Israeli dark epic metallers DESERT have checked in with the first part of their studio diary.
The band comments: “Here is coming the first part of the studio diary, where you can see Assaf, making an outstanding job, on drums recording for our upcoming album. Enjoy and to be continued !”
More information at https://www.facebook.com/DesertOfficial
by Sagiv Shaniv
It is the third time in four years that SABATON are parking their war machine in Tel Aviv; Only this time it was a very special visit of theirs’, with record-breaking affection the crowd showed them whether if it’s in the traditional pre-concert signing session in the local metalshop, news about their visit here before the show spreading live throughout the internet, or during the concert itself in which you solemnly think for yourself that perhaps the crowd is actually louder than the band…
SABATON released their latest album “Carolus Rex” in May 23rd 2012; It gained great success, and was supported by the world wide Swedish Empire Tour 2012, from which the show was a part of.
The opening act were no other than DESERT, a local dark power metal act who are very close (personally and musically) to SABATON and opened for them on their previous visit in Israel as well. During the show a special surprise Desert had promised was fulfilled, when Joakim Broden (Sabaton’s vocalist) came onstage to sing a duet with Desert’s frontman Alexei Raymer on the song “Lament for soldier’s glory”, just like in the original recording. That was a great warm up for the main show of the evening, and Desert made their best to make the crowd bang their heads in the power metal constant rhythm.
Between Desert and Sabaton there was an interval of about 20 minutes that was ended by the song “The Final Countdown” by the Swedish hard rock band Europe. The crowd sang along with the recording with occasional feelings of “What the hell”… all until there was complete silence. A minute later, Sabaton stormed the stage and just like in their 2010 show in Israel, started playing the powerful song Ghost Division, getting the crowd into total ecstasy that lasted for an hour and a half. The show went on and on with the well-known to the crowd hits the band writes so well. The show was a one long high point, spiced up with some talking of Joakim and odd reactions of the crowd to the band (Who throws a teddy bear onstage? Dudes…).
It’s hard for me to pick the song I enjoyed the most in the evening, but I’ll go for 40:1. I think it’s the second song of theirs I heard, and a superb one in my opinion since. I’ve got nothing bad to say about the concert; the sound was sharp and bright, the playlist was diverse covering their most popular material and the crowd was simply AWESOME. I hope they’ll come back a few years from now for the fourth time, perhaps with some more bands for some sort of a mini-fest… Who knows what tomorrow will bring!
Setlist: (by Setlist.fm)
(The Final Countdown – Europe song)
The March To War
Ghost Division
Uprising
Gott Mit Uns
40:1
Cliffs of Gallipoli
Dominium Maris Baltici
The Lion From the North
The Price of a Mile
Into the Fire
Carolus Rex
Poltava
Attero Dominatus
Encore:
The Art of War
Panzer Battalion
Primo Victoria
Metal Crüe
Encore 2:
Counterstrike
Dead Soldier’s Waltz
Masters of the World
Ghost Division + Uprising
Panzer Battalion + Primo Victoria
Joakim speaks to the crowd Before Counterstrike
Counterstrike
Israeli Power/Epic metal band DESERT has published the following statement on their official Facebook page:
“Horns up, Desert Warriors!
After 4 months of intensive work in the studio, with the producer Erez Yohanan, we can proudly say, that the writing process of the material for the upcoming DESERT’s album is done!!!! From all the written stuff we choosed 10 absolutely killing tracks, and honestly we can say, that we are proud off the results !!!
Desert warriors – we prepared a really great present for all of you, who supported us through this years! You will hear kind of songs that we never used to play before and even one really epic almost 9 minutes track (the longest and most expressive song we ever made). Right now we are finishing the work on lyrics and some vocal parts, so it’s planned to enter the studio at the end of October and to record the next DESERT album. So keep your fingers crossed for us and stay tuned for the news from the studio!”
Video footage of DESERT and Joakim Brodén (Sabaton) performance at the third SABATON concert in Israel, which took place last Thursday, August 30 on the Reading 3 in Tel Aviv, Israel, check out the video below.
Israel’s Desert have begun work on their next studio album. For the release, the band is fully collaborating with Erez Yohanan, who will act as a producer of the entire album. Erez is best known on the metal scene as the mastermind behind AMASEFFER, the oriental-prog metal band. He’s also worked with bands such as ORPHANED LAND, XENOLITH and others.
Israeli power/epic metal band DESERT has issued the following on band’s website:
“Desert’s way had many unexpected turns and we sure had to make some tough decisions on our way, over the last 10 years. Splitting paths is never easy! Nevertheless, we are announcing that Desert has decided to depart from it’s record label, Sleaszy Rider Records. This was a decision taken by the band, and all six of us agreed on it.
Desert released it’s debut album, Star of Delusive Hopes, through Sleaszy Rider Records, in January 2011, and it’s been a great period for us, many awesome shows played, many great friends made, both in Israel and abroad!
While deep into writing and preparing the next album, we’ve reached a point, where our vision of how we should develop, promote, and support the band was not shared by the label. So we sat down, drank some beers, and decided it is time to try and do things our way this time! The contract between Desert and Sleaszy Rider Records was terminated and we stayed friends, with no hard feelings. We, Desert, wish Sleaszy Rider the best of luck in business, and hope to see many productive years and many great metal albums from this label! We have not decided yet whether we’ll be looking for a label to publish the next album, probably to be released within a year. Hopefully, a partner, with ideas simillar to ours, will be found.”
For more information, please visit: http://www.desertband.com
Reviewed by David Pearce
Artist – Desert
Album – Star Of Delusive Hopes
Label – Sleaszy Rider Records
Year – 02 January 2011
Track Listing
1. The Unsubdued
2. Massada Will Never Fall
3. Letter Of Marque
4. Victim Of The Light
5. Release Me
6. Soul Of A Wanderer
7. Whispers
8. Lament For Soldier’s Glory (Order 227)
9. Star Of Delusive Hopes
Desert was founded in 2002 by guitarist Max Shafranski in one of Israel’s industrial and cultural centres the city of Beer-Sheva. The band’s name was chosen for a reason – it was located in the middle of biblical sands where Moses has led his people to the Promised Land ages ago. In 2004 vocalist Alexei Raymar and keyboard player Oleg Aryutkin (just 16 years old at the time!) joined the band and things became serious. Desert has expanded it’s musical palette since then,
mixing in some darker colours to go with power metal glitter. Desert has been gigging various venues ranging from small clubs to open-air festivals, sharing bills with acts like Sabaton, Draconian also Nightmare and Tim “Ripper” Owens. Desert’s debut album, entitled Star of Delusive Hopes, was released in late 2010 through Greek label Sleaszy Rider. The Internet single Lament for Soldier’s Glory, featuring a guest performance by Joakim Broden, the lead singer of Sabaton, received an instant recognition by fans in both Israel and Europe. Star of Delusive Hopes tells stories of great men and women who lived and gave there for freedom and beliefs, stories of lost hopes and betrayal.
The album starts off with The Unsubdued, a cracking riff that gets my head nodding straight away the vocals are dark which goes in a growl then switches into clean vocals which are done very well. The keyboards in the song give’s it another edge musically but throughout the song you have a great riff, the solos are done very well this is a great start to the album. The next three songs are Massada Will Never Fall, Letter Of Marque & Victim Of The Light, All of these song have some fantastic guitar work from the riffs to the solos the vocals are outstanding. The drum work in Letter Of Marque is superb from the start of the song to the finish also the keyboards on the songs could not be any better just brilliant. The Fifth song on the album is Release Me this starts off slow with a quality intro then the vocals come in slow and clean but with desire. Then the a heavy guitar riff comes in purpose but keeping that slow tempo in the background you hear the chiming of bells that leads you right into an outstanding guitar solo. The vocals come back in till near the end of the song which ends with the chiming of the bells. The next Two songs are Soul Of A Wanderer & Whispers are full of the same quality dark and clean vocals, brilliant riffs, stunning solos, fantastic keyboards and quality drumming. The Eighth song on the album Lament for Soldier’s Glory features vocals of Joakim Broden of Sabaton the song starts of with the keyboards slow but purposeful then the vocals come in slow and clean with Alexei and Joakim’s taking in turns with the vocals. This song tells a great story of the soldiers glory it is that good it gave me goose pimples just listing to it. It has some brilliant guitar work in it along with the keyboards and the vocals make this song one of my favourites on the album. The Ninth and last song on the album Star Of Delusive Hopes starts of with the keyboards then the guitar comes smashing in over the keyboards. Then the vocals come in and again they are absolute quality. The solos in this are again stunning this really is a great ending song to the album.
Overall
The album overall has been just brilliant from the first song to the last there is something for everyone on this it has good quality vocals, superb keyboards, heavy quality riffs and stunning solos. The best song on the album for me has to be Lament for Soldier’s Glory it tells a fantastic story and it has Joakim Broden of Sabaton doing some guest vocals. But every song on the album is brilliant they have been well written and perfectly produced.
9/10
Members
Alexei Raymar – vocals
Max Shafranski – guitar
Sergei Metalheart – guitar
Sergei Dmitrik – bass
Oleg Aryutkin – keyboards
Assaf Markowitz – drums
Israeli power/epic metal band “Desert” announces the collaboration on the next album! Here what they say:
“Oh yeah, it is officially ON!
Desert has entered an intensive process of preparing the next album. We want it to be as good as it gets, so we though some help will be good for us! To cut the bulls balls, Desert will be fully collaborating with Erez Yohanan, who will act as a producer of the entire album. Erez is best known on the metal scene as the mastermind behind the excellent Amaseffer the oriental-prog metal band with great sound and awesome songs, and his works with bands like Orphaned Land, Xenolith and many others.
We are working closely, sharing ideas, working out arrangements, ideas, cool things to add, together.
Star of Delusive Hopes was fully produced abroad, in Italy/Sweden, since we found no way to achieve that modern European metal sound and feel without flying few thousand km north.
This time, we can safely say it is not necessary anymore! The album will be recorded and mixed in Israel, in best studios around, together with Erez, whose skills as a composer, drummer, engineer, producer, will allow us to recreate those insane ideas we have in our heads! Some of the songs are 90% done, and we like what we hear!
Album mastering will take place at Bazement Studios (Germany) by Marcus Teske (worked with Vanden Plas, Firewind, Amaseffer, Mob Rules, Flower Kings, Ian Parry Consortium Project, Red Circuit, Neal Morse Testimony, Patrick Rondat and many other great acts).
So get ready to hear something you didn’t even dare to expect from Desert! It’s not gonna be a long wait for you and it sure is worth it!
Stay inspired,
Desert.”
Israeli Dark Epic Metal band DESERT has issued the following:
Hail all our brothers and sisters! There are some great news from DESERT – new drummer found!
His name is Assaf Markowitz, well known drummer by his work with SPiTFiRE o7 and Canine. Assaf came to the auditions only two days, after he received the songs to learn, and he nailed everything! We had such a blast playing with him, there was no doubt he’s the guy! With the new blood and Assaf’s skills and attitude, DESERT warriors are ready to step it up!
DESERT welcomes Assaf aboard, we hope to have many years of hearing damage with him, so everybody, let’s show him the good time!!!
For more information, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/DesertOfficial
DESERT was founded in 2002 by guitarist Max Shafranski in one of Israel’s industrial and cultural centers, the city of Beer-Sheva, and has expanded it’s musical palette since then, mixing in some darker colors to go with power metal glitter. I got to know DESERT through one of their fans, Kostya, whose band promotion aroused my attention and made me to contact the band. But it was a pleasant surprise to discover their talent and commitment in music… and I wanted to know more about these guys. So, please join my conversation with band’s keyboard player, Oleg Aryutkin…
Hi Oleg, I’m Tarja, welcome to Metal Shock Finland! How are you doing today?
Hi Tarja, Oleg here, the keyboard player for Desert. We’re doing great these days – done some cool gigs lately, and have fun plans for the summer! And then, it’s hot as hell down here in Israel, so we gotta consume a lot of beer and spend the days at the beach.
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