a recording contract by the "CBS" branch in Ireland and released a triple series of mini-albums called "U2-3". 17. In March 1980, the band released their debut album "Boy". Already there one could discern the all-unique Celtic fret style of The Edge on guitar, a style that has become so identified with the band. 18. After finishing the tour of the second album "October", The Edge was very close to leaving the band for religious reasons. He deepened his membership in a Christian group called the "Shalom Tigers". The Christian group also included Bono and drummer Larry Mullen Jr. 19. Eventually The Edge decided to stay in the band and immediately afterward began writing what would become one of its big hits "Sunday Bloody Sunday". 20. Beyond playing the guitar, The Edge was in charge of background vocals and he sometimes even complements Bono's vocals and helped him in a very harmonized and enriching way. 21. The Edge also sang solo in a number of the band's songs such as "Van Diemen's Land", "Numb", the first half of the song "Seconds" and co-singing with Bono in the song "Discotheque". 22. The Edge is also responsible for playing the keyboards in the band, several notable examples: "October", "New Year's Day", and "Running to Stand Still". 23. He sometimes also plays bass guitar, as in the song "40" from the album "War" in which he exchanges roles with Adam Clayton. 24. In 1985 he appeared with "U2" in the charity show "Live Aid". 25. In 1986 he wrote the soundtrack for the movie "Captive". It is considered The Edge's only solo album and features Larry Mullen Jr. and Sinéad O'Connor, among others. 26. In March 1988 he won with "U2" their first two Grammys on the masterpiece album "The Joshua Tree". 27. In the future, Edge and the band will win another 20 Grammy Awards !!! 28. In 2002 he appeared on an official stamp of Ireland. 29. In 2005 he entered with "U2" into the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame". 30. In 2007 he received an honorary doctorate in music from the University of Berkeley. (Photo: Bob King) 31. In 2008 he starred in the documentary "It Might Get Loud" alongside Jimmy Page and Jack White. The three focused on the wonderful guitar, musical styles, and sound techniques that can be derived from this amazing instrument. 32. In his twenties he began to lose hair and has since appeared in public with a hat on. 33. Together with "U2" he released 14 studio albums, 9 mini-albums, and one live album. 34. In addition to his work with "U2" The Edge has recorded with artists such as: Johnny Cash, B.B. King, Tina Turner, Ron Wood, Jay-Z, Rihanna, and more. 35. He wrote the theme song for the animated series "The Batman". 36. In 1995 he co-wrote with Bono the theme song for the James Bond film "GoldenEye". 37. He co-wrote with Bono the lyrics and music for the 2011 musical "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark." 38. In 2020 he co-wrote with Bono the official Euro 2020 song together with Martin Garrix who has won the title of best DJ in the world four times. 39. In 2010 he was ranked by Gibson at number 23 on the list of the best guitarists of all time. Company representatives noted that he has created a distinctive and unique sound that is only identified with him. 40. In 2015, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him and Bono 35th out of 100 best songwriters of all time. 41. He is ranked 38th on Rolling Stone magazine's "100 Greatest Guitarists" list. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website