Salem (Israeli band)
Salem | |
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| File:Salem.JPG | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Giv'atayim, Israel |
| Years active | 1985 - present |
| Members | Ze'ev Tananboim Lior Mizrachi Nir Gutraiman Michael Goldstein Nir Nakav |
Salem is an Israeli doom/death metal band, pioneers of the Oriental metal movement.
History
Salem, the first extreme metal band in Israel was formed in 1985, and is considered to be one of the first bands in the global underground scene who played brutal black metal, which can be heard in their self titled rehearsal tape from 1986 and their live demo "Destruction till death" from 1987 (recorded at the legendery 'pinguin' club which used to be famous as the only outlet for alternative music in Israel throughout the 1980's.
After 5 years of a successful underground career the band released another live demo "Millions Slaughtered "(1990). This demo tape sold 1,500 copies and got the band a record deal with the German label Morbid Records.
"Creating our sins"(1992) and "Kaddish"(1994) were released by Morbid records and sold over 40,000 copies worldwide. Prior to the release of "Kaddish", Morbid Records released a 7 inch picture EP with the single "Dying Embers"(1994) to promote the album, and when "Kaddish" came out, a limited edition of the album was released on vinyl (picture disc). The opening song "The Fading" was played on M.T.V's headbangers ball rotation and also got the band to be elected as one of the best 10 up and coming bands in the world by M.T.V and Kerrang.
"Kaddish" also featured a cover song called "Ha'ayara Bo'eret" (the town is on fire), a song that is being associated with the holocaust. This national controversy found its way to the Israeli parliament for a discussion of whether or not it is appropriate for a metal band to play such songs.
In 1998, following the best offer the band got from Israeli label B.N.E., producer Colin Richardson, the man who produced such known act as Machine Head, Fear Factory etc, flew over to Israel to record "A Moment of Silence". The album was recorded in D.B. studios in Israel and The Chapel in England and was released late 1998. A big distribution deal was on the horizon with Modern Music (Germany) but due to miscommunication between B.N.E. and the band the deal fell through.
In early 2001, Salem was released from their contract with B.N.E. In December 2001, Salem signed a 3 album deal with KMG/ System Shock from Germany. The 4th album "Collective Demise" released in September 2002.
The fourth Salem album is the most aggressive Salem album to date. Produced by the band and recorded in D.B. Studios (Drums, Bass, and Guitars) and Noise Studios (Vocals and mix) in Israel to maintain the bombastic production standard set forth with previous release "A Moment of Silence".
Salem is back with a vengeance, offering their ever expanding fan base the opportunity to bring one of the band's infamous live shows home. Shot last July in front of 900 raging fans, this full-length live cencert is presented in stereo, 5.1 and DTS mixes. Of course these songs have gone through many revisions throughout the years as the band members have evolved as artists and as people.
The DVD also includes many bonuses such as; 7 promo videos, behind the scene featurette, a making of featurette, a gag reel, 2 easter eggs, English, German, Russian and Japanese subtitles and a 12 pages full color booklet.
Music
Salem's music is a combination of doomdeath (slow-paced death metal) with Oriental elements and black metal singing voice (distorted hoarse screams). Riffing, henceforth, can range from slow and heavy doom metal riffing to very fast and rapid black metal riffing.
In some songs, Salem combine tender oriental and Jewish melodies (such as the intro of Ha'ayara Bo'eret). In their last album, Collective Demise, Salem also combined soft female vocals - a contrast to the hard raging male "death vocals".
Trivia
- Salem's frontman Ze'ev used to be a penpal of Mayhem's leader Øystein Aarseth, better known as Euronymous, from 1987 until Aarseth's murder by Varg Vikernes of Burzum , a radical neo-Nazi, who also attempted to send Ze'ev a mail bomb in 1991. In fact Euronymous, the leader of the Norwegian black-metal "inner circle", knew about this mail bomb that was sent to Ze'ev. The Norwegian "inner circle" sent mail bombs to other bands during 1991 (such as Therion, etc).
Discography
- Creating Our Sins (1992) Morbid
- Kaddish (1994)
- A Moment Of Silence (1998) BNE
- Collective Demise (2002) System Shock
- Strings attached (2005)
Band members
- Ze'ev Tananboim - vocals
- Lior Mizrachi - (Afifit) guitars
- Nir Gutraiman - guitars
- Michael Goldstein - bass
- Nir Nakav - drums