I first got to know Israeli Metal through the mid-90s 'Israheller' compilation. Long unavailable, the compilation featured tracks from Salem and Orphaned Land together with a number of other artists, some of whom never achieved anything more, while others such as Betrayer and Azazel developed modest underground reputations. The compilation was released by Heller Productions, a short-lived forerunner of Raven , now Israel's foremost Metal label and distro.
The reason why I'm thinking about Israheller is, first that it is nearly 10 years since I did my PhD fieldwork on the Israeli Metal scene and the compilation started my journey of discovery. But the main reason is that I recently received a copy of a new Israeli Metal compilation called Israel Unleashed , featuring 15 Israeli bands, most of whom are unsigned. I posted a while back on this when the project was still at the planning stage. The odd thing is that the compilation is released by the Jewish Music Group an American label that markets its releases primarily to American Jews. Now there are probably enough American Jewish Metallers to theoretically make the CD viable, but are they plugged into the networks that JMG use to market their work? And in any case, why would they be particularly interested in buying a CD of mostly unsigned acts? Certainly I doubt whether JMG will know how to market the CD in the global Metal scene and the problem of the acts being unknown will be even greater. I guess there is a market in Israel but I don't know if it's being released there. So the question remains: who is this CD for?
The Israheller CD sugared the pill of the inclusion of unsigned bands by also including experienced and well known acts like Salem and Orphaned Land. The same is not true for Israel Unleashed. None of the big names are here, not veterans like Orphaned Land or Salem or more recent Israeli successes like Betzefer. It's no surprise to find that the best 2 tracks here come from Desert and Vultures, both of whom have had deals with foreign labels. Vultures split up in 2004 but their industrial Metal still sounds great. Desert's intriguing classic Metal with oriental touches is accomplished enough for them to have a deal with A&M. As for the rest? Well, unlike the Israheller CD, there aren't any tracks that are too amateurish to be included. It's a mark of the maturity of the Israeli scene that all the bands on the CD know what they are doing music-wise. The problem is that there isn't enough originality or excitement. Distorted are kind of Salem-lite, Crossfire are meat and potatoes true Metal, Manga are dead ringers for Evanescence. Other than Desert and Vultures, the only track that really caught my interest was by Xamavar whose unclassifiable alternative Metal features bagpipes!
I still have a strong emotional connection to the Israeli scene and I wish all the bands on the compilation well, but I am really unsure what its fate will be.
Anyway, JMG sent me two copies. I'm happy to send one to anyone who wants one, in return for an interesting CD (burnt or original) of some kind.
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