Some albums become the defining soundtracks for entire generations. They emerge at just the right time, capturing the pain, angst, and confusion of youth with such honesty that they achieve immortality. "Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge" is precisely this type of album, raw, dramatic, and intensely emotional. To grasp its impact, it's essential to know its origins. My Chemical Romance emerged from the shadows of tragedy. Gerard Way, deeply affected by the events of 9/11, decided to express his grief through music. He assembled guitarist Ray Toro, drummer Matt Pelissier, bassist (and brother) Mikey Way, and later rhythm guitarist Frank Iero, to create a band that would blend the theatricality of Queen, the intensity of punk, and the emotion of emo into something entirely unique. Their 2002 debut, "I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love," was raw, underground, and promising—but it was "Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge" that shot through the heart of the mainstream. (Photo: Naki, Redferns) Released on June 8, 2004, this was the band's second studio album and their first with a major label, Reprise Records. It was recorded in Calabasas, California, with producer Howard Benson, who refined their chaotic energy while maintaining its intensity. This album also marked Frank Iero's first full participation, solidifying the classic lineup. It introduced MCR's theatrical storytelling, with "Three Cheers" presenting a bloody narrative of love, death, and revenge—the tale of a man who dies and must gather the souls of a thousand evil men to reunite with his beloved. The band was composing as if their very existence hinged on it—and perhaps it did. The urgency, the desperation, the emotion, all of it is genuine. The outcome was beyond mere music. It was a gothic-punk opera drenched in blood, sweat, and eyeliner. An album that doesn't merely play, it bleeds. The introduction begins with "Helena", and Gerard Way's voice is filled with unmistakable grief. This track, a tribute to his late grandmother, establishes the emotional atmosphere of the entire album—funeral processions intertwined with powerful guitars, with heartbreak presented as performance art. The chorus's intensity feels as though it emerges directly from the depths of a broken heart. "Give 'Em Hell, Kid" accelerates the tempo, immersing us in a whirlwind of punk energy. It’s wild and electrifying, with Gerard's voice oscillating between allure and fury. The guitars are sharp, the drums unyielding—pure musical adrenaline. Next is "To the End", showcasing the band’s dark humor. A twisted wedding song steeped in melodrama and metaphor. There's a beautifully deranged quality in how MCR romanticizes the macabre. "You Know What They Do to Guys Like Us in Prison" embodies theatrical chaos. Featuring guest vocals from Bert McCracken (The Used), this track resembles a prison riot accompanied by a glam-punk orchestra. It’s extravagant, intense, and utterly unforgettable. Then there’s "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)", which propelled the band to iconic status. Anthemic, sarcastic, and deeply genuine, it’s the anthem of the misfit. When that chorus hits, it’s impossible not to sing along. It’s pop-punk perfection drenched in mascara tears and teenage rebellion. "The Ghost of You" is arguably the album's most haunting track. This slow, sorrowful ballad about loss and yearning resonates deeply with its chorus. The music video, reminiscent of a WWII epic, amplifies its tragic impact. It's a serene interlude amid the chaos—a moment of poignant beauty. "Thank You for the Venom" thrusts us back into a frenetic pace. It's fast, intense, and laden with sarcasm—a rebellious gesture wrapped in searing guitar riffs and Gerard’s fiery vocals. "Hang 'Em High" feels like a Western gone awry—twangy guitars morph into screams, and the rhythm charges ahead like a chaotic gunfight. These moments highlight the band's fearless approach to blending genres and emotions. Then we encounter "It's Not a Fashion Statement, It's a Deathwish"—a proclamation, a revival, a manifesto. It's dark and poetic, like a message scrawled in eyeliner on a bathroom mirror. "Cemetery Drive" emerges like a midnight confession. Desperate, emotional, and self-destructive—it’s the sound of secrets coming undone. The album concludes with "I Never Told You What I Do for a Living", a track that feels like a final exhalation. It's raw and enigmatic, filled with pain and poetic intensity. The perfect ending to this theatrical plunge into darkness. "Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge" transcends being just an album, it's a cathartic release. A raw, blood-soaked confession intertwined with power chords and poetry. It confronts grief head-on, cloaks heartbreak in distortion, and transforms trauma into a theatrical spectacle. The guitars cut like razors, the drums throb like a racing heartbeat, and Gerard Way, part preacher and part specter, leads us through a noir vision of vengeance, death, and desperate love. It transformed pain into purpose and made brokenness feel beautiful. Even two decades later, it continues to do so. When released in 2004, the album initially debuted at No. 28 on the Billboard 200, but its ascent was explosive. Powered by anthems like "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)", "Helena", and "The Ghost of You", the album not only climbed the charts but also became ingrained in culture. It achieved Triple Platinum status in the U.S., selling over 3 million copies domestically and 4 million globally. It became a cornerstone of the 2000s emo-punk movement, serving as a reference point for every misfit with eyeliner and a broken heart. In 2014, both fans and the band celebrated its 10-year anniversary with tributes, covers, and nostalgic reflections. By 2024, as "Three Cheers" reached its 20th anniversary, its legacy only grew stronger. MCR's social media channels were filled with unseen footage, old photos, and fan dedications, reigniting the passion in longtime fans and inviting a new generation into its haunted embrace. Because "Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge" remains timeless. It haunts, heals, and howls—just as it did from the very beginning. Listen to the album on: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

"Angel Dust" is a nickname for the drug "penicillamine", the hallucinogenic drug that causes a feeling of detachment from the environment and insensitivity to pain that is dangerous and forbidden to use, which makes writing on this album one big trip for us. There are albums that we approach with "reverence" both because they have a very big impact on us and also given the impact they have on the music in general, Faith No More's "Angel Dust" released on June 8, 1992, is one of those albums. Just a quick glance at the cover, which on the one hand shows a white Haikarat and on the other hand a picture of a production line in a meat factory, already makes us shiver. So as we hinted, this album has a huge impact on us, the change of style between the songs throws you into places you did not expect, and the sound of the guitars and drums is so special that you feel every note in your veins, while Mike's lyrics and voice make you shiver all over. Although "The Real Thing" marked the beginning of the band's journey with Mike Patton, where he wrote the lyrics to the music the band had written in advance, on this album he was already a full partner in writing the music and lyrics. Already in "The Real Thing" we heard the diversity in the styles and characters of the songs that throw you from side to side, but the album was a little lighter. This album continues the line that started with "The Real Thing" but with more maturity and depth. In one of the special shows done on 88FM station about Mike Patton, Kuame said a true say: "Faith No More is the restrained version of Mr. Bungle, Mike's first band from high school", where the pieces are much more disturbing and unbridled. (Photo: Mick Hutson) So with Kuame's permission, we change the phrase a bit and call the collection of songs on this album "Restrained Disturbance"... It opens with the song "Land of Sunshine" as the rhythm section (our favorite) leads you through the clouds into the land of the sun with the words "Sing and Rejoice…" Do you think to yourself Does life seem worthwhile when you are allowed to order yourself a new life? Words Mike wrote from fortune cookie texts and an acceptance question for the Church of Scientology. From there we move on with the howls of wolves to one of the craziest songs (for us) on this album - "Caffeine", with rhythms that turn you on, shake you, and drive you crazy, from noise up to noise down like mixing beer and espresso !! Mike whispers and Mike Bordin's snare cause your teeth to knock out of control. One of the great hymns that throw you in the air and land you powerfully on the ground. You have not yet recovered and you already find yourself in a "Mid-life crisis", and you are not even approaching the age of 40 yet. You just do not understand how to digest what you just heard. Again Mike Bourdain and Billy Gold make your limbs move uncontrollably and your body and mind surrender to Mike's voice, informing you that you're in a midlife crisis, and you are already surrendering without any thought or argument... Patton said the song does not talk about his midlife crisis, Because he did not know how such a crisis should feel. He noted that Madonna was the one who influenced the lyrics. At the time he saw her everywhere, on TV, on billboards, and in magazines and she always seemed bothered as if something was happening to her... Believe it or not, but this song includes quotes from the song "Cecilia" by Simon and Garfunkel and the song "Car Thief" by the Beastie Boys, Which makes it even more iconic than it is. After one of the greatest singles in modern rock history, "RV" takes you to a little dance in the big ballroom with a light break so you have the strength to contain what happens next. The song develops to a higher intensity in its final third so that you will not forget where you are but ends with a pleasant caress. "Smaller and Smaller..." Maybe that's why it rarely played in the band's shows. This song takes you and develops with you through Mike's voice and Jim's guitar with a combination of Native American rituals, absurd as it may sound, it's just that. Then "Everything's Ruined", this whole story is completely ruined and you're already ruined on this album when you're only halfway through it. One of the greatest if not the greatest songs on the album that takes you through an apocalyptic story about a slave industry that is focused on doing the work of the ruler and raising a tyrant born to rule all this "good". "Malpractice" is exactly what describes this song that puts you in a blender with some yogurt, ice, and nails and makes you a smoothie, without you asking, and you happily drink it do not want it to end but then the next song begins. The song "Kindergarten" reopens with Jim's guitar, which surprisingly is his latest album with the band. Is the first of only two songs for which he received writing credit. No doubt this feels his string claim here and it's an excellent song. In the song "Be Aggressive" Mike Patton sings to the lyrics written by the band's keyboardist Roddy Bottum, without any involvement from Mike. The song is about S&M, "oral sex between two men," a gay relationship, and at the time of writing, Rudy said he enjoyed the thought of Mike performing on stage and directing such a song. Rudy of course came "out of the closet" later, which would explain the effect on the lyrics. "A Small Victory" This album is (not a small victory), it is a huge victory over the genre's claimers, the songwriters, and the music in general. Breaking boundaries is almost inconceivable. What goes on in this song (which is by the way the second single that came out of the album), with all the crazy samples that accompany it, and the whole album, cost the record company and the company management a lot of pressure and money. "Crack Hitler" recounts the next song, the guitar opens the song with a simple announcement at the airport and you fly with it on and on. You try to relax a bit with the sounds of water, crickets, and frogs in the opening of "Jizzlobber" but then the piano and guitar put you in a dramatic and terrifying scene (Jim's second song), just like Mike Patton's fear of going to jail, he says. He knows it will happen someday because he has already been, but he knows that next time it will be for a much longer time. And after all that, after all, you've been through... all the ups and downs, thrills, and shocks they decide to give you a pleasant and optimistic ending with two covers, "Midnight Cowboy" and "Easy", the latter did not appear in the regular album version but it will become eventually one of the band's hallmarks in certain audiences, and even its most successful and heard the song in several countries around the world. For us, this "eternal" album, hovers over time, is always with us, and accompanies us even before we dream of the mid-life crisis and after it. It is a masterpiece that makes us fall in love with it over and over again. We went a little wild this time but that's really what this album makes us feel. And now take a break from life, play, and enter another world Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

The masterful album "Californication", the seventh of "Red Hot Chili Peppers", was released on June 8, 1999. Let's find out, what the connection between this album and David Bowie, Kurt Cobain and Princess Leia from "Star Wars", With 22 interesting facts about the album: 1. This is the band's most successful and best-selling album with sales of over 16 million copies worldwide. 2. 6 of the album's 15 songs were released as successful singles and topped the charts for over two years, the first single was released in May 1999, and the last single in March 2001. 3. This is the album that marked the return of guitarist John Frusciante to the band. Frusciante left RHCP in 1992, immediately after the release of the album "Blood Sex Sugar Magik". 4. Frusciante's return brought with it a fundamental change in the band's sound and musical style, with elements of soft rock and more melodic compositions, which came at the expense of the band's rooted funk-punk rock that had shrunk compared to previous albums. 5. The band wanted David Bowie to produce the album, but he was not available. 6. On A David Bowie album, Kurt Cobain and the star "Alderaan" (from whom Princess Leia came), received a homage on a line from the theme song "Californication": "Cobain can you hear the spheres singing songs off station to station And Alderaan's not far away, it's Californication". 7. "Californication" was influenced by a 30-minute instrumental piece by "The Cure" called "Carnage Visors", taken from the mythological album "Faith". 8. In 2007, the comedy series "Californication" aired in the United States. The creators of the series did not receive prior approval to use the name, which led to a lawsuit by the "Chili Peppers" against them. 9. One of the characters in the series played by Rachel Miner is called "Dani California" - as the band's song from 2006. 10. The theme song "Californication" won first place in the Decade chart of the 21st Century By "Galgalatz" radio station. 11. Towards the end of the mighty opening song "Around the World" Anthony Kiedis rattles something instead of words. He searched for words for this piece in the studio and when he could not find them, he just sang gibberish. After finding the words, the song was recorded again, but Flea's daughter who heard the recording urged the band to return to the original version. Incidentally, the bass in the opening of the song is reminiscent of that in the song "Breadfan" by the band "Budgie", which was later revised by "Metallica". 12. "Emit Remmus" is actually "summer time" spelled backward. The song was written by Anthony Kiedis under the influence of his brief relationship with Melanie C of the "Spice Girls". 13. "Porcelain" and "This Velvet Glove" were influenced by Kiedis' relationship with fashion designer Yohanna Logan. 14. The massive use of Frusciante with the wah pedal in the song "Get on Top" was born after he listened to "Public Enemy". His solo in the song was influenced by the playing of Steve Howe from "Yes" in the song "Siberian Khatru" from the album "Close To The Edge". 15. Frusciante's guitar sound in the song "Savior" includes massive use of effects including Micro Synth with a 16-second delay. This sound was influenced by that of Eric Clapton in "Cream". 16. "Scar Tissue" won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song in 2000. 17. The song was written by Anthony Kiedis concerning the sarcasm of guitarist Dave Navarro known as the "King of Sarcasm". The line "Close your eyes and I'll kiss you 'cause," refers to a scene in which Kiedis kisses Navarro in a clip for the song from the album "One Hot Minute". 18. Frusciante wrote the iconic guitar section of the song in an attempt to recreate a technique he used on his first solo album - "Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt", in which he created a groovy rhythm while playing two notes far apart. 19. "Otherside" was written by Anthony Kiedis about his drug addiction. 20. The album was supposed to be released on the exact same day as "Mr. Bungle's" "California" album. This was due to the rivalry between Kiedis and Mike Patton. In the end "Mr. Bungle" was forced by the record company to postpone the release of their album, just because the names were similar. 21. The album is ranked 399th on "Rolling Stone" magazine's "500 Best Albums of All Time" list. 22. It also appears on the Rock n' Roll "Hall of Fame's "The Definitive 200: Top 200 Albums of All-Time" and "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" list. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music 1. When they performed in Israel, Kiedis dedicated the song "Otherside" ... to Haifa .... I clearly remember the sign, which the representatives of the fan club held in their hands, in the front row, and which was dedicated to the late Hillel Slovak ... 2. 1999 was my year of glory ... I worked as a Security Officer in a pompous health estate, and at night thoughts come to me, of how I took this album, put it in the hotel's audio system, and made the night tours between the garden & the pool area ... wishing a pleasant morning to the guests. 3. I gave a signed copy of this album, as a gift to Shuki Weiss, on the day Kiedis decide not to perform in Israel due to a brutal terrorist attack ... I sat in his office with Aviv Geffen, the three of us with our faces in our hands ... Shuki was very moved by my gesture, Took a sheet of paper, and gave me the only copy, which a graphic artist had prepared for the stage design, according to the band's requirements. Years later, I spoke with US President Bill Clinton, who worked hard to keep the show going, and put a lot of pressure on Kiedis and his father, but to no avail ... The band's staff was the ones who really vetoed against the arrival to Israel. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On June 8, 2018, "Tremonti" released their fifth studio album "A Dying Machine". This is likely the band's finest album, even though the authors of these lines believe there is a superior one... This album is a concept piece, released alongside a book of the same title, authored by Mark Tremonti and writer John Shirley. The book is crafted to complete the narrative fabric for the listener. The story unfolds at the start of the next century, in a futuristic world where technology allows for the synthetic creation of a human being. This creation, known as a "Vessel," primarily consists of human parts but is essentially a type of Android (similar to those in the movie "Blade Runner"), loaded with data and features specifically chosen by its owners, referred to as "Primaries." These "Vessels" are produced at the behest of their "Primaries," using human DNA, and are as unique as humans, yet not entirely so... Over time, certain "Vessels" start to resist and defy their owners. The manufacturer issues a "recall" for these "Vessels," which actually incites them to initiate a war against their owners. The story's protagonist is one of these "Vessels," designed and programmed by his "Primary" to love only him, in an attempt to fill the painful void left by his wife's death. Mark Tremonti mentioned that he has always aspired to write a novel, and working on this album allowed him to "kill two birds" by releasing both an album and a book. The concept for the storyline began during a warm-up before an "Alter Bridge" concert in Hungary, where he played a specific chord progression that later became the theme song. Mark Tremonti explained that the plot naturally formed in his mind and continued to evolve during the performance. He recalls being on stage with ideas emerging between the songs he played at the concert, eagerly anticipating returning to the locker room to write the song. Musically, this album serves as a direct continuation of the previous ones, with Mark Tremonti only improving with each release. We've always recognized Tremonti as a phenomenal musical talent. We knew he was an excellent guitarist, a gifted writer, and even a decent singer. However, on this album, he truly outdoes himself in every aspect. The level of writing, being a full concept album, the quality of playing, production, and sound, and most notably, the singing, are all exceptional. What a beautiful voice—it's astonishing what this incredible guitarist can achieve vocally, and it certainly enhances the enjoyment of this side project, which is gradually gaining more significance. What can we expect from this album? Following the "March" drums in the intro of the opening track "Bringer Of War", Tremonti charges into a "battle" with a colossal opening riff and powerful drums that set the intense pace of the conflict between the "Primaries" and "Vessels". Mark Tremonti's melodic and clear vocals harmonize perfectly with the razor-sharp riffs and intense beat, culminating in a powerful roar during the chorus. We are still recovering from the turmoil of "war," and Termonti is dropping a bomb on us with "From The Sky." Termonti's brilliance lies in the incredible blend of sharp riffs and a smooth, captivating melody, which is precisely what unfolds between the verses and the chorus of this track. Instead of lyrics, it features the battle cry "Wow wow wow ....." and we are already hooked... And just when you thought it couldn't get any better, the theme song "A Dying Machine" comes in, shattering every bone in our body. We didn't just select this song as the opening track for our inaugural "Face/Off" show by chance. Garrett Whitlock's powerful drumming provides a solid foundation for Tremonti's cutting riffs, as the song moves through waves of calm and chaos, flowing directly into our veins. The razor-sharp guitar work and incredible vocals are remarkable; Tremonti groans, writhes, roars, and rages while the rhythm section sweats and struggles through this musical "roller coaster." And those "little ones" that completely overwhelm us. Listen to the sequence of triplets that Whitlock performs intermittently starting at 0:57—simply ingenious! The break to the C-ParC-part:57 and the transition from gentle, soothing vocals to angry cries at 4:30—"Priceless".... Then "Trust" appears and transforms everything. The atmosphere shifts completely, delivering a catchy and accessible song with an irresistible chorus. Tremonti adopts a more stable and mature style, bordering on Nu-Metal, complemented by Eric Friedman's striking and bold bass work and a robust, powerful drum sound. "Throw Them To The Lions" creates suspense with a mechanical and "distorted" riff that draws us into a whirlwind of intense and chaotic rhythm. Once again, Tremonti skillfully blends speed and power with a memorable melody, achieving great results. "Make It Hurt" demonstrates an evolution of the "Tremonti formula," featuring a chorus melody set against a rapid rhythm that compels Tremonti's voice to keep up with the frenzied drumbeat. The acoustic guitar makes its debut with "Traipse", where Tremonti's clean and inviting vocals transition into hard, adrenaline-fueled rock rhythms, creating a highly stimulating experience. Tremonti's guitar talent shines as he effortlessly navigates through a series of riffs and solos, embellished with blues influences. "The First The Last" returns to the acoustic, showcasing the deep emotion in Tremonti's exposed singing, which conveys feelings of heartbreak and loss. Here, Tremonti demonstrates his prowess as a singer, seamlessly roaring over heavy riffs while also delivering sharp and eloquent ballads. "A Lot Like Sin" jolts us from the dream of a better world, immersing us in heavy, cruel riffs layered over bubbling drum beats and aggressive vocals. "The Day When Legions Burned" ramps up the tempo to near "Speed" or "Thrash" levels, yet Tremonti's clean and melodic vocals transport us to a slightly different realm, still powerful. "As Silence Becomes" returns us to acoustic sounds and Tremonti's delicate, emotive singing, expressing his longing for a companion to share time with. "Take You With Me" picks up the pace again with a youthful, vibrant punk-rock vibe, making it unsurprising that this track was chosen as the first single before the album release due to its catchy and approachable nature. We approach the conclusion with the somber and blues-infused rhythm of "Desolation," which, for some reason, also evokes a "grunge" vibe. The album concludes with "Found," an instrumental piece that incorporates industrial elements, characterized by futuristic, mechanical, and foreboding sounds set to a drum machine beat. This track likely serves as a closing piece, potentially accompanying a book or movie, if Tremonti chooses to expand the concept story into one. There is no doubt that "A Dying Machine" represents the pinnacle of Tremonti's work thus far. Crafting a full concept album that seamlessly integrates with a simultaneously published book is a remarkable achievement. However, something still seems to be missing for the album to achieve perfection. Unlike other concept albums like "2112", "Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory", and "Operation: Mindcrime", the storyline isn't entirely clear from the album alone. The lyrics are ambiguous, lacking crucial details needed to understand the story, characters, setting, language, and time, and at times, the connection between the music and the narrative is not entirely evident. To fully appreciate the album, one must read the accompanying novel, which somewhat diminishes the impact of Tremonti's unique accomplishment. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Editor's Choice... And this time it's not only our "choice". On June 7, 2001, "Rockfour" released their fifth studio album, "One Fantastic Day". Did you know that one of the critics of "Rolling Stone" magazine - Richie Unterberger chose this album as one of his ten albums of the year 2001? The album continues with the psychedelic / progressive line that began with the masterpiece album "The Man Who Saw It All" and continued with "Supermarket" which marked the band's transition to writing and creating in English. If "Supermarket" marked the beginning of "Rockfour's" international career as an Israeli band that has the "burden of proof" on its shoulders, then in this album we already get a mature and experienced band that operates as a quality and well valued international ensemble. "Rockfor's" leap forward on this album was reflected in every possible parameter. Ability to write and express in English, high level of playing, and high production quality. An amazing combination of guitars with a psychedelic sound wrapped in Mellotron and Hammond rugs and vocal harmonies imported straight from the Sixties, influences of Pink Floyd, Birds, Beatles, and more. The album was written during the band's tour in the US, which was intended to promote the "Supermarket" album released a year earlier. "Rockfour" members noted that the album tells the band's story during one of its intense periods in the US that expresses through the songs "a cocktail consisting of passion, determination and satisfaction and all this alongside loneliness, longing, and burnout". This album proved that the band's experience with "Supermarket" was not one-off and that the band deserved and could maintain a successful international career. One has to think about the risk the band took, when after two esteemed and successful albums in Hebrew, "The Man Who Saw It All" and "Back to Shablool", they decided to go out of their comfort zone and started creating in English. But this risk has proven itself with an album that has received rave reviews and has even been included in the Rolling Stone music magazine's ten albums of the year by music critic Richie Unterberger. It is worth mentioning that this album had a significant impact on Israeli artists who realized that they can write and create in English with a wink to the international market. But this album did well for "Rockfour" as well. Thanks to the album, the band began to perform intensively throughout the United States and continued to release two more albums in the English language - "Nationwide" in 2004 and "Memories of the Never Happened" in 2007. 3 singles were released from the album: "Seatbelts" which also included a cover version of the Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows", and "President of Me" which included a cover of "R.E.M.'s" "Pop Song '89". And "Where The Byrds Fly." It is interesting to note, that the following events of September 11, made the band decide not to release an album titled "One Fantastic Day", for fear of hurting the feelings of the American public. In light of this, it was decided to change the name and the album to "Another Beginning" and release it as a combination of the band's two albums in English. Listen to the album: Click Here. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

The album "Draw Yourself a Mustache" (Tzairi Lach Safam) is the second studio album by the band "Noar Shulaim". The album was released on June 7, 1990, and was released by Hed Artzi. Let's start with the fact that this is one of the albums that shaped the soundtrack of our lives, but not just an ordinary album, every time our ears hear one of the songs on the album, like an electric switch, in a split of a second our body flooded with emotions, feelings, and thoughts that open a door to delightful nostalgia. We do not really mean a specific experience or event but a period. This album with its variety of songs has accompanied us for a long time and treasures within it magical moments of pure happiness. (Photo: Noar Sholaim) The album travels between rock, pop, and electro. It takes from everyone what fits as if everything is aimed at texts. The lyrics dictate the music and not the other way around. The electronic drums, effects, guitar distortion, and also the acoustic drums come together to serve Mikiyagi singing with his caressing voice. Even though most of the lyrics on the album were written by Hannah Goldberg, it feels like Mikiagi wrote them himself. Together with Ovad Efrat, Dudi Levy, and Mikiagi leading this album that takes the band in a more poppy direction of rock than the first album which was mostly influenced by the new wave. The band did not have a deliberate statement to go in the direction of pop after the first record, but there was an inner understanding that it should be lighter. Dudi said that the first album was their trip, but then they peeled off all sorts of external things like the black dress and they became a pop-rock band as they knew from other places. They started working hard on a new sound direction and the song "Draw Yourself a Mustache" was one of the points that outlined the direction. They would write melodies on which they dressed texts in gibberish and the same sketches passed to Hannah Goldberg who wrote the lyrics. The album was recorded in four parts, whenever Ronen Ben-Tal's studio was vacant, they used the night to record 2-3 songs. The band members say they were naïve at first, they did not think anything would come out of these recordings. But suddenly it happened in a blast!! The album comes out and from the first moment, it becomes a hysterical hit, it's a huge commercial success and sells over 70,000 copies. Dudi Levy, Mikiagi, Aran Amir, Kobi Pietro, and Roi Shaked burned the radio stations and the charts with the song: "Draw Yourself a Mustache" (Tzairi Lach Safam) which was chosen as "Song of the Year" in the annual Hebrew hymn chart of the Reshet Gimel, "Anog", "Sizifa", "Amsterdam" And "Night" which is the Hebrew version of the song "Young Girl". Four of the band's songs marched simultaneously in the top ten and Noar Shulaim was selected as "Band of the Year". (Photo: Yossi Aloni) But this album is also what led to the breakup of the band. Not everyone liked what success brought with it, the madness, the admiration, the attention, and the boundless love. The one who mostly suffered from the matter was Mikiagi. For him it was a very difficult period, with the success, Mikiagi said he felt like a product of a manufacturing plant shrouded in a lot of noise. He just wanted to make people happy with his art but felt like a wounded animal facing the wolves around it. He found himself moving away from music and art and engaging in intrigue, success, admiration, and harassment. Feeling that no one was protecting him and that he was alone in the battle, he looked for ways to defend himself and the only way he saw in front of his eyes was to disband the band a year later. Dudi Levy shared his side, he said that at first, they enjoyed it, it was pleasant and fun, but at some point it became disturbing. When he came down from the stage, 30 girls were waiting for him with endless letters and telephones. At one point this became too intense and led to the point of friction between him and Mikiagi towards the recordings of the third album. This is an album that is a gem, no matter what genre it belongs to, it is Israeli, it is nostalgic, it is exciting and it is a milestone in Israeli music. Now click play on: Spotify, Apple Music and start singing, do not be afraid of anyone just sing out loud !!!! "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

"Mofa Ha'arnavot Shel Dr. Kasper"'s third album, "Oh Oh", was released on June 7, 1995. We will go back in time to understand the meaning of this album and what happened after it. The insane success of their debut album, which had the band's name and released hits such as "In a Red Dress", "Come Dina" and "Happy Monday", made the "kaspers" a big hit in the Israeli rock scene, in a time when "Independence day Rock" show was one of the big events. A year later, the band's second album was released, which did not bear an official name but was named "Mofa Ha'arnavot Shel Dr. Kasper 2". The album was a concept album that tells the story of Sheila, a girl who consumes hallucinogen drugs and goes on a "Trip. In the musical production of Dudi Levy, the band members tried to "grow up" in everything they did to create a concept album, but the matter was not successful. To say the least, the album collapsed, the band's fans abandoned them and the band received very negative reviews. Half a year later, with a strong desire to recreate the success of their first album and return to the top of Israeli music, the "kaspers" decided to go back to the first album. Produced by Oved Efrat, who gave creative freedom to the band but kept a strict outline that the band supported, we go back to songs made of sweet melodies that wrap up catchy lyrics. Only this time the "Kaspers" tried to create more personal lyrics that reflect personal experiences to mold more depth. Today you are probably familiar with "Dream Forever", "Sweet Honey Day", "Oh Oh", "My Song" and "Look at Me" which became a milestone in the Israeli soundtrack but with its release, this album was a complete failure. It felt like the little fairy of music touched the band with her magic wand in 1994 but forced them to return it at the end of 12 months. The band's attempt to return to the musical style and recreate the success of the first album failed and the last song on the album "Great Wind" was the final chord. The "Kaspers" disbanded six months after the album's release and each went his own way, Shai Lahav and Oren Barzilai embarked on solo careers and other projects. After a few years, the album gained a lot of publicity. What gave it the boost was the use of songs through TV shows and commercials like: the series "Shared House" and the series "Zbang". Very quickly the album that was a failure and led to the disbandment of the band found stardust and began to behave present not only on radio stations but also on television. As we mentioned, the songs in it became distinctive Israeli rock hits. Listen to the album on: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Are you familiar with the expression "Second Album Syndrome"? The second album syndrome is a situation a band finds itself in after their first album was a dizzying success. A band that received success and fame very quickly, a band that immediately entered the public awareness. The pressure on such a band to create, write, record and release the second album before the "hype" around it fades away is enormous, so there are quite a few bands that do not withstand the pressure and release albums that do not come close to the level of their debut album. In many cases, this syndrome destroys the band completely. So "Stone Temple Pilots' "Purple" album that we want review today, released on June 7, 1994, refers to a band that despite all the pressure put on, managed the syndrome and released an album no less good than its debut album, and if you catch us in a specific day we will admit its even better. The band did this while taking a risk, which involved a conscious decision not to repeat the winning recipe from the previous album. While changing and diversifying the musical material that this time included influences of psychedelic, progressive, folk, funk, southern rock, blues and even jazz. On top of that, Stone did so despite Scott Weiland’s severe addiction problems which greatly affected the creative and recording process. The result is particularly impressive, given the fact that the pressure on the band here has doubled. On the one hand, it sold well and was very successful in the charts, two criteria that put a stamp on the classic "syndrome". On the other hand, the band received high reviews from critics, from most of whom killed their first album, with titles such as "theft", "copycat", "lack of identity", compared to the bands: Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains and Nirvana. This double standard was best expressed in a survey conducted by Rolling Stone magazine in 1992, in which on the one hand the audience chose the band as "Best New Band" and on the other hand critics of the same magazine chose it as "Worst New Band". (Photo: Jeff Kravitz) Now imagine what an inexperienced young band, goes through with all the pressure, criticisms and problems described above, and understand that under the circumstances this album is simply a musical miracle, not only because of its amazing content but because of the fact that the band managed to release it against all odds. Amazingly Scott was able to channel his addictions into the words, most of which include descriptions of his condition, addiction problems and the peripheral damage they left. While the three remaining friends wrapped them in an amazing compositions that only intensified the tremendous power behind the words. The album begins with the slow and heavy riff of "Meatplow" and with a sharp statement by the band towards all those who criticized it after the release of the first album. It is no coincidence that the band chose to open the album with this particular song, Scott points the middle finger at those critics who came down on the band with negative reviews to show them, we are here even though you tried to "break us. "They got these pictures of everything/To break us down, to break me down”. The album gains momentum with Dean DeLeo's howling guitar and the fade into "Vasoline"'s so monotonous riff. Amazingly, this reef has everything it takes to bother, drive mad and annoy, but it does just the opposite !!! And you find yourself drifting after the two notes repeating themselves repetitively. The percussion work of Eric Kretz who happens to be celebrating his birthday today is simply commendable, it enriches and fills the song in just the right places. We must say a word on Dean DeLeo's short but ingenious solo that completely breaks the monotony of a 4/4 rhythm. A great song that was released as the second single from the album and jumped straight to number one on Billboard. Scott said this song was written about the insects that attach to Vaseline and die slowly in an attempt predestined for failure to break free from it. Wieland told "VH1's Storytellers" that after the release of the debut album he felt like an insect under a magnifying glass. Birthday boy Eric Kretz continues to transcend himself with amazing drum work and percussion leading the song “Lounge Fly”. A song that opens with Backwards-Effect with Dean DeLeo's howling guitar and is interrupted by the rolling drums, before returning to his basic hard rock. During the transition section this song switches to pure acoustic folk and immediately afterwards comes Paul Leary's slide guitar from the band "Butthole Surfers" hosted here. The fourth track "Interstate Love Song" introduces us to one of the band's most beautiful melodies and the most successful single from the album. After a short acoustic-intro comes the sweeping entrance with DeLeo's funky riffs. Scott simply transcends himself here with amazing and powerful poetry, which probably stems from the personal story that emerges from the lyrics of the song in which Willand tells of his insincerity in trying to hide his addiction problems. The next two tracks "Still Remains" and "Pretty Penny" emphasize the musical diversity that is on this album. The first corresponds a bit with a country mixed with southern rock while the second is wrapped in oriental folk that is reminiscent at times of the acoustic sections of "Jethro Tull" that come from the progressive rock in general. Did we say progressive? So the seventh song "Silvergun Superman" includes transitions reserved for the same genre, yet it is so far away. This is one of our favorite songs on the album. A very dynamic segment that opens with the metallic and slow riff and reaches the climax with DeLeo's amazing solo and bizarre rhythm breaking towards the end. From here we move on to the first song recorded on the album, or actually not recorded for the album but for the soundtrack of the movie "The Crow" starring Brandon Lee son of Bruce Lee. The band wrote this song specifically for the film's soundtrack, but since they really liked it, they put it on the album as well. The original name of the song was "Only Dying" but after the death of Brandon Lee on the set of the film, the band decided to change its name to "Big Empty". It should be noted that the song was originally played in the band's MTV Unplugged performance that took place even before the soundtrack of the film came out, but the song was not recorded there and was only released on the soundtrack and then on the album. The song that seals the album "Kitchenware & Candybars" is probably the most melodramatic of all the tracks on the album, and again one of our favorites. The first entry with the dirty and unprocessed distortion excites us time and time again. What a tremendous and meticulous production that includes strings and orchestral effects that add to the uniqueness of the song. The song also includes a "Crazy" Hidden Track called "My Second Album", a jazzy part whose combination of madness and genius is reserved only for virtuous individuals like Mike Patton. This is actually the twelfth track of the album that includes a guest appearance by Richard Peterson on vocals. This section provides an explanation of the image on the back cover of the album, which features a cake with the phrase “12 Gracious Melodies”. Listen to the album at: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Today we celebrate the birthday of the talented and diverse guitarist Dave Navarro. So here are some interesting facts about the guitarist and actor: (Photo: Tim Mosenfelder) 1. His full name is David Michael Navarro and he was born on June 7, 1967, in Santa Monica, California. 2. When he was 16 years old his mother was murdered by her former boyfriend, Dave was supposed to be with his mother that evening but at the last minute decided to stay with his father. 3. His mother's death was very difficult and put Dave into a deep and long-standing relationship with drugs. In 2015 he released a documentary called "Mourning Son" which depicts the murder of his mother and the years in which he later dealt with her death. 4. Three years later Dave began his career with the band of his life - "Jane's Addiction". He came to the band through childhood friend Stephen Perkins with whom he played together in the school orchestra. Stephen recommended Perry Farrell and after an audition, he joined the band together with Eric Avery. 5. Very quickly, "Jane's" became a sensation in the Los Angeles clubs and especially in the "Scream" club where they were a regular opening show. After courting several record companies, the band signed with "Warner Bros. Records" but conditioned the release of their "debut" album on a local independent record label called "Triple X". 6. In 1987 the band released their debut album, which was a live performance album recorded during the band's performance at the famous "Roxy Theater" club in Los Angeles. 7. In 1988 the band released their first studio album "Nothing's Shocking". The first single from the album "Jane Says" reached number six on Billboard and the album was a huge success. It began to pave the way for the band as one of the most influential and successful in the development of alternative rock in the early 90s. 8. But... the beginning did not have only a positive side!! Although the album was created by all band members, Farrell decided he wanted 50% of the royalties for writing the lyrics and another 25% of the remaining fifty for the contribution to writing the music, a total of 62.5% of the band royalties leaving 12.5% for the rest o f the band members. Although the band almost fell apart, the record company intervened and resolved the dispute when Farrell got what he asked for. The conflict and the "solution" created a deep rift between the band members that would continue on. 9. In 1990 the band released their second album "Ritual de lo habitual". An album that Dave claimed he does not remember at all the making process since he was deep in drugs and this whole period was erased from his memory. The album is split in two with the first part, songs 1-5, consisting of strong hard rock songs, and the second part, songs 6-9, all dedicated to Farrell's ex-girlfriend - Xiola Blue - who died from a drug overdose and is mostly influenced by progressive rock. Two singles from the album "Been Caught Stealing" and "Stop!" won many plays and gave the album great success. 10. After the release of the album Dave decided to get cleaned from drugs and had begun rehab along with his bandmate bassist Eric. The two would end each performance when they return to a separate hotel and not to the tour bus with the rest of the band members and the tour crew. 11. During the tour to promote the album, the rift between the band members began to grow, especially between Dave and Farrell who were documented arguing on stage during a large number of performances. Farrell said that at the end of the tour that he realized his drug and narcissistic rituals did not allow him to get along with anyone and it caused the rift to deepen and indeed at the end of 1991 Avery and Dave decided to complete their contract commitments and leave the band. 12. That same year Izzy Stradlin left "Guns N 'Roses" and Axl Rose courted Dave asking him to replace him. Despite many invitations from Axl to come and play with Slash he never showed up. A year later Dave received an offer from the "Red Hot Chili Peppers", but he elegantly refused them. 13. In 1993, Dave and his friend Avery formed the band "Deconstruction" which also included drummer Michael Murphy. Together they released in 1994 their only album bearing the band's name which was a kind of direct contrast to Farrell's "Porno for Pyros" album that was issued after "Jane's" breakup. 14. That same year, Dave agreed to the offer and joined the "Red hot Chili Peppers". Together with them, he released the band's sixth album "One Hot Minute". The album was a huge success and sold very well. Dave who didn’t relate to the band’s funky side gave it a heavier and even psychedelic sound. 15. During the tour to promote the album the relationship between the band members began to deteriorate as Dave and Kiedis contributed to the deterioration by heavy drug use. In 1998 Dave left the band, some say it was a mutual decision and some say he was fired due to increased of drug use which led to general dysfunction. 16. In 1995 Dave recorded his first EP called "Rhimorse". He wrote, created, and recorded the EP entirely on his own. The EP contains 5 songs that were recorded on one track without separation. The EP was not officially or commercially released but leaked online. 17. That same year Dave participated in the recordings of the song "You Oughta Know" by singer Alanis Morissette which came out on her album "Jagged Little Pill". 18. In 2001, Dave released his debut solo album "Trust No One". Dave recorded the album back in 1988, playing all the instruments on the album. The album focuses on Dave's difficult personal experiences like the drugs, the divorce, and the lonely life of a rock star. Dave said it was a very difficult and demanding experience that made him realize that he would rather be part of the band than a soloist. 19. In 2002 Jane's was reassembled and Dave returned to play with Farrell and Stephen with Chris Chaney joining on bass. A year later they release their third album "Strays", 13 years after the release of their previous album. The first single from the album "Just Because" earned the band a Grammy nomination. 20. That same year Dave formed a cover band called "Camp Freddy" in collaboration with his Jane's friend Chris Chaney and drummer Matt Sorum. The band used to host many artists such as: Scott Weiland, Chester Bennington, Sebastian Bach, Jerry Cantrell, Fred Durst, Tom Morello, Corey Taylor, Zakk Wylde, Steven Tyler, Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy Kilmister, and more and more ... In 2014 the band changed its name To "Royal Machines". 21. In 2003, Dave appeared with his then-partner Carmen Electra on an MTV show called "Til Death Do Us Part," which documented the couple's wedding. (Photo: Pinterest) 22. In 2004 Dave participated in the "Celebrity Poker Showdown" program, the name says it all so there is no need to explain. 23. After an intense tour in 2003, Jane's broke up again for unknown reasons, when Dave wrote on his website that the breakup was due to the same reasons as the first time. 24. In 2005, Dave formed the band "The Panic Channel" with the rest of the newly disbanded Jane's band plus singer Steve Isaacs. They released together one album called "One a year later". 25. In 2006 Dave would host along with model Brooke Burke on the reality show "Rock Star". In the first season of "Rock Star: INXS" they held auditions for the role of the singer of the band INXS and in the second season of "Rock Star: Supernova" they held auditions for the role of the singer of the band "Supernova" which was composed of his previous band "The Panic Channel". (Photo: Ollie Millington) 26. In 2007, Dave directed an adult movie called "Broken" as part of a reality show where celebrities direct adult movies (porn for those who did not understand). 27. In 2008, Jane's reunited for the third time and began a small tour in the North of the United States along with "Nine Inch Nails". 28. In 2011, Jane's released their fourth and final album "The Great Escape Artist". The album combines post-punk styles with influences from bands like Muse and Radiohead. 29. Among his other on-screen appearances in movies and TV series, Dave participated in 2012 in four episodes of the excellent series "Sons Of Anarchy". Another interesting appearence is in the reality competition "Ink Master" where he shows and talks about his various tattos. 30. He has collaborated with many other artists from different worlds such as: Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Marilyn Manson, Christina Aguilera, and many more. 31. In 2022, after Dave was infected by the corona virus he suffered severely for two years from post-viral side effects and was shut down from all musical activity. 32. In 2023 members of Jane's entered the studio without Dave and began working on new material when in May 2024 they took the stage together for the first time in 14 years and performed several songs including two new ones. 33. The reunion did not last long, and after just a few performances (September 2024), Dave and the band's singer, Perry Farrell, got into a fistfight on stage. During the performance of one of the songs, Perry began violently attacking Dave nonstop. Even the concert's security guards tried to separate the two, initially without success, until they eventually managed to remove Perry from the stage and the show was halted. Since that incident, the band has not performed or recorded together again, and it seems that the event marked the end of the band’s existence. Feel free to listen to his only solo album "Trust No One". "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On June 7, 2005, "Dream Theater" released their eighth album "Octavarium". As the band's eighth album, its main theme deals with the number 8 and hence its name. As is well known, "Octave" indicates a series of eight notes on a musical scale, as does the number of songs on the album. When the band started working on the album Mike Portnoy told his friends that it would be their eighth studio album and that since so far they have released five live albums, it reminded him of a piano that contains within one octave 8 white keys (full tone) and 5 black (half tone). This idea has already been enough for the rest of the band to promote the concept of the album. The aforementioned album includes 8 tracks, each of which was written by the band in a different key, according to the sequence that exists in an octave. In this way, the opening song "The Root of All Evil" is written in the key of (F), the song followed "The Answer Lies Within" is written in the key of G, and so on, until the epic song that seals the album "Octavarium" that closes the circle (and the octave) and was also written in the key of F, like the opening song. But the band was not content with that. They made sure to place short passages between the songs, that marked the 5 halftones (the black keys on the piano). For example, at the end of the first song, there is an 18-second segment called "Nature Sounds" that connects it to the next song and is written in the Key of (F#). The album has 5 such short passages, as the number of black keys in the octave. One can learn about the placement of these five tracks on the album by looking at the black keyboards on the album's back cover. Similar to the octave that closes a circle between two similar notes, the secondary theme of this album is also related to "closing circles". This is the band's last album recorded at "The Hit Factory" in New York and the band's last with "Elektra Records". In addition, this album closes the sequence of the "mega album" that the band started as part of "Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory", where the ending note of the previous album is also the opening note of the next album. In this way, the opening song "The Root of All Evil" begins with the last note of the previous album "Train of Thought" which began with the last note from "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence", which in turn began with the static noise that ended "Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory". Drummer Mike Portnoy said he realized he had dug himself a deep pit that he did not know how to get out of, because he felt the band was expected to do so on every album over and over again. Portnoy finally found a golden opportunity to resolve this matter on "Octavarium", whose secondary concept is "closing circles". And so, the last track on the album ends with the same opening note as the first track. This made the album a cycle in itself, allowing the band to start with a "smooth page" on the next album. If we have already mentioned the concept of the album and the digits "8" and "5", then it is interesting that the cover designed by Hugh Syme also corresponds with the above themes, when Newton's pendulum includes 8 balls and 5 birds are flying in the sky. As for the musical material. After epic albums such as "Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory" and "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence", the band decided to produce a classic "Dream Theater" album, which would rely on the styles and artists from which the band was influenced. Therefore, you will find in this album and especially in the theme track clear influences from bands like "Yes", "Pink Floyd", "Genesis" and more. At the same time, the band made an attempt to make their music less complex (except, of course, for the theme song). They aspired to produce songs that would be easier for listeners to absorb and appreciate. To achieve that, the band based their writing primarily on Rudess's piano playing and John Petrucci's guitar. Despite the clear direction and conscious choice to create more receptive music, drummer Mike Portnoy rejected claims that this album was an attempt to write a more commercial album. He noted that the band members also like bands like "U2" or "Coldplay" and that they have no problem with shorter songs, on the contrary, he claimed that it is actually easier for them to write long pieces. Indeed, songs like "The Answer Lies Within" and "I Walk Beside You" are examples of short tracks that Rudess saw as "radio-friendly" songs that still retain the basic style of "Dream Theater." The album opens up with "The Root of All Evil" and a lone and unique piano note by Rudess that gives the signal for the opening of Portnoy's drum attack. What an amazing pace and what a crazy riff by Petrucci. A mighty opening song that is the third part of Portnoy's "Twelve Steps Suite", describes his journey through the "Alcoholics Anonymous" rehab method. The song contains the sixth and seventh parts of the suite: "Ready" and "Remove" respectively. It all started with "The Glass Prison" from the album "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence" which refers to the first three stages of the method, then "This Dying Soul" from the album "Train of Thought" describes the fourth and fifth stages, the song "The Root of All Evil" refers For parts six and seven of the method, "Repentance" from the "Systematic Chaos" album represents the eight and nine parts, and the song "The Shattered Fortress" from the "Black Clouds & Silver Linings" album ends the saga with the last three sections of the story. Immediately after that comes the ballad "The Answer Lies Within" which is led by Rudess' piano playing and breaks us to pieces with each re-listening. Not for nothing did Rudess choose to include a version of the song on his solo album "Notes on a Dream", from 2009. It is interesting to note that the band is aided here by a string quartet that accompanies this marvelous piece. The third track "These Walls" is one of the great tracks on the album, that best explains what the band meant when they decided to produce a classic "Dream" album. There are all the "main food groups" we know well from this amazing band and "Dream" manages to connect them all in such a beautiful way, which does not embarrass its youth nor does it sound like a repetition of things the band has done before. "I Walk Beside You" is the shortest on the album and perhaps also among the shorts of the band ever. A song meant to be a "hit" and flirt with the radio, but we really have no problem with that. Why? mainly because the band manages to do this without losing a drop of its DNA or respect. The C part that leads to the chorus is one of the band's melodic and beautiful, just a sheer delight! It seems to us that there should be no controversy at all as for "Panic Attack". Starting with John Myung's crazy bass, through Petrucci's brutal riff and Rudess' virtuoso playing, it's a tremendous and rare display of musical ability and precision, on which "Dream" has based an entire career and which many bands and artists can only envy. "Never Enough" has clear influences from "Muse". From the sound of the keyboards and guitar to the effect on the vocals of James LaBrie. Portnoy wrote the lyrics in response to fans who complained about the band. He noted that on the one hand, he appreciates the dedication of "Dream Theater" fans, but on the other hand, he was frustrated because he felt he was giving everything of himself to satisfy the fans, but still, some of them complain that they went to the show and did not hear "Pull Me Under". "Sacrificed Sons" is actually a musical work that lasts almost 11 minutes. The lyrics were written by lead singer James LaBrie, and deals with the 9/11 attacks. Keyboardist Rudess noted that the band felt comfortable at times writing about more serious topics. LaBrie noted that during the work on the lyrics there were many discussions about the song and how direct it should be. Listen to the ending section starting at 10:18, it reminded us of the ending to another song "Diary of a Madman" by Ozzy Osbourne listen there starting at 5:24. "Octavarium" is the longest track on the album, 24:00 minutes in Length. It is divided into five parts. Petrucci stated that the band wanted to write an epic song to accompany it with an orchestra. Indeed, so it was. This is the first time "Dream Theater" has worked with an orchestra, conducted by Jamshied Sharifi (who studied at Berkeley College of Music with Portnoy, Petrucci, and John Myung). The orchestra was selected based on its ability to read notes, which allowed all of their parts to be recorded in just two takes, even though they had never heard or played the music before. This epic is a tribute to all the classic prog bands "Dream Theater" grew up on and especially "Genesis", "Yes" and "Pink Floyd", but it also mentions some of the other songs on the album and instrumental tracks from other "Dream Theater" albums. Starting with the instrumental introduction, which corresponds with "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" from the album "Wish You Were Here", performed by Rudess using a device called "Continuum Fingerboard" that imitates the sound of a lap steel guitar (which he also plays here unusually), this is a salute epic to the prog giants the band grew up on. This piece is also full of references to other progressive rock songs, even in lyrics. For example: "sailing on the seven seize the day tripper Diem's ​​ready Jack the Ripper Owens Wilson Phillips and my supper's ready lucy in the sky with diamond dave's not here I come to save the day for nightmare cinema show me the way to get back home again". No matter how you look at it, it's one of the band's most beautiful and delightful albums and we have no problem with the claim of "commercialization", if only for creating the phenomenal epic theme song that contains all the staples of progressive rock. We think that since "Images and Words" no album of the band has flowed smoothly for us like "Octavarium", and we are not talking about the level of writing and sophistication, innovation, "musical quality", nor making a comparison to albums like "Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory" and "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence". We intend that this album just flows smoothly from start to end, despite the great variety between the songs that range from kicking metal ("The Root of All Evil" and "Never Enough"), through the familiar prog-metal of "Dream" ("These Walls", "Panic Attack"), soft ballads ("The Answer Lies Within"), friendly "hits" ("I Walk Beside You") and of course a prog-symphonic epic work ("Octavarium"). 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- 06.06.1978 Many people develop an emotional attachment to their car. The longer they own it, the more memories become associated with it, and the greater its sentimental value grows. Some people can almost be defined by the type of car they drive. That was not the case with "The Cars", a band that deliberately chose a simple, generic name that was not tied to any particular era or musical style. The same could be said about their musically diverse self-titled debut album, released on June 6, 1978. "The Cars" consisted of Ric Ocasek (vocals, guitar), Benjamin Orr (vocals, bass guitar), Greg Hawkes (keyboards, saxophone, backing vocals), Elliot Easton (guitar, backing vocals), and David Robinson (drums, percussion, backing vocals). "The Cars" were formed in Boston in 1976, but the story began much earlier. In 1965, Ric Ocasek met Benjamin Orr in Cleveland while Orr was performing with his band "The Grasshoppers". Ocasek, whose family was of Polish descent, remembered Orr well, and three years later the two reconnected in Columbus, Ohio. They began performing together and formed their first band, "ID Nirvana". After playing in various bands around Columbus and Ann Arbor, Michigan, Ocasek and Orr relocated to Boston in the early seventies to form "Milkwood", a folk-rock band influenced by "Crosby, Stills & Nash". The group released one album with keyboardist Greg Hawkes, who would later become a member of "The Cars", before disbanding. However, the core trio of Ocasek, Orr, and Hawkes continued working together in their next project, "Richard and the Rabbits". At the same time, Ocasek and Orr also performed as an acoustic duo. Several songs from those performances would later evolve into some of the earliest material recorded by "The Cars". Ocasek and Orr later joined guitarist Elliot Easton in the band "Cap'n Swing", a group whose sound was heavily influenced by "Television". After hearing one of their demo tapes, Boston radio DJ Maxanne Sartori began playing their music on WBCN, but record labels still showed little interest in signing them. After replacing their drummer and changing their name to "The Cars", the band recorded a nine-song demo. Among its tracks, "Just What I Needed" received significant airplay on local radio stations. It turned out to be exactly what they needed. Both Elektra and Arista offered the band recording contracts, but "The Cars" ultimately chose Elektra because the label had very few New Wave artists on its roster and was willing to offer a more favorable deal. In February 1978, "The Cars" entered the studio to record their debut album, a record that blended power pop, new wave, rock, and punk influences. At the time, this combination was highly unusual, as rock music and electronic elements rarely coexisted so naturally. Add to that the distinctive songwriting of band leader Ric Ocasek, whose lyrics were often filled with self-aware sarcasm and irony, and the result was something that sounded unlike almost anything else on the radio. Because of the band's fascination with emerging technology, "The Cars" were given opportunities to experiment with a wide range of newly released instruments and electronic equipment supplied by local music stores. These cutting-edge tools helped shape the sleek and futuristic sound that would become one of the band's defining characteristics. The album opens with "Good Times Roll", a song that offers a sarcastic take on the idea of the "good times" often celebrated in rock music. Beneath its smooth melody and polished arrangement lies a tongue-in-cheek commentary on fame, success, and the glamorous image associated with the rock-and-roll lifestyle. One of the album's standout singles, "My Best Friend's Girl", was often assumed to have been inspired by a personal experience from Ric Ocasek's life. Ocasek dismissed that interpretation, explaining that the song was not based on anything that had happened to him personally. Instead, he described it as a story about a situation that could happen to anyone: having your girlfriend stolen by your best friend. Ocasek frequently wrote about relationships, but rarely from the same perspective twice. Sometimes he explored the dynamics of intimacy and romance, while at other times he adopted the viewpoint of a man who has no one in his life and is willing to endure emotional pain simply to avoid being alone. This ability to examine relationships from different angles became one of the defining characteristics of his songwriting. The closing track, "All Mixed Up", is often viewed as reflecting Ocasek's observations about a relationship with a fashion model and the gradual deterioration of that relationship due to the demands of the modeling world. The song captures feelings of distance, frustration, and recurring neglect, themes that Ocasek returned to throughout much of his work. "The Cars" became one of the best-selling debut albums of the 1970s, selling more than six million copies worldwide. Its success established the band as one of the leading forces of the New Wave movement and proved that guitar-driven rock and synthesizer-based music could not only coexist, but thrive together on mainstream radio. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On June 6, 1986 (US) and June 9 (UK) "Genesis" released their 13th studio album "Invisible Touch". Crafted entirely from jam-based improvisations and shaped in the studio with longtime producer Hugh Padgham, Invisible Touch stands as a defining moment in ‘80s pop-rock, packed with catchy melodies, polished production and high charting singles. Following a hiatus after their 1983 "Genesis" album and tour, Phil Collins, Tony Banks, and Mike Rutherford returned to "Genesis" after pursuing solo careers (Rutherford formed "Mike + The Mechanics" and had success with their debut album, Banks released "Soundtracks", and Collins released his third solo album "No Jacket Required"). Their external projects had significantly influenced their musical perspectives—especially Collins’ "No Jacket Required", which helped solidify the band's shift toward streamlined, radio-friendly music. When the trio reconvened at their private studio, The Farm in Surrey, they came without pre-written material. Instead, they relied on long jam sessions, extracting ideas from spontaneous interplay. As with their previous album, "Invisible Touch" was built from scratch—recorded between October 1985 and February 1986. They captured moments from their improvisations using rudimentary sampling (including Banks’s E-mu Emulator, which had only 17 seconds of record time), before sculpting them into full songs. Each band member typically handled the lyrics for particular tracks, giving the album a varied narrative voice within a cohesive sonic framework. The album is a synthesis of cutting-edge ‘80s production and pop songwriting, built on electronic instrumentation and digital studio techniques. Phil Collins's drumming—both on acoustic and Simmons electronic kits—delivers the trademark gated reverb sound he helped pioneer. Tony Banks's arsenal of synthesizers and sampled textures dominate the arrangements, while Mike Rutherford often lays back with rhythmic guitar figures and melodic basslines. A Roland TR-727 drum machine and Collins's Roland Pad-8 added Latin and percussive flair to several tracks, contributing to the album’s tight, electronic groove. Though cleaner and more concise than their earlier epics, the band still managed to sneak in moments of complexity. The album opens up with the title track "Invisible Touch". It was born spontaneously during a jam on “Domino.” When Rutherford began playing a riff with echo effects, Collins sang the now-iconic hook line on the spot. Inspired partly by his first wife, Collins built the lyrics around irresistible but damaging relationships. Sonically, it's upbeat and sleek—propelled by Banks's sequenced synths and Collins’s crisp rhythms. A perfect pop song, it became the band’s only U.S. No. 1 hit. "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" – One of the album’s darkest and most atmospheric tracks. The song evolved from Banks's moody keyboard improvisations over a hypnotic groove. Collins’s intense vocal delivery and lyrics about addiction unfold over layered synths and a haunting instrumental middle section. The original title “Monkey/Zulu” hints at its abstract beginnings. It recalls older "Genesis" in scope and tone. "Land of Confusion" – A biting political anthem with a muscular rhythm section and urgent vocal delivery. Rutherford, writing through a feverish haze, penned the lyrics as a protest song. Collins’s punchy performance gives the track its edge, while its animated video (featuring puppets from Spitting Image) helped cement its cultural impact. "In Too Deep" – A smooth ballad originally written for the film "Mona Lisa" . Collins wrote the chorus in Sydney while touring solo, then added verses during the recording sessions. Subtle piano and understated guitar work support one of Collins’s most tender vocal performances. "Anything She Does" – Inspired by images of pin-up models the band jokingly posted around the studio, this is the album’s most playful moment. Banks used sampled brass stabs (not from the Phenix Horns, despite the sound), giving it a punchy, pop-soul feel. "Domino" – The album’s proggiest offering, this two-part suite ("In the Glow of the Night"/"The Last Domino") runs over 11 minutes. Banks wrote the lyrics as a critique of political carelessness. Though buried beneath the hits, “Domino” is one of "Genesis's" most musically ambitious tracks of the decade, full of dynamic shifts and dark tension. Rutherford called it one of their best. "Throwing It All Away" – Built on a gentle guitar riff from Rutherford, the song began as a heavy piece before transforming into a more delicate love song. Collins’s description of it as a “one-note samba” captures its rhythmic flow, while the melodic vocal hook makes it a standout ballad. "The Brazilian" – The sole instrumental, driven by Banks’s looping sample (triggered via a knife wedged on the keyboard!) and Collins’s experimental programming on the Simmons kit. The track started as a studio experiment and ends the album on a vibrant, percussive note. Three additional songs—“Do the Neurotic,” “Feeding the Fire,” and “I’d Rather Be You”—were recorded during the album sessions but excluded from the final album. They later appeared as B-sides and in the "Genesis Archive 2" and 1983–1998 box sets. "Invisible Touch" became "Genesis’s" most commercially successful album, topping the UK chart and hitting No. 3 in the US. It sold over 6 million copies in the U.S. alone and produced five U.S. Top 5 singles—a feat no other foreign act had achieved at the time. Despite its success, the album drew mixed reviews, with critics both praising and criticizing its overt pop leanings and resemblance to Collins’s solo work. "Invisible Touch" is not just a reflection of "Genesis’s" adaptability—it’s a masterclass in pop craftsmanship without fully abandoning their progressive spirit. It's a polished, forward-looking record that captures the sound of the mid-1980s while showcasing the trio's chemistry and musical evolution. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website