Benefactor (album)
Benefactor is the second studio album by the American band Romeo Void, released in 1982. It was released on CD in 2006 by Wounded Bird Records, with their "Never Say Never" EP as four bonus tracks. The version of the song "Never Say Never" is a shorter, "clean" edit suitable for general radio broadcast.
Critical reception.
"The New York Times" wrote that "too much of "Benefactor" suffers from Miss Iyall's artsy overwriting... And the feverishly clever arrangements can't quite disguise the band's lack of strong melodies." "The Boston Phoenix" opined that "As scrambled as its material gets, "Benefactor" is saved by the struggle this band brings to their rock ‘n’ roll — their conviction that escape routes from lovelessness are worth fighting for, worth opening up for the audience."
Charts.
Album
References.
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Romeo Void
American rock band
Romeo Void was an American new wave/post punk band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1979. The band primarily consisted of saxophonist Benjamin Bossi, vocalist Debora Iyall, guitarist Peter Woods, and bassist Frank Zincavage. The band went through four drummers, starting with Jay Derrah and ending with Aaron Smith. The band released three albums, "It's a Condition", "Benefactor" and "Instincts", along with one EP. They are best known for the songs "Never Say Never" and "A Girl in Trouble (Is a Temporary Thing)"; the latter became a Top 40 pop single.
The band was started at the San Francisco Art Institute by Iyall and Zincavage. They released a single on the recently formed 415 Records before recording their debut album, which has been deemed a "masterpiece of American post-punk". The success of their second release, a four-song EP titled "Never Say Never" resulted in a distribution deal with Columbia Records. The band continued to release music and tour until they broke up in 1985. The members have reunited briefly over the years. Iyall has continued to pursue music as a side project. Iyall has garnered acclaim as a skilled lyricist who explores themes like sexuality and alienation from a female perspective with "searing imagery".
History.
1979: Formation.
Romeo Void formed at the San Francisco Art Institute in February 1979. Vocalist Debora Iyall occasionally visited the Bay Area to see Patti Smith perform. She decided to pursue an art education after reading a fortune cookie. "It was in the late '70s at the Indochina Friendship Booth at the annual Fourth of July streetfair in Eureka, California," she said. "I got a fortune cookie that said 'Art is your fate, don't debate.' That next January, I was enrolled in an art school in San Francisco." She began frequenting the Mabuhay Gardens, a popular nightclub, to see local alternative rock groups like The Nuns, the Mutants, Crime, and the Avengers. She also formed the Mummers and Poppers, a punk parody band that covered 1960s tunes with guitarist Peter Woods, Charles Hagan and drummer Jay Derrah, . Iyall was originally hesitant to perform because she was overweight: "After seeing Patti Smith, I still had it in my mind that you had to be skinny to be up there [on stage], but after going to the Mabuhay [...] you just do whatever you want, be whoever you want, just make it happen."
Bassist Frank Zincavage met Iyall at the SF Art Institute; the two hit it off and discussed putting a band together. They formed one with Woods and Derrah a few weeks later, drawing inspiration from the "burgeoning local punk and post-punk scenes". Iyall recruited Woods because she enjoyed playing with him in the Mommers and Poppers. "[It] seemed only natural that we invite Peter Woods to join us [... He] played clean and was a natural on rhythm guitar." Romeo Void officially formed on Valentine's Day in 1979. According to Iyall, the name Romeo Void referred to "a lack of romance" and came to mind after they saw a local magazine with the headline "Why single women can't get laid in San Francisco." The name "means there are not romantic notions here — and there shouldn't be," Iyall told an interviewer: "We are about reality, not the myths created by other artists."
The band practiced in Iyall's flat in the Mission District. It was decided that the group would embrace punk ideals despite the possibility that they become associated with the new wave movement. "Even though I was going to the [Mabuhay Gardens] so much, I also had criticisms: Everyone was leaning against the wall wearing black," Iyall said. "I guess we were considered new wave, but for me Romeo Void was a reaction against the regimentation of everyone having to be bleached blond and everything being about despair and no future, when I thought the do-it-yourself thing should encompass all the different kinds of emotions, and all the different colors. [...] I was proud of being American Indian, so I purposely never bleached my hair blond."
1980–1982: "It's a Condition", "Benefactor", and mainstream success.
The band became busy playing shows at clubs and warehouses around San Francisco, and quickly became popular. Saxophonist Benjamin Bossi was added to the lineup as an "accident" when Iyall met him while he worked in the New York City Deli on Market Street in San Francisco. The group released their first single, "White Sweater", which consisted of the title track and a cover of Jerry Lordan's popular instrumental composition "Apache", in February 1981 on a recently founded local label called 415 Records. They worked on the recording of their debut album, "It's a Condition", with producer David Kahne. Before recording began, Derrah left the band and was replaced by John "Stench" Hanes, who had previously played with Pearl Harbor and the Explosions. Romeo Void's debut was critically acclaimed upon its release through 415 in July 1981, and introduced Romeo Void's "unique blend of jazz, funk, rock and confrontational poetry". AllMusic writer Stewart Mason later heralded it as one of the "masterpieces of American post-punk". Indie labels were enthusiastic with promotions and the band embarked on several nationwide tours. Eventually Hanes left the band, leaving Larry Carter to fill the drummer position.
The sudden surge in popularity was disorienting to Iyall. "It was frightening: we played a college in Santa Barbara, and there were all these blond people crowding the stage, and I thought 'These are the people who hated me in high school!' When you grow up being 'outside' – because I wasn't white, and I was fat, and always a bit of a free thinker – it was strange. It was like, 'uh-oh, I must be doing something wrong – they like me!'" Highly successful mainstream artists like Ann Wilson and Ric Ocasek were eager to meet the band. Ocasek extended an invitation to collaborate at his Syncro Sound recording studio in Boston. The recording sessions in Boston resulted in the "Never Say Never" EP in January 1982. The title track became (arguably) their best-known song and has remained synonymous with the band ever since. The song was also featured in the 1984 romantic teen drama "Reckless". Additionally, the success of the single directly led to 415 Records signing a deal with Columbia Records, which elevated the indie label's roster to major-label status. Romeo Void released their second album, entitled "Benefactor", in November 1982. The album appeared at No. 119 on the "Billboard" 200. "Benefactor" was noticeably more commercial sounding than previous endeavors; the music was made more danceable and swearing was removed on the song "Never Say Never". The different approach in the sound resulted in comparisons to Blondie, which AllMusic writer William Ruhlmann suggested was a deliberate attempt by Columbia. Iyall stated that there was more pressure to write sexually laced lyrics for "Benefactor": "I do like to be provocative, and I definitely have access to my sexuality, and as a topic I find it ripe, but I wasn't ever going to be a sex-pot diva, so that was kind of odd." She also said there was pressure to produce more singles.
1983–present: "Instincts", break-up, and post-band endeavors.
A third and final album was again helmed by David Kahne, which AllMusic writer Stewart Mason speculated was a "reaction against the more commercial sound of "Benefactor". By this time, Carter had been replaced by veteran session drummer Aaron Smith. "Instincts" was released in October 1984, debuted at No. 68 on the Billboard 200, and proved to be the band's best-selling album. It also launched their most successful single, "A Girl in Trouble (Is a Temporary Thing)," which broke the Billboard Top 40 and peaked at No. 35. Critical reactions were positive. Despite being the band's most successful effort to date, Columbia pulled the band's promotional support while on a nationwide tour. "The very next town we got to after they made that decision, there wasn't an A&R person there," said Iyall. "[There] was no local person there, there were no interviews and in-stores arranged as they had been. All that just ground to a halt." The band returned to San Francisco and soon broke up. Constant touring has been cited by Iyall as the primary reason for the break-up. "You get tired of each other, and you get intolerant of being uncomfortable and away from your family and your friends." According to a VH1 reunion episode, the issue of Iyall's weight was the reason for the label dropping them. In 2003, Iyall agreed with this claim: "Howie sold us from 415 to Columbia Records, and they were like 'Who's this fat chick?' They decided that was as far as it was going to get, and pulled their support." "Crawdaddy!" writer Denise Sullivan stated that the label spoke to Iyall about losing weight, but she subsequently refused. In 2010, Iyall declined to discuss the issue, but added that she may not be taking full responsibility in the matter.
Iyall released a solo album entitled "Strange Language" with former band members Bossi and Smith in 1986. Afterward she pursued a career as an art teacher. The band reunited briefly for a live performance in 1993. In 2004, Romeo Void was featured on an episode of VH1's "Bands Reunited". Bossi had sustained too much hearing damage over the years and was unable to perform, although he did meet up with the band again and watched the reunion performance from an adjacent room. Iyall has continued to dabble in music related projects and events. "I still like to sing and I still like to perform," she said. In 2003 she was involved in a musical project called Knife in Water. She began collaborating with Peter Dunne, who was known as Peter Bilt when he played guitar for Pearl Harbor and the Explosions. Iyall and Dunne performed at a support benefit for "Crawdaddy!" founder Paul Williams in June 2009, and performed at a concert honoring 415 Records later that September. They released an album entitled "Stay Strong" in 2010.
Drummer Larry Carter died in August of 2021, from what is thought to be heart complications. Saxophonist Benjamin Bossi died of complications from Alzheimer's disease on December 13, 2022, at the age of 69.
Music.
Romeo Void has generally been classified as a new wave or post-punk band. Some critics have noted dance elements in the music. According to Stewart Mason, writing for AllMusic, "[The] band's muscular blend of Joy Division's atmospherics and the Gang of Four's rattling momentum, with Benjamin Bossi's splattering free jazz saxophone coloring everything, made Romeo Void one of the strongest of the American post-punk bands. The "St. Petersburg Times" wrote that they "had no trouble creating a signature sound for [themselves with a] scratchy guitar, soulful sax, [and] tight, precise drums." "The New York Times" stated that they sounded like "an art-school band, with its textural complexity [and] touches of jazz and funk" Saxophone player Benjamin Bossi has been observed as the ingredient that "set the band apart" and showed a "talent for both improvisation and arrangement." Alan Niester, writing for "The Globe and Mail", said that he weaved "in and out [...] like a snake charmer" and reminded him of Andy Mackay, a saxophonist who played with Roxy Music.
Liam Lacey, also writing for "The Globe and Mail", described Iyall's voice as "sultry [and] sexy", while Mason called it "powerful". Her style has sometimes been compared to Chrissie Hynde, vocalist for the Pretenders. Richard Harrington of "The Washington Post" acknowledged the similarity, but also noted the influence of other singers in "Never Say Never" where Iyall mixed the "aggressive bitchiness of [Hynde], the coy confrontational tactics of Patty Donahue of the Waitresses and the slack sensuality of Debbie Harry of the earliest Blondie." Iyall used to find the comparison annoying, but eventually warmed to it: "When people said I sounded like her, I'd say, 'Oh yeah, thanks a lot.' But this year, I've fallen in love with "Learning To Crawl" so now I don't care if people want to make comparisons." After a live show in 1982, Niester contended that she was the weakest part of the group and had the "vocal range of an automobile horn". "Billboard" writer Kathy Gillis wrote after a concert two years later that Iyall exhibited a "dramatic range that, while not extreme in either direction, was touching."
Patti Smith had a great influence on Iyall. "[She was] someone who was both a rock singer and a poet," she said. "She combined things I was interested in. Plus, she wasn't a trumped-up sex symbol. She was herself on stage. That appealed to me. It looked like something I could do. You didn't have to look like all the other singers." Iyall was highly critical of the music of the day and found inspiration in other mediums. "I hate rock and roll right now. It's turned into some new kind of stupid religion... I'd rather listen to Billie Holiday, maybe Tom Waits. Actually, I'll admit I like The Bangles – they have a great sound. But I'd just as soon read novels or paint pictures as listen to music. I love language – plain speech, used in an enigmatic, subliminal way; I'm not much tied to the literal."
Lyrics.
Iyall was observed by "Mother Jones" to be among a new group of female fronted rock bands that displayed a "tough, wry, street-wise, [and] cynical" attitude and sought to redefine the role of women in rock music. She developed a sizable following for her writing that covered topics like "frustrated desire [and] sexually motivated rage" from a female perspective. Critics praised her lyrics for their "searing imagery", "seething poetics", and "darkly intelligent lyrics" "My approach was always that I had something to say, I had a point of view," Iyall said, commenting on her outspokeness. "I remember seeing Penelope from the Avengers at the Mabuhay Gardens and thinking, I can do that. I have something to say."
Romeo Void's best known song is "Never Say Never", which contains the famous line "I might like you better if we slept together." AllMusic writer Heather Phares has argued that Iyall's "teasing, existential musings [...] predated and predicted the aloof yet frank sexuality of early- and mid-'90s artists such as Elastica and Liz Phair". Phares concluded that the song was "a subversive, influential classic" and "one of new wave's most distinctive and innovative moments. " The song has been covered by many artists, among them are Queens of the Stone Age, Amanda Blank and Xiu Xiu. The song "A Girl in Trouble (Is a Temporary Thing)", their highest-charting single, was reportedly written as a response to Michael Jackson's hit song "Billie Jean", but can also be seen as a tribute to women who have experienced traumatizing events. Iyall also wrote songs that touched on themes like social alienation ("Undercover Kept") and generation gaps ("Chinatown").
References.
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Beneficence (rapper)
American rapper
Rahim Muhammad, known by the stage name Beneficence, is an American rapper from Newark, New Jersey.
Career.
Beneficence has been active as an independent emcee since the early 1990s. His vinyl single "Sucka's Brevity" / "Hostile Life Style" was recorded in 1991 and released in 1994. The follow-up single "Thin Line" / "Low Profile Man" was released in 1998. His debut album, "Eye of the Storm", was released in 2004. His sophomore album, "Vocal Sport", was released in 2006 – it featured Mr. Len of Company Flow and El Da Sensei and DJ Kaos of The Artifacts, among others. His third album, "Holders of the Key", was a collaboration with Swiss producer DJ LKB, and dropped in 2009.
2010 saw the release of the single "Heavyhitters" / "Royal Dynasty", following which Beneficence released two albums, "Sidewalk Science" (2011) and "Concrete Soul" (2012), on his own label, Ill Adrenaline Records, with guest appearances by Diamond D, Roc Marciano, Lord Tariq, and Masta Ace, among others.
In 2016, Beneficence released the album "Basement Chemistry". The album received critical acclaim, including a rating of 4 out of 5 stars from "Pop Magazine", which called it "a body of work that builds on the foundation of what hip-hop truly represents".
In 2021, Beneficence released “My Way”, a single featuring Phantasm of the Cella Dwellas and Masta Ace. The single was produced by Confidence, and was revealed to be from "Stellar Mind", a collaboration album between the two. A second single, “Illest Mic Pros” (featuring Keith Murray), arrived within a few weeks of the first.
In April 2021, Beneficence announced the publication of "Concrete Soul: The Memoir and Making of Ill Adrenaline Records", a memoir of his experiences in the music business.
References.
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Mutual Benefit (band)
American musician
Mutual Benefit is a music project created by singer-songwriter Jordan Lee. The band consists of various musicians gathered by Jordan Lee, and has no concrete band line-up.
The band's first studio LP "Love's Crushing Diamond" has gained critical praise; being named Stereogum's Band to Watch, and Pitchfork's best new music. Contributions to Love's Crushing Diamond were made by musicians Jake Falby (violins), George Folickman (bass), Marc Merza (electric guitar), Virginia de la Pozas (voice), Cory Siegler (voice), Julie Byrne (voice), Cameron Potter (drums), and Dillon Zahner (hand drums + percussion).
History.
Mutual Benefit was first created as a musical project by Jordan Lee while he was living in Austin, Texas. Lee then moved to Boston in order to meet up with some musicians he wanted to play with. The band consisted of fluid band members, and the band's line-ups on tours were based on which musicians were available at the time. While touring on the road in late 2011, Lee began recording for the album "Love's Crushing Diamond." Lyrics and musical composition for the album were written while Lee was living in St. Louis, but the recording began at the Ohm Recording Studio in Austin, Texas. The album was finished in Boston and released on October 7, 2013. The album became the first Bandcamp release to be named "Best New Music" by Pitchfork.
In 2016, Mutual Benefit released their second full-length album, "Skip a Sinking Stone," under the Mom + Pop Music label. The album was recorded over a span of two years and featured contributions from a range of musicians, including collaborators from the Boston and New York music scenes. "Skip a Sinking Stone" received critical acclaim for its introspective lyrics and intricate arrangements.
Mutual Benefit has toured extensively, both in the United States and internationally. Their live performances are known for their intimate, heartfelt nature, often featuring a mix of acoustic and electronic elements. Despite the ever-changing lineup, Lee's consistent artistic vision has ensured a cohesive sound and emotional depth in all of Mutual Benefit's projects.
In recent years, Mutual Benefit has continued to release new music and engage with their fanbase through various online platforms. The project's ability to adapt and evolve while maintaining its core aesthetic has cemented Mutual Benefit's place in the indie music landscape. They released "Growing at the Edges" in 2023.
References.
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Benevolent (band)
Experimental metal band
Benevolent is an extreme/experimental metal band formed in 2007 by Lebanese brothers Hadi and Fadi Sarieddine. Formerly based in Kuwait, the band is now based in the United Arab Emirates.
History.
Formation and lineup changes (2007–2009).
Benevolent was founded by brothers Hadi Sarieddine and Fadi Sarieddine in May 2007 under the name Eminence. The band had initially started as a cover band. In 2008, the band released its first single titled "Solace".
In mid-2009, the band was joined by Adel Al-Qattan on guitars, and Bader Nana on drums. The band soon began writing original material. Soon after the release of "Augmented" in early 2010, Adel Al-Qattan and Bader Nana had departed from the band.
Recording "Divided" EP (December 2009–August 2010).
Benevolent entered the studio to begin work on record material for what has become the band's debut EP, titled "Divided". "The Tyrant" was previously released as "Augmented" in late January, 2010.
The second single of the EP was the song "Haunting Shores". which showcased a new and more focused direction in the band's sound. Involving elements of poly rhythmic beats, low tuned guitars, and a general move toward what is referred to as djent.
The songs "Clairvoyant Transmission", "Purgatory", and "The Quantum Paradox" were all finalized toward the end of the recording process across the summer of 2010.
"Divided" EP.
On November 5, 2010, the band released its debut EP titled "Divided". The EP featured five songs including "Haunting Shores" and "The Tyrant".
"Divided" was released exclusively for free download on the band's Bandcamp page.
On January 10, 2011, Benevolent announced through their Facebook page that the line up of the band has been completed with the addition of Mohammed Gad on bass guitar. The band also confirmed their appearance in shows promoting "Divided" in February 2011 in the Middle East.
It was officially announced on the band's Official Facebook page that the band will return to the studio on May 27, 2011 to commence work on a single which will be released through the summer of 2011.
On July 10, 2011, Benevolent debuted their first official music video which features a guitar play-through of the song Clairvoyant Transmission. Hadi Sarieddine worked with the designer of the artwork from "Divided" as a director and producer for the video.
"The Covenant" and working with Andols Herrick.
'The Covenant' is Benevolent's first full-length album, the record was released digitally on March 18, 2014 independently by the band. Andols Herrick (formerly of Chimaira) was announced as the guest drummer on the album.
References.
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Believer (band)
American thrash metal band
Believer is an American technical thrash metal band from Pennsylvania. Formed in 1986, the band plays a hybrid of thrash and progressive metal, and is also known for their innovative use of symphonic elements. Their lyrics deal with topics of philosophy, theology and social issues.
The two primary members of the band are vocalist/bassist/guitarist Kurt Bachman and drummer Joey Daub, who were joined by several others after their 1989 debut album, "Extraction from Mortality". The band was jointly signed to Roadrunner Records and the Christian label R.E.X. Music. According to AllMusic, several mainstream magazines praised their second album "Sanity Obscure". The title track of "Sanity Obscure" was covered by Robert Prince for the video game "Doom" as the track "On the Hunt". The band toured the US and Europe with Bolt Thrower the following year. Believer disbanded in 1994; however, in 2005, Daub announced that he and Bachman reformed the band. They signed with Metal Blade Records in 2008, and released a fourth album, "Gabriel", in 2009. Their fifth studio album, "Transhuman", was released in 2011.
History.
Formation and "Extraction from Mortality" (1986–1989).
Believer was formed in Colebrook, Pennsylvania in 1986 by drummer Joey Daub and vocalist-guitarist Kurt Bachman. The band was joined by Howe Kraft (bass) and David Baddorf (guitar). Originally, the band was called Deceiver, and the band played covers of Iron Maiden, Saxon, and Judas Priest. The band changed the name to Believer after hearing the song of the same name off of "Diary of a Madman" by Ozzy Osbourne. Eventually, they began playing original melodic metal and released the cassette "The Return" in 1987. Later, Believer changed its style to thrash metal, as the band said: "We realized that we could write thrash better than we could write anything else".
In high school, the band leader Kurt Bachman met Scott Laird, who was studying his first year as a music instructor. When Believer was recording the title track for its first studio album, the band asked Laird to compose an orchestral intro for the song. In 1989, Believer was signed to R.E.X. Records which published Believer's first album, "Extraction from Mortality". The album was mostly distributed to Christian bookstores but quickly gained popularity for Believer who soon became recognized as one of Christian metal's leading groups. The song "Not Even One" appeared on Roadrunner Records' compilation "At Death's Door" in 1990 which was composed mostly of death metal bands. Writer Jeff Wagner noted that Believer's thrash-leaning sound was intense enough to hang amidst the heavier, more brutal and decidedly non-Christian metal bands on the compilation. With the appearance, Believer entered the general metal scene and was subsequently signed by Roadrunner.
"Sanity Obscure", "Dimensions" and breakup (1990–1994).
In 1990, Howe Kraft was replaced by Wyatt Robertson, and Believer recorded its second album titled "Sanity Obscure", which is more technical than its predecessor. Believer continued its co-working with Scott Laird, and incorporated more symphonic elements on the song "Dies Irae (Day of Wrath)". Scott Laird's sister Julianne Laird Hoge was featured as a soprano on the song. "Sanity Obscure" also features an anti-pollution song titled "Nonpoint" (which the band nonpoint named themselves after) and an anti-drug song called "Stop the Madness", which was released as a single with the U2 cover "Like a Song". "Sanity Obscure" was first released by R.E.X. Records to Christian market and a year later by Roadrunner Records to wider audience. The album became more popular than Believer's first album, and after the release Believer toured with the English deathgrind band Bolt Thrower and the Canadian thrash metal band Sacrifice. Joined by bands Cynic and Pestilence on the label's roster, Roadrunner Records pushed a progressive metal/thrash campaign with the three bands called "The Breed Beyond".
Wyatt Robertson and David Baddorf left Believer before the band began recording its third album. Jim Winters joined as bassist and also played some guitar parts during the recording sessions. In 1993, Believer released its most technical, progressive, and ambitious album titled "Dimensions". Kurt Bachman had been a guitar player in an industrial metal group called Under Midnight, which possibly influenced some industrial sound effects on "Dimensions". The lyrics deal with the philosophical paradoxes and the ponderings of Sigmund Freud, Thomas J. J. Altizer, Ludwig Feuerbach and Jean-Paul Sartre about the existence of God. The symphonic metal suite, "Trilogy of Knowledge", divided into three chapters and an intro, is a 20 minute+ epic written around the biblical story of the life of Christ and the knowledge of good and evil. "Trilogy of Knowledge" once again featured the orchestral compositions of Scott Laird and soprano vocals by Julianne Laird Hoge. During the "Dimensions" tour, Scott laird played violin and viola.
After "Dimensions" the band went on a hiatus. In 1994, Believer agreed to mutually disband. After disbanding, Bachman went to get his degree, Daub became a Semi-Professional BMX biker, who endorses in Deluxx Bikes, while Winters joined acts such as Starkweather and Earth Crisis.
Return and "Gabriel" (2005–2009).
During the following years both Bachman and Daub worked in sound production at their Trauma Studios in Pennsylvania for groups such as Turmoil and Living Sacrifice. Later, Bachman continued in his medical studies, while Daub kept working in the music industry. Later in the 1990s, Daub began playing drums in a female-fronted progressive metal band called Fountain of Tears.
In 2005, Joey Daub informed on his website joeydaub.com that he had begun writing new Believer material with Bachman. This announcement was reported widely, most notably through Blabbermouth.net, which called Believer a "much missed late 80s and early 90s technical thrash metal band." In an interview, Bachman explained that he moved closer to the studio near where Joey Daub lives. Daub was working on mixing Fountain of Tears' new album and invited Bachman to help: "We just got together and started playing and having fun," Bachman stated, "nothing serious, but the chemistry was still there and stuff started clicking. We wrote some tunes, played them for some people and then some of our friends in the industry said 'you guys should put this out, maybe there's one or two Believer fans still out there that wouldn't mind hearing it.'"
The band started working on an album and completed pre-production of new songs during November 2007. On October 21, 2007, Believer launched an official MySpace page. The band's catalogue was rereleased by the Polish label Metal Mind Productions. Blabbermouth.net reported the album's recording process which began on November 24, drum tracking was completed on December 30, bass was laid down on January 28, 2008, rhythm guitar tracks were completed on February 18, and on April 7 the band announced that the album would feature "some very talented guests." Ten days later on April 17, Deron Miller of CKY announced that he will be "laying down some guest solos and/or vocals" for the forthcoming Believer album. He commented that "Believer have been one of my favorite bands for 20 years so this is really exciting for me. Check out the three records they did in the '90s... All three are works of genius." On August 13, it was announced that the album would also feature guest performances by Joe Rico of the band Sacrifice, with whom Believer toured in the early 1990s, and Rocky Gray of Living Sacrifice.
On November 18, 2008, Blabbermouth.net announced Believer's signing with Cesspool Recordings, an imprint of Metal Blade Records owned by Howard Jones of Killswitch Engage. In an interview with Metalsucks.net, Bachman commented that the announcement about the band's re-activation had spread to the industry, and a staff member from Blabbermouth/Roadrunner Records suggested that they should contact Howard: "We got in touch with him and it turns out he is a big Believer fan. He knows more about the history of Believer than we do! It was really cool. So we flew him in to the studio, we worked with him over two days. Then he mentioned that he was starting this imprint with Brian Slagel from Metal Blade and he asked us if we wanted to be the first band on it." Jones forwarded the band to Slagel whom reportedly replied: "Believer? Absolutely, lets do this.'" "It was sort of an easy process for us as far as the business end of it was concerned," Bachman stated. They signed a 3-album deal with Metal Blade.
The fourth full-length studio album titled "Gabriel" was released on March 17, 2009, in US and Canada, and on April 9–15 elsewhere. The album line-up consists Kurt Bachman (vocals, guitar), Joey Daub (drums), Jeff King (keyboards, of Fountain of Tears fame), Kevin Leaman (guitar), and Elton Nestler (bass). Scott Laird (violin), Jim Winters (guitar) and William Keller, who played with the band previously, also contributed to the album as session musicians. An unmastered version of the song "Medwton" from the album premiered on Bam Margera's "Radio Bam" show on November 17. The track "Focused Lethality" was released as a single on February 13. The song is reminiscent of the band's style on their first album. The second single "Stoned" was released on March 12. The album was mostly positively received. The band played live shows after the release.
"Transhuman" (2010–present).
On August 15, 2010, it was announced that Believer started recording follow-up for "Gabriel". Bachman stated that "once again, the tunes are quite different." Recording was completed on December 8, 2010. It was commented that "We decided to bring back some of the orchestral feel of 'Dimensions' by utilizing more layered guitars, keys and melody with different vocal arrangements. There is still the 'Believer' sound, but the musical progression continues for us." The album, "Transhuman", was released in April 2011. It was recognized as more genre-defying and experimental than the band's previous efforts.
In more recent days, Guitarist Kevin Leaman did an interview on the As The Story Grows Podcast. When the interviewer asked if the upcoming new release will be put out on Metal Blade Records, Leaman said their deal with them was done and they are thinking of releasing it independently. In 2017, the band began to release two song releases, starting with "Home" and "888" as "1 of 5". The band released "2 of 5" and "3 of 5" later that year. However, the band stopped releasing new material that year and have been inactive since.
Music and legacy.
Believer's music includes raw distortion, time changes, technical riffs and Bachman's raspy vocals. Some ambience is created with industrial elements and occasional classical music strings. The song structures are complicated and progressive. The debut is based more on straightforward thrash while "Sanity Obscure" took a more technical and progressive approach. "Dimensions" is experimental and avant-garde by its nature. The fourth album "Gabriel" has been described "a natural progression from Dimensions." The album features more processed voices and sound effects yet less symphonic elements than "Dimensions". Bachman's vocals are notably higher than they had been previously.
The band is noted for "employing female vocals, violins, cellos, and choirs, before it was ever conceived as commonplace [in metal]." Jeff Wagner noted that the song Dies Irae "can be considered a creative watershed in metal—other than Mekong Delta who regularly delivered classical-entrenched compositions, no extreme metal band had merged the genre so seamlessly and convincingly," "and foreshadowed the operatic approach of future metal bands such as Therion and Nightwish. Believer's music has influenced several acts in the metal scene, for example the Norwegian group Extol, and American groups Living Sacrifice and Killswitch Engage cites Believer as an influence.
Christianity.
When asked whether the members consider Believer a "Christian band" Daub replies in an interview with "Metal Covenant" in 2009: "Well, yes, and no... this is a difficult subject to approach for us. Ever since we formed Believer, Kurt Bachman and myself despised being limited to a certain belief or style of music. We did not like to be labeled or numbered. Whether it was our personal spiritual journey, or the type of music we played. We were called thrash, death metal, technical death metal etc. The key focus for us then and now is to just encourage people to think for themselves." Daub comments about the lyrics that "We always wrote about what was near and dear to our heart. On "Extraction", we used Bible based themes and stories to express our intentions, but we did not want to preach." "Well we never wanted to be known as a Christian band for one [laughs]. It was one of these things where it got out of control. With promoting records it was one of those things where the record company was like "Hey, here's a slant. Something different. Something new and unique. Let's go for that". I've always tried to stay away from labeling the band. For me it's a band, it's entertainment. We even get called death metal some times even though I don't think we resemble anything death metal-ish out there, but then again I have my own opinions on what death metal is. We just don't want it to be one of those things where someone's like "oh I hate thrash music, so I won't like Believer". You get labeled and we're going to have to go through labels but we're not really comfortable with any." says Bachman in an interview on MetalSucks.
References.
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Bonafide (band)
Swedish hard rock band
Bonafide is a Swedish hard rock band, formed by singer/guitarist Pontus Snibb in Malmö in 2006. Releasing their eponymous debut album the following year and playing two shows at the Sweden Rock Festival in 2008, as well as opening for bands like Deep Purple, Quireboys, and Status Quo, quickly brought them a nationwide audience. Their most well-known song, "Fill Your Head With Rock", was written for the aforementioned festival, and has since been named as one of 2011's best songs by Classic Rock Magazine. Snibb, Ekelund and Matsson are also members of Mustasch.
History.
Formation.
Pontus Snibb had played blues and rock for several years; toured and made records with bands such as Mescaleros, SNiBB, and Buckaroos; played with Swedish folk rock artist Mikael Wiehe; and was the drummer for American country-punk band Jason & the Scorchers, when he decided to go in a classic hard rock direction with his next project.
The album "Bonafide" was recorded in his home studio together with bass player Micke Nilsson (Brickhouse, Mats Ronander), and caught the interest of former Sweden Rock Festival and Sweden Rock Records head Michael Ivarsson. After the addition of guitarist Mikael Fässberg (from original Iron Maiden singer Paul Di'Anno's touring band) and drummer Sticky Bomb (real name Per-Åke Holmberg, from Kriminella Gitarrer, Wilmer X and Torsson), a revised version with a few new songs was released in October 2007.
Breakthrough.
The following year, 2008, saw the band playing two shows at the Sweden Rock Festival, one of them in place of former Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach, who cancelled his appearance at short notice. This exposed the band to a large audience and the debut album was re-released by new label, Sound Pollution, in 2009 with the addition of two songs taken from the festival performance, as well as the Nazareth song "Miss Misery".
In January 2009, Bonafide started recording the follow-up album, "Something's Dripping", with producer Chips Kiesbye (Sator, The Hellacopters, The Nomads, Sahara Hotnights), which upon release made it to the 16th position on the Swedish album charts. The album was followed by the band's first European tour, supporting all-female metal band Crucified Barbara, for 35 shows all over the continent.
Drummer Sticky Bomb was replaced for a tour of Spain in the spring of 2010 by Niklas Matsson (from Backdraft and Raging Slab), who became a permanent member later in the year. In September, the band recorded three cover tunes for a new EP: "Fill Your Head With Rock – Old, New, Tried & True", which would also contain one previously unreleased song and two songs from their previous studio album, of which "No Doubt About It" was also featured on the soundtrack of the Atari racing game Test Drive Unlimited 2. The EP was released in January 2011 and topped the Swedish midprice charts. This was followed by a full European headline tour.
International.
Bonafide was featured in four consecutive issues of Classic Rock Magazine in the fall of 2011, gaining UK airplay for "Fill Your Head With Rock", which became the editor's choice for one of the best songs of the year, and the band's performances at the Hard Rock Hell festival became their UK breakthrough, being introduced on stage by designer, radio show host, and DJ, Steve 'Krusher' Joule.
Original bass player Micke Nilsson quit the band in the fall of 2011 and was replaced by Martin Ekelund (from Waterdog), who made his recording debut during 2012 on the third full-length album, "Ultimate Rebel", recorded during February at Gig Studios in Stockholm with engineer Conny Wall (Electric Boys, Ane Brun, Imperial State Electric).
In February 2012, Snibb also released the "Loud Feathers" album with his new project Pontus Snibb 3, which also features drummer Niklas and bass player Mats Rydström (from Backdraft and Raging Slab).
References.
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Benefit (album)
Benefit is the third studio album by the British rock band Jethro Tull, released in April 1970. It was the first Tull album to include pianist and organist John Evan – though he was not yet considered a permanent member of the group – and the last to include bass guitarist Glenn Cornick, who was fired from the band upon completion of touring for the album. It was recorded at Morgan Studios, the same studio where the band recorded its previous album "Stand Up"; however, they experimented with more advanced recording techniques.
Frontman Ian Anderson said that he considers "Benefit" to be a much darker album than "Stand Up", owing to the pressures of an extensive U.S. tour and frustration with the music business.
Production.
Guitarist Martin Barre said that "Benefit" was a lot easier to make than previous albums, as the success of "Stand Up" allowed the musicians more artistic latitude.
Bassist Glenn Cornick stated that the band's intention was to capture a more "live" feeling as "I felt the last one sounded like a group of session musicians performing various songs. It was pretty cold."
"Benefit" incorporated studio techniques such as reverse recording (flute and piano tracks on "With You There to Help Me"), and manipulating the tape speed (guitar on "Play in Time"). In a 1970 interview Anderson noted that the addition of keyboardist John Evan had changed the band's style: "John has added a new dimension musically and I can write more freely now. In fact anything is possible with him at the keyboard".
Musical style.
Ian Anderson said that "Benefit" was a "guitar riff" album, recorded at a time when the riff-oriented music of artists like Cream, Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin was much in evidence. Anderson also noted that "Benefit" is "a rather dark and stark album and, although it has a few songs on it that are rather okay, I don't think it has the breadth, variety or detail that "Stand Up" has. But it was an evolution in terms of the band playing as 'a band.'" Overall, Anderson considered the album "a natural part of the group's evolution".
According to Martin Barre "To Cry You a Song" was a response to Blind Faith's "Had to Cry Today", "although you couldn't compare the two; nothing was stolen ... The riff crossed over the bar in a couple of places and Ian and I each played guitars on the backing tracks. It was more or less live in the studio with a couple of overdubs and a solo. Ian played my Gibson SG and I played a Les Paul on it."
Releases.
The UK and the US release are different. The US version (with flute) of "Teacher" was placed on side two of the album, and the track "Alive and Well and Living In" was excluded. In the UK, "Teacher" was the B-side of the non-album single "The Witch's Promise", and was without a flute.
In 2013, the Collector's Edition of "Benefit" was released. It contains bonus tracks mixed by Steven Wilson, a disc with mono and stereo mixes of rare and previously unreleased versions of tracks and singles and an audio-only DVD that includes a surround sound mix of the original album. The Collector's Edition also includes a booklet featuring an 8,000-word essay written by Martin Webb, as well as interviews with band members and a selection of photos, some previously unseen.
For the 50th anniversary of the album, an enhanced edition was released in 2021, consisting of four CDs and two DVDs.
Critical reception.
Critics were generally unimpressed with "Benefit" upon its release. "Rolling Stone" called the album "lame and dumb". "Disc and Music Echo" was also unimpressed but recognized the band's quality: "This album doesn't advance by such a drastic leap as "Stand Up" did from "This Was". It's more like the Jethro Tull we've seen and heard for the past year. It seems to be a remarkably long album, and shows what an exciting group this is. Exciting because they can have quite long guitar breaks and still retain a very tight and together sound". "The Village Voice" critic Robert Christgau appreciated the riffs around which all the songs were constructed, but wasn't impressed by the lyrics that he judged hard to recall.
Legacy.
AllMusic and "Record Collector"'s much-later reviews were more positive in accepting the album's style. Bruce Eder stated that: "Most of the songs on "Benefit" display pleasant, delectably folk-like melodies attached to downbeat, slightly gloomy, but dazzlingly complex lyrics, with Barre's guitar adding enough wattage to keep the hard rock listeners very interested. 'To Cry You a Song', 'Son', and 'For Michael Collins, Jeffrey and Me' all defined Tull's future sound: Barre's amp cranked up to ten (especially on 'Son'), coming in above Anderson's acoustic strumming, a few unexpected changes in tempo, and Anderson spouting lyrics filled with dense, seemingly profound imagery and statements." "Record Collector" reviewer, analysing the Collector's Edition of 2013, praised the Steven Wilson remix and wrote: ""Benefit" forms the perfect bridge between the rolling, tumbling Tull of old and the tightly braided riffs and prickly lyrics presented by "Aqualung"." Paul Stump, in his "History of Progressive Rock", said that "Benefit" "maintained the invention (and sales) of its predecessor, once again teasing unexpected emotional reflexes from time-honoured voicings and rhythms to signpost something that, if not a wholly new kind of pop song, at least offered the listener new bearings in his or her search."
References.
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The Federalists (band)
The Federalists are an American rock band based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was formed in September 2005 when singer-songwriter Luke Franks decided to piece together a band to perform the songs he had been working on independently. He asked drummer Dustin Smith, and bass player Brandt Walker (from Franks' previous band Yours Truly). The Federalists have released three studio albums.
The Federalists' music has been inspired by a wide variety of artists and styles, including Wilco, Bob Dylan and The Beatles. Their music has been called everything from indie to classic rock, alt. country, and classic pop.
In 2008, with the release of their second full length Self-Titled record, The Federalists received numerous music reviews by local and nationally respected indie press including; "Diablo Magazine", "The Big Takeover", "Recording Magazine", "East Bay Express", and "Performer Magazine". The single from their 2008 record, 'City Girl', received support from Bay Area radio stations such as; LIVE 105, KFOG, and 107.7 The Bone. LIVE 105 music director Aaron Axelsen was so impressed by The Federalists second record he asked them to play at BFD, LIVE 105's annual music festival at the Shoreline Amphitheater in June 2008. This started a progression of great show offers for The Federalists in the remainder of 2008. The Federalists provided the main support for Or, The Whale at Great American Music Hall in San Francisco and opened for Santana at the Sleep Train Pavilion in Concord, California.
References.
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Beloved (band)
American metal band
Beloved is an American post-hardcore band from Kernersville, North Carolina, United States.
History.
Beloved formed in the fall of 1999. The original members all attended East Forsyth High School in Kernersville, NC, from 1996 to 2000. They played local shows in the surrounding areas of Kernersville, where they grew in popularity almost immediately. In 2000, they independently released their first album, "...And So It Goes". The band toured the country with bands such as Underoath, Luti-Kriss/Norma Jean, and Cool Hand Luke, including a performance at the Cornerstone Festival.
In the spring of 2001, they gained the attention of upstart label Vindicated Records, who released their next release, "The Running", later that year. During this time, the band also released a limited online pre-release for "The Running" which included rough studio versions of the tracks "The Blue Period" and "Into Your Arms". The second track was not included on the Vindicated Records release was not commercially released until the second re-release by Solid State Records.
In 2002, the band was in the process of signing with Takehold Records. However, the owner of Takehold Records, Chad Johnson, was also negotiating the sale of the label to Tooth & Nail Records at the time.
Ultimately, Takehold was sold to Tooth & Nail and Beloved signed with Tooth & Nail's Solid State Records division. Solid State re-released their EP, "The Running", for their performance at Cornerstone in the summer of 2002.
In late 2002, while on tour with Luti-Kriss /Norma Jean, they recorded the EP "One Night Split", which was limited. Only a handful of copies in CD-R format were produced, and these were handed out to lucky fans at subsequent tour stops after their recording.
The following year, the band entered the studio with producer GGGarth to record their follow-up full-length album, "Failure On". The band supported the album with extensive touring and another re-release of The Running with the previously recorded bonus track "Into Your Arms" in 2004.
Their farewell show took place in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on January 14, 2005. The show also featured Underoath, Classic Case, Glass Casket, and a special surprise appearance by Norma Jean. Footage of their farewell show was released as a DVD, "Kiss it Goodbye". Former members of Beloved went on to play in bands such as Classic Case, Dead Poetic and The Almost.
On November 27, 2015, multiple members announced on their personal Instagram profiles a sale on Beloved merchandise. Bassist Johnny Smirdel stated that fans should keep their ears open for 2016, hinting a possible reunion. It was revealed Nov. 29th 2019 via the band's Instagram that they were together working on something for 2020, starting with the band's first show in 15 years at Furnace Fest 2020.
In September 2021 they released a new single 'Abyss'.
Members.
Current
Former members
References.
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Antagonist (band)
American metalcore band
Antagonist is an American metalcore band from Whittier, California, formed in 1998. They released numerous EPs prior to being signed with Prosthetic Records. They have released two albums while under the Prosthetic Records banner, "Exist" and "World in Decline". In 2012, Antagonist once again became an independent band and released the five-song EP, “Antagonist” (2015). In 2019, Antagonist signed with independent label Infinite Strength Records and released a two-song EP “Human Failure” on July 19.
The current line-up of the band consists of guitarist/vocalist Carlos Garcia, drummer Orlando "Lond" Garcia, guitarist Roland Leonard and bassist Colby White.
History.
Formation, "The Architecture of Discord", Dwell Records and "An Envy of Innocence" (1998–2006).
Antagonist began when middle school friends Carlos Garcia, Marcus Hill and David Zamora jammed on cover tunes in the summer of 1998. That September, Garcia started his first year of high school, where he met drummer Orlando "Lond" Garcia (no relation) in his gym class. After a few months of talking, they finally set up a jam session in Lond's garage. And on November 4, 1998, the band officially formed. There were a few band names thrown around, such as Useless, Static, and Chunty Wunty and His Band of Merry Elephants, but they agreed on Antagonist after it was suggested by Zamora.
Their first few shows were backyard parties and their sets consisted of mainly cover tunes by bands like Nirvana, Rage Against the Machine, and the Deftones. After 2 shows, the band parted ways with Zamora on guitar due to creative differences. They played their first "all originals" set in the Spring of 1999 at the now defunct Showcase Theatre in Corona, CA. They continued to play as a 3 piece, where they played many local shows and recorded 2 demos, the full-length "Prozac" and the "Winnetka" EP.
In 2001, they added a second guitarist, Matt Lopez. As a 4 piece, they recorded "Writings on the Wall" EP (2002), "Live at the Showcase" EP (2003), and "Intended to Hurt or Wound" EP (2003).
Antagonist parted ways with longtime bassist and founding member Marcus Hill after various altercations he had during their shows. Paul Salem joined the band shortly after, and they immediately recorded "Eschatology" (2004). In 2005, they recorded the "Samsara" EP, with a limited pressing of 500. Their next recording was their first proper full-length, "The Architecture of Discord" (2005). This would be their last self-released effort.
2005 was also the year Antagonist went on its first tours, first with the bands Winds of Plague and With Dead Hands Rising, and then with Winds of Plague in the Winter of 2005/2006.
In 2006, Antagonist signed a 1-album deal with Dwell Records. The band went into with studio with Producer Rollie Ulug (Force of Change, Graf Orlock, As Hope Dies) and on November 21, 2006, "An Envy of Innocence" was released in the USA. It was accompanied by the band's first music video for the track "The Chaos We Breathe," directed by Ritchie Valdez (Stick To Your Guns, All Shall Perish, As Blood Runs Black).
Prosthetic Records, "Exist", "World in Decline" and disbandment (2007–present).
The band toured throughout the next year or so without any major label support. In the Fall of 2007, Antagonist were signed to Prosthetic Records. They entered the studio in the Spring of 2008 to record their full-length "Exist," with Producer Fred Archambault (Avenged Sevenfold, Eighteen Visions, Valient Thorr). The album was released on September 30, 2008 on Prosthetic Records.
In early 2009, both Matt Lopez and Paul Salem departed the band due to family and work obligations, respectively. Antagonist hired long-time friend and local guitarist Roland Leonard to fill in temporarily on guitar for the next few tours. After two tours, the band decided to make Leonard permanent. The bassist slot rotated with fill-ins, but finally in the summer of 2009, another long-time friend Nick Reyes decided to step down from his usual guitar duties and took over the role of bassist for Antagonist. The new lineup played their first show in September 2009.
Antagonist returned to the studio in the Spring of 2010 to record its second Prosthetic full-length, "World in Decline" with Producer Paul Miner (Throwdown, Death By Stereo, Terror). It was released on August 17, 2010, and on August 18, 2010 the band kicked off a tour in support of the album, dubbed the "Shredding Pumpkins" Tour, Antagonist joined the bands Wretched and Diskreet for a full USA tour that concluded on October 13 in Tucson, AZ.
In December 2023, the band announced they would be disbanding following a farewell show.
Band members.
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Timeline
References.
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Enemy You
American punk rock band
Enemy You was an American punk rock band from San Francisco, California, United States, that formed in 1997.
Biography.
Prior to their formation, David Jones, the main songwriter in Enemy You, recorded several releases with his pop punk band After School Special on Mutant Pop Records. The group never toured or played a show, but still had a small dedicated following. In 1997, Enemy You was formed and began rehearsing together. They were heavily inspired by Bad Religion and other melodic punk acts. After Enemy You began writing tunes together as a band they received interest from Ben Weasel and his fledgling label, Panic Button Records. Weasel would often call Fat Wreck Chords, and heard about the band through Chris, who was the bassist for Enemy You, and an employee at Fat Wreck Chords. This led to their debut appearance on the four-way split dubbed "Four On The Floor" alongside Screeching Weasel, Teen Idols and Moral Crux. This was followed by their debut album, "Where No One Knows My Name", in 1999. Based on the album's success the band was asked to open for a number of notable punk bands including Bouncing Souls, Lagwagon, Bad Religion, T.S.O.L., Mad Caddies, and NOFX. The band released a 7-inch on the Fat Club series on Fat Wreck Chords. They followed that with an 1980s-themed seven inch EP that came out on Geykido Comet Records, titled "Video to Radio." Geykido Comet Records re-released the EP in 2017, with all the proceeds going to suicide prevention. Around this time, guitarist, Ken Yamazaki, started to play guitar for the Hardcore punk band, Western Addiction. He still stayed with Enemy You, though. In 2005 the band released their second album, "Stories Never Told" on Red Scare Industries. David was friends with label owner, Toby Jeg, and the label also eventually re-released "[Where No One Knows My Name". Enemy You then signed with Nitro Records. Their third studio album, "Fade Away" was released as an iTunes Store exclusive on December 2, 2008, after being shelved for a few years. Vocalist David Jones committed suicide in March 2015.
References.
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Betzefer
Israeli groove metal band
Betzefer () is an Israeli groove metal band originating from Maccabim-Re'ut. The band was formed up in 1998 and was signed to Roadrunner Records from 2005 to 2007. Betzefer is notable for becoming Israel's first heavy metal band to have released its debut album on a major heavy metal label.
Betzefer's biggest influence is Slayer, while Pantera and Sepultura are also credited as being major influences. The band's second album was produced by Down producer Warren Riker.
History.
Early years (1998–2004).
Betzefer was formed in 1998 for a one-off high school gig. This fact is the origin of the band's name, which is an ad lib translation of the Hebrew term "Beit Sefer", meaning "school". The original lineup included singer Avital Tamir, guitarist Matan Cohen, drummer Roey Berman and bassist Menashe "Mashy" Hazan. Following the usual gigs as a cover band and several replacements of the bass players, Betzefer started their own songwriting. 1999 saw the release of their first demo followed in 2000 by the EP, "Pitz Aachabar" ("Pitz the Mouse"), a parody on a popular Hebrew children song. In 2001 they released the EP "Some Tits, but No Bush" and later in 2003 the EP "New Hate" with new bass player Evil Haim (Haim Binyami), all self-financed and self-released.
Not long after the release of the EP, Evil Haim left the band, and stayed only to work as the band's soundman, additionally for the new band he formed after the departure from Betzefer, Whorecore. Rotem Inbar replaced him as the bassist.
"Down Low", signing and departure from Roadrunner (2004–2007).
In June 2004 the band took off to Belgium to record their first full-length album, "Down Low", with producer Kris Belaen to whom they were introduced by Sven De Caluwe of Aborted and Whorecore. They eventually recorded the album with Belaen, while the final mixing and mastering was done by Danish producer Tue Madsen. During the recordings, the band was offered by Fear Factory to tour with them as their supporting act. During their performances the band was noticed by the major label Roadrunner Records who signed the band to a 4-album contract. After the signing, the band came back to the studio to finish the recording.
On 19 May 2005, "Down Low" was released independently in Israel, and then on 6 June 2005 it was released internationally by Roadrunner Records, after which the band toured Europe intensively to promote it.
Beginning March 2007, They toured with Sepultura supporting their "Dante XXI" tour, supporting Lamb of God and Soulfly on their German tours and Chimaira on their UK tour, and through 2007 performed in such events as With Full Force festival in Germany and Planet Music in Austria. They were joined by Sepultura guitarist Andreas Kisser a few times for a performance of "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC. On 2 July 2007, Betzefer opened for Megadeth at the Hangar 11 in Tel Aviv, Israel.
In December 2007, Betzefer parted ways with Roadrunner Records, stating that the record label did not fit anymore for what the band was looking for, although various sources stated that the band was dropped by the label due to personal issues with the band. At the time, the band also stated they have already written most of the material for the upcoming album, which will not be released by Roadrunner.
"Freedom to the Slave Makers" (2008–2011).
On 10 March 2008, Betzefer opened for Machine Head at the Theater Club in Tel Aviv. At the show, the band performed all the songs from their upcoming second album. A few days later, the band entered the studio to start recording the new album.
On 21 May 2008, it was announced that Betzefer's upcoming second studio album would not be mixed and produced by Tue Madsen after all as previously announced, and that it will be instead mixed and produced by Grammy Award winner Warren Riker, who has produced albums for Down, Santana, Lauryn Hill and more. The band has commented that as much as they liked working with Madsen, they decided to work with Riker instead, since they have the option, because they do not want the new album to sound like the latest one, and they hope Riker will bring the new sound they look for. The band stated that their new songs will combine the old elements of the band's music along with new experimental material.
On 25 May 2008, Betzefer finished the recording of their second studio album and announced that the album is in its final mixing stages. They then performed at the Hellelujah Open Air, a donation heavy metal festival in Herzliya, Israel, on 30 May 2008, in which they said they were recording the crowd for a new song called "Doomsday" in which vocalist Tamir stated they needed to have people shouting gang vocals of the word "Day" in the chorus, for the record. At the show the band also played two new songs: "Doomsday" and "Best Seller". It was then announced that the current title for Betzefer's second studio album is "Freedom to the Slave Makers" and that the album will be released in September 2008 and not July 2008 as it was said before. Yet, since then, the album was delayed once again, this time to an unknown date in 2009.
On 24 April 2009, the band played at the 2009 edition of the Hellelujah Open Air in Herzliya, Israel, which was the band's only live performance for 2009. During the performance, the band announced that the album was once again delayed to an unknown date in 2010 since it was not mastered yet, and performed a new song, entitled "Heavensent", along with Tomer Jones of Whorecore.
In May 2009, it was announced that the album will go into the mastering stage between 18 and 25 May 2009, at West West Side Music Studios, in New Windsor, New York by Alan Douches, who previously worked with such bands as Through the Eyes of the Dead, Beneath the Massacre and A Life Once Lost.
On 27 August 2010, the band played their first show of 2010, at the Heavy Metal Tel Aviv as their alter ego band HC/DC which features the band members, with additional guitarist Alex Schuster, though the band played strictly AC/DC covers, and not any songs from Betzefer. Alongside the band played such acts as Sabaton, Tim "Ripper" Owens, Nightmare and Almana Shchora.
On 28 September 2010, the band performed as part of Ozzfest, taking place in Israel for the first time, alongside Ozzy Osbourne, Korn, Soulfly and Almana Shchora. The band played the whole new album at the show and has also hinted on a possible soon to be announced release date for the long delayed album.
On 24 October 2010, the band announced that artwork for the album had been completed. It was done by Shahar Hemo and Nir Doliner, with photography by Gal Hamo.
On 3 November 2010, it was finally announced that the band had signed a new record deal with AFM Records, who will release the band's second album "Freedom to the Slave Makers" worldwide in February 2011. On 5 January 2011, it was confirmed that the album would be released worldwide on 18 February 2011, with a special release show at the Barby club in Tel Aviv to follow on 3 March 2011. On 6 January 2011, the band revealed the album's artwork and track list. On 10 January 2011, it was announced that the album will be released in the US on 22 February 2011 through E1 Music.
On 20 January 2011, the band released the song "Nothing But Opinions", the first single from the upcoming album, for free listening through such Israeli sites as Walla!, Nana 10 and Musicspot. On 16 February 2011, the album was uploaded for free streaming on the band's Facebook and Myspace pages.
On 16 June 2011, Betzefer went on their first European tour in support of "Freedom to the Slave Makers", and their first international tour since 2007. The tour included some headlining dates as well as supporting slots for Cavalera Conspiracy and GWAR, and a slot on the With Full Force festival, which the band had not played since 2005. The tour ended on 2 July 2011.
"The Devil Went Down to the Holy Land" (2012–2016).
On 30 May 2012, the band played as the support act to Lamb of God, while the later played the Hangar 11 in Tel Aviv, Israel.
On 11 August 2012, the band announced on their official Facebook page that they have finished recording their third album, which will contain 13 tracks and will be called "Suicide Hotline". The band started a campaign through the website Indieagogo to raise money for them to be able to mix and master the new album, which was planned to be mixed by Tue Madsen in September.
On 2 September 2012, Avital Tamir and Matan Cohen flew to Antfarm Studios in Aarhus, Denmark, to mix and master the album with Tue Madsen, who mixed their first album "Down Low", as well as some additional recording. Mixing and mastering was finished on 9 September 2012.
On 1